POST OFFICE PUB

When this restaurant review blog came to a screeching halt with the shuttering of businesses at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the next installment was to be the Post Office Pub in downtown Mineral Ridge, Ohio. In part, that was because we were delighted to find a cool place to pop in for a cold one and a munchie or two on a hot day in the place to which we relocated after what was, for one of us, at least, a lifetime of living in nearby Niles. In fact, the Pub almost qualifies for right around the corner; I often pass by on one of my morning exercise walks.

I've always said you can tell a neighborhood bar by the fact that the server puts your drinks in front of you almost before you sit down - and that's certainly true here (two Rolling Rocks, one glass and a salt shaker, if anyone cares to know). Another clue is the special parking spots for motorcycles and golf carts; in our neck of the woods, after around 6 p.m. when it's not raining (and sometimes when it is), we could use a traffic cop to keep all the carts from hot-rodding around the streets.

But I digress. For those who haven't yet been to the Pub, the decor is simple but intriguing; located in what was the U.S. Post Office in Mineral Ridge until its closing in 2011, the walls are lined with old photographs and other graphics reminiscent of the building's past life. There's the requisite partitioned-off bar section plus a couple of rows of booths, several tables of various sizes, a covered outdoor patio for dining and a rack of for-sale logo-covered tee-shirts and hats for those who are into such things. Dining is uber-casual; rolls of paper towels on the tables serve as DIY napkins, and food is served in shallow metal baking pans lined with parchment paper.

Often, we'll pop in just for a couple of the aforementioned Rolling Rocks and an appetizer or two at the bar, usually during Happy Hour (3 to 5 p.m. weekdays), when selected appetizers and drinks are offered at special prices. It's safe to say we've tried most of the appetizers and all have been quite good; we're drawn to the chicken wings - garlic parm for me and teriyaki for Jack, all flats. To be honest, they don't come from the biggest chickens in the coop, but they're meaty enough and the sauces are excellent (the price fluctuates, and sometimes they're on special; at our official visit, Jack's six wings were $10.25 including an upcharge for getting all flats). If I had my druthers, I'd prefer a little more sauce - a lack of which I've also noticed at several area eateries, for the record. Wings were meant to fly, not float, but I do like enough sauce hanging around that I can slosh a little more on a wing or two when needed.

Speaking of appetizers, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the bourbon glazed brussel sprouts. There's a story here, so bear with me: I'm more than eight decades old, and for all but about two of those years, a brussel sprout never, ever passed my lips - not even to taste (nope, not gonna, can't make me). But something made me rethink that choice, most likely the reports of how healthy they are for us mortals - a status I hope will continue for at least another decade, BTW. Since they're listed here as both an appetizer ($11.50) and available as a side, on one visit I tried them as the latter figuring I wouldn't lose much if they were awful. Now seriously, I doubt the truly healthy aspect of these babies - the sauce is almost sweet enough to throw me into sugar shock - but oh my, are they ever delicious. Jack, who still hasn't come around to my way of thinking on those sprouts, is particularly fond of the potato skins appetizer ($11.50) and pierogies ($9.50, cheddar infused with carmelized onions).

In the sandwich department, there are a number of great burgers - I'm partial to the Black & Blue, at $13.50, and the Jameson Whiskey, $14.50. All sandwiches come with fries, with other options including sweet potato fries available at a small upcharge. But the regular fries are quite good - all precisely cut into neat squared strips reminiscent of those I make at home with my aging As Seen On TV Veg-O-Matic. My other favorite 'wich is the hot sausage, the meat for which comes from almost-next-door Badurik's Butcher Block, topped with marinara, bell peppers, carmelized onions and provone on a hoagie bun ($13.50). Entrees are more limited; at the time of this writing, seven are on the menu, with only three - all variations of haddock - ever passing from either of our mouths to our stomachs. The panko haddock ($15.50) is my favorite, and the portions for all - including the fish sandwich - are generous. 

For our official visit, Jack went with his usual teriyaki wings, while I opted for the chicken tenders ($11.50 under the "handhelds" section) which I haven't before tried. Similar to those at Buffalo Wild Wings but a tad less flavorful coating, they're deliciously crunchy on the outside and (what else!) "tender" on the inside. I like mine dipped in honey mustard sauce, but that's just one of several options available. They're also huge; in fact, all I could eat was two, bringing the other three, plus most of my fries, home for lunch the next day. 

As for dessert, you're on your own; I don't recall the last time either of us has ordered something sweet to end our meal (though if you're offering a snifter of Courvoisier, let's talk). When it comes to pay-up time, do be aware that there's a 2.8% surcharge if you use a credit card. While lots of small businesses do that and I do understand the reasoning behind it, that's a bit of a downer - especially since our credit card pays a 2% cashback on restaurant purchases, making the surcharge/cashback thing pretty much a wash.

