GRANARY RESTAURANT at PINE TREE BARN

As a few kinds friends have noticed, the frequency of my restaurant reviews has taken a nosedive over the past two or three years (my most recent post was more than a year ago, in fact). Why? Several reasons, the first of which is that we simply don't go out to eat as often as we used to. Also, we don't venture as far away from home on day trips, so finding new spots doesn't happen often. And last, largely as a natural offshoot of the first two reasons, we tend to stick to places we already know and love. Quite honestly, I can't remember the last time we ate at a new-to-us restaurant (well, at least one that was memorable and/or that stayed in business long enough for me to compose a review).

Admittedly, this one is some distance from home (roughly 80 miles, in fact) - and honestly, we can't take the credit for finding it. Over the past few years, we've missed seeing our friends Marcia and her husband Rich, who live south of Columbus, Ohio. She's been my best friend since grade school; they married not long before we did, and she was the matron of honor at our wedding way back in 1962. We used to count on seeing each other for annual class reunions (Jackson Local High School near Union City, Indiana), but Jack and I haven't been able to get there since our 50th a handful of years back. So, Rich got the great idea of meeting somewhere in the middle; Wooster, he decided, was a good fit, so he searched for restaurants in that area and came up with this one.


And what a great place it is! As is our custom, we checked the website, but it really didn't come close to describing the place. Driving in, we were surprised to see the 25,000-square-foot historic 1868 landmark barn gift shop/restaurant building (well landscaped and, given the time of year, walkways lined with huge pots of colorful chrysanthemums that could be purchased at an extremely reasonable price. Had we not been facing an hour-and-a-half drive back home, we'd have snapped up a couple of pots for sure. There's also a barn mostly for tree farm business (there are some 75,000 trees on the property), a lovely gazebo decorated for fall and, if you look out back, which we did, views of man-made lakes and the scenic Kilbuck Valley.


Just inside the main building is the restaurant entrance, but our eyes quickly shifted to take in an amazing array of gorgeous furniture, jewelry, specialty greeting cards and the doorway to the year-round Christmas Shop. We poked around a little bit, but since we didn't have lunch reservations, we checked in with the hostess and were called to our table almost immediately. On that topic, BTW, since the website suggests that reservations are recommended, Rich called ahead of time and was told they wouldn't be needed. But when we arrived around 11:30, the first question we were asked was if we had one. Judging from the number of people already seated and coming through the door, then, next time we'll be sure to follow the website's advice.

The sunny fall day prompted us to ask for a table on the roofed-covered outdoor patio; our friendly server appeared momentarily to take our drink orders. The restaurant does serve wine - including a couple of varieties from Breitenbach Wine Cellars in Dover - but since our favorite fruit wines weren't on the menu (and we were facing a long drive back home), we passed on that in favor of soft drinks, coffee and water.

Then, it was time to choose our entrees, and the decisions didn't come easily. The website doesn't begin to list all the possibilities; in addition to the printed menu, our server ran through the quiche, salad, crepe and soup du jour, making our selections even harder. Marcia went first, as I recall, choosing the grilled chicken raspberry salad with a raspberry dressing (one of a couple of options I was considering seriously as well). For her side, she asked for an apple-cinnamon muffin. Since she picked one of my possibilities, I figured she'd give me a taste if I wanted, so I settled on the crepes du jour - filled with veggies - and the creamy chicken noodle soup. Rich and Jack both favored the French onion soup - Jack's accompanied by a wrap that contained chicken and veggies and Rich's with another kind of sandwich.


Suffice it to say we had no complaints about the delicious food - Jack said the French onion soup was especially good, though some might argue there's almost too much cheese on top - and I loved my creamy chicken noodle soup. Marcia's salad was indeed delicious, as was the muffin (although because the salad was so large and filling, most of her muffin ended up on her husband's plate). As for prices, I'll admit that because we were spending so much time looking at photos and catching up on what's been happening with our families, I paid little attention to costs. Just to provide some idea, though, my soup and crepe lunch special was $10.99, and I did notice several items priced a bit lower and higher.

