TEXAS ROADHOUSE

For many years, my husband Jack and I - often accompanied by our son Scott and daughter Chris - made an annual trek to the North Carolina Outer Banks, usually in early June before rental prices headed sky high in peak season. Almost always, we stopped in Winchester, Virginia, for a night on the way just to break up the nearly 11-hour trip into manageable drive times. We'd arrive in plenty of time for dinner and head straight for the Texas Roadhouse there. It was our first experience with the chain, which started in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana.

The food was wonderful - no way to beat those steaks and filets. But I love peanuts, so I had a great time diving into the tin bucket on the table, cracking them open and pitching the shells on the floor. The decor was fun - lots of western "stuff" on the walls, a large jukebox and such - but it was the taste that was as big as all outdoors.

So the announcement that a Texas Roadhouse would open in the Eastwood Mall Complex here brought a Texas-sized cheer from our house, and we couldn't wait for it to open. Unfortunately when it did, we waited, and waited and waited some more before we could manage to get in.

During the week, the place doesn't open until 4 p.m.; and every single time we drove past shortly before that time for at least a month and a half, the parking lot was overflowing into other store lots. The first time we tried, in fact, was on a weekday perhaps a week after the opening; it was so crowded that we turned tail and headed across the way to Lone Star Steakhouse. It, too, was fairly crowded - and we learned we weren't the only ones to pass on a wait of an hour or more at the new place.

In fairness, Texas Roadhouse does offer call-ahead seating, but all that means is your name will be on the waiting list when you arrive so you don't need to push through a throng to get to the reservation desk, but that doesn't quite do it for us. There's also a restaurant in Boardman, but restaurants there usually are even more crowded than in the Niles and Howland area so we didn't want to chance driving that far and having an even longer wait. In the end, we held off for a few months till, we hoped, some of the newness had a chance to wear off - finally picking a Saturday when the place is open for lunch. We timed our arrival  at about 3:15 p.m. - after lunch but before most folks are thinking about dinner - which would give us the best chance of getting right in, we figured.


We figured right. We had no wait at all this time, but by the time we left an hour or so later, the place was nearly filled to capacity and a few people were waiting. 

As for those peanuts, it appears the option of tossing the shells on the floor is here; but when we were seated, we noticed that the bucket on the table was empty - apparently you ask for peanuts if you want them. We're not sure whether that's an attempt to save money on peanuts by giving them away to people who really want them or trying to cut down on the mess on the floor. Since the floor didn't exactly crunch under our feet, it could have been either one.

As often happens, we dragged our friends Jerry and Barb along (or maybe it was the other way around; they'd been wanting to try this place as well). We were seated almost immediately, walking past a glass display case of various cuts of beef. There are many booths and tables in several sectioned-off areas, all surrounded by lots and lots of wood.

We placed our order for drinks and appetizers right away: a Cactus Blossom (a Texas-sized onion deep fried and served with Cajun horseradish sauce for $4.99) and Rattlesnake Bites (diced jalapenos and jack cheese battered and fried with that same sauce (also $4.99). By the time our drinks arrived, we'd decided on entrees - but not without some difficulty. For openers, there are several special entrees for $8.99 available Monday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., including a 6-ounce sirloin and a pulled pork dinner.

There are plenty of steak choices here as well, plus burgers and other tasty-sounding sandwiches, "country" dinners like pork chops and beef tips over rice or mashed potatoes, several big salads and more. If I have a complaint, it's that seafood options are very limited (three items were on the menu at the time of our visit, one of them fried catfish, one of few fish species for which I don't care much).

As a huge fan of ribeye, Barb's choice was a no-brainer; the 12-ounce bon-in at $11.99, with a salad and veggie - broccoli and carrots on this afternoon. I went for steak as well, but an 8-ounce choice sirlous ($11.99) with a Caesar salad and cup of chili.


Jerry and Jack took different paths, with Jerry choosing the pulled pork dinner with a Caesar salad and baked sweet potato ($9.99). The slow-cooked pork is covered in the restaurant's signature barbecue sauce and comes with toasted bread. If beef tips are on a menu, it's a pretty good bet Jack will go for them - and he did ($11.49). They're served over seasoned rice (or mashed potatoes if you prefer them) with sauteed mushrooms, onions, brown gravy and sour cream. For his side, he chose fries with cheddar and bacon.

The appetizers both were delicious - especially the rattlesnake bites. The onion was a little on the overly browned side, but it was quite good, as was the sauce. A ranch-type sauce came with the rattlesnake bites, and it was exceptionally good with what we figured was a hint of horseradish.

Jerry  I enjoyed the Caesar salads; the dressing was quite mild with no strong anchovy flavor, and the greens were cut into manageable bites. I'm not a huge fan of croutons so was happy that the salad wasn't covered with them, although they were exceptionally good as croutons go. Barb said the broccoli was done as she likes it - still slightly crispy - which means I won't order it (I like mine very tender). Meantime, Jerry raved about his baked sweet potato.

My steak was outstanding - relatively thick and cooked perfectly to medium rare. Barb raved about hers as well - also done to medium rare perfection.  Jerry loved the pulled pork, saying he wouldn't hesitate to order it again, and Jack was happy with his beef tips. The gravy was very rich and the rice had a great flavor - and there was plenty left to bring home. 

