Bethlehem: Molinaris (February 2016)

My spouse and I dined for an early dinner at Molinari’s on a Saturday evening in late February 2016. Molinari’s is open for dinner only on Mondays through Saturdays (closed on Sundays). They accept reservations via telephone or on their own website. We have dined at Molinari’s several times since it opened in fall of 2011, usually as a couple but also once in a group. Complimentary parking is available in the lot across the street from the restaurant. (During the day, the parking lot is reserved for St Luke’s Southside Medical Center patients, so it is utilized by Molinari’s patrons in the evenings.) Metered street parking is also available.

This Southside restaurant space previously housed the Lucky Duck Diner and the Steel Mill Bar and Grill, but the third time (owner) is a charm for Molinari’s. The restaurant is located in the corner space of a small retail-type building, with two or three storefronts alongside it, and St Luke’s space above it on the second floor. The restaurant is located directly across East Third Street from the Charter School for the Arts, and within close proximity to the ArtsQuest venue (in case you plan to see a movie or show before or after dining). The restaurant space features extremely high ceilings, and two main areas for dining on either side of the front door. You can also dine at the bar, which is where we sat on the busy night that we dined because we arrived without a reservation. (Although we do not usually choose to dine at a bar, all tables were reserved; our bartender/server Jesse was incredibly adept at his job and provided terrific service with a smile.) Mostly table seating is available, with one row of booths along the inner wall of the restaurant (the other wall features large windows). Patio dining is available in the warmer weather. In the winter, the restaurant hangs heavy curtains around their door to protect guests from the chilly breeze when the doors open (a great idea that we often see in NYC but not in the Lehigh Valley). Creatively, the restaurant has placed high-backed black wooden benches just beyond those curtains to give waiting patrons a place to sit, as well as to define the two main dining areas a bit.

The food at Molinari’s is amazing, and their menu changes often based on seasonality and ingredient availability. (Local products are used whenever possible.) They serve authentic Italian food (their tag-line is “Save on the Airfare” [to Italy]), great appetizers, house-made pastas, Neopolitan pizzas, a few (just four) traditional meat/fish entrees, and homemade gelato and sorbets, as well as Italian wines and beers. On our most recent visit, we ordered the roasted beet salad, basil spaghetti (topped with braised rabbit, Italian meat, mushrooms, and cheese), and the smoked paprika fettuccine (accented by brussel sprouts, speck [ham], and sliced fingerling potatoes topped with grated cheese and sesame seeds). The beet “salad” was most unusual because it contained no lettuce. (Usually when we order a beet salad, the amount of beets is miniscule, but not so with this dish!) It was beautifully presented, with three dollops in the center of the plate divided by rye crackers. (One dollop was mashed red beets, one was mashed golden beets, and the third was whipped ricotta cheese.) Arranged around the edge of the plate were roasted carrot and squash chunks, sprinkled with crumbled pistachio nuts. The beet dish was beautiful, delicious, and creative! Both pasta dishes were amazing, and we cleaned our plates. (Pastas are available in smaller portions, although not priced as such on the menu.) The dessert menu leaves a bit to be desired in our opinion, serving affogato, chocolate budino (pudding/custard), and many types of sorbets and gelatos. (We are fans of cake-like desserts; however, in the past, we have tried some of Molinari’s amazingly flavored sweet and savory gelatos such as corn, honey cinnamon, and brown butter, and they are fantastic!) The privo basil cosmos (non-alcoholic) were so delicious, made with cranberry and grapefruit coulis, basil syrup, and fresh lime and orange, that I drank three of them! House-made focaccia bread (arranged on a plate in “Jenga-like” fashion) is served to all tables, along with the olive oil du jour (supplied by Seasons Oil & Vinegar Taproom in Downtown Bethlehem). Do not expect to order Italian favorites like lasagna or veal parmesan at Molinari’s – their cuisine is completely different (in a good way!) than any other Italian restaurant in the Lehigh Valley.

Service is always excellent, and this time was no exception. (See my earlier mention about our terrific bartender.) The owners of Molinari’s have taken the time to train their staff properly, and management seems to encourage staff try all the dishes so that they can offer patrons their actual opinions. Silverware is replaced with each course, whether or not it was utilized (it is our pet peeve when restaurants ask you to keep your used silverware to use for the next course!).