After we finished and had been occupying a table for a long while, we saw that other diners were filtering in for a later lunch. So out of courtesy we vacated ours and headed back to the three-floor shopping area. To our regret, we didn't have much time to poke around - skipping the grocery and Will Moses art gallery entirely - he's the great grandson of Grandma Moses - but we did do a walk through the Christmas Shop and section near the check-out counter with everything from jewelry to soap (I couldn't resist a bar of the latter, amaretto scented). While we looked, Rich went back to the bakery to snag a couple of the lemon crumb muffins, apparently the specialty here - we noticed several other people with carryout boxes of them. 

Finally, we called it an afternoon - going our separate ways once again to be sure we'd get back home before the end-of-work traffic. On our way, we enjoyed the beautiful rural scenery (at least until we reached the interstate highway that would take us within a couple of miles from our house). Will we do this again? In a heartbeat. In fact, we're already planning another meet-up before the snow flies. And this time, you can bet I won't leave without a box of those wonderful muffins for our very own.

If you go:

Granary Restaurant at Pine Tree Barn
4374 Shreve Road (SR 226)
Wooster, Ohio 44691
(330) 264-1014

Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Lunch served daily 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

http://www.pinetreebarn.com

BEN'S RESTAURANT & BAR

What's better than finding a great place to enjoy the great outdoors and get interesting photographs? For me, it's finding a great new restaurant. That's an especially happy occasion now that my husband Jack and I don't go traveling the country (or even the state) as often as we once did - for the most part trying to keep the aging 2004 Pontiac Vibe that we love in good working condition and avoid having to buy a replacement.

This find happened after we visited Noah's Lost Ark near Berlin Center, Ohio - a wonderful sanctuary that provides shelter and care for exotic animals (think lions and tigers and bears, oh my!) that have been neglected and abused to the point that no one else wants them.

On the way to the sanctuary, we drove past a large building and noticed the sign - Ben's Restaurant & Bar. Ah, we said almost in unison, that looks like a really nice place. So when we left the sanctuary, it was time for a late lunch - and we made it a point to drive past the place again to see if it was open. It was (it's open for lunch on weekdays and breakfast on weekends), so of course we went in.

We were greeted in the lobby by one of the most beautiful (and large) floral wreaths I've ever seen. And as soon as we got inside the door, we were reminded of our many visits to the North Carolina Outer Banks; the two-level dining area is decorated in light teal with creamy white furniture, and wall art is similar to what is found in beach restaurants. There's a separate bar area with limited seating, but even though that's our usual choice, the dining room looked so inviting that we wandered in and found a table.

For the record, Ben's may be new to us, but it's certainly not new to the area; according to the menu, it was started in 1978 by Tom Bendetta and his wife Flo, who purchased an existing building. Ensuing years brought renovations and expansions, and today the restaurant seems to be thriving (offering catering and banquet menus as well as on-site dining and a full bar). 

Once we'd placed our drinks order (on-tap beers for both of us), we looked over the menu, starting, of course, with appetizers. Honestly, we weren't hungry enough at lunch to try one, but the sauteed mushrooms (prepared in a "special" homemade sauce for $6.99) and jumbo quesadillas were tempting - as was Tom's "famous" hot pepper salad.

As for the dinner options, we zeroed in on seafood (mostly because that's usually our choice for entrees and partly because of the dining room atmosphere), and we certainly weren't disappointed. Jack's eyes never left the deep sea scallops, sauteed and served on a bed of bow-tie pasta for $16.99. I was torn between the Cajun cod ($16.99) and orange roughy ($16.99), so when we go back for dinner - as we plan to do - I'm not sure which I'll choose. Oh yes, I also spotted prime rib - another special favorite of mine. Ah, what to do, what to do?

But we were here for lunch, and these days, we're simply not able to wolf down large quantities of food like we used to. Jack didn't take much time to make his choice - a batter-dipped scrod sandwich. He chose the larger version at $7.99, asking them to hold the bun. All lunches, BTW, come with fries and cole slaw.