As we finished up and were waiting for the checks, we all agreed we'd be back here any time we're in the mood for a great steak. We'll definitely try to get here for at least one of our birthdays; the special person gets to sit on a rolling "steer" saddle while servers sing to you and yell "Yee-haw!"

If you go:

Texas Road House
2260 Niles-Cortland Road S.E.
Warren, Ohio 44484
(330) 349-9488

http://www.texasroadhouse.com

Open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

THE VALLEY MARKETPLACE

Anyone who knows me knows I love to visit places that have a variety of merchandise, whether it be food (Middlefield Cheese and End of the Commons General Store in Mesopotamia) or just interesting "stuff" (Andrews General Store in Howland Township). If there's a chance to combine those visits with food, it's like frosting on the cake.

So when I learned about The Valley Marketplace on South Avenue in Boardman Township, Ohio, I couldn't wait for it to open so I could check it out. The official grand-opening was Sept. 19 to 21, and you bet, my husband and Jack and I were there front and center, shopping basket in hand.

This is part of a third-generation family business that started the original Farmers Market in 1932 about 20 miles south of Philadelphia, according to website information. Most of the 100 vendors are Amish from Lancaster County, Pa. The same market concept has been brought here, where the majority of vendors are from Middlefield (the heart of Geauga County's Amish settlement, reportedly the fourth largest in the world).


At last check, there are about 30 vendors at the local market, but the list is expected to grow (there's plenty of available space). Products, most of which are made onsite, range from fresh-baked goods like pies and breads as well as wicker items, candles, Amish-made furniture, cheeses, fresh fruit and even fresh-made ice cream, a butcher shop and a small Amish restaurant. Wide aisles allow for easy wandering up and down, and I'm here to tell you that the smells of the baked goods is almost impossible to resist (in particular, huge apple fritters that were a reasonable $2 each). Many of the sections offer samples; because we love cream cheese spreads and they were a grand-opening special at buy two, get one free, we brought three home (bacon horseradish, garlic-herb and bacon-cheddar. All were delicious - and disappeared in our happy stomachs within two days.


Breads are my downfall, but I stayed in control and bought a single loaf of garlic-cheddar for $5. As a special, anyone who spent $5 got a free mini-loaf of wheat bread - still warm - which I popped into the freezer at home to eat later (yes, it was yummy as well). I should note that here and there are small alcoves with benches (and sometimes tables and chairs), so you can eat comfortably and gather your strength to do more shopping.

In fact, our taste buds got nailed right at the entrance, where there's a place to get breakfast and other goodies. In the center is Our House Restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner throughout the three days the marketplace is open (Thursday, Friday and Saturday only). The offerings even include a family style, all-you-can-eat Amish Wedding Banquet ($20 per adult), which includes oven-baked chicken and a meat of the day plus plenty of stick-to-your-ribs sides, dessert and beverage. If you prefer (as we did), create your own meal by purchasing a la carte items like a chicken drumstick for $2, mashed potatoes and gravy ($2.50) and a slice of pie ($2.50). If that's not your thing, check out the wonderful delicacies at Harley's Smokehouse, another vendor that offers seating.

The Killcreek Meats butcher shop is nothing short of awesome; the just-cut array of beef and poultry almost begged to jump into our shopping basket. We spent a bit of time looking through some of the crafts, gift and sign shops as well. Display cases and open racks let it all hang out, and prices are clearly marked. 

If there's a downside, some of the vendors don't accept credit cards, so if you plan on serious shopping, be sure to take some cash. 

If you go:

The Valley Marketplace
6121 South Ave.
Boardman, Ohio 44512
(330) 248-7034

http://www.thevalleymarketplace.com

Open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

STONEBRIDGE GRILLE & TAVERN

Just one bite was all it took. The minute I sank my teeth into "The Russo" at StoneBridge Grille & Tavern some three years ago, I added it to my Top 5 all-time sandwich favorites list - and that's where it's remained ever since. What's in it, you ask? Well, it goes something like this: Scrambled eggs, sweet and hot peppers, chopped pepperoni, melted provolone cheese and mayo on grilled Italian bread ($7.69). The bread is crunchy and buttery, and those hot peppers added just the right amount of pizzazz.


Admittedly, my husband Jack and I don't get to Boardman all that much, and when we do, it's usually because we've driven all the way through Mill Creek Park from the Velma and D.D. Davis Visitor Center to U.S. Route 224. More often than not, it's somewhere around lunchtime and we're hungry; our first stop here was when we turned toward Canfield to go to the White House Fruit Farm and noticed that StoneBridge had replaced an old favorite sandwich place, Rockne's, and decided to give it a go.

StoneBridge, for the record, is locally owned; everything is made from scratch, or so the Web site says (and based on our visits, we have no reason to doubt that claim). There's a banquet/conference room that can accommodate up to 45 complete with a gas log fireplace and large-screen TV, and the restaurant has free WiFi.


Inside, there's a restaurant side and a bar side, and we always choose the latter. The dark wood is offset by windows that let the sunshine in, and the booths are very comfortable and maintain a secluded feel. Several beers are on tap including some of our favorites, giving us something to sip while we check out the daily specials. 

Although we're here for lunch, we always look longingly at the entrees - in my case, that's always seafood like Haddock Francaise ($15.99), Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna with Jasmine rice, Asian slaw and an Aioli drizzle ($18.99) and grilled Wild Caught Mahi-Mahi that can be ordered blackened ($16.99). Veal lovers should be happy here too, with a couple of choices that sound good even though it's not my meat of choice. 

