HALLIDAY'S WINERY

So-called "special events" at wineries dropped off our radar after two terrible experiences at one that was a favorite place for hanging out on sunny weekends, whether just with my husband Jack or with friends we dragged along just for the fun of it. But our ardor cooled quickly when things didn't go at all well from a paying customer standpoint - and we haven't been back since.


A couple of months ago, though, my husband Jack and I stopped at Halliday's Winery in Lake Milton (it overlooks the lake) to sample a few of the wines. On a typical day, we wouldn't call it a restaurant - there are a few appetizers, paninis and salads, but it's not a place where you can have a full meal. But as we sipped our wine and shared a delicious tomato and basil bruschetta appetizer (grape tomatoes and red sweet onions tossed in balsamic and olive oil and topped with sharp shredded asiago cheese on a ciabatta roll), we noticed flyers announcing a wild game dinner on Feb. 2.

Very interesting, we said, bringing one home. After checking in with our Niles friends Jerry and Barb, who agreed it sounded like fun, we called and made reservations. At $25 a person, we considered the price quite reasonable, especially given the rather extensive menu to which other items were said to be added closer to the event. We did joke that since it would take place on Groundhog Day, we hoped one of Punxsutawney Phil's relatives wouldn't be among the selections, but we weren't very worried.


The winery, which opened last August and is owned by brothers Ron and Mike Birchak (they also own the nearby Olde Dutch Mill golf course), is a great place to relax, especially in warmer months. There's a beautiful view of Lake Milton, and the interior tables are covered in old-time "photos." Windows offer great views if the weather is less than perfect, and a gift shop serves up delicious-looking jams and other goodies.

The winery got its name from Jesse Halliday, who was born in 1774 and was Milton Township's first entrepreneur, or so the winery's website says. He built a grist mill not far from the winery and reportedly was the first township resident to use the Mahoning River for commercial purposes. Each of the winery's signature wines - three white and three red - is named in honor of the area's history - Jesse's Red and Pricetown Original, for instance. 

For the record - and the reason for this review - is that other special events are in the works. As I write this, "Sweet Valentine" and St. Patrick's Day weekends are in the works (Feb. 14 to 17 and March 15 to 17, respectively), and we were told other special dinners will be scheduled as well.

When the day of the wild game dinner arrived, we were happy to learn that old Phil didn't see his shadow that morning, but it may have been with good reason: the skies were totally white as the snow started to fall, picking up some serious steam just about the time we were ready to leave and giving us more than a few concerns about getting there and back safely. But take off we did, and boy, are we glad!

We'd decided to arrive close to the start of a special happy hour, when wines and select other drinks would be buy one, get one free (beverages were not included in the $25 dinner price). Wines by the glass here are in the $6 to $7 range, so my husband Jack and I figured we could have four glasses for the price of two, buying the last two right before happy hour ended so we'd have a glass to accompany our meal. I'm happy to say the plan worked beautifully; I enjoyed my favorite Riesling, while Jack tried both the blackberry and honey peach homemade Sangria.

We called ahead of time to make sure the event would take place as scheduled, and the answer was a resounding yes. In fact, we learned, it was sold out and they'd had to add extra tables. When we arrived, the entire tasting room was filled with tables (reserved with the names of ticket holders). Around the sides of the room near the windows were tables that would hold the various food stations as well as tables holding an impressive array of items and baskets that were to be sold at silent auction. Later in the evening, there would be live music - but given the weather conditions, we didn't plan to hang around that long.

The early menu had us salivating from the git-go: Bacon-wrapped duck, venison lasagna, smoked goose, goose reuben casserole and wild mushroom and squirrel soup (well, we were a little skittish about that squirrel soup). With the promise of more, we figured we wouldn't go hungry.