Truth is, the scrod sounded wonderful to me as well, but I wanted to try something other than what Jack got (besides, I knew he'd offer me a bite of his). After waffling between the grilled Cajun chicken breast sandwich ($8.99) and a grilled Reuben ($9.99), I finally settled on the bleu cheeseburger on a Kaiser roll ($7.99). Since Jack got fries with his, I paid $1 more to get onion rings. 

Needless to say, we were happy with our choices. The scrod was plentiful (Jack even brought a piece home, where he gave me another bite), and the slaw was quite tasty. Usually, I'm not a big fan of slaw I didn't make myself, but I polished off almost all of my dish rather than giving it to Jack as I usually do. The fries and onion rings are good - I'm partial to the o-rings -  and my burger was yummy (at the server's prompting, I added tomato and onion, which complemented the bleu cheese perfectly). 

All that said, you can bet we'll be heading back to this place again, the sooner the better - this time for dinner. That Cajun cod has my name on it (well, okay, so does the prime rib, so we'll just have to go back at least two more times)!

If you go:

Ben's Restaurant & Bar
17729 W. Akron-Canfield Road
Berlin Center, Ohio 44401
(330) 547-7633

Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday; 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bensrestaurant1978?rf=119983394679379

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.

FIRE GRILL

Girard may not be the biggest town in Trumbull County, Ohio, but never let it be said there’s no place to eat. From the popular Jib Jab Hot Dog Shoppe at one end of State Street to Margherita’s on the other (not to mention several places on the side streets), this town’s got you covered breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A favorite haunt was Mikeee’s, somewhere around the middle of State Street; my husband Jack and I spent many a lazy summer afternoon on the upstairs outdoor deck and many more in the lower-level bar trying out everything we could on the extensive sandwich menu. When that ended, we were frequent visitors to the Big Family Restaurant; when that one closed, we almost cried.

But then, we got word that a new place was coming. And in early May 2014, the Fire Grill opened. Not too long afterward, we were there - hoping to find another great place – and we did. The inside is quite a change, although it remains fairly informal. It’s been redone in tones of gray, black and red with spacious booths, a fire grill at the back (hence the name) complete with a display case in front filled with tempting desserts and lots of really cool hanging lamps. It looks totally different, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The full bar now includes a ton of specialty beers, and anyone interested in sampling can get flights on all the draughts. That’s really not our style, though, so we stuck with more traditional Yuengling at our first visit at lunchtime. Picking what we wanted to eat, though, took a bit of time. We weren’t looking for a huge meal, but we did want to sample a few things. The specialty here is barbecue - ribs, chicken, pork and beef - and on each table are bottles of special add-on sauces, mostly Carolina-style like East Carolina Vinegar, North Carolina Mustard and South Carolina Spicy Red (they’re sold by the bottle as well). As long-time vacationers at the North Carolina Outer Banks, we were happy to see those options - well, maybe not the vinegar sauce, definitely not a favorite of ours.

It took a while to decide what we wanted, even for lunch; I did consider the kielbasa-style Texas hot link sausage topped with sauteed red peppers, onions and tomato sauce on a toasted hoagie roll (plain or with jalapeno-cheddar sauce, $7.99). Finally - now on my second Yuengling - I settled on one of the daily specials, a half-order of Better-Than Maw-Maw’s Fried Green Tomatoes with soup or salad ($4.99 at the time of our visit). I chose chili as my soup, and then just for fun, I ordered an appetizer of smoked chipotle wings ($5.99). 

Jack, meanwhile, opted to try the Portabella Non-Burger, a fire-grilled whole portabella mushroom marinated in homemade balsamic vinegar and topped with charred romaine, grilled tomato and Asiago cheese ($6.99). With it he chose cole slaw, and got a surprise: our server asked whether he wanted mayonnaise or vinegar style (he picked the latter and said it was delicious).

