Craft Ale House

708 W. Ridge Pike, Royersford, PA

http://www.craftalehouse.com/

So, thanks to a commenter, I was finally compelled to make the journey down Ridge Pike to this place, once a deli, next to a garden store, and near the Limerick airport.

I think part of my lack of motivation for coming here was this location, as well as there not being a menu on their website; I like to know what I’m getting myself into (and for being open now six months, this omission seems a bit egregious).

We arrived and the place was packed, which is always a good sign. We were told the wait would be a half-hour, so we cooled our jets in the comfortable waiting area and in 25 minutes we were seated. We had initially thought of going here to watch the Phillies over dinner, but the bar area contains the only TV, and there was no room at the bar. Though disappointed, I came to realize that I agree that they’re not going for the sports bar feel — all dark wood with beige walls, the decor is tasteful, simple, and befitting the kind of gastropub feel they are going for. The noise level was surprisingly tolerable given all the people and all the wood. It was a nice space, and I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that the outdoor patio didn’t seem to be open for seating.

While waiting, we had decided on our first brews: I ordered the Ommegang Hennepin Farmhouse Ale, while Rick had an Appalachian Porter. I loved mine with all of its fruity Belgian-ness, while Rick wasn’t quite so down with the hoppiness of his.

We weren’t quite in the mood for full-fledged entrees: they were diverse and interesting enough — a hanger steak here, a chicken breast there — but we just weren’t all that hungry. We also didn’t go for a shared appetizer, though there was a nice smattering of familiar favorites (fries, wings (I think), etc.) and other items of note (including an artisanal cheese plate). Finally, though I’m not a fan, I’m also pleased to see mussels featured, a nod to the Belgian pub tradition, and a good one.

Instead, we each got soup and a pub fare option: Rick had the soup of the day (a spinach and horseradish puree that was so-so — it needed more seasoning) and the burger, while I had the sweet onion soup and the fish and chips. My soup was delicious — a pureed soup with some crispy onions on top. It was smooth, creamy, and nicely seasoned.

Before our entrees arrived, we re-hydrated: Rick with a Boulder Single Track Copper Ale (which was just fine — a little better than the first), while I had a Southern Tier Hop Sun Summer Wheat, which was quite tasty. In good time, our entrees arrived. Rick bit into his burger and found the medium to be much more like well, with no pink to be found. I flagrantly disobeyed his request and pointed it out to our server because I think it’s important that restaurants know when they’re doing things well and when they’re not. She responded well, and offered us a free beer or dessert. We demurred so we could get back to our food. Rick’s burger was literally and figuratively well done, and my fish and chips were very good: we overheard a co-owner commenting to another table that they don’t even have their freezer plugged in, and that was obviously the case with my meal. The fish was lightly breaded yet still nicely crispy — obviously freshly done in house. Likewise, the fries were wonderfully seasoned and freshly cooked.

Since we didn’t go for another beer or another dessert, our server (who was always attentive and pleasant) comped a beer, which was a nice gesture. Without the discount, the bill came to $50, which is very reasonable. Before leaving, we picked up a mixed 6-pack of great beers, including the Allagash White I fell in love with at the Next Door Bar, which is another great feature of this place.

So, all in all, I’m very pleased with what we have just down the road. The menu is slightly limited, but smartly so, and I look forward to them developing it a bit, especially since the chef is obviously talented. I think another thing they could do is establish more beer pairings and be a bit more intentional about the connections between the food and the beer. That’s quibbling though — good stuff, and I am looking forward to going back.

Fenix

193 Bridge St., Phoenixville, PA

http://www.thefenixbar.com/

Before heading to Majolica a while back, we popped into Fenix for a drink to see what it was like. The place feels like it wants to: something like an ultralounge, where there’s good music and sleek surroundings. The wall of mirrors can be a disconcerting for one who doesn’t like to look at themselves, but the seating is ample and comfortable.

I took advantage of the nice happy hour they have Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and had a couple of $6 specialty martinis. I opted first for the regularly $9 Charger, composed of Belvedere Orange vodka, blue curacao, pineapple and Red Bull. It certainly did provide a charge, with great fruity flavors mixed well, and I always love to have my depressants mixed with stimulants (my favorite airplane drink is Bailey’s and coffee; my favorite casino drink is rum or Jack and diet Coke). My second drink was a take on a refreshing classic — an Arnold Palmer-tini, made with Sweet Tea vodka, citron vodka, and lemonade. Again, it was mixed well and was a fun drink on a summery night.