As happy hour began, we got an unexpected surprise: tray after tray of hors d'oeuvres ranging from Swiss and cheddar cubes to salmon spread and crackers to dough folded over much like peroghies and filled with squirrel to walleye sushi, elk- and duck-stuffed quiche (and a wasabi sauce that had to be the hottest, and most delicious, I've ever had the pleasure of eating). Our favorite, we decided, was the cream cheese roll-ups that were wrapped not in the usual soft taco and sliced, but rather in goose "proscuitto" with a bit of fresh green onion in the center. Fabulous!

In fact, we ate way too much of this stuff; by the time the entrees were set up, we could have gone home quite satisfied. The soup course came next, served at the tables. Doing it this way seemed to us a good idea; having to dodge hordes of people carrying bowls in very close quarters could have ended up a total disaster. The first was wild mushroom, which was quite tasty. My choice, though, was the next: Antelope chili. The meat was very tender, the chili much the same as "regular" chili, and the whole thing was topped with shredded cheese and a dab of what appeared to be sour cream.

Then it was time to drag our already bloated bodies up out of our chairs to get to the entrees, most of which we'd noted on the advance menu. The only disappointment, if you can call it that, was the goose reuben casserole - it wasn't much to honk about. The venison lasagna was unusual and very tasty - venison and sauce inside round lasagna noodles maybe 3 inches in diameter with sauce and ricotta. We also loved the elk meatballs, each topped with a roasted red pepper and cheese. The thin slices of duck breast got mixed reviews - two of us thought it was great and the other two didn't share our enthusiasm.

At the end, they brought out trays filled with pastry wedges topped with chopped apples and deer bacon. It didn't sound like such an appealing combination, but in fact (except for the pastry part, which none of us liked), it was surprisingly tasty. 

If you go:

Halliday's Winery 
2400 N.E. River Road
Lake Milton, Ohio 44429
(330) 654-9463

http://www.hallidayswinery.com

Open from noon to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; noon to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Closed on Mondays.

THE MANOR RESTAURANT & BANQUET CENTER

Driving south on State Route 46 to Canfield and beyond is a trip my husband Jack and I have made relatively often. And every single time we passed the Kirk Road intersection, we told each other we really should stop at The Manor Restaurant & Banquet Center. Actually, we've eaten there once or twice, but those occasions were so many years ago that we remember absolutely nothing about it.

Not long ago, we finally took the plunge once again. Turns out the "new" Manor began operations in early 2011 - long story, but it's been revamped a bit with more to come. At our first couple of recent visits, for instance, beer was available only in bottles; but by the time you read this - if our server was correct - the tap should be working, spitting out craft beers along with the "regular" stuff.

The interior certainly isn't fancy; there's a spacious bar room and a relatively small dining room with tables, a few booths and lots of windows to keep it airy and sunny. Chairs are black, complementing the black oilcloth table coverings and black linen napkins. For get-togethers and parties, a banquet room accommodates about 100.

There are lists of daily specials as well as a board listing day-of-the-week specials - like wing night on Wednesdays - at the entrance. The menu is large enough to offer something for just about everyone but small enough so it doesn't take an hour to decide.

For openers, I had to try wedding soup, always a favorite of mine ($2.99). From the list of daily specials came my sandwich choice - it was lunchtime - the Smokehouse burger for $7.99. With a smoked hickory wood flavor, it came with smoked Gouda cheese, crisp bacon, mushrooms and hand-cut fries.

Jack skipped an appetizer, going straight for the Manor chicken sandwich ($6.99) on a Kaiser roll and grilled. Flavor choices include lemon pepper, blackened or teriyaki glazed, and he picked the latter. He also substituted a salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing for the fries, adding $1.59 to the cost.


The wedding soup was outstanding, full of tender and generous chunks of vegetables as well as greens, chicken and those teensy meatballs. At the first spoonful the broth seemed a bit flavorless, but that changed quickly with more bites when I got to the good stuff. My burger was excellent as well - cooked to order (medium) with a wonderful smoky taste.


Jack loved his sandwich, too, and the fact that the teriyaki sauce is served on the side. Our server accidentally brought him fries, but then delivered the salad as ordered. As it turned out, we both loved the fries anyway; they're much like those we used to love at the old Idora Park in Youngstown.