The wings, the menu said, are put in the smoker first and then fried and tossed in Chipotle butter sauce. The flavor was excellent, and I enjoyed them despite not being a fan of getting thick red goo all over me. The chili, too, was outstanding and a bit different, with smoked beef brisket, ground beef, red kidney beans, plum tomatoes, onions and peppers. 

The tomatoes were coated with panko bread crumbs, topped with creamy bleu cheese sauce, sprinkled with scallions and finished with balsamic glaze reduction - definitely not like mother used to make. They were wonderful, although they were fried a bit too crispy for my liking - we old folks are always worried about breaking teeth. For the record, they’re also available as an appetizer.

Within a couple of weeks, we returned - this time with friends Jerry and Barb from Niles in tow. We arrived about 5:30 p.m. on a Friday and were seated immediately, but by the time we left, there had to be at least 20 people waiting for a table. We made a mental note to get here before 5 p.m. for dinner (though our usual plan when eating out is to have a late lunch somewhere between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., typically a slower time for most restaurants).

But once we were seated, it seemed we sat there forever until one of us caught a server’s eye and she came fairly quickly. Because of the long wait, we’d had plenty of time to peruse the menu and make our choices, so we placed our drink and food orders at the same time. Shortly thereafter, we got a visit from the owner, who was checking up on us (I know at least one of our group had a scowl on her face at that point - me - which probably signaled that the natives at our table were a bit restless. He was very nice, and among other things told us that the outdoor balcony upstairs should be open soon. At this point, it’s winter, so we’ll check back when the weather improves.

Jack’s choice for dinner was the Caprese flatbread ($6.99) with a side of macaroni and cheese ($3.99). Jerry picked the Southern Pulled Pork sandwich, which comes with fries, for $7.99. Barb and I both went for the Braggin’ Rights Brisket sandwich -mine with fries and hers with the vinegar-based coleslaw (both $9.99).

Jack was delighted with the flatbread - six rather large squares topped with Roma tomatoes, red onions and roasted garlic topped with fresh basil, melted mozzarella cheese and drizzled with a sweet balsamic reduction. The mac and cheese is a bit different, with a crumb coating, and he deemed it outstanding.

Jerry was happy with his pulled pork sandwich, and Barb and I absolutely loved the brisket, which is shredded to make the sandwich. It comes with some kind of mayonnaise-based sauce, but there wasn’t much of it and the flavor isn’t the least bit overwhelming. I opted to add a bit more flavor from the bottles of sauces on the table - this time choosing the delicious Kansas City Sweet.

My only beef? Nowhere - not on the website, the Facebook page, the menu or even the restaurant’s front door - have I been able to find when the place is open for the entire week. Finally, the hours I’ve added below turned up on an obscure restaurant review site, but I advise anyone wanting to make advance plans to visit to call to be sure they’re accurate.

If you go:

Fire Grill

30 N. State St.

Girard, Ohio 44420

(330) 545-4755

http://www.firegrillbbq.com

Open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday.

DAVIDSON'S RESTAURANT/TAVERN

Every time I read negative reviews of anything - from movies to music CDs to restaurants - I take them with a grain of salt. I know that, in general, far more people who had a bad experience will speak up than those who enjoyed themselves. For better or worse, that’s just the nature of the human beasts.

My husband Jack and I have driven past Davidson’s Restaurant/Tavern in Cornersburg, Ohio, countless times - almost every time saying we really should stop one of these days. When we mentioned it not too long ago to our friend Barb from Niles, she told us she’s a fairly frequent visitor and enjoys the food. But when I went online to see what other people think, it was a bit disheartening. Lousy service, one said. Long wait for mediocre food, said another.

So chalking it up to the fact that the squeaky wheel usually gets the most publicity, we said what the heck - let's go. Granted, we also needed to use up a couple of about-to-expire coupons from the 2014 Entertainment Book (basically BOGOs for lunch and/or dinner), so we knew if we didn’t like it the first time around, we could call it quits without much of a loss and no one would be the wiser. And if we did, we'd go back; it’s rare for me to visit any restaurant just once before writing a review - a single visit just isn't enough to provide a fair appraisal, IMHO.