In short, the Post Office Pub is a great place to go for a meal, a few drinks and snacks after work or to watch Caitlin Clark and the rest of the Indiana Fever do their thing (hey, I was born in the state, and even if I grew up in Ohio, we native Hoosiers and the sport of basketball are forever joined at the hip). 

If you go:

Post Office Pub
3821 Main St.
Mineral Ridge OH 44440
(330) 349-0440

http://www.mrpostofficepub.com

Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Noon to 7 p.m. Sunday. Closed Monday.

CONEY ISLAND HOT DOGS BAR & GRILL

Ever since my official retirement a good 10 years ago, going out for lunch with my husband Jack has been a favorite way to spend time away from home. Now that we’re older and neither travel as far or as often after dark, these outings have become even more special - but these days, we tend to stay closer to home. We’re always up for a new place, of course, but over the years we’ve always had one or two spots where, to borrow from Cheers, everybody knows our name, the cost of the food doesn’t require the selling of our firstborn son and the beer is cold (and better still, served in a frosty mug).

Generally speaking, chain restaurants like Applebee’s and Buffalo Wild Wings - while we do enjoy them - just don’t qualify on all those counts (mostly, they're just too expensive for a quick in-and-out lunch). In the many years we lived in Niles, Ohio, we were happy to be regulars at places like the Olde Main Ale & Chowder House and Silver Nugget (neither of which is still in operation) and, in more recent years, Gasoline Alley, which has just about the best wings and burgers anywhere. Now that we’re residents of Mineral Ridge, our closest-to-home haunt is Mousie’s Ice House Inn just up the road in Austintown. 

And now, thanks to a tip from our Niles friends Jerry and Barb, we’ve been hitting this place with some degree of regularity. Initially, we stopped because we enjoy an occasional hot dog (love the Jib Jab in Girard and Hot Dog Shoppe in Warren) and wanted to see how this place compares. What we found is a neat little eatery to which we’ve returned many times simply because we’ve been made to feel welcome (and the icy cold beer on tap sure doesn’t hurt).

The decor is mostly red and black, and Ohio State Buckeyes’ fans will love all the “stuff” hanging on the walls. There’s a counter for ordering and a section of booths; it’s not a large place, so no doubt it can get a bit crowded here at peak mealtimes. Based on what we’ve seen, take-out is a big part of business as well.

What we really love, though, is the small full-service bar section off the dining area. There, we can pull up a stool, order a brewski (by now, one of the friendly bartenders knows us so well that she starts pouring our Bud Lights the minute she looks out the window and sees our car pull up). I’m not sure whether or not she knows our names, but when she starts pouring two cold ones the minute she sees our car pull in the lot, it's close enough for horseshoes. And if other folks are here, or come in while we are, it’s almost guaranteed that we’ll be included in the conversation. It’s just that kind of place.

I’ll be honest; I’m not at all fond of the chili on the dogs here (it’s different from the “usual” red chili), but judging from the number of chili dogs and chili-topped fries I see on other plates, I’m in the minority so feel free to give it a try. That said, I’m more likely to order my dogs topped with sauerkraut and onions, a touch of mustard and, when I can get them, hot peppers. And yes, the peppers here shine, so there’s no waffling by me over what goes on top of mine. Diners have a choice of the more upscale Nathan’s all-beef hot dogs or the “regular” kind; Jack usually opts for the former and I the latter (which run somewhere around $1.50 each). As one would expect, the Nathan’s dogs are more costly, but not by much.

The options on hot dog toppings are way too numerous to mention, and the specials on food and drinks vary according to the day. I’ll also point out that despite the name, this place isn’t just about canines in buns. There are fries, fish, cheeseburger, Italian sausage, meatball splash and gyro sandwiches plus a number of other goodies as well - all at quite reasonable prices. I’m especially fond of the gyro, although I caution that it’s huge and nearly impossible to pick up even with two hands. Sometimes you can get them on a buy one, get one for 99 cents deal, but it’s hard for me to imagine one person polishing off two of these puppies. I also recommend that Italian sausage, and I’m planning to try the all-you-can-eat fish dinner one of these Fridays.

If you sit at the bar, you can place your food order there; or if you prefer, place it at the counter and then pick a seat wherever you want and wait till it’s ready - never very long, in our experience. Most of the food can be eaten with fingers and is served in plastic baskets lined with paper; nothing fancy-schmancy here. So hey - any time you want to take a break from all your worries, come on in - they’ll always be glad you came!

