Undercover Diner

Report:  I have conducted my own little investigation over the past few weeks of hot wings.  Now I have to admit that I do like the convenience of boneless wings that can be consumed neatly with all the flavor and spicy satisfaction.  (By the way, I like Applebee’s boneless wings best.)  But that is not really hot wings, it is more like chicken nuggets and sauce.  There is something about digging into a basket of juicy chicken wings that are finger licking good.   One thing that I found is that perhaps we have huge population of chickens with broken arms because I found a couple of restaurants served wings with broken bones.  Most likely these are a little cheaper to buy but when prepared, even if the sauce is great, the meat is dispersed and sometimes the portions of bones are just unappetizing.  So I set my criteria for good wings as:  full wings with no broken bones, meaty, cooked well where the meat comes off the bone easily, and the sauce is abundant and spicy.  I simply chose mild for my survey to make the comparison easier.

Rated Number One is The Norland Pub that has plump, juicy, meaty and saucy wings.  The Second Runner Up is The Cottage that has good wings but they are not as meaty.  (Both restaurants have a plethora of other sauces for your choosing.)  Of course, I could not hit every restaurant in Franklin County that serves wings in just a few weeks.  Tell me where you go get good wings.

Report:  I‘ve made some return visits to the Cottage in Chambersburg since they redecorated or undecorated the dining room.  If your style is simplistic ambiance, you will love the new dining room.  I need to report on my new favorite entrée.  The sherry chicken just melts in your mouth.  The chicken has a light breading and is sautéed with tomatoes, mushroom and onions in a sherry sauce.  It is simple but delectable.

Sherry Chicken

  On St. Patrick’s Day, many Irish-wanna-be’s quenched their thirst while they found fun, friends and Irish fare at the Cottage.    I have got to say that the Cottage was a lucky-happy-happening place on St. Patrick’s Day.  Many Irish eyes were smiling.  Bangers and Mash was the Irish meal of choice.  Bangers and Mash is a typical Irish/English meal of sausage and mashed potatoes.  The sausage was spicy and the mashed potatoes were swimming in savory onion gravy.  The carrots added nice color.  The Cottage is a good O’Locale hangout.  If you are visiting from out out-of-town this is just one of those places you should go to catch some local flavor.  

Bangers and Mash

Report: I have recently returned to several restaurants that I have previously reported on in the past two years. I will report on three return visits.

At Montezuma’s Mexican Restaurant on Wayne Avenue, I tried the Pollo Loco…crazy chicken. It was a little crazy because it didn’t really seem like Mexican food or anything that I would find in the El Paso brand section of the supermarket. It was a grilled chicken breast with grilled zucchini, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and squash all over rice.  It was not super spicy but the temperature was incredibly hot.  The skillet that it was served on must have been top of the line and expensive because it held the temperature very well.  I will get that entrée again but not when I craving Mexican or Southwest food.  It just wasn’t the whole enchilada so to speak.

Rosalie’s still has my favorite salad in Franklin County, Chicken and Artichoke Salad with Paris Dressing.  I tried the spaghetti with marinara sauce.  I am custom to a little more kick in my sauce.  The cheese steak sub was delicious.  Yes, it is a typical cheese steak sub with all the typical condiments (lettuce, tomato, mayo, onion) but it is made on those wonderful Rosalie rolls.  There are some restaurants like Rosalie’s where the bread is worth the trip.

Town and Country Cafe still makes an impression.  My first visit was very soon after opening and now it is obvious that it is business as usual.  Again, this is a class act.  I enjoyed a salmon wrap with a honey, ginger, and soy sauce.  If you are so inclined, it is absolutely finger licking good.  Actually, it would be elbow licking good as it tended to drip profusely but was worth the effort.    Good luck licking your elbows.  The salmon salad is also a good choice; very filling yet healthy for lunch. 

Report: I had once reported on the staple of Greencastle called the Antrim House Restaurant. It has since closed and I revisited this location to investigate the new inhabitants. Oh, how things have changed! Frankly, I didn’t know what to expect from a “public house” in Greencastle, especially on the main drag. I was pleasantly surprised that it was not a smoky, beer sticky seat, stinky, dark dive with questionable characters watching the door. In fact, The John Allison Public House is an upscale pub-like setting with a décor that I would describe as Georgetown meets Greencastle. The menu is different than any that I have reported on to date. Very creative selections on the menu compared to many other restaurants in our Franklin County area such as Cuban pulled pork, roasted pumpkin ravioli, “rendered pork belly”, pan seared Cornish hens, lobster macaroni and cheese and duck fat French fries. I applaud the variety. I do not often see wasabi dusted oysters, calamari and French toast on the same menu. (And I do not recommend they be served together.) They make 30 homemade sauces daily and the pastry chef also performs his dessert magic daily. I had the Caribbean Allison (eggs) Benedict which consists of poached eggs, smoked salmon and avocado with a béarnaise sauce on croissants. If you like something a little different, this was delicious. If you are not that outgoing then I suggest that you get the 10 ounce Castle burger which seems to be named because it can feed everyone in the castle! This prize comes with provolone cheese and onion ring toppings with a side of fries. It is a nice experience. You should go. I feel like I just found a buried treasure.
Additional note: The John Allison Public House donates 10% of Sunday sales to Greencastle-Antrim Maximizing Arts and Athletic X-cellence” Capital Campaign to support youth and community. They also have a strong desire to support local farming and business. This kind of community support mixed with a unique dining experience rates AAA+ to the Under Cover Diner.

Report: I had reported a while ago that Emily’s The Restaurant that was once located on the corner of 4th and Catherine Street in Chambersburg was a treasure in unique upscale dining and I was sorely disappointed when it closed. I have been curious to observe the new operation that has taken its place in this location. Town and Country Café is not a disappointment. It is an upscale café. It can be a little pricey for an everyday budget but it is perfect if you want to add a little pizzazz to an intimate celebration, kiss-up to the boss, or if you just want to use linen napkins and real silverware instead of the paper napkin and plastic basket quick meal. I had the grilled vegetarian sandwich and tomato salad side for my lunch. I have believed in the past only a sandwich containing meat will muster a positive rating but this sandwich has proved me wrong. It was seasoned well and delicious. My only complaint was that my table rocked. I guess you can always find that one table in every restaurant. If you choose to investigate this venue for yourself be careful of the times as they are typically open during the week 10:30a.m. until 4p.m. and then in the evenings on Friday and Saturday. It is small and it is turning out to be “the place to be” so make your reservation or you may have to sit at the rocking table too.

Report: I was sent to the outer space of Franklin County (Fort Loudon) wherein lies the Milky Way. I hopped in my rocket ship for a fly-by of the beautiful countryside and mountains of our great county on a Sunday afternoon and stopped at this road side stop that I found to be a shining star. I actually had two occasions to land. On the first trip, I had the Dilly Burger with chips (round French fries) and a chocolate shake. On the second trip I had the grilled chicken sandwich, onion rings and a hot fudge sundae. When you go, you order your meal at the counter and then take a seat. The waitress taking your order at the counter will somehow find you in the dining area and bring your food to you. I watched with interest as the waitresses located their customers. Although they always come through, a high tech star tracker would be helpful. The meals were tasty and satisfying. This venue reminds me of old fashioned drive-ins with their mouthwatering food. The ice cream is worth the trip in itself. This trek was a cosmic treat!

Report: I investigated the location north of Chambersburg that has housed several restaurants in the past few years. Peggy’s was once located in a near-by hotel and has moved to this location north of Chambersburg. I found the new location to be roomy and clean. This is local restaurant with a hometown, Mayberry atmosphere. The home-style home-made menu is not expansive but it is very reasonably priced. Because I had a hankering for gravy, my choice for the evening was hot roast beef sandwich with French fries. I added a salad just to balance the meal. The meal was okay. The employees were very eager to please. When you go, make sure you look at the specials as you walk in the door because they were not listed in the menu or mentioned. I made a return trip for breakfast where I happened to find the unannounced social gathering of north Chambersburg. The place was packed. Good homestyle food at a good price with good buddies will keep this restaurant at this good location.

Report: I followed orders to check out a local restaurant called EJ’s Grill. The atmosphere is eclectic as it is upscale, retro, artsy and modish. The gracious host sat me at a table in the more casual bar area but the dining room is a choice if you want a more elegant meal. Take the plastic or empty the piggy bank before you go because the entrée’s are a bit pricier than many of the other venues that have been investigated. However, the meal was worth every rusty penny I spent. The succulent steak was cooked medium- well to perfection. I believe that piece of beef must have been pampered daily at the spa because every bite just melted in my mouth leaving a tangy sensation that begged for more. I very much enjoyed the house mixed greens salad with reduced balsamic vinaigrette. As generally expected from a restaurant with cloth napkins, fresh baked bread was served with the meal. The menu is filled with interesting choices that only a creative and talented chef would offer and I intend to go back to try something a little more daring. The atmosphere and amiable staff add to pleasantness of the experience. I have added EJ’s Grill to my list of favorite restaurants.