But after one very favorable lunchtime visit, we promised ourselves we’d be using that second coupon for dinner - and we did, with equally happy results. And that means yes, we’ll be back for thirds, fourths and more, coupon or not.

For openers, the place is huge; there are at least three dining areas, and the bar isn’t exactly small and has its own entrance. We picked the bar when we made our first visit, in part because one reviewer said that’s the best place and in the other part because it’s our usual preference no matter where we go. We picked a high table at one wall; there are several TV sets and sports memorabilia on the walls, making us feel right at home.

So did our server, who was very friendly and helpful and managed to find us quickly even though we’d bypassed any kind of check-in process as we made our way to the bar. We ordered a couple of draughts while we perused the very extensive menu (and we both noticed that the beer here is colder than just about anywhere else we’ve been - a real plus for me in particular). I’d read that the chicken breast sandwich with Italian greens is a winner here, so I gave that some serious consideration right off the bat. But then there are several wraps and at least 25 “regular” sandwich possibilities, from a Black & Bleu Burger (yum!) to a Reuben to Pepper ‘n’ Egg - mostly in the $8 to $9 range, so choosing isn’t a walk in the park.

The dinner menu is even more extensive (I eyeballed it even though we were there for lunch). I made a mental note to check out the Linguine Diablo, in fact, if and when we came at dinnertime ($16.95).

Ultimately, though, I decided on a hot sausage sandwich (always a favorite of mine) topped with peppers and melted provolone, at $8.95. There’s a choice of peppers, so I happily went for the hot sport peppers and onions on top. As a side, I picked another favorite - wedding soup.

Meanwhile, Jack decided on the portabella sandwich, marinated and chargrilled with roasted red peppers and melted provolone cheese on a toasted garlic Kaiser roll for $8.25. All sandwiches come with “Fair” fries or a cup of soup. Other options are possible if you want to ante up $1.50 more, which we did not.

The wedding soup wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it was quite tasty and filled with several larger-than-usual meatballs, some chicken chunks and greens. It was also hot, which seems to be a rarity these days. Most of what I’ve been getting ranges from very warm to tepid - and one of these days, I swear I’m going to make them take it back and heat it up. No problem with that here, though.

My sandwich turned out to be two sausage patties rather than the link variety, and it was very tasty. There’s no marinara or other red sauce, but that’s the way I prefer it. The peppers weren’t what I’d call plentiful, but they sure were hot - just my style. Jack’s portabella sandwich was delicious as well, and he said those roasted red peppers really “put it over the top.”

As it turned out, we came back around 4 p.m. a week or so later, this time opting for a booth in one of the dining rooms instead of the bar. Once again, we ordered draughts while we looked over the menu (dinner items can be ordered just about any time, but the daily specials begin at 4 p.m., our server told us). We were using an about-to-expire coupon from the 2014 Entertainment Book, which doesn’t include the specials, but with so many items from which to choose that wasn’t an issue in the slightest. Our server brought a basket of warm, crusty rolls and butter - absolutely delicious, and yes, we took her up on the offer of a second basket. Although I’d had my eye on that Linguine Diablo - shrimp, scallops, clams and hot peppers sauteed in spicy marinara sauce - I wasn’t quite willing to ante up 17 bucks until I’d made sure I like the red sauce here. I actually considered liver and onions at $9.95 - an old favorite I rarely make at home any more. But truth is, only once in my life have I had it at a restaurant, mostly because (she says with no modesty whatsoever), I make the best darned liver and onions in the world and don’t want to chance getting something that doesn’t measure up.

Always a fish lover, I ended up picking the baked whitefish filet, and after discussing it with our server I went with the butter crust instead of lemon-pepper ($13.95). For a second I considered adding a buck to get it blackened, but then I backed down. It didn’t take Jack long to pick the beef tenderloin tips over noodles ($11.95); the beef is sauteed in olive oil and garlic and tossed with mushrooms, roasted peppers and onions.