Several pasta entrees are on the menu as well, as are grilled beef delicacies including a center cut filet, ribeye and 14-ounce New York strip. Love salads? You'll find 10 here, so there's something for everyone (more on that later). If you can't decide on an appetizer, you might try the sampler ($13.99) with stuffed peppers, hand-breaded fried Provolone, Italian greens, hot peppers & oil, pita bread and homemade pomodoro sauce. Quite honestly, that would make more than enough to satisfy the two of us for lunch.

If for no other reason than to delay our decision, we ordered a chicken quesadilla appetizer ($8.99) with cheddar jack, tomatoes and scallions with salsa and sour cream the first time we came. It was quite tasty -- nice and hot with lots of melted chees and cut into six good-size wedges. Jack doesn't care much for salsa, and in this case it was a good thing he didn't take a taste; it was packed with enough hot pepper punch to knock him cold (I, of course, loved it).

On our most recent stop, we both went for the half-sandwich and soup, salad or side combo ($8.49) - something we've done before. All the sandwiches marked with the SB logo are included - six in all. My usual choice is the Reuben, and Jack's is the Philly steak. Once I ordered the shaved turkey, with roasted red pepper Aioli, roasted tomatoes, Provolone and argula on multigrain bread, and it's temped me ever since.

We part company with the side, though; I'm a fan of wedding soup, and he absolutely loves the fabulous strawberry vinaigrette dressing here so he picks a salad. I agree that dressing is the best I've ever had; deep pink in color and an amazing fresh strawberry flavor. He's also had the lobster bisque and deemed it outstanding, but that's more appealing in cold winter months.

The wedding soup is quite good, although I've had better elsewhere (I pined for the wedding soup we used to get at the old Niki'z in Niles for years after it closed. Now that it's reopened on Mason Street, I've been nagging owner Nick Logan to bring it back). Here, the generous size cup includes lots of shredded chicken, meatballs, assorted veggies and greens, but the broth flavor is a bit lackluster. 

As for the sandwiches, the half versions probably aren't large enough to satisfy a medium-sized football player, but coupled with the soup, they always fill us up just fine. The Philly steak was good, and my shaved turkey was piled high. But the whole versions - like my favorite Russo and another of Jack's favorites that was a daily special, an open-face roast beef with mashed potatoes and pan gravy on toasted Italian bread ($8.99 at the time) - are guaranteed to satisfy even the biggest appetite.

Ah, now I've gone and done it; my taste buds are tingling at the mere thought of that Russo as I write this. Methinks we'll have to take another drive through the park a little sooner than we'd planned!

If you go:

StoneBridge Grille & Tavern
1497 Boardman-Canfield Road
Boardman, Ohio 44512
(330) 629-8040

www.stonebridgegrille.com

Kitchen open Sunday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Reservations accepted.

FIVE GUYS BURGERS AND FRIES

Quite honestly, I could probably live the rest of my life without having another hamburger. Some of that is because I just don't eat much red meat any more, but I suspect another reason is that I so miss the wonderful Maid-Rite sandwiches from Greenville, Ohio, near the farm where I grew up. Not sloppy joes but "loose meat," the recipe has remained a secret ever since the place started in 1926 (no, I was not a customer back then). Every single time my husband Jack and I go back "down home," though, I insist on grabbing a big bag of the treats from the brick building that's known as a hangout for the used chewing gum teenagers stick on the walls.

That said, every once in a while I do get a hankering for a good ol' burger, whether it be plain with mustard, lettuce and tomato or a fancy schmancy job topped with bacon and/or bleu cheese. Generally, I satisfy the urge at Gasoline Alley in Niles or Fudruckers in the Eastwood Mall. But when we spotted a Five Guys Burgers and Fries near the Walmart store on Elm Road in Cortland a while back, I started to salivate and said, "Let's give it a try."


Other shops are in Boardman and Austintown (we've been to the latter), and the closest Pennsylvania location I could find is in Meadville. For the record, the whole thing started in Arlington, Va., in 1986; today, there are more than 1,000 locations nationwide and another 1,500 or so under development, or so the website says. You can hook up with them on Facebook and Twitter, place orders online and enjoy a totally trans-fat free menu. They do, however, use peanut oil, so anyone with a peanut allergy should stay away.

The restaurants are relatively small, but quite colorful and fun. Food is packed in brown paper bags, you can grab a container of peanuts in the shells from a huge bin -- they're free) -- and huge bags of potatoes are stacked to form the entrance to the order-your-own counter. In addition to burgers, Five Guys is known for fries, which come in a big plastic cup reminiscent of Idora Park. The cups are so full that they spill out, making big grease spots on the brown paper bag.

Although this is a neat place for kids, it's not the least expensive burger joint on the block; our total bill at our first visit was $17.74 including tax, and that was for two "regular" hamburgers, one order of fries, one large soft drink and one bottle of water. But those regular burgers ($4.89 at the time of our first visit and $5.29 at our second) are double patties, and all the fixin's are free, including jalapenos, tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, pickles, relish and a variety of sauces. As it turns out, the "little" burger, which is a single patty, would have been less expensive and quite sufficient for me - and I'm sure would be enough to satisfy young children.

