Family Dining – Road Warrior Dining

Food 101

Food 101 is a Foodies Paradise. From their Fresh Salads, to their Artisan Pizzas, and Gourmet Sandwiches. You can’t go wrong dining at Food 101 in Gettysburg.

Food 101 is a Foodie destination in Gettysburg, PA. They have taken comfort food classics and injected them with flavor. For months now, I have been wanting to try Food 101. They come highly recommended and now I understand why.

If you are a people watcher, you will like Food 101’s location. Sitting on the corner of Chambersburg and North Washington, you have huge windows to look out and see the tourist walk by. Inside Food 101 you will fine a clean smartly decorated restaurant.

Food 101’s menu screams, you have sampled our lunch, come back for dinner. Served after 4:00 P.M, they have selections like, Norway Lobster Pappardelle, Basil Chicken Ratatouille, and for me, the eye-catching Pork Ribeye. Intriguing on their lunch menu was the Tuna Burger, la Cubana, and my selection, the Club 101. If you are a vegetarian, they have a Vegetable Powerhouse sandwich.

Looking for something light and tasty, I decided upon the Club 101. The Club 101 has house roasted, hand carved turkey breast, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, chipotle mayo, on wheat berry bread. I chose to complete my meal with house made chips. For a little extra, I could have tried the Truffle Fries.

Food 101 knows how to carve turkey. The Turkey was sliced thicker than what you find on your typical deli sandwich. Biting into the Club sandwich the first thing I noticed was how good the turkey tasted. You would think this was coming from your Thanksgiving leftovers. Except for the Turkey was tender and juicy. You can’t go wrong with avocado on a club sandwich. The Turkey was the star, but a close second was the chipotle mayo. It added just enough spice, but not to much too distract from the sandwich.

Food 101 Strawberry Chocolate Tart — Food 101 Chocolate Strawberry Tart

Food 101 does not bake their desserts in house. But they do have a personal baker that makes all of their desserts. Unfortunately, they only keep limited quantities, so the only thing they had left when I went to order was the Chocolate Strawberry Tart. It tasted as good as it looked. I’m not a fan of Chocolate desserts, but if I was in a mood for a dessert, I would order this again.

Food 101 is definitely a place I will go back to. Looking at the menu, I see several trips in my future. I will make sure I am there after 4:00, so I can indulge in the Chef’s Selections.

Needless to say I recommend Food 101 on your next trip to Gettysburg. Have you been to Food 101 or have a favorite Gettysburg restaurant, leave a comment below.

Veneto Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta

Veneto Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta in Rochester NY, is a must visit Italian Restaurant. The food is made fresh in a kitchen where you can watch your food being made.

Truthfully, if Veneto Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta in Rochester NY, had not been recommended to me, I’m not sure I would have stopped. The old saying is, don’t judge a book by its cover. Veneto is a must visit Italian restaurant. There is a lot to be said about a restaurant where the food is made fresh in a kitchen where you can watch your food being prepared.

One of the things that struck me was that Veneto was packed on a Wednesday night. I was lucky enough to find an open table. They have live music on Wednesday nights, but I’m certain that it was the food that was drawing in the crowd.

Veneto is not your standard pizza joint. The menu reads as if you are eating at a finer dining Italian restaurant with selections such as Pasta con Funghi and Prosciutto with Peas Alfredo. I’m not sure if Lasagna is something you would expect to be served in a fine dining Italian restaurant, but it’s definitely not on the menu at Veneto. It took me a while, but I finally settled on the Veal Piccata special.

Veneto Veal Piccata — Veneto’s Veal Piccata

The Veal Piccata at Veneto is not a menu item. Fortunately for me it was one of the specials on the night I visited. Veal Piccata is simple, yet a complex dish. The thinly slice veal, is breaded and cooked to a golden brown, then laid over pasta. They finish the dish by coating the veal with a buttery, tangy lemon sauce with capers. In Veneto’s rendition of Veal Piccata, they have added spinach. This was a perfectly balanced dish. The veal was cooked to perfection and I could not get enough of the sauce. Veneto makes Bucatini pasta in house. With the center of the Bucatini pasta being hollow, allowing the sauce to penetrate the pasta. This makes for an exceptional bite.

My only complaint was that I ate a full-sized salad and was not able to finish my Veal Piccata. While waiting for my food, I was watching some of the other dishes being served. There are a lot of meals I want to try. At the top of my list is their Wood Fired Pizza. Pizza was the reason I went to Veneto in the first place.