If you go:

Coney Island Hot Dogs Bar and Grill

31 N. Canfield-Niles Road

Austintown, Ohio 44515

(330) 799-2099

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coney-Island-Hot-Dog/100886363289643

Open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday (till 9 p.m. at the drive-through); 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

BARRY DYNGLES RESTAURANT & PUB

If I had to describe my favorite type of place to eat, there's little question it would be one with a casual atmosphere and a bar. My husband Jack and I enjoy sipping a beer or two or perhaps a glass of wine with our meals, and we want to be able to put our elbows on the table or gnaw on that chicken leg without threat of glares from other diners. Throw in a few big-screen TVs and a bowl of popcorn on the table, and we're hooked.

Barry Dyngles Restaurant & Pub in Austintown is that kind of place, and apparently other folks agree; according to a post on its Facebook page, the first two months of this year are the best in the restaurant's history. 

There are plenty of on-tap beers, from standards to more trendy IPAs and crafts. The bar is sort of horseshoe-shaped and quite large; there's plenty of room to belly up and do some serious sipping while games on the larg-screen TVs. Some of the walls are brick, and all are covered with all sizes of framed photos, mostly sports-related. 

Our most recent visit happened after we'd made a quick trip through part of Mill Creek Park just to get out of the house - the awful winter weather has had us snowed and suffering from cabin fever. We decided to treat ourselves to lunch to stretch our away time, and since this place is not out of our way to get home, it filled the bill perfectly. As is our custom, we sat on the bar side rather than the main dining area.

Barry Dyngles has racked up numerous awards for barbecue sauce, BTW (with good reason - it's absolutely delicious), and I absolutely love the loaded baked potato soup. So when I learned that one of the day's specials was a half rack of ribs with two sides for $10.99, it was a no-brainer. My sides were baked beans and that fabulous soup.

Meanwhile, Jack ordered the beef brisket sandwich, also a daily special with one side for $7.99. He picked macaroni and cheese for his side and then paid a couple of bucks extra to get a cup of French onion soup. Bottles of domestic beer were on special at $1.50 each, so we indulged ourselves with a couple - one while we waited and another with our meals - without breaking the bank.

That soup, which is thick, creamy and topped with cheese, bacon bits and chives, is close to the No. 1 spot on my Top 5 list of favorite soups from any restaurant, and the baked beans, with a barbecue-flavor sauce and shredded beef, are quite different from the usual doctored-up Campbell's variety. If I had to quibble, I'd say the half rack of ribs seemed a bit on the small side so I had nothing left to take home, but this was lunch and the price was more than reasonable.

Jack loved the brisket - it's his usual choice here - which he took out of the bun and ate with a fork, dunking it in the container of barbecue sauce that came with it. The mac and cheese seemed a little dry to me, but Jack certainly wasn't complaining. He said the onion soup, too, was a standout.

An earlier visit came at the dinner hour on a Friday night when we and our friends Jerry and Barb decided on a whim to have dinner, and they suggested Barry Dyngles. Of course, we readily agreed, and off we went. This time, we opted for a table in the main dining area, looking first at the special two for $25 menu that offers an appetizer to share and two entrees from a list of about a dozen. That option went by the boards rather quickly, though, when (believe it or not) we couldn't agree on two entrees from that list. 

Turning to the regular menu, Jack went for healthy over hearty with broiled haddock ($12.99), choosing a salad with thousand island dressing and mac and cheese - well, so much for the healthy part. I had no such allusions, going straight for the ribs and wings platter for $13.99, as did Barb; Jerry chose the ribs and pulled pork platter. My sides, potato soup and baked beans, come as no surprise. Jerry picked a regular baked potato and clam chowder, while Barb upgraded to a loaded baked potato and a salad with bleu cheese dressing.

For sauces, Barb stuck with the "regular" BBQ sauce on both ribs (there were about five ribs and six wings). Jerry ordered the regular sauce on the wings and the Carolina style for what turned out to be a mound of pulled pork (the sauce comes as a side for dipping or pouring). I chose the regular sauce on my ribs and butter garlic on my wings. Everything absolutely delicious; in fact, we were so stuffed we could barely waddle out.

Speaking of wings (we were, weren't we?), they're exceptionally good here, and there are plenty of sauces from which to choose. My personal favorite is butter garlic, but I've tried several others and liked them quite well. If you like your wings to stay crispy, you can order the sauce on the side.

Sandwiches are excellent too - we love the pulled pork, Reuben and Y-Town burger, the latter of which is a half-pound patty topped with Italian greens, hot peppers and provolone on ciabatta bread ($8.99 each). Sandwiches come with fries, and while I'm not a big fry fan, I love these. Slightly spiced, they're a bit crunchy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. Yum! 

Last but hardly least, I should mention that Barry Dyngles also has a large carry-out menu great for parties or large families, and they have mobile units that cater parties of any size anywhere you need them.

If you go:

Barry Dyngles Restaurant & Pub
1601 S. Raccoon Road
Austintown, Ohio
(330) 259-4788
http://www.barrydyngles.com

Kitchen open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 11 p.m. and noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday.