darcia's Profile
german food in state college pa
I remember reading something about a German or Austrian restaurant in State College PA.
I don't think it has been around more than a year or so. Does anyone know its name? Is it good? Thanks!
german food in state college pa
I remember reading something about a German or Austrian restaurant in State College PA.
I don't think it has been around more than a year or so. Does anyone know its name? Is it good? Thanks!
Sushi in Lancaster area
I have discovered sushi and the more I try, the more I want! Since I am still fairly new at this, does anyone have recommendations for a great sushi restaurant in the Lancaster area?
I have tried Ginmaya's (love it, with beautiful presentations of sushi), Wasabi (very peaceful atmosphere and enjoyable sushi), and Cafe East (I was not very impressed, but then again I ate there only once). I also ordered sushi once at Olive and Jasmine Asian Bistro (very good!), but there are so many other things I cannot resist from their menu that I don't get around to the sushi when I'm there.
Also, do you have recommendations for any sushi or maki combinations I should try as a relative newbie? Thanks!
My great food addiction...
It is similar in texture to caponata, but the addition of roasted peppers gives it a richer color and flavor. I find the commercially prepared caponata has a sweet/sour taste with a harsh tang from the eggplant; ajvar is very robust, rich and full-bodied. The brand I buy is Va Va and it is nicely seasoned; the "Hot" version is usually not very spicy and the "Mild" is enticingly flavorful. You can probably taste the red peppers slightly more than the eggplant, but, all in all, the two are well-balanced against each other. I hope you enjoy it!
My great food addiction...
Sometimes I stir a little cream into ajvar, heat it gently and then drizzle it over a meat or seafood (especially delicious with crab cakes). I find ajvar so versatile; it's a wonder that it hasn't been picked up by a big-time distributor and made more readily available.
Acadian cuisine, PEI
We would like to sample some authentic Acadian dishes on an upcoming trip to PEI. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
My great food addiction...
My great addiction: ajvar! What a delicately flavored concoction of pureed smoked red peppers, eggplant, oil, and seasonings!
Ajvar is a staple of Balkan cuisine and found throughout central Europe. Alas, it is not very well-known in this country.
I discovered a jar of it one day on the shelf of a specialty grocery store and now I can't get enough. I buy it by the case and use it on everything savory. I replace tomato sauces on pizza with ajvar, toss it with pasta, spread it on crab cakes, sandwiches, and burgers. I use it as a side dish to meats. I eat it right from the jar! And it turns everything it touches to culinary gold.
Has anyone else tried it? Give me some ideas for your favorite uses! What are your can't-live-without foods?
Greek food in Lancaster-Harrisburg area
I am searching for authentic Greek food in the Lancaster-Harrisburg area. It doesn't have to be fancy - a diner is fine - as long as the menu extends beyond just gyros and moussaka (though I like those, too!).
Several years ago, there was a small diner in New Cumberland near Harrisburg - the New Cumberland Diner - which had Greek owners. Penelope did most of the cooking, It was a small, wonderful, hole-in-the-wall place with lots of Greek specialties, much of it not on the menu but available for the asking. Delicious food! Anyone know what happened to the owners? Do they have another location?
Thanks for the help!
German Restaurants in the Maritimes
Thank you for the info re The Black Forest. I had heard about this restaurant but did not know where it was located. We are planning a day trip to this area and will stop in for a meal there.
German Restaurants in the Maritimes
Thanks for the tip! Will let you know how it was and if I found more on the trip.
Dining in Lancaster
I have been living in Lancaster for quite some time now and have found some wonderful dining options. There are a number of all-you-can-eat restaurants with family style seating, (mostly tourist-oriented) which offer up solid, well-cooked, country food with Pennsylvania German specialties - not bad if you like that kind of thing. These places are easy to find along Routes 30 and 340 east of the city, try Miller's, Good and Plenty, Plain and Fancy, or Stoltzfus's (which is a little smaller and off the main strip of 340 between Intercourse and Gordonville. Diners and family restaurants will also offer up typical local fare, such as ham loaf, chicken pot pie, scrapple (for breakfast), shoofly pie, and lemon sponge pie. Shady Maple Smorgasboard in East Earl is just as popular with the locals as with tourists and has a huge, newer restaurant.
For ethnic food, try Asian Bistro on Route 30 in the commercialized shopping/hotel strip of Lancaster. It is one of the few non-chain restaurants in this busy area. The Asian Bistro sits behind the Appleby's and it is just wonderful with a mix of Thai, Japanese, and Malaysian food. A true oasis of calm with gracious service, lovely dining room (white table cloths!) and beautifully prepared food...and at very reasonable prices! The Thai Green Curry is to die for, and all of their noodle dishes are excellent. They also serve sushi and vegetarian dishes. We eat there at least once a month and have never been disappointed.
For more upscale dining, the Log Cabin is located in an out of the way location; though the mailing address says Leola your best bet is to call them and then follow the signs as you are led through a charming, wooded residential area. The Log Cabin offers classic cuisine in a series of lovely dining rooms - my favorite meal is the salmon, though my husband swears by their steaks. Carr's in downtown Lancaster offers fresh new ideas with fresh ingredients; it is located off the famous Central Market area. Other good choices are The Belvedere (downtown) and Josephine's in the charming Victorian town of Marietta.
For dressy casual try: El Serrano for Peruvian and South American food (on Rt 462, west end of Lancaster); The Symposium (on Centerville Road and 462, also on the west end of Lancaster) for Mediterranean offerings, though the musical acts on some nights can be loud; the former Netherlands Inn (I think it's been renamed Historic Strasburg Inn) in Strasburg for a definite European bistro flare.
So many restaurants...so little time, so few notches left on my belt!
German Restaurants in the Maritimes
My husband and I will be spending a few weeks in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and PEI this summer. We enjoy German cuisine tremendously and would welcome suggestions on German, Austrian, and Swiss German restaurants. We would especially like to hear about places which serve more than the typical sausage and sauerkraut fare, but all ideas would be helpful. Thanks!