Comparatively, a regular bacon cheeseburger (now $6.69), a kosher style hot dog is $3.59 and a grilled cheese $3.59. The beef is always cooked well done and is fresh - there are no freezers in any of the restaurants, the website says. There's a veggie burger as well ($2.99) into which you can put any or all of the vegetables that are on the menu into a bun. I haven't tried that yet, but it sure sounds yummy.


The hamburgers are unusually flavorful, and in Austintown, I tried the kosher hot dog topped with onions, jalapenos and mustard. The dog is split in half lengthwise and grilled, exactly the way I do them at home. The jalapenos, I hasten to add, pack enough heat that they're not for the faint of heart.

Jack got a hamburger with his favorite grilled onions and mushrooms as he did at Cortland, noting - as he did then - that's is really nice to get all those toppings at no extra cost. In addition to finding a bit of a price hike, we ran into a newfangled push-button drink dispenser here; it's just different enough that it took a little extra time (and more than a couple of sloppy mistakes) to figure out how it works. Pretty cool, actually!

If you go:

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Cortland: (330) 372-0232
Austintown: (330) 953-2880
Boardman: (330) 629-8038

http://www.fiveguys.com

Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week. 

CAFE 422

One of the many pluses of living in the Mahoning Valley, as I've said time after time, is accessibility to some of the best restaurant food anywhere in the country. Conversely, one of the minuses is that restaurants come and go. Sometimes, the demise falls under the Who Cares? category; other times, not so much.

As longtime Valley residents (my husband Jack from birth and me after we got married), we well remember the bustling U.S. Route 422 "Strip" that was lined with wonderful places to eat. At the heart were Alberini's, El Rio, Cafe 422, Jimmy Chieffo, Cherry's Top of the Mall, The Living Room and the Town and Country where we got to see big-name Kenley Players after the shows at Packard Music Hall. The parking lots overflowed every evening, and at least once a week, our car was among them.

Today, these treasures are gone, the most recent of which to close its doors is Alberini's. That is, with one notable exception: Cafe 422. The folks who started the place back in 1939 - the late Guerino "Greenie" Abruzzi and Orazio Rossi - are long gone, but the restaurant was sold to Serdar Dede a few years back. Since then, he's kept the name, the hot peppers in oil and good food, and in 2012 he opened a second location in the former Rusty's Southside Grille in Boardman.


Our first visit for review purposes was at the original location with our usual friends Jerry and Barb from Niles - on Valentine's Day, no less - and the first time we've been there since it changed hands. The interior configuration hasn't changed much from what we remember, but it's been updated. The main dining room now has windows that reflect the Route 422 scene, for instance - much more airy and light. In another area, a large bar dominates (we sat in this section).

Needless to say, I had to try the hot peppers in oil as an appetizer ($3.50) - diners no longer get a free dish as was the custom long ago. Water was poured automatically - which I always take as a sign that customers are well cared for. Right after we ordered drinks and entrees, our server returned with a basket of fresh bread and butter.


Immediately, we dug into those hot peppers in oil. While I'll say they're different from the ones I remember, they were quite delicious (and hot enough to be not too popular with the others at our table, much to my delight).

It took us a while to decide on entrees, but decide we did. Barb chose the broiled salmon with lemon butter sauce, one of several three-course dinners priced at $17.99. They come with soup or salad, one side and a dessert (chocolate cake, raspberry cheesecake - her choice - coconut cream pie, tiramisu, creme brulee, a brownie sundae, Italian spumoni or ice cream. How's that for choices?

Jack finally picked the Italian-style whitefish, sauteed with hot peppers, olives and onions in a light marinara sauce ($16.99), but not before he asked if he could substitute less hot peppers - certainly, our server said.

Jerry and I are huge walleye fans, so we couldn't resist the walleye over sauteed greens, one of the specials of the day ($17.95). He chose a Caesar salad, while I went with wedding soup. Since the entrees also come with a side, I asked what my choices were, but the server said the sauteed greens counted as the side and I didn't get a second. Not a big greens lover, I almost switched entrees, but when our server said the fish was ample in size (and did I say that I love walleye), I stuck with my original decision.

The results? For openers, the wedding soup definitely ranks among my top three favorites; the flavorful broth is filled with a couple of tiny meatballs and veggies but not to the point of having very little broth. If there's a downside, it's that it comes in a very tiny cup - I'd love to have enjoyed a few more spoonsful.

Barb's salmon was excellent, and Jack's whitefish was a goodly size with an abundance of veggies in the topping (he did say he could have done without a few of those olives, though). Jerry and I loved the walleye as expected, but as it turned out, it's a good thing I also loved the sauteed greens. Had I not, the filet wouldn't have come close to filling me up; I hadn't eaten much the whole day to "save up" for our special Valentine's Day splurge. On the whole, we all agreed the meals and ambience here are wonderful and a refreshing change from our usual casual dining - but we also agreed prices are a bit on the high side so it's not a place we can afford to visit very often.


We didn't waste a lot of time heading to the Boardman location - also with Jerry and Barb in tow - but this time it was for lunch (Jack took this photo of the three of us). The building is quite impressive, and the decor is absolutely elegant. Soft muted grays and browns blend comfortably with blonde wood tables with comfy chairs.