No other Italian restaurant in this area can produce food of the quality of Molinari’s, with unique ingredients, attractive presentation, and great service. We just wish that they were open for lunch on a Saturday, because we would visit more often.

 

March 2018:

 

June 2018:

 

Macungie: The Grille at Bear Creek (February 2016)

have dined at the Grille at least two times previously in larger groups.) The Grille is open for breakfast and lunch on Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays and dinner daily. (The Bear Creek Resort offers the more casual Trail’s End Café as another sit-down indoor/outdoor dining option that overlooks the outdoor pool, and seasonally, it offers the cafeteria-like Mountain Eatery for those who are skiing.) Parking close to the hotel/restaurant can be a bit difficult if you visit during the busy ski season; however, there are plenty of parking lots on-site, and the resort shuttles you from more remote lots to a convenient location.

The Grille at Bear Creek is located in Macungie at the Bear Creek Mountain Resort. The restaurant offers several dining areas: the main dining room (which offers both table and booth seating, half of which has a view of the mountainside/slopes), the bar area (which includes the bar itself as well as table seating adjacent), and the sushi area (with just a few tiny table and a small sushi bar). The décor is rustic ski lodge, with earthy colors, lots of wood, several fireplaces, and floor-to-ceiling windows in one of the main dining areas. In the summertime, you can dine outdoors near the gardens.

The Grille at Bear Creek serves American cuisine. We shared the “Blue Ridge Pig” as an appetizer, which were four small sandwich slices (slider-size) made with pulled pork, topped with barbecue sauce, cheese, pickles, and cole slaw on tasty rolls (yummy!). For entrees, we ordered the bacon-wrapped meatloaf (served on top of a mashed potato puree along with carmelized onions set atop a red wine sauce) and one of the specials of the day, an 8-oz. bone in New York strip steak, served with a loaded baked potato and broccolini. (The meatloaf was good, as was the potato puree, but the red wine sauce was a bit strong for our taste.) Both entrees came with a salad choice of either Caesar or house, and basket of delicious warm rolls with butter was also delivered to our table. (Entrée prices vary; for example, the steak we ordered was $42, but the meatloaf was $24, and there are lower-priced options like a burger or appetizers to suit all budgets.) We passed on dessert, although they offered many choices.

While we do not consider this a destination for fine dining, if you are in the neighborhood or are staying and/or playing at Bear Creek, it is a valid choice for a good meal. (If you are looking for a really great meal nearby, check out the Savory Grille at the Seisholtzville Hotel.) At Bear Creek, the chef and his staff are clearly trying to present an upscale environment with their choice of menu items, ingredients, and presentation.

Allentown: Grille 3501 (February 2016)

My spouse and I dined at Grille 3501 on a Saturday night in mid-February 2016. (We have dined at 3501 many times previously since its opening in 2001, sometimes as a couple and sometimes in a group.) Grille 3501 is open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on Mondays through Saturdays (closed Sundays). Sometimes on special occasion Sundays (such as Mother’s Day), the restaurant is also open. You can reserve a table via telephone or by using the Open Table reservation system (reservations are highly recommended for dinner, because the restaurant is a crowd favorite). Parking is available in a dedicated lot, although now that the restaurant has expanded, the lot might be a bit undersized when larger parties are present.

Grille 3501 is located in Allentown (Cetronia) near the back entrance to Dorney Park, in a somewhat residential area on Broadway between Cedar Crest Boulevard and Cetronia Road. (Until 2001, this location housed Trinkles Cetronia restaurant.) The main part of that old restaurant houses the original part of Grille 3501 (nicely renovated since Trinkles days), but in 2014, the owners of 3501 added another dining area onto the main restaurant called “The Loft”. The original part of the restaurant has a few dining sections: a main dining room (the back of which can be closed off for small private events), a side dining room, and the bar area. The Loft offers several dining areas as well: an outdoor porch (which has heaters and roll-down sides so that it can be used in colder weather), the large rectangular bar (with seating on three sides), an L-shaped dining area adjacent to the bar, and the namesake loft on a sort of mezzanine level overlooking the main room (this dining area has stair access only as far as we could tell, so the loft is probably not suitable for the mobility impaired). Both the main restaurant and the Loft are very attractive. The décor is contemporary and classy in the original dining area, and gorgeously modern (stone and wood) in the new loft area. Our only comment was that in the ladies room, the sinks only offered cold water, which is a bit unsettling to think that the staff washes their hands in only cold water after using the facilities and then emerging to serve and/or cook food.