The service was strong but unobtrusive, and we all enjoyed our drinks. I’m not all that interested in the tapas side of things (I’m sure they’re good, but tapas just aren’t my thing, unless it’s Amada), but The Fenix is a great addition to the more beer-oriented hotspots in Phoenixville.

Updates

It’s been a while, but I have been eating and reading.

• We made it back to Yoshi for some take out sushi, and it went well. They have put in a portable air conditioner, so I feel a little more comfortable, and they gave me a taste of green tea froyo that was very tasty. Service is still awfully friendly, and the sushi is still good.
• An addition was made to the hall of dishes after our trip last weekend to NYC: a killer bagel with a deadly shmear. Thank God I brought back some for home use, even though my floss is getting a workout.
• I have some additions to the Wish List: Craft Ale House (thanks to a commenter) up the road in Limerick that has a serious beer list (but no menu…what’s up with that?) and Franklin Mortgage and Investment Co., which Phoodie.info gave a glowing review (no douchebags and a crazy attractive take on the Pimm’s Cup? So there).
• We’re still waiting on Jannie’s in Royersford.
• I hope to get some more reviews up soon — one for craftbar in NYC and for Classic Diner in Exton.

Next Door Bar

126 N. Wayne Ave., Wayne, PA

http://www.teresas-cafe.com/

We had some time to kill before catching a train into the city, so we decided to get a quick drink and nosh beforehand. Seeing as how there is nothing within walking distance to my usual R5 stops, we journeyed to Wayne, where I knew there had to be something. Walking from the train station, I remembered hearing about the bifurcated Teresa’s Cafe/Next Door Bar and thought that might be a good option.

We sat at the end of the bar, which wasn’t exactly the most desirable place, as it was where servers congregated waiting for drink orders and also where dirty glasses were deposited for the bartenders to wash; I would think there would be a better system for that, but if that’s my only complaint, then you know it was a good experience.

And it was. We didn’t have all that much time before our train left, so we ended up going small — a couple of salads and a shared cheese plate. To start though, we each chose a beer, and I chose the wonderful Allagash White, which is my new favorite beer: a classic Belgian from the fruity, wheaty side of the family (see Delerium Tremems, Golden Monkey, et al.), it wasn’t quite as misstep-inducing as its brethren, which was exactly what I wanted. I can’t remember what Rick ended up having, because I was so obsessed with the Allagash.

Our salads were quite good, save for perhaps being a bit overdressed and undertossed: I chose the nuts and berries (spinach, bleu, walnuts, currants) while Rick chose the three bean (fava, English peas, and haricots verts) and radish. They were both tasty and hit the spot. We then shared a generous serving of Humboldt Fog with an assortment of bread and some seriously good balsamic strawberries.

As I said in my previous posts, I would kill for a place like this around us: a relatively affordable gastropub that served great beers and great food — someplace that had a good vibe where you could go for a good meal or just a beer. Please. Do this, someone.

Turning Japanese

I really think so.

In a recent post, I noted how the addition of Yoshi brings to three the number of sushi-offering restaurants in our area. I also should note that with Wegman’s coming in October (were I in possession of the actual opening date I would literally be counting the days), there’ll be four sushi offerers within five minutes.

I needn’t wait: according to Michael Klein, Jannie will be opening at the Target plaza in Royersford in the coming weeks. With outposts in NE Philly and Warrington, Jannie is apparently a Chinese/Japanese place, with equal emphases on both cuisines (Menupages menu).

This is just odd to me. We’re big sushi fans and also enjoy the other Asian offerings, but is there really a need in this area for Japanese/Korean (Bonjung), fast Japanese (Yoshi), Chinese/Japanese (Jasmine), and another Chinese/Japanese? This does not include a Thai place and an authentic Szechuan place another five minutes up from Jannie. It’s not that I’m really complaining, but, as I’ll note soon enough in an upcoming review, I’d love to have a strong gastropub or a good authentic or even decent Mexican place, among other options. Apparently though, we just really need another Asian place.