Both of our entrees came with a salad, and Jack got his usual Thousand Island (a double dose) and I stuck with plain old ranch. The salads were rather nondescript, with “okay” greens and shredded carrots that tasted a little stale. Only I, Jack was quick to point out, was lucky enough to get a cherry tomato (but he did get two containers of dressing as he’d requested - something that doesn’t always happen).

The bowl of beef tips, which were over bowtie pasta, was on the large side and the taste was satisfactory but nothing particularly special, Jack said. On the other hand, my fish was outstanding - two fairly large filets - and the butter crumb topping the server recommended was not only tasty, but very light and full of flavor; I usually avoid breaded fish because it can be crunchy enough to break a tooth, but this was wonderful. Better still, the fish was flaky and tender, and the filets were large enough that I brought one home. The rice pilaf was so-so, but although it was on the dry side, it had more flavor than I’ve had in many restaurants (one reason I don’t order it very often). Despite the large bowl, Jack wasted no time cleaning out - nothing left but a couple of bow ties.

Bottom line is we’ve found a great place - easy to stop on the way home from one of our frequent forays to Mill Creek Park. After all, I’ve still got my heart set on that Linguine Diablo!

If you go:

Davidson’s Restaurant/Tavern

3636 Canfield Road

Canfield (Cornersburg), Ohio 44406

(330) 793-0033

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Davidsons-RestaurantTavern/275970425801913

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.

BEEF O'BRADY'S

The first Beef O’Brady’s opened in Brandon, Florida, in 1985, so the chain isn’t all that new. And although I spent more time than I really wanted to trying to track down how many are in operation today, the best I could do is a report claims there were about 215 franchises in several states as of January 2011. On the downside, I also turned up a report naming the franchise to a list of 11 that posted the highest rates of failure of their federally guaranteed loans used to buy them in the first place. The financial issues may or may not have been resolved by now - and all I know

(or, for that matter, care much about) - is that there’s now one in Cortland. My husband Jack and I drove past a couple of times on our way home from photography outings at Ashtabula Harbor and/or Mosquito Lake State Park before it opened, saying each time that we’d have to stop in for a bite once the place got up and running. That finally happened this past Veterans’ Day, when the place was close to full when we arrived about 1 p.m. The parking lot is smallish and a bit tough to navigate (heaven help those driving vehicles with a wide turning radius), but we got lucky and found an open spot. Ditto with a booth; there might have been one other unoccupied table when we came through the doors.