Our next visit came on the way home from a photography outing in Mill Creek Park on an unusually sunny but very cold winter Friday. The place wasn't remotely crowded, so we snagged a booth by one of those windows. From there, we could hear the other couple in the room raving about the food - apparently, this was their first visit. We took that as a good sign that others will like the food here too, although it was more than a little annoying because they monopolized the poor server with questions and a nonstop (and quite loud) conversation. The server, who was the only one on duty, did her best to be polite, but we hate to think how awful it would have been had she had several tables to take care of.

Both of us wanted to try something different this time, and once Jack spied the pulled pork sandwich with Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ sauce that was on special at $4.99 (with fries), he knew he'd met his match. I, on the other hand, was in the mood for pasta. The Scappetta, said to be a customer favorite, was my choice $12.99). Made up of crumbled hot Italian sausage, chicken, sweet green peppers and Spanish onions in garlic Madiera wine sauce topped with tomatoes and Peccorino Romano cheese over cavatelli (wow, I'm salivating again as I write this), it sounded wonderful and I figured there'd be enough to bring home for lunch the next day.

I had my choice of either salad or soup. I ruled out the salad, and when I learned that the wedding soup alternate that day was clam chowder, I quickly put dibs on the former even though I'd tried it before. After we'd placed our order, our server brought a small loaf of fresh-baked bread with butter and a small cup of herbed oil for dipping. Oh yeah, we said.

The pulled pork was so plentiful and juicy that the sandwich was impossible to pick up, so Jack just forked out the meat and pronounced it delicious. That pasta, though, is to die for. I could really taste the wine, and the hot sausage has just enough kick to make its presence known but not so spicy that Jack wouldn't be able to eat it (if he liked sausage, but that's another story altogether). In the end, I didn't have as much left over as I'd expected, but there was enough for us to share as a side back at home. 

One positive thing did come out of being subjected to that female diner's conversation, I should add: Although I was trying hard not to eavesdrop (impossible), my ears pricked up when I heard the word "walleye." After that couple had left, I wasted little time asking our server about my favorite fish. Yes, she assured me, it's often on the Friday dinner menu, when fish is the specialty. Haddock, she said, is the big draw, and with customers often lining up outside the building waiting to get some, once in a while they even run out.

To avoid that problem (and be sure walleye is available), she suggested not only calling ahead to check, but making a reservation to be sure you won't miss out. She also emphasized that they go out of their way to accommodate diners' requests, so even if we're there at lunchtime, we shouldn't hesitate to ask for something that's not on the menu.

If you go:

The Manor Restaurant & Banquet Center
3104 S. Canfield-Niles Road
Austintown, Ohio 44515
(330) 318-8060

www.manorfood.com

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

PRIMANTI BROS.

A couple of years back, we spent a wonderful day visiting with friends who live in a suburb of Pittsburgh. Part of the fun included a guided tour of some of the city's sights, like Point State Park at the confluence of the Ohio, Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, the Duquesne Incline and the Strip District on 18th Street. The latter, a mile-long stretch between the Allegheny River and a huge hill, provided us lots of fun searching for goodies in the many shops that sell everything from fresh produce to cookware.

The area also is home to the original Primanti Bros. restaurant, and we were delighted to have lunch at this notable eatery. Since then, our thoughts have returned there but we haven't. Imagine our thrill, then, when our son-in-law told us he'd seen a Primanti Bros. restaurant right across from the outlet mall at Grove City, Pa. Needless to say, we wasted little time getting there. 

The original restaurant got its start in the 1930s, when Joe Primanti opened a cart in the Strip District to sell sandwiches to truckers (or so the website tells me). Since that venture was successful, he opened a small restaurant on 18th Street. When a man brought in a bunch of potatoes to see if they were frozen, the cook - John DePriter, Primanti's nephew - fried them. When customers asked for them, he put them on the sandwiches - marking the birth of the famous Primanti sandwich (more on that later). Along the way several other restaurants were opened, and the company now has 17, mostly around Pittsburgh, and three in Florida.