I highly recommend Veneto Wood Fired Pizza and Pasta in Rochester NY. If you are in the Rochester area check them out. Have you been to Veneto? Do you have a favorite Italian Restaurant in the Rochester NY area? Please leave your comments below.

Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood

Top notch service combined with excellent food, makes Fratelli’s in Hampstead MD, my choice of one of the best Italian restaurants in the region.

There are a lot of good Italian restaurants in this country. So, what sets them apart? To start with customer service. Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood restaurant in Hampstead MD has customer service you would expect in a fine dining establishment. At Fratelli’s the staff is over the top in their customer service. I can’t remember the last time I ate at a restaurant and my table stayed so clean. When I finished eating there wasn’t even a crumb left on the table. Customer service means nothing if the food is bad; not an issue at Fratelli’s. The couple that recommended them to me was spot on. They told me they serve the best Lasagna around. I whole heartily agree.

Out of politeness, I let the waitress run through the specials, but I knew my order before walking in the door. I wanted to see what my friends considered the best Lasagna around. To start with the portion was good sized. In my first bite I noticed the sauce had a perfectly balanced spice level. My biggest complaint when I eat Italian food is when the sauce has a strong tomato taste and not much else. This was not the case with Fratelli’s Lasagna. The next thing I noticed the ricotta cheese was not overpowering. The ricotta cheese was perfectly proportioned. My final observation was even the ground beef was season just right. After eating Fratelli’s Lasagna, I’m looking forward to telling my friends they are right; I can’t think of a better Lasagna served anywhere?

Fratelli's Cesar Salad — Fratelli’s Cesar Salad

The Cesar Salad at Fratelli’s is good, but if I have one complaint, I would serve it with shaved parmigiana cheese instead of shredded parmigiana. I realize this is a preference, but most fine dining restaurants used shaved parmigiana. I do like that the salad was tossed. It drives me crazy to have the dressing served on the side. Score another one for Fratelli’s.

Hampstead MD is home to an Italian restaurant that is fine dining, without the fine dining prices. I will definitely be returning the next time I’m in the mood for Italian food.

Have you been to Fratelli’s or do you have a favorite Italian restaurant. Leave your comments below.

Friendly Farm Family Style Restaurant

Looking for a place to gather with Friends and Family, Friendly Farms in Upperco, MD should be at the top of your list.

Friendly Farm Family Style Restaurant is a unique dining experience in Upperco MD. Why would people from out of state drive off the beaten path to Hereford in unincorporated Baltimore County, to dine at Friendly Farm? Is it the food or the dining experience. This is not your date night style of restaurant. This is a restaurant where you sit down with family and friends. The uniqueness begins when you first walk in, prior to seating, you order your main dish. Then you find a table. Given that the meal is served family style, the servers will bring out bowls of the appetizers. Take what you want and pass it around. When your main dish arrives, the servers will bring out bowls of the side dishes.

Friendly Farm Roast Beef Plate — Friendly Farms Roast Beef Plate

Don’t go to Friendly Farm expecting a huge menu. Their menu ranges from Fresh Fried Chicken to Steak, and Seafood specialties. I recommend reviewing their website prior to going. I chose their Roast Beef, the thought of tender beef smothered in brown gravy appealed to me. The Friendly Farm roast beef lived up to my expectations. The sides that came with the meal were good, but the one side they don’t serve is mashed potatoes. Mashed potatoes smothered in their brown gravy would have been perfect. If you not of fan of canned green beans, I would recommend skipping them. I myself prefer fresh or frozen green beans. The meal is finished off with a serving of ice cream.

The appeal of Friendly Farm is that this is perfect if you want to sit down with your family and friends and don’t want the hassle of cooking or the cleanup after a real good meal. You pay one price for the meal with comes with limitless drinks, appetizers and sides. The one appetizer that stood out was the Sugar Biscuits, not recommended for diabetics, a sweet warm biscuit coated in sugar is something else.

Friendly Farm Exit — Friend Farms Family Style Restaurant

I will definitely recommend Friendly Farm Family Style Restaurant. Quiet and intimate, no. Family restaurant, yes. When I speak about destination drives, this is definitely a destination drive. Have you been to Friendly Farm; leave a commit below.

Gallo Pizza & Italian Restaurant

Family owned and operated, Gallo Pizza & Italian Restaurant of New Oxford PA, offers a taste of Italy.