There's a separate lunch menu as well as a daily specials list; our server said the menu is virtually the same as Warren, although Boardman doesn't have the three-course specials. Here, too, we had a tough time making up our minds. I was the first to decide, although I fluctuated between Cajun tilapia over orzo for $7.99 or clam linguine with white sauce at $9.99 (the latter won out). Opting for soup over salad, I ordered pasta fagioli instead of clam chowder.

Jack was in a fishy mood as well, choosing parmesan crusted haddock with sauteed greens and tomato vinaigrette salsa plus a salad with sweet-and-sour dressing for $9.99. For Barb, it was eggplant parmesan with a salad (the blue cheese dressing added a $1.25 upcharge). She also asked if she could have the standard red sauce on the eggplant and just olive oil on the accompanying pasta and was told that would be no problem.

Jerry broke ranks by going with a sandwich, prime rib with sauteed onions, peppers and mozzarella on ciabatta bread ($9.99). He picked a salad with sweet-and-sour dressing.

We also got a loaf of delicious warm bread before our entrees arrived. The lunch portions weren't huge - we all polished off every single bite - but each was well worth the price in terms of size. Barb raved about the eggplant, mostly because it was an exceptionally thick chunk and the coating was crispy, just as she likes it. The pasta seemed to have an overabundance of butter rather than "straight" olive oil, and our server confirmed Barb's assessment, adding that there was a bit of garlic in there as well. The extra cost of the bleu cheese dressing, Barb said, was money well spent.

Pasta fagioli's never been a favorite (I ordered it simply because I didn't want a salad or clam chowder). But this was quite different; light pink, relatively thin broth filled with tiny pasta rings and other goodies. I doubt I'd want an entire bowl, but I wouldn't hesitate to order it again - although those salads, with a variety of greens - looked great as well.

My linguine was especially tasty, with no shortage of shredded clams. After I added a few sprinkles of hot pepper seeds, I was in pasta heaven. Meanwhile, Jack deemed his fish excellent, and he said the greens were unexpectedly flavorful and the tartar-like dipping sauce was unique and delicious.

Jerry - who's usually the most loquacious of our foursome, for the most part chowed down quietly until every bit of his sandwich disappeared. Did he like it? "Kick-ass! he pronounced.

If you go:

Cafe 422
4422 Youngstown Road S.E.
Warren, Ohio 44484
(330) 369-2422

http://www.cafe422.com

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. The Boardman location is open on Sunday only for private parties and one hour later than Warren on all evenings.

CHEDDAR'S

The cost of gasoline alone has kept my husband Jack and I from the on-a-whim traveling we've always enjoyed, so like the old 1940s song, we "don't get around much anymore." But when we learned that a Cheddar's restaurant had opened in Boardman, we made it a crusade to get there as soon as we could.

For the record, this location is the third in Ohio (others are in Mansfield and Findlay), and there's another in Erie, Pa., where we're relatively frequent visitors when the weather is nicer.

Cheddar's is located on Southern Park Mall property next to Chili's - very easy to get to unless you try it, as we did, during the Christmas holiday shopping season. Even though it was early in December, the traffic was horrid, and since we were arriving during the lunch hour, we expected a long wait. Fortunately, we lucked out; although plenty of folks were there, we had no trouble being seated immediately.


In fact, the interior is quite large. Right away, we were impressed by the huge paddle "fan" that hangs from the ceiling at the entrance as well as the in-wall aquarium off to the side. Some of the high walls dividing the sections have open portals filled with tub planters of greenery - a bit reminiscent of Olive Garden, perhaps. 

We took some time to check out the menu -- the prices are quite reasonable, by the way -- but we knew we wanted to start with an appetizer (fighting traffic always makes us extra-hungry). The onion rings with homemade ranch and Cajun dipping sauce were tempting ($3.99), as was the Sante Fe spinach dip with sour cream, spices and four cheeses topped with mozzarella ($4.99). In the end, we settled on the chicken tender basket ($5.99), served over fries with dipping sauce.


We were so hungry that salads and soups just wouldn't suffice, although a number of the salads in particular sounded delicious. There's also a great-sounding lunch combo of soup, house or Caesar salad, loaded baked potato and half a double-decker club sandwich; choose any two for $5.99 or three for $6.99. Another day, perhaps!

All the entrees sounded great - we've told our son Scott, who loves fish tacos, that they're on the menu here (white fish, fried or grilled, with roasted corn slaw on two flour tortillas with one side for $6.69). I was quite interested in the grilled salmon ($7.99 for lunch portion and $9.99 for dinner size), which can be ordered grilled, blackened or bourbon glazed with rice and two homemade sides. Still another possibility is the grilled tilapia with mango salsa, also with rice and two sides for $8.99 (have I mentioned that I love seafood)?

The sandwich list, which includes half-pound burgers, we left for another visit as well. That's because we both found what we wanted on the "Favorites" section. For Jack it was the Braised Fall-a-part Beef Roast; my choice was the New Orleans Pasta (both $9.99). Entrees here don't come with a side, but you can add a house or Caesar salad to any meal for $2.29. A honey butter croissant is available on request, but that's mentioned in the very fine print so we totally overlooked that option while we were there (which I suspect happens to other diners as well and I'm not all that happy about).