Most of the locations, including the one in Grove City, sport the rust exterior with hunter green trim. That famous Primanti sandwich, for the record, is an all-inclusive deal: Meat topped with fries, cole slaw and usually a tomato. Back in Pittsburgh, I tried the corned beef and cheese, and it was fabulous.

Here in Grove City, we arrived for lunch and found the place large enough that we could choose a seat either on the restaurant or bar side - as is our custom, we picked the bar. Good thing; it was fairly crowded, and if I recall correctly, ours was the last available table. The walls are covered in Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia (Cleveland Browns fans that we are, we sucked it up, kept our mouths shut and didn't look up very often). The tables and chairs are wood, there are plenty of TV sets and it was clear this is a fun place - all the other diners seemed to be having a great time.


The menu basically is casual food - lots of sandwiches plus pizza, wings (regular and boneless with 12 sauce choices) and "really big" salads. The latter are a bit on the unique side, such as the Caribbean Chopped Salad, which includes marinated flat-iron grilled chicken breast tossed with roasted peppers, sweet corn, crisp cucumbers, croutons, applewood smoked bacon and farmhouse cheddar cheese with mango vinaigrette dressing for $8.29. There are a few Italian entrees as well - chicken spinach Alfredo and hot sausage al forno, for instance - 

Whatever else I decided on, I knew I'd have to try the Almost Famous Hot Chili Bowl, Pittsburgh style ($3.29). Add cheddar cheese and chopped onion for 49 cents each? Of course! I hesitated before deciding not to get one of those fabulous whole dill pickles for $1.99, but I figured the chili plus a sandwich would be too filling to allow for anything else.

Jack stuck with his favorite sandwich, Sicilian cheesesteak (from the Crostini list, which pretty much means it's served on a hoagie roll). Inside is sliced beef mixed with mushrooms, onion and green pepper, and it's topped with mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato and parmesan-horseradish mayonnaise ($7.99) He added a side of cole slaw to top off his meal.


Once again, I hit the "everything is on it" list, but this time I opted for hot sausage and cheese ($6.29 for the original, but for $7.79 you can get double meat). All these sandwiches are served on fresh Italian bread with the slaw, fries, tomatoes and provolone. Onions are added by request, so I asked for them as well.

The chili was excellent, though it had a few too many beans to suit me. There was lots of melted, gooey shredded cheddar on top, so even though it's not a large bowl, it's extremely filling; that and a small salad would be quite sufficient for me as a whole meal.

To be honest, Jack wasn't too fond of the vinegar-based slaw (he much prefers the kind made with mayo). It's shredded but not chopped, so it comes in long strings - no doubt making it stay on the top of a sandwich much more easily. They did not, however, skimp on the quantity - too bad he didn't like it all that well because it almost could have made a meal in and of itself. The sandwich itself, though, he absolutely loved, especially the horseradish sauce.

I'm not a big fan of that slaw either, so I ended up taking much of it off my sandwich. Besides that, I've got a really small mouth (just ask my dentist), so trying to get my teeth around a nearly 7-inch-high sandwich was virtually impossible until I removed a few things. Once some of the slaw was gone and I pulled out some fries to eat the regular way with ketchup, I was able, though barely, to get what was left in my mouth.

It was quite good, although I probably will choose double meat next time. The sausage patty was great, but all that other stuff on top was so overwhelming that I hardly could taste it. Both sandwiches were large enough to be cut in half, making it easy for both of us to bring half home (they're way too big for us to polish off in one meal, especially lunch). Next time, though, I'm planning to try that Caribbean salad - if I can get them to leave out those nasty cucumbers, that is.

If you go:

Primanti Bros. Restaurant & Bar
Leesburg-Grove City Road (PA 208 at I-79)
Grove City, PA 16127
(724) 748-9955

http://www.primantibros.com

Open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday; Sunday from 11 a.m. to midnight. 