Grille 3501 serves Asian/French/Mediterranean cuisine. We ordered several items from their appetizer/starter menu: the baked scallops (which arrived atop actual scallop shells, combined with crab and bacon and drenched in a delicious beurre blanc sauce), the wild boar agnolotti (topped with delicious garnishes like bacon and kale atop a nice brown butter sauce), and the calamari (served with the usual red dipping sauce [although the menu proclaims it to be grape tomato jam], along with an unusual jalapeno relish [which was tasty but seemed more like green tomatoes because it had no heat]). For an entrée, we shared the duck, which was accompanied by sweet potato hash, shredded cabbage, maitake mushrooms, and baby carrots (the two dollops of apricot jam on the plate seemed unnecessary to us because the dish was delicious without it). For dessert, we shared the banana almond bread pudding, which was served warm atop a butterscotch-rum sauce, and crowned with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream and then sprinkled with slivered almonds.

Grille 3501 is a dependable favorite of ours, and we find ourselves returning again and again. We just wish that they were open for Saturday lunch, because we would visit more often.

October 2018:

2019:

 

Easton: Maxim's 22 (February 2016)

My spouse and I dined at Maxim’s 22 for lunch on a Sunday in mid-February (Valentine’s Day). Maxim’s is open for lunch on Fridays/Saturdays/Sundays and dinner on Tuesdays through Sundays. (The restaurant is closed on Mondays.) On Sundays, breakfast/brunch items are also available, in addition to the regular menu. You can reserve a table by telephone. Maxim’s 22 and nearby Sette Luna share the same owners.

Maxim’s 22, which opened in October of 2012, offers a French brasserie atmosphere in the old Pomeroy’s building in downtown Easton (just steps from the “square”). The number 22 in the restaurant name holds significance to the family that owns the restaurant, in addition to being the last two numbers of their address. Several chalkboards hung around the restaurant describe the beer and wine choices, fresh oyster options, and cheese selections. The ceilings are high, and in each of the main dining areas, a somewhat suspended ceiling area features pressed tin for a vintage feel. Above one corner of the bar hangs metal grating, which provides an interesting flair. Frosted glass and wood dividers separate dining areas, and the frosted front/side windows provide additional privacy for diners. French posters adorn some of the walls. Outdoor dining is available in warmer months, both on the front sidewalk for parties of two, or in the brick pedestrian walkway/alley for larger parties. A private room is available for small groups. One of the main dining areas offers seating at rustic wooden marble-topped tables only (and is very bright because of the large windows), while another offers some semi-booth (banquette) seating with the same wood/marble tables. Parking is available on the street (meters) or in a nearby surface parking lot or a garage.