Or we’ll see.

Yoshi Sushi and Yogurt

Collegeville Shopping Center, Collegeville, PA

As Rick noted when we were at Yoshi, we now have three places that serve sushi within about five minutes of our house. This is what happens when you live in a resort community.

Seriously though, how did this happen? Bonjung is a great standby (whose bento box lunch I had just t’other day and was reassured of its value and taste) and Jasmine also serves sushi (though we haven’t tried it). Now there’s Yoshi.

Which is a completely different kind of restaurant. With only a few small tables and a bar, it’s tiny; it’s obviously intended to be much more of a casual takeout place. And, I can see that — as long as they get their act together.

We walked in on what I believe was their first day, and were greeted warmly. As with many just opened counter service places, it wasn’t exactly clear where a line formed or where to order (despite there actually being a side; see Barrister’s Bagels for the same problem which has been slightly resolved). Once we finally came up with selections from the printed menu, the menu on the wall and the menu on the wall with pictures, we were told it was going to be a while — 15 minutes.

Not that big of a deal for us (we could do our Mother’s Day card shopping), but that’s not really going to work if you’re going to do takeout — unless you call ahead (which we’ll likely do in the future).

When we got back from Hallmark, we arrived to find a table waiting for us with complimentary soups and the first of our rolls. Nicely done. Our other rolls soon followed: we ordered a spider, Philly, California, and Alaska (salmon, avocado, cucumber) roll. To be honest, the spider and Alaska rolls where both overpowered by the accompanying sauce; the California roll is by definition pedestrian — strangely, the Philly roll was our favorite. The miso soup was just fine. Our salads were relatively standard in terms of ingredients — lettuce, cabbage, carrots, ginger dressing — but they were enormous and very fresh, if not a bit overdressed.

The prices were reasonable and the service a bit unpolished but awfully friendly. I don’t know if we can support three sushi places, but I hope Yoshi does well.

PS: you’ll note no mention of the yogurt: I don’t mention it because I didn’t see it on the menu nor anywhere else in the menu. Future expansion?

PPS (7/1/09): Check out my updates for another recent visit to Yoshi.

Deeg’s Place (Evansburg Country Kitchen)

3839 Germantown Pike, Evansburg, PA 19426

In our neverending quest to find a good place for breakfast on the weekend, we finally were able to go here. I say finally, because we had had two aborted attempts to eat breakfast when there was not a free space in the parking lot.

This, to us, boded well.

Not so much.

The atmosphere is basic — nothing horrible, but nothing attractive; the TV blaring Saturday morning cartoons is a nice touch, if you like that sort of thing — the busgirl seemed to while I waited for coffee. Otherwise, the service was fine — generally attentive, and our orders were correct.

Rick had scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, and potatoes, which were strangely sweet; I think we finally agreed that they had drenched the poor things in Old Bay, which didn’t really result in anything I’d want to have again. I had the two-two-two, which were two decent but strangely glossy pancakes, two scrambled eggs, one piece of nice sausage, and two strips of bacon that were burnt and would have still tasted strange were they cooked properly. Deeg’s is apparently not so good with math, and only barely better with cooking: apparently I’m missing something because that full parking lot we encountered on previous occasions means someone thinks Deeg’s is something special, even if I don’t agree.

Majolica (Once More)

As noted in a recent post, Majolica closed and then re-opened with a new concept–slightly more casual, slightly less expensive, but still featuring quality, local, seasonal ingredients and a certain French flair. We decided to support the return/re-birth and went with friend Sara to celebrate her birthday. It was a Wednesday night, so the place was relatively empty, but did business did pick up as the night went on, thankfully.

To start, Sara had the beet salad, Rick a few oysters, and I had the soup, which that night was a cream of cauliflower; we all enjoyed our dishes quite a bit. Indeed, I was slightly overjoyed by mine — creamy without being heavy, certainly filled with cauliflower goodness, but with nice spices to complement but not overpower the vegetable. I also ordered a side of frites for the table, because, well, one must, really. They were delicious and took me back to my summer in Belgium; ok, not really, but they were very good — crispy enough, but plenty of potato taste and not greasy.