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.

SHALE TAVERN & GRILLE

Have cameras, will travel, is a motto that prompts my husband Jack and I to hit the road every chance we get - even if it's just for an hour or so. As winter rolls in, though, our outings become few and far between. So when the temperature was predicted to reach an unseasonably warm 68 degrees on a near-winter morning not long ago, we figured it might be the last chance we'd get for a while to get outta Dodge.

But what might our destination be? Basically, we have four choices: North, South, East and West. Well, we reasoned, we haven't seen the Ohio River for a while - so we pointed the car south to East Liverpool. And by the way, that relatively new Shale Tavern & Grille near Lisbon is a place we've been meaning to visit and it's right on the way home.

We tooled around for a bit on Broadway Wharf in East Liverpool, happily snapping photos of a tug chugging up the river pushing a huge barge. After that, we wandered around a few city streets to see some of the old buildings, stopping just short of crossing the Newell Bridge to West Virginia this time out - frankly, we were getting hungry.


The Shale Tavern, which is located next to a Days Inn, used to be the Saratoga Restaurant - and it sure is impressive to look at. Inside are two beautiful stone fireplaces (the one on the bar side was fronted by two overstuffed easy chairs that were tempting - they looked far more cozy than the high-backed wood chairs and bar stools (although they were quite comfortable, too). The stuffed deer head on the rugged stone chimney keeps watch on the expansive bar that takes up almost the whole side of the room (there's another "restaurant" section with its own fireplace). The mirrored built-in carved wood "hutch" that stores liquor bottles behind the bar is just awesome.

As is our preference, we opted for the bar side, where five brews are on tap including the local Shale Ale, one of the Great Lakes Brewing varieties, Blue Moon, Bud Light and Yuengling. Jack likes to try specialty ales, so the Shale Ale was his choice. I'm far less adventurous when it comes to the stuff, so it was Yuengling for me.

I should note that the restaurant reportedly is owned by Mike Naffah, also owner of the Days Inn. The decision to reopen the former Saratoga (and the choice of name) was made because of the increased business at the motel as workers come to the area as part of the burgeoning Utica Shale development in Columbiana and nearby Carroll counties.

I'll also be honest and say that as of this writing, we've been to the tavern just once (after all, it's a bit of a hike down there from Mineral Ridge). But I'm also delighted to say we'll be going back every chance we get - the food we had was outstanding and we look forward to trying more. 

Take, for instance, the wonderful sounding entrees; our visit was at lunch - the place is open for lunch only on Sundays, by the way - so we just weren't hungry enough to go for the crabmeat stuffed haddock topped with Hollandaise sauce ($15.95), Tavern Beef with smashed redskin potatoes ($13.95) or the jumbo shrimp scampi on a bed of linguine ($14.95). There are daily specials that sound great as well, but they're weekdays only when the tavern doesn't open until 4 p.m. (the Tavern Beef, for instance, is $12.95 on Wednesdays).

The ribs and chicken, which the menu says are "soon to be world famous," may be an option as well; a half rack (dry rub or barbecue) is $13.99.

We, however, stuck to the list of sandwiches and burgers at our visit. Jack picked the steak hoagie for $6.99, adding grilled onions, mushrooms and peppers for another $1.29 and substituting cole slaw for the usual fries. Once I saw the Blue Devil burger - half a pound of Angus beef topped with bleu cheese crumbles and haystack onions with fries ($8.99), it was mine, all mine.

The fries were good - the thin Idora Park style - but they weren't very hot and I suspected they might have been fried much earlier in the day and reheated. Everything else we ordered, though, got a total of two thumbs ups. The slaw was particularly good, Jack said (I took a bite and agreed). And his steak hoagie was excellent as well, providing enough to bring half of it home.

It was the burger, though, that was the real standout. The beef was very tasty, and I loved the buttered and grilled bun. Truthfully, I'd probably eat sawdust if it were covered in bleu cheese, but those onion straws really made the difference. Somehow, they managed to stay amazingly crisp until I'd polished off the entire burger.

And, they were delicious; the result is that I pledged to order the haystack onion blossom with bistro sauce appetizer ($5.99) next time we visit!

If you go:

Shale Tavern & Grille
40964 State Route 154
Lisbon, Ohio 44432
(330) 420-0045

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

YOLO

My husband Jack and I are fond of having lunch at The Phoenix, which is located in a strip plaza just north of Canfield off State Route 46. But every time we go there, or drive past the plaza, we see YOLO, a restaurant at the opposite end. We always thought the name is catchy and wondered if it was an acronym for something, until one day we read an article somewhere that the owner said stands for "You Only Live Once."

Neat, we said, and when we learned the place specializes in Mediterranean food, we vowed we'd get there one day.

First, though, as is my custom before we visit any new restaurant, I wanted to check the website for details. Looking up the URL mentioned in the newspaper article I'd read earlier, I was quite impressed - that is, until I realized this YOLO was based in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Further searches turned up YOLOs in Buffalo, N.Y., Chicago, Miami and Nashville -- bringing the realization that the name isn't quite as unique for a restaurant as I'd thought.

Happily, the food is - but more on that in a bit. Next time we were in the neighborhood, we pulled in the parking lot and Jack went in to ask if they had a take-home version of the menu - and happily, the answer was yes. Then when we discovered that the local YOLO is in the 2012 Entertainment Book, we decided to throw caution to the wind and go. As usual, we rounded up our Niles friends Jerry and Barb - an easy sell since Barb is quite fond of Mediterranean food, lamb in particular.

The Entertainment Book gave us $10 off if we spent $30 (our friends had one as well), so we figured if we went for dinner each couple could get an appetizer to share with everyone; adding in an entree for each of us, then, would get us to the required minimum with little effort.

Since other errands the day we planned to visit meant we couldn't absolutely pinpoint an arrival time, we decided to take our chances and not ask for a reservation. As it turned out, we didn't need one at the time we got there at close to 6:30 p.m., but by the time we left most of the tables were occupied. It's not a large place, but it's very cozy and comfortable; there's free WiFi for the tech folks, and a live singer/guitarist was in a corner providing entertainment, adding to the overall ambience.

We hadn't planned on having alcoholic drinks, but when our very friendly server told us it was still Happy Hour and all house wines were $3.50 a glass, we changed our minds quickly. Two of us went for the cabernet, one with shiraz and the third, who has a bit of a rebellious streak, ordered a beer. All were quite tasty, I'm happy to say.

Based on what we knew from the sample menu, we knew choosing an entree wouldn't be easy, but having that in advance did allow us to narrow things down a bit before we went. The appetizers, however, proved more difficult; just too many that sounded way too good.

There are actually two lists; on one, all appetizers are $5.77 each (or you can get a tapas platter of any three for $10.97). The other list is of "jumbo" appetizers big enough to share for $9.97 each. Not wanting to stuff themselves early on, our friends opted for the small version of Hummus - roasted and chilled garlic and chick peas pureed with sesame and olive oil, lemon and Mediterranean seasoning. Jack and I decided to splurge on the tapas platter, choosing Baba Ghanoush (mesquite eggplant puree with sesame, garlic and lemon, YOLO Fungi (garlic and port roasted wild mushrooms) and smoked hot peppers in olive oil (no further explanation needed).

As for the entrees, Barb had decided before she walked in the door to get the grilled lamb platter, consisting of lamb cubes over Syrian rice with roasted peppers and onions with garlic paste and pita bread ($14.97) with the lamb medium rare. Jerry didn't take long either: his choice was the Shish Tawouk platter, or chicken breast cubes marinated in garlic and sumac, chargrilled over Syrian rice with peppers, onions, garlic paste and flatbread ($12.97).

Jack didn't waffle much either, at least once he spotted the crab-and-shrimp stuffed chicken breast with asiago cream sauce ($18). I kept shifting between the pan-fried walleye with sherry lemon sauce over Syrian rice (my favorite fish, $14.57) and the Ahi tuna steak topped with charcoal sesame seeds, green onion, ginger and Wasabi with Syrian rice ($14.27). Depending on when the server asked, it could have gone either way, but she caught me when my mind was on that Ahi tuna so tuna it was (ordered medium rare).


We didn't realize it, but the meals come with salads as well; and the dressings are quite unusual. Here, too, our choices varied; Jack wanted strawberry vinaigrette, I opted for Greek-style ranch, Jerry chose tropical sweet and sour and Barb couldn't resist the lemon pepper gorgonzola. Each turned out to be quite tasty, served over fresh greens with green pepper slivers and a couple of errant cucumber wedges that I happily passed on to Barb lest they contaminate the rest of my salad.

First, though, we smacked our lips over the appetizers. I'm not a huge fan of hummis, but I have to admit, I could make a meal out of the hummus appetizer - and I'll say the same for the Baba Ghanousch (both came with pita triangles). The hot peppers weren't very hot, but they were quite tasty, and every one raved about those mushrooms.

It didn't take long after we'd polished off the appetizers for the entrees to arrive, and they sure looked impressive. Unknown to us beforehand, most came with a generous helping of unusual fresh green beans, cut in small-ish crosswise slices and covered with unusual (and delicious) seasoning.

We're not at all certain what makes the rice Syrian, but it sure was good. The flavor wasn't strong, but it was perfectly cooked and moist but all not stuck together. It was the main part of our meals, though, that were so wonderful. The portions were sizable, although I was the only one who ended up taking anything home.

The lamb, Barb said, was especially good (I'm not a big fan of lamb, but I tasted it and immediately agreed with her assessment). The garlic paste was served in a small container on the side - that's because the flavor is a bit strong to suit some folks, our server said. Here too, Barb agreed; she loved it but was glad she could add it in as much or as little as she wanted.

After one bite, Jerry was quite certain it wouldn't be necessary for the staff to eat his leftovers - there would be none. Jack, too, loved the crab and shrimp stuffing with his chicken breast, and the asiago cream sauce was quite tasty as well.

My Ahi tuna steak was perfectly cooked as well, and the Wasabi added a flavorful bit of zest. At least half of it plus some rice went in a to-go box, making a nice lunch for Jack the next day.

If you go:

YOLO Grille & Spirits
5231 S. Canfield-Niles Road
Canfield, Ohio 44406
(330) 286-3866

Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

STEAMERS

As most readers of my blog know by now, I love seafood. No, make that I love seafood. I love it so much, in fact, that on more than one of the trips my husband Jack and I have made to the North Carolina Outer Banks, I vowed to eat nothing else as an entree - including for breakfast. Admittedly, we rarely eat much of anything before lunch (at least not in a restaurant), but a couple of times we did, and yes, I managed to find something that once made its home in water.

Back here in landlocked Mineral Ridge, Ohio, I'm more likely than not to order seafood when it's on a menu, although I'm not shy about saying that's not always the best choice because (a) it's not fresh off the boat and (b) generally speaking, it's overcooked. So when we were shopping for an easy chair at Sheely's in North Lima several months ago, on a whim we asked a couple of employees if there was a good place nearby to have lunch. Their response? Steamers, not far away on Market Street - which specializes in seafood.


We found the place in something of a nondescript building we almost didn't spot in a small strip mall and attached to a Super 8 Motel. For whatever reason, we decided not to stop, choosing instead to head closer to home. But the recommendation by those folks at Sheely's stuck with us -- this is the place everyone around here goes, they'd said -- and one fine day when we were traveling around looking for things to photograph and were in the neighborhood, we said, let's give it a try.

Our first adventure there, I'm delighted to report, was nothing short of WOW!

It was somewhere between the usual lunch and dinner hours - typically when we visit restaurants to avoid the possibility of waiting, which we hate - and we were seated immediately in a booth not far from the bar. There's also a dining area, a banquet room and a closed-off outdoor patio when the weather's nice. 