It took a couple of tries to finally eat Gallo Pizza, but it was well worth the wait. One of the keys of making a restaurant a destination worth driving to is word of mouth. I was talking to a friend one morning in a coffee shop, when he recommended Gallo Pizza. The first time I tried to go there, the restaurant was closed and family was vacationing in Italy. Then the other day I was in a shop talking with the owner of Dawg Gone Honey. I told her I was looking to eat lunch. She recommended Gallo Pizza. The cherry on top was she told me they were back from vacation.

Gallo Veal Parm 2 — Gallo Pizza Veal Parmesan

I have been looking for a good Italian restaurant in the area for a while now. I have visited Italian restaurants that claim to be authentic; yet they seem to forget something as basic as seasoning. This is not the case with Gallo Pizza. I decided to try their Veal Parmesan. Even before I took that first bite, I was pleasantly surprised by the portion size. There was definitely enough for leftovers. I tried the spaghetti with marinara sauce first. The sauce is balanced, well season, not overly seasoned. It wasn’t watery. The Veal is hand pounded, lightly breaded, and deep fried. My first bite left me looking forward to my next bite. This is exactly what I was expecting. I mentioned leftovers. Not today.

Stuffed pizza, another Chicago original. You might ask, what is the difference between a Stromboli and a Stuffed Pizza. The biggest difference is the pizza sauce is not baked inside the Stromboli, it is normally served in a separate dish. My preference between the two is the Stuffed Pizza. I can’t really say what is my favorite style of pizza. If I had to decide whether to go to New York, the original home of pizza, or Chicago, I would most likely choose Chicago. I do enjoy a good slice, but in Chicago you have both Deep Dish and Stuffed Pizzas to choose from.

Gallo’s Stuffed Pizza is execeptionally good. I wouldn’t be surprised if each slice weighed a half of pound or more. No cheap ingredients here. The meat lover’s pizza featured here has Ham, Pepperoni, Salami, Sausage, Ground Beef, Bacon & Extra Cheese. They finish this pizza off with a light coat of garlic oil on the outer crust. Bite after bite, I could find nothing wrong with this pizza. Not all pizzas are created equal. Nothing worse than a restaurant using cheap tasteless toppings. This is not the issue here, Gallo’s Stuffed Pizza is one of the best in the area.

Gallo Pizza & Italian Restaurant is definitely a destination worth driving to. Just make sure you come hungry. Another plus is they are not over priced, so bring the family. Have you been to Gallo Pizza or have a favorite Pizza Restaurant, leave a comment.

Dutch Country Restaurant

Fresh Peaches not from a can, is just the start of the dinning experience.

Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find new restaurants. My neighbor recommended the Dutch Country Restaurant in Hanover Pennsylvania. One thing I noticed about restaurants in this area, go early. In general I prefer to go early, so we had no problem getting a seat; but it didn’t take long to fill up. Dutch Country has an extensive menu. I would recommend looking at the menu on-line before you go. My neighbor had high praises for Dutch Country. It didn’t take long for me to realize the food here is really good.

Dutch-Country-Peach-Waffle — Dutch Country Restaurant’s Fresh Peach Waffle

Fresh Peaches on a waffle anyone! The special this morning was Fresh Peaches Waffle. No canned peaches here. No need for syrup. Dutch Country’s Fresh Peaches Waffle was good to the last bite. It says a lot for a restaurant that serves fresh, not from a can food. Under normal circumstances, the waffle would constitute a meal by itself, but we wanted to try several items on the menu.

Dutch-Country-Smoked-Sausage-Omlet — Dutch Country’s Smoked Sausage Omelet

I wasn’t certain where to begin when it came to their selection of omelets. I could have settled for my standard bacon omelet, instead I ordered on the Smoked Sausage Omelet, with cheddar cheese. I’m a huge fan of smoked meat in general; put it in an omelet with cheddar cheese, now you have won me over. Given a choice of toast or biscuit, I opted for their biscuit. Biscuits have a tendency to be dry, not the Dutch Country biscuits. There biscuits are buttery and flaky. A perfect compliment to the omelet and country potatoes.

Dutch Country Eggs and Sausage — Dutch Country Eggs Over Easy with Fresh Sausage

Dutch Country’s Sunny Side Up Eggs with Fresh Sausage and Country Potatoes was completely appetizing. The Fresh Sausage is lighter in flavor, yet tasty. I would recommend this for a person who doesn’t like spicy food. I mentioned in the past I’m not a fan of Country Potatoes. To give an honest review I had to try them. The Country Potatoes looked and tasted good, you can tell one of the cooks sliced them fresh that morning. Their seasoning was just right.

I think it’s needless to say, Dutch Country Restaurant will become a regular stop. Word of mouth in this case was dead on. Next time I see my neighbor I will have to thank him. If you have been to Dutch Country Restaurant or have another favorite breakfast place, leave your comment below.