We were absolutely amazed, though, at how fast our appetizer arrived. Within scant minutes after we'd placed our order, our server returned with a plate of the largest chicken tenders we've ever seen accompanied by a pile of fries. The breading is quite tasty and not overly crunchy, just as we like. The mustard dip was outstanding as well, with just the right amount of zing. Easily, these could make a whole meal - and that said, a platter with two sides is available as a main course for $7.99.

Although we typically manage to satisfy our appetites with the appetizer, this time we didn't get the chance; the entrees arrived before either of us could finish a single tender (of course, we brought the rest home). Both entrees were beautifully presented and were quite substantial.

Jack's beef roast consisted of hormone-free beef from Provimi's Copper Ridge Ranch with roasted carrots, celery, onion and au jus over a pile of mashed potatoes. The flavor is outstanding, and the beef really is tender enough to easily but with a fork. Jack loved the large chunks of onion (as opposed to finely chopped or sliced), but the carrots, not so much. He's not a big carrot fan to begin with, so it didn't matter a whit to him; I love them, but these weren't cooked tender enough to my liking so I passed as well.

Happily, my New Orleans pasta was to die for, consisting of shrimp, chicken, smoked sausage and penne pasta in Cajun Alfredo sauce with garlic bread. The latter was absolutely delicious - lots of butter and garlic flavor just as I love. The pasta was outstanding as well - a large bowl with delicious sauce, several shrimp and even more fairly large smoked sausage slices. The sauce is only a tad spicy, so Jack was able to try it and liked it as well. 

Honestly, I didn't find any chicken in it as the menu said, but I was quite happy with what was in there (and besides, our chicken tenders appetizer had satisfied my appetite for chicken so I didn't miss it at all). Try as I might, I managed to finish less than half of the pasta, so that, too, we carted back home with the leftover tenders.

The only downside here? It was a fairly early lunch for us so I ordered only water with lemon to drink - forgetting I was in Boardman. Sorry, folks, but even a large chunk of lemon can't camouflage the taste of the water here. Yuck!

If you go:

Cheddar's
7327 Market St.
Boardman, Ohio 44512
(330) 758-5006

http://www.cheddars.com

Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.

BLUE WOLF TAVERN

In the good old days, it didn't take much to entice my husband Jack and I to go out for lunch or dinner. Sometimes, the spark came from watching a TV commercial; other times, we'd read about a restaurant in the newspaper. Most of the time, we didn't need any outside help - we were hungry, so we'd just look at each other and say, "Where to this time?"

Times have changed considerably, as everyone knows; these days, discretionary income is in short supply, and we're forced to pick and choose carefully before heading out the door. That also means we've become far less adventurous than we once were; we tend to stick with the tried and true rather than shell out the bucks at a new-to-us place for what turns out to be a disappointing culinary experience.

But we still enjoy the thrill of the chase, so when we get a recommendation from a friend who shares our love of eating out, we start salivating. The most recent heads-up took us to Boardman, Ohio, and the wonderful Blue Wolf Tavern.

It's such a neat place (and the food's so great) that we've returned more than once. Better still, we were excited to learn that by the time you read this, a second location will be almost ready to open much closer to us! Located just inside Creekside Golf Dome in Girard, Ohio, the new place - named the Wolves Den Bar and Grill, or so the company website says - is expected to open sometime this month. We popped in a couple of weeks ago, and looks as if renovations are coming along nicely. We promise to keep an eye on things, and you can be sure we'll be among the very first customers!

But for now, I'll tell you about the Boardman location, where there's a banquet facility that can accommodate 200 for brunch, lunch and dinner, a WiFi hotspot and lots of beautiful pictures of - you guessed it - wolves. On the website, executive chefs Joe Rzonsa and Brant Newton say the restaurant's name and ambience resulted from a postcard showing a wolf in front of burning woods, giving the animal a blueish hue. We say we love the decor; the place has the look and feel of a hunting lodge dining room, complete with a lovely fireplace.

Our first visit came during the Christmas holidays after we'd stopped at the visitor center in Mill Creek Park to check out the beautifully decorated trees and then at the Boardman Wild Birds Unlimited so Jack could look at the winter Tilley hats. He didn't find anything, but I bought a bar of Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Complexion Soap, which I absolutely love - it's like washing your face with cream.

At any rate, by the time we got to the Blue Wolf we would have happily eaten anything on the menu that they could bring quickly. Reason prevailed, though, and we decided we'd better try an appetizer to get things moving along (well, after ordering a couple of on-tap beers to take the edge off). It was a tough decision, but I finally settled on spicy marinated peppers ($5.99) while Jack opted for Zucchini Parmesan, also $5.99.

The decision on entrees took even longer; we eyeballed the daily specials first, but ended up picking from the regular menu. My choice was cheese-stuffed ravioli with red sauce and a meatball - other options were available at a slightly higher cost, like alfredo sauce. Instead of a salad, I picked a cup of wedding soup for a 69-cent upcharge.

Jack went for the heart-healthy bourbon chicken with a salad and one side ($8.99). In keeping with the heart-healthy thing, he went with a viniagrette dressing and pasta as the second side. On the latter, too, there were several choices, and he picked linguine with chunky marinara sauce.

The appetizers, which were delivered quickly (I suspect the server noticed we were close to desperation hunger-wise) and accompanied by a basket of fresh, warm crusty Italian rolls and butter. My peppers included hot banana, cubanelle, green bell and red roasted varieties marinated in homemade viniagrette and served with provolone wedges. I'm not going to claim they were particularly hot - but keep in mind that I have yet to find a hot pepper that's too much for me to handle. These are quite delicious with a slightly sweet edge, though, and I wouldn't hesitate to order them again. The chunks of cheese made a nice alternative to the usual bread or pita triangles.