Inside, though, it's quite a different story. On this first trip, just a glance at the menu told us we'd have to come back (in fact, we never made it past the appetizers before we'd made our choices). We decided to try three: the overloaded potato skins to share, peel-and-eat spiced shrimp for Jack and blackened tuna bites for me. 

Both of us were thrilled. The tuna bites ($9.99) were outstanding, though a bit spicy -- but not so much that Jack couldn't eat them - and for me of the cast-iron stomach, it was love at first bite. The shrimp (also $9.99), were saturated with Old Bay spices, and Jack said that while they aren't quite as fresh as his favorite food at Awful Arthur's Oyster Bar on the Outer Banks, they were every bit as tasty.

The potato skins were fabulous - without question the best we've had anywhere. That's quite a complement coming from me, a person who isn't all that fond of potato skins (the skins, after all, were what my mother discarded back on the farm where I grew up; ever since then it's been hard for me to think of them as much of a delicacy).

We did look at the dinner menu (which you'll find online at the website at the end of this review), and unless you're interested in chicken and pasta dishes that are in the $12 to $15 range, expect to spend a few bucks here. The Scallops Portabella, with jumbo scallops atop a portabella in asiago cream sauce with sliced tomatoes, for instance, is $23.99 (but it's got to be to die for). A hefty 16-ounce chargrilled ribeye tavern-style prime rib au jus is $21.99, so you get the point. 

There is a Happy Hour Monday through Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with discounted alcoholic beverages and munchy specials depending on the day (Tuesday you get 10 jumbo wings for $4, for example). One of these days, we've decided, we absolutely must go on a Wednesday to try the $5 crab dip breadbowl.

Our next visit came on the way home from filling up our camera cards with fall foliage photos from the beautiful Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County - we'd timed our trip so we could stop at Steamers for a late lunch. When we arrived around 1:15 p.m., there were a number of cars in the parking lot, but we got a table on the bar side once again and the tables that were occupied cleared out within another 15 minutes or so. This time, our plan was to focus entirely on seafood.


We hadn't intended to try another appetizer, but then we spotted the Crabmeat Portabella ($9.99) stuffed with lump crabmeat in a tomato basil sauce. Oh what the heck, we said, let's go for it!

Picking our entrees proved difficult for Jack once again, but finally he opted for the lunch portion of breaded cod ($7.99) with cole slaw and fries as his sides. My choice was quite easy: Once I saw the 8-ounce tuna steak, chargrilled with remoulade sauce ($10.99), I was hooked. For sides, I got a tossed salad and rice pilaf. Since this isn't Ahi tuna, I was a bit hesitant to ask for medium or medium rare and went with medium well. 

Our server brought a basket of two warm rolls along with the appetizer, whispering that the bread is perfect for dipping in the tomato basil sauce in which that large stuffed mushroom was swimming. She was right; and Jack said the mushroom was outstanding, worth every single penny and at least as good, if not better, than any crab dish he's had in Maryland.

Jack's cod portion was quite substantial, maybe a foot long and 4 inches wide, as well as flaky and tender. The slaw wasn't his favorite, and when I tasted it I understood why: It was more like a Waldorf salad, with a slight apple flavor in the mayonnaise dressing. Too bad you don't care for it much, I said as I polished it off. 

My salad, with ranch dressing, was quite good (well, except for the cucumber slice, which I picked out immediately so it wouldn't contaminate the rest of the greens), and the rice pilaf had a nice flavor. As for the tuna steak, I was sorry I hadn't listened to my inner voice and asked for a less-cooked version. It was very good, mind you, and the portion was so large that I brought half of it home for another meal. But it was more well done (and therefore not as tender) than I really love (my bad, not the restaurant's), and next time I'll go with my first instincts.

Steamers
10078 Market St.
North Lima, Ohio 44452
(330) 549-9041
www.enjoysteamers.com

Open at 11:30 a.m to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; noon to 11 p.m. on Saturday; closed Sunday.