Gettysburger

Not your just your run of the mill burger.

Gettysburger should be on every foodies list of places to visit. It shouldn’t be surprising that restaurant that specializes in hamburgers has really good burgers. Gettysburger Company in Gettysburg Pennsylvania seems to be a step above other Gourmet Burger joints.

Dry, no way. From my first bite of their Western Burger, juices from the burger flowed down my hand. Fortunately the waiter anticipated this and left me a stack of napkins. The combination of BBQ sauce and Cheddar cheese was not overpowering. The toppings complimented the burger. The 8oz patty is flavorful all on its own. Some restaurants make up for so so burger patties with condiments. This is not the case at Gettysburger. They have 17 different burgers on the menu, it may take you a minute to decide which burger to try first.

While you are trying to decide, try their wings as an appetizer. Pictured is their large wings. They could be considered a meal all by themselves. When selecting a sauce, I tend to go with hot or spicy. Their sauce was manageable, accept maybe for people that are sensitive to spicy food.

Gettysburger has a full menu of comfort food items, if you are not in the mood for a burger. Their Chicken Cordon Bleu sounds good, but so does the selection of wraps, if you are looking for something on the lighter side. Your kids might enjoy their Sidewinder Fries.

Gettysburger Company is one of those restaurants you will want to go back to, even if it is nothing more than trying the different burgers on their menu. When you are in the mood for a burger and don’t want a humdrum fast food burger, go to Gettysburger in Gettysburg, PA. If you have been to Gettysburger or have another favorite burger restaurant, leave me a comment in the comment section.

Hub City Diner

The spark for this trip came from listening to Fox and Friends. They went to the Hub City Diner in Hagerstown Maryland for a segment they call Breakfast with Friends. So the question becomes, what was the host raving about when it comes to Hub City Diner, is the food really as good as they say it is? I decided to drive the long route there, which took me through a section of Maryland and Pennsylvania I have never seen. I was captivated by rural Maryland and the beauty of the rolling corn fields. The drive definitely help set my expectations for my breakfast to come.

Deep Fried French Toast! With my love of French Toast, I had to try it. Deep Fried anything has to be good, right? To complete my breakfast I ordered scrambled eggs and bacon on the side. I have spoken in the past about eating with your eyes, so when my breakfast arrived, I wasn’t overly impress. I give them an ‘E’ for effort when it came to plating. Still my hope was bite into the French Toast and have a crispy exterior with a moist, tender center. Unfortunately, it was OK, but not to my expectation. For the most part the French Toast was dry. Honestly, cooking the French Toast the standard method might have made it more appetizing.

Scrabbles eggs, so easy to prepare, so hard to screw up. That is unless you serve them cold. Enough said. The best part of my meal was the peppered bacon. The bacon was cooked just right. I like bacon on the thicker side. Their bacon was just that, plus it wasn’t over cooked or dripping with grease. It was a pleasure to eat and saved breakfast for me.

In the case of Hub City Diner it was the drive not the destination. Was I led astray by Fox and Friends, I don’t know. Hub City Diner could have put on one hell of a show and then went back to their standard way of doing business. Having one meal is not the best way to past judgement, but I will not return for a second. I say this because I saw what the other diners were being served and nothing said to me you have to come back and try that. I leave it up to you whether you want to visit Hub City Diner or not.

Lincoln Diner

For better then 60 years the Lincoln Diner in Gettysburg, PA has been serving locals and tourist alike.

Traveling to Gettysburg or just passing through, stop at the Lincoln Diner. Whether you are hungry or just love the Diner experience, then you will enjoy the Lincoln Diner. For better then 60 years the Lincoln Diner has been serving locals and tourist alike. Originally established in 1955 as the Varsity Diner, it became the Lincoln Diner in 1971. It is easy to understand how this Diner has lasted more than 60 years. Good food matched with friendly staff is a winning combination.

Lincoln Interior — Lincoln Diner Gettysburg, PA

If you want a taste of Americana go to the Lincoln Diner first thing in the morning. They open at 7:00 and are hopping by 7:15 This is one of those restaurants where everyone seems to know everyone. The waitresses greet the guest by name. Even though this was the first time I was there, I was made to feel welcome walking in the door. Looking at the menu, I had a major dilemma, what to order. They have a menu filled with my favorite comfort foods. On this particular visit My waitress helped me solve the dilemma by asking a simple question how hungry are you.

Lincoln Reuben — Reuben Sandwich, Lincoln Diner

I didn’t instantly gravitate towards the Reuben Sandwich. I was leaning towards their Bacon Cheese Burger. My desire to compare their Reuben to local Irish Pubs helped my settle me late lunch choice. Lincoln Diners Reuben is served with a healthy portion of corn beef and sauerkraut, topped by Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing. The one thing that sets this sandwich apart is the thick slices of rye bread. This is a hearty sandwich, that should be considered when visiting. I like my onion rings to be thinly cut and crispy. The Lincoln Diners Onion Rings met my expectations. I was impressed with my lunch, but I learned from my waitress is that breakfast is were the Lincoln Diner excels.

Lincoln Diner Pancakes — Pancake Breakfast Lincoln Diner

When I went to the Lincoln Diner for breakfast, I was on a mission to try their pancakes. I was told that they pride themselves in making all the batters by scratch. In fact all their menu items are made using family recipes. I believe my pancakes lived up to the hype. They were heavy but airy. I wish I knew what was in the batter because they tasted good, but a little different. I want to know what the difference is. The meal as a whole I could not finish. Three large pancakes, two eggs, and bacon was a bit much. To me bacon says a lot about a restaurant. I use Denny’s as the standard by which to judge all restaurant’s bacon. Denny’s bacon is the worst, usually thins slices of flavored grease. Lincoln Diner’s slices were thick, not over greasy. I’m a definitely interested in trying other menu items.

In my travels, I’m not looking for Americana when selecting a place to eat, but I appreciate Americana evident in my choice. Lincoln Diner is a classic and well worth a visit. When I think of the Lincoln Diner, I think of the famous painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper. I will certain visit again.

Firehouse Grill

If you want a true taste of Americana, visit the Firehouse Grill in Littlestown PA.

In my opening statement about Road Warrior Dining, I talk about hidden gems, Firehouse Grill is just that. Firehouse Grill doesn’t really standout on the street. The restaurant is flanked by an antique shop on the right and a pawn shop on the left. So what makes Firehouse Grill special; it is because it is Americana. Go to The Firehouse Grill at 6:15 A.M and you will experience Americana firsthand. By 6:30 in the morning the coffee is flowing, and the restaurant is packed. The old timers are drinking coffee and swapping stories. Firehouse Grill is a restaurant that makes you feel like you are partaking in an extended family meal. First thing in the morning the clientele is predominantly farmers getting ready to start their day.

FH Int 3 — Firehouse Grill Interior, Littlestown, PA

It says a lot about a restaurant that has a line of people waiting at their door at 6:00 A.M. on a Saturday. The Firehouse Grill has a steady crowd all day long. Just as with breakfast, lunch has its regulars. As people come through the door the waitresses ask them if they are having their usual. Along with the standard lunch fare, they have daily specials. My favorite is the meatloaf. One thing about the Firehouse Grill, they do not serve dinner, they are open 6:00 A.M to 2:00 P.M, six days a week. They are closed on Mondays.

firehouse-grill-breakfast-rev — Firehouse Grill Littlestown, PA

Looking for a hearty breakfast, Try a Firehouse Grill omelet with sliced potatoes. The selection of omelets isn’t much different than most diners, the difference comes in how they are prepared. They do not scrimp on ingredients. My preference when it comes to omelets is their sausage link with American cheese. I can’t say enough about the slice potatoes. I’m not a fan of home-style potatoes; I actually prefer shredded. The way the Firehouse Grill prepares their sliced potatoes, has me rethinking my feelings towards home-style potatoes. The potatoes are sliced about a quarter inch think and fried to golden crispy brown. They are seasoned just right; I didn’t have to add salt.

French Toast 2 — Firehouse Grill French Toast

As much as I enjoy their omelets, I equally enjoy their French Toast. No thin slices of bread here. The bread is thick with a delicious eggy center, grilled to perfection. Even though I enjoy maple syrup, it’s not needed with Firehouse Grill’s French toast. One of my biggest complaints when I eat breakfast out is usually the bacon. It is hard to find a place that actually serves something other than a limp, greasy slice of bacon. Firehouse Grill’s bacon is thick and crispy; again, I have nothing but praise. If omelets or French Toast is not your thing, Firehouse grill has a full breakfast menu.

Americana has a home in Littlestown, Pennsylvania, it is called the Firehouse Grill. If you want a good meal. that gives you feeling of home cooking, go to the Firehouse Grill. There is a reason people line up at 6:00 A.M; come experience it for yourself. Have you been to the Firehouse Grill or have a favorite breakfast place? Share your thoughts below.