For the entree, Sara had the sweet potato agnolotti (little ravioli) with black trumpet mushrooms and sage; surprised at first that the sweet potato was the filling not the main ingredient of the pasta itself, she was still very pleased with the dish. I had a bite and also found it tasty. Rick had the Atlantic Skatewing with peas and bacon and devoured it; it’s a darn ugly creature, but darn tasty here. After much deliberation, I decided on the milk-fed pork, and was very glad I did. Wonderfully cooked, the meat was tender and flavorful; all pigs should be fed milk…or something.

For dessert, Sara got the pecan shortbread with lemon curd because one cannot pass up curd, and I got the doughnuts for the same reason. The doughnuts were, like the frites, well-executed and little pillows of heaven and hell.

I don’t remember what the bill was, but it was perfectly reasonable. They also have a three-course prix fixe for $25 which is a bargain, I’d say. $60 for dinner for two including tip if you bring your own wine? Bargain.

So, it’s nice to have Majolica back, even if they weren’t gone very long. I look forward to returning much more often than we did in the past.

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon

MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV

http://www.mgmgrand.com/dining/atelier-joel-robuchon-french-restaurant.aspx

Joel Robuchon (and, no, I can’t do the umlauts over the e) is crazy good. JR at the Mansion at MGM received three Michelin stars, the only restaurant in Vegas to do so. I couldn’t quite convince my party to spring for the $385 16-course menu at the Mansion, but I could convince them to try the “winter tasting menu” of five courses for $75.

L’Atelier features a very open kitchen around which much of the seating is placed. We were at one of the few tables with a not overly distracting view of the casino. Decked out in black and red, it’s a swanky but not haughty place. After a delectable selection of cocktails (mine was really good and I wish I could remember what it was) and dangerously pointy and dangerously addictive rolls,

our first course came out, which actually was a bonus course that the whole table got thanks to John and Angel springing for the menu decouverte: an amuse bouche of Foie gras parfait with port wine and parmesan foam 

I’m not typically a big fan of foam, but this was some fine foam — perhaps the most parmesan-y thing I have ever tasted, but ever so light. It was indulgent, just as it should be in Vegas.

Now, onto our real first course: Mediterranean vegetables layered with buffalo mozzarella

As you can see, it was eggplant and zucchini was some darn good mozz. Was it life-altering? No. Was it well-prepared and a nice start? Yes, indeedy.

Next step? Some seafood in the form of a Crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto

I’m pretty sure this is my first langoustine, and I would like to have more, if they’re prepared like this. The crisp here was just right — not at all greasy nor overpowering, but still providing a nice saltiness to give the tender langoustine some edge. It was very good.

For the entree, we had a choice between cod and beef. Duh: French-style hanger steak with fried shallots

The picture doesn’t do justice to this dish. It was perfectly cooked, and the sauce was rich without being too decadent. The shallots added a subtle edge to the richness of the rest of the dish. It was very very very good. Coming with the steak were the most ridiculous potatoes in the most ridiculously adorable red crock of love. Somehow, I missed getting a picture of the crock (what a crock!), but here’s a photo of the potatoes so you can gauge their consistency:

It was like they had been frothed. It was like a potato cappuccino. Man they were good.

Now for a cheese course that featured your sheep, goat, and cow in nicely calming flavors and textures:

And then, les tartes:

Let’s see, you’ve got your marscapone, [can't remember], raspberry, chocolate, and lemon. And, again, they were just fabulous. 

Service was a bit awkward at times because there was a lot of reaching around our small-ish, tucked-in table, but was very attentive and informative. Overall, I was very impressed and thought I got away with murder for paying $100 for this meal with two drinks. I would go back in a heartbeat, and I cannot wait to hit the Mansion someday.

Majolica No More

In some very sad news, it appears that I will no longer have a revelatory sunchoke soup or other creative, seasonal wonders just ten minutes from home: according to the Inky, Majolica in Phoenixville has closed due to the economy and family reasons. I hope that the wonderful chef Andrew Deery comes back soon with something just as delightful and creative. Though we only ate their twice, you’ll note that it was in my top 5; since I know have two dead restaurants in my Top 5, I suppose it’s time to both revise that list and to consider doing a better job of supporting the restaurants I love. Let this be a lesson to you all! Follow Joni’s advice!