Jack, who usually isn't much for vegetables beyond green beans and corn, really liked the lightly breaded zucchini that was topped with marinara, provolone and Romano cheeses - and I concur. Wonderful!

Then came my soup, and I'm delighted to report that it came piping hot (one of my big pet peeves with most restaurants is that soup is served tepid). Filled with veggies, chicken pieces, tiny meatballs and other "stuff" - but not so much that I couldn't find the broth - the flavor was fabulous. After one bite, I put this at the top of the best I've ever had - and I vowed to try a bowl next time out.

I got six good-sized ravioli for my entree, and while the red sauce was quite delicious, I wouldn't call it spectacular. Jack's chicken breast was ample, sitting on top of a mountain of rice. He said the flavor was a little on the "blah" side, but I've found that's often the case with so-called "heart-healthy" dishes. In the end, he added some zest with a few leftover hot peppers from that terrific appetizer - if you can believe that - and ended up cleaning off his plate.

Our next official visit also was at lunchtime, and I wanted to try the wings. Ordering the appetizer portion (12 wings for $8.99), I chose my favorite garlic sauce. Once again, Jack stuck with good-for-you options, this time a house salad with greens, olives, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, carrots, shredded cheese, hard-boiled eggs and croutons at $5.99. Surprisingly (since I can't recall the last time it happened), our server asked if he wanted her to "hold" anything, so he gratefully declined those croutons.

Knowing I'd be quite happy to fill up on those wings, I was feeling a bit more adventurous this time and chose the Chicken & Shrimp Jambalaya as my entree. At $9.69, it features bell peppers, garlic, onions and Andouile sausage in sherry wine and marinara sauce over seasoned rice. It comes with a side salad, and I picked Gorgonzola viniagrette.

We knew immediately that our wings were on the way since we could smell the garlic all the way from the kitchen (okay, in the interest of full disclosure, we were sitting fairly close to the kitchen, but I think you get the point). The wings also are gigantic - perhaps the largest I've seen at a restaurant. The breading is crispy and absolutely delicious, but something made it a bit different - made from breadcrumbs, perhaps? The appendages were resting amid lots of buttery chopped garlic, and the meat was juicy and tender. Had the meal ended here, I'd have been a happy camper. We saved four to bring home, but that was only because we wanted to save at least a little room for our entrees.

Jack's salad was quite large, and since he'd made his usual request for double the regular amount of dressing, his came in a bowl instead of the small plastic container that held mine. Both were quite good, though, and except for the hard-boiled egg (which he allowed me to eat), he finished off the whole thing.

When I ordered the Jambalaya, our server said it's one of her favorite dishes here. To Jack, I said, "Yeah, right; that's what they all say." That was before I'd taken a bite, though - once I'd done that, I said she's absolutely correct. A whole chicken breast plus two large shrimp and several chunks of Andouile sausage topped a substantial portion of rice, and all of that was smothered in an absolutely tantalizing sauce that had a bit of a kick. I managed to eat most of it even though the wings had filled me up, and once Jack tasted it, he willingly polished off the rest so we had nothing to bring home (that is, except for the leftover wings, which lasted all of a couple of hours before we devoured them as well)!

If you go:
BLUE WOLF TAVERN
1295 Boardman-Canfield Road
Boardman, Ohio 44512
(330) 726-1736
http://www.thebluewolftavern.com

Dining room open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; and Sunday noon to 8 p.m. Lounge is open till 11 p.m. on Sunday, till 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday and till 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

DANNY BOYS ITALIAN EATERY

Any time it takes more than 15 minutes to pick what you want to eat at a restaurant - and hear other diners around you asking their servers for more time to decide - you know you've hit the menu mother lode. That's exactly what happened the first time my husband Jack and I visited Danny Boys in Boardman.

Truth is, we found it by accident; exiting Mill Creek Park on state Route 224, we crossed to the south side of the road to take a peek in another restaurant we'd planned to review at some point. Then, Jack noticed Danny Boys, a place almost next door he'd never seen before. Since we also were trying to kill 15 minutes or so before the YM Camera store just up the road opened (it was a Sunday, and the store doesn't open till 12:30 p.m.), Jack drove over to Danny Boys for a closer look.

He liked what he saw; so after we stopped at the camera shop and he'd purchased a new neck strap for one of his cameras, he suggested having lunch at Danny Boys even though we'd intended to head straight back home. Never one to turn down an invitation to eat out, I quickly agreed.

As it turns out, there's a good reason we hadn't noticed the place before; as of mid-November, it had been open just four months, our friendly server responded to my question. And, it's a chain; based in Rocky River, Ohio, since 1991, there are other locations in Canton, Chesterland and Sandusky. Along the way have come a number of culinary kudos, the most recent of which (at this writing) are a "Top 10 Best Pizzas" award from Cleveland Magazine and "Best Pizza 2010" from WKYC Channel 3 and Metromix.

As the name implies, this place specializes in Italian food with emphasis on pizza. Catering is available as well, and Danny Boys says that depending on menu choices, the cost per person usually ranges from $6 to $9 and dinners and salads can feed two to three people per portion - not bad if you're hankering to host a party.

First, though, a bit about decor; just about everything here is related to Ol' Blue Eyes. Not only are the walls decorated with old photos, playbills and such; menu items are called "Chairman of the Board," "Lady is a Tramp" and even "Hammy Davis Jr." And most of the soft background music is by - you guessed it - Frank himself.

The number of choices in each category on the menu, from appetizers to sandwiches and calzones to pasta entrees, is impressive (we had a sample menu to peruse before our first visit and even then we had a tough time deciding). As I mentioned before, lmost everything here has an Italian flavor, but the primary emphasis is on that award-winning pizza.

You can, of course, build your own; in fact, that's what Jack did, ordering the basic one-item 10-inch pie for $9.99 and adding pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers to bring the total cost to $13.99. Not in the mood for pizza, I finally decided on the Grilled Classic Club Croissant ($7.99) - sliced ham, turkey, bacon and melted pizza cheese with lettuce, tomato and pesto ranch dressing. It comes with mildly flavored kettle-style chips, but diners can substitute a variety of fries, like the Cajun flavored I tried, for just $1.

Jack really liked the pizza, which had the "regular" thickness of crust as opposed to a few thin-crusts on the menu and the Chicago-style deep dish (both of which we plan on trying sometime down the road). The pizza sauce is very tasty and definitely a cut above other places, so it's easy to see why it's garnered some awards along the way.

My sandwich was absolutely fantastic, and although I really wanted to scarf down the whole thing, the size prevented that from happening and I took nearly half of it home. Those Cajun fries, BTW, are well worth the extra buck.

I should mention that presentation is big here, too; the food is delivered on large red plates with the food in the center and the rims dusted with sprinkle cheese. Very nice! And for another interesting touch, there's a deck of cards on each table so you can play a few hands while you wait.

Needless to say, we shared our great find with a few other folks who promised to keep my upcoming review a secret till publication day, so it came as no surprise when our friends Jerry and Barb said they'd love to try it too. Although we'd warned them about that menu - and showed them a copy while we drove to the restaurant - once again we had to ask for extra time to decide.

This time, it was I who opted for pizza, but I strayed from the traditional and picked one of the new, and intriguing, thin crust pies - this one Cabo Shrimp and Taco, made with lime cilantro olive oil, three-cheese blend, cilantro, chopped red and yellow peppers, black olives, chipotle shrimp, chopped lettuce and cilantro ranch dressing ($9.99). Although our goal is to try four different things to share, the pizza I chose sounded so great that Barb decided to give it a try, too.

Both of us ordered appetizers to pass around as well; Barb's choice was a half-order of the Bada Bing Buffalo Chips ($3.99), those crunchy kettle chips drizzled with mild buffalo sauce and topped with crumbled bleu cheese and a little pizza cheese. I just couldn't pass up the Italian Pigs in a Blanket ($5.99). The chips were quite good, although the add-ins didn't seem to add a whole lot of additional flavor. But my pigs in a blanket? Oh my.

The appetizer consists of two Italian sausage links, each wrapped in a baked crescent roll; cutting each in half to share among the four of us gave us a good taste but also left us wanting more. The sausage, which tasted homemade, was absolutely mouth-watering. Next time, I promised myself, I'd look for something else made with that sausage. And looking at the menu back home, I think I've found it: The Abe Froman "Sausage King of Chicago" sub made with these links, sauteed onions and green peppers and warm pizza sauce covered with melted pizza cheese ($8.99).

Meanwhile, the guys simply rode our coattails on the appetizer thing, heading straight for the main course. Jack's choice was a New Jersey Chicken "Woogie" melt, with Ricotta cheese, grilled chicken, pepperoni, tomatoes, basil, romano and pizza cheese drizzled with house Italian dressing and marinara sauce on the side ($8.99). Jerry finally settled on a Steak & Cheese Ciabatta ($7.99), a grilled beef brisket, mushrooms, hot peppers and pizza cheese topped with tomatoes, onion and Italian pub cheese sauce.

Jack deemed his Woogie Melt delicious and said he wouldn't hesitate to order it again. Jerry was a bit less enthusiastic, noting that his ciabatta was quite good but not "exceptional." As for the thin-crust pizza, the jury's still out.

That's not because it wasn't delicious; it was, and the lime flavor came through loud and clear. But it was extremely rich, so neither of us could eat more than a couple of slices. We also noticed that the thin crust was starting to get soggy by the time we'd downed our two slices (most likely, the thin sauce was contributing to that phenomenon). At any rate, we spent some time trying to decide how best to reheat it back at home. Microwaving pizza is never a good option, and certainly not when the crust is already soggy.

Barb said she planned to scrape off all the topping and refrigerate it, then re-baking the crust in the oven till crispy again, nuking the good stuff and then adding it to the crust. I figured I'd leave mine intact but bake it at a fairly high temperature in the oven in the hopes of crisping up that crust.

In the end, we did neither; an e-mail from Barb told me she'd taken a bite right from the fridge and it was quite good; ironically, I'd been about to head to the kitchen and do exactly that - so I followed suit and agree it tasted almost as good cold as it did when it was hot.

If you go: Danny Boys Italian Eatery
1315 Boardman-Canfield Road
Youngstown, Ohio 44512
(330) 726-3726

www.dannyboyspizza.com