The menu offers French brassiere (or brewpub) food, which is working-class French food that includes favorites such as steak frites, frog legs, tartare, cassoulet, escargot, raw bar, all served without the pretentiousness usually present at French restaurants. We ordered the charcuterie to start, followed by the beet salad. The charcuterie was delivered on a dinner plate atop Boston bibb lettuce (usually we see it delivered on a wooden board); it included duck prosciutto, cured sausage, and house-made pate [the pate was excellent!], but the only accompaniment on the plate was a cranberry chutney – even the usual mustard was delivered in a bottle, which was a bit disappointing. We had hoped that our meal would be coursed, and that we would receive the charcuterie before the salad, but both arrived at the same time. (I ordered both items, so we assumed that they would not be delivered together.) The beet salad was tasty, although the number of red beet chunks was less than we had hoped for; however, they were supplemented by chunks of poached pears, which was an interesting addition to the usual pecans and goat cheese (there was also a hearty amount of lettuce dressed with a nice vinaigrette). For entrees, we ordered one of their “pastas”, which are really macaroni and cheese (we order the “Josh’s” variety, which includes duck confit and is topped by a sunny-side-up egg and truffle slices) and the Parisienne burger (topped with Gruyere, bacon, and a sunny-side up egg, and accompanied by fries). For dessert, we shared the lemon curd berry tart, which was crowned with a fresh mixed-berry combination and sweetened meringue. (The sweetened meringue was a great addition because it offset the tartness of the lemon.) Our only complaint about this dessert item was that the crust was very hard; even with a knife and fork, it was difficult to cut it into bite-sized pieces. A basket of three kinds of bread accompanies all meals (our favorites of which are the raisin walnut and white baguette). The restaurant was also making berry juice on the day that we visited, which was a lovely purplish color because of the pulverized blueberries/raspberries/blackberries – delicious! On previous visits, we have tried many other yummy menu items such as the beef tartare, marrow bones, and mussels for appetizers, the cassoulet, scallops (with a delicious warm white bean ragu), pork shank (with mashed potatoes and Brussel sprouts), steak frites, and duck breast (with hash) for entrees, and the carrot cake and Financier cake for dessert.

We always enjoy our meals at Maxim’s 22 – tasty French food in a comfortable atmosphere.

 

Update February 2017:

 

Center Valley: White Orchid Thai Cuisine (February 2016)

My spouse and I dined at White Orchid Thai Cuisine for a late lunch on a Saturday afternoon in mid-February 2016 (Valentine’s weekend). You can reserve a table at White Orchid by telephone or via the Open Table reservation system. White Orchid is open for lunch and dinner daily.

White Orchid is located at the Promenade Shops in Center Valley. The restaurant opened in fall of 2006; however, the restaurant expanded into an adjacent storefront in late 2009. The interior space is therefore split into two: the main dining room, and an adjacent room that offers a few tables but is dominated by the bar/lounge area. In warmer months, White Orchid also offers outdoor dining on a dedicated patio space that is located between the restaurant and the parking lot (this, along with Melt, is probably the best outdoor dining space at the Promenade). The interior of the main dining space offers both booth and table seating, and the restaurant features lots of dark wood with purple and gray accents. Parking is available in nearby surface parking lots.

Because we dined on Valentine’s weekend, the restaurant offered a few specials. (However, we seem to remember them offering specials on other non-holidays when we have dined.) We were surprised by the high menu prices, more expensive than other Promenade restaurants (like Kome and Melt). To charge $28 for fried rice and $32 for a noodle dish seemed a bit unreasonable to us! (We dine out a lot, often in New York City, so we are not easily shocked by high prices, but these just seemed a bit over-the-top.) We ordered the spring rolls (Po Pia Tod) to start; probably the most boring choice on the apps menu, but we thought that they would be tasty and dependable. When they arrived, they looked good, but in reality were completely flavorless, and the accompanying dipping sauce (vinegar topped with shredded carrot) did nothing to enhance their flavor. (The restaurant has a selection of four additional Thai spices/toppings on each table so that you can further season items yourself.) For entrees, we ordered the crab fried rice (which was topped with lump crab and scallops and accented with raw cucumber slices and grape tomatoes) and one of the specials, the Panang (sweet) curry noodles (which were topped with a variety of seafood and served medium spicy, which was still too spicy for us). We ordered the fried rice as advertised with jasmine rice, although brown rice is available for a $2 upcharge (which seems unnecessary when you’re already paying $28 for the dish). Even though we have traveled to/through Thailand at least four times (and eaten there every time, of course), we admittedly do not have extensive Thai food experience, so perhaps it is our lack of knowledge that leads us to be “un-wowed” by this menu.

We have dined at White Orchid several times since it opened, but disappointingly, we have never enjoyed a truly good meal there; however, we are clearly in the minority because the restaurant was packed to capacity with happy diners even at the hour when we dined. This restaurant often wins in the Thai category for the “Best of” Lehigh Valley restaurants, and from an aesthetic standpoint, we heartily agree.