Turns out there’s a small bar/pub at the back of the place, and it, as well as the main dining area, is nice although with a sort of nondescript decor. Sports memorabilia from the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers and Lakeview Bulldogs and 12 big-screen TV sets line the walls - most of the latter tuned to sports shows. Once we’d settled in and ordered a couple of beers from what we call the “normal” list - there’s a large number on tap including lots of funky stuff - we began to peruse the menu. And boy, is there ever plenty to peruse, from burgers to flatbreads to ribs and wings and just about anything in between. I gave up and simply gravitated toward items marked as “signature” dishes, and in the end Jack did the same. He picked the fish ‘N’ Chips basket ($10.49), which includes four fried, beer-battered cod fillets with tartar sauce, fries and coleslaw. I was determined to sample the beef, so my choice was the Roast Beef Garlic Melt ($8.79), with sliced onions and provolone cheese pressed on garlic Cuban bread. Fries are standard, by the way, but there are several items, like onion rings and chili, that can be substituted for $1.99 more. We might make a switch on our next visit, but the fries were exceptionally good, so then again, maybe not. When the food arrived, Jack really liked the tasty fish and the coleslaw. Just one bite of my sandwich made my taste buds sing - the beef was exceptionally tender and full of flavor - and with the second bite I realized it’s also the saltiest beef I’ve ever had (this coming from someone who tends to salt restaurant food without even tasting it; thank goodness I hadn’t done it this time out). So although I smacked my lips as I happily ate the whole thing, I told Jack - who’s on a low-sodium diet - that the bite I allowed him to sample probably exceeded his sodium allowance for the week. As it turns out, that’s not too far off; a bit of online research on nutritional values confirmed that the sandwich alone (i.e., without the fries), contains 3,940 mg of sodium. Whew! But flavor? My sandwich definitely had that “wow” factor; just for that alone, I knew we’d be making a return visit; given the sodium content on much of the food, we won’t stop often, though - once every several months will have to do. But because I wanted to write a review, we relaxed our rule a bit and made another trip in early December. Jack stuck with the fish and chips - again with that tasty coleslaw, but I decided a burger might be a good choice. There are about nine on the menu, including a build-your-own version for $7.99, but when I spotted the Amarillo Firecracker at $9.99 - called a “new” item at the time of our visit - I knew it was the perfect choice for me. An Angus burger is topped with bacon, fried jalapenos, pepper jack cheese and sweet jalapeno mayo - be still my pepper-loving heart. All burgers, the menu says, are seasoned with a blend of kosher salt and black pepper (there goes that sodium raising its head again), and they can be ordered medium, medium well (my choice) or well done. Because we loved the fries, we didn’t bother trying a substitute (especially since they all cost an extra two bucks). But we got a big surprise this time out - and not a particularly good one; this time out, the fries were a big disappointment. They were thinner, didn’t seem to have much flavor and, simply put, just weren’t up to par. I, of course, was looking forward to a sandwich filled with the zing of hot peppers. Alas, as far as the firecracker was concerned, I didn’t feel the heat, but I sure felt the love - it was absolutely delicious and cooked perfectly to order. In fact, it was so good I ate the whole thing - very unusual for me. The only suggestion I have is that sandwiches should be served with a sharp knife; even the burgers are too big to pick up whole, and I’m here to tell you that trying to cut a bacon-topped burger in half with a table knife is darned near impossible.

Oh yes, one other thing: I searched both the corporate website and the local restaurant's Facebook page, and while I found the address and phone number, nowhere could I find the hours the place is open (except for the day you happen to check on Facebook). C'mon, guys, it's not fair to force people to call ahead; the only reason I can think of for not posting hours is that they're subject to change with little notice. And that's definitely not a good sign!

If you go:

Beef O’Brady’s
3660 Niles-Cortland Road
Cortland, Ohio 44410
(330) 400-4815

Open for lunch and dinner


http://www.beefobradys.com

GIORGIO’S RISTORANTE

Any time a new locally owned restaurant opens, I cross my fingers that it will be a success. And when it opens in a building that holds many happy memories for me and my husband Jack, I’m even more hopeful.

So it was that we could hardly wait to try Giorgio’s Ristorante, which held a grand opening in mid-October on the U.S. Route 422 “strip” just outside Niles. Most recently, it was a Brown Derby - which had become a routine stop after we returned from any overnight vacation and I wasn’t in the mood to even think about cooking dinner. In a more meaningful incarnation, though, it housed a Bombay Bicycle Club, one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Never, I’m quite certain, will I find a Cobb salad that can hold a candle to the giant bowl served up there (the bloody Marys and Long Island iced teas were memorable as well).

At the outset, I’ll say Giorgio’s is likely to have a tough go at it; in the first place, this is Niles; there’s an authentic Italian restaurant on just about every corner (no, Olive Garden doesn’t count in my book, although I do enjoy the food there). In the second place, while the exterior has a great new look, the inside offers virtually no hint of an Italian heritage. It’s a pleasant atmosphere, with dark wood booths and tables and a small fireplace at the end of one of the two dining areas; but for the most part the interior hasn’t changed much from the last couple of occupants.

I’m okay with that, actually. But from a marketing standpoint - and I confess maybe I've watched one too many episodes of Bar Rescue on Spike TV - there’s nothing special to stand out in the minds of customers (i.e., brand identity). Besides that, after two visits, I must say the place would do well by making a few improvements in food and customer service as well (more on that later).

Our first visit came not long after the grand opening with friends Jerry and Barb, and we arrived shortly before 5:30 on a Friday evening. We figured we’d have to wait a bit, but we got lucky and snagged what may have been the only remaining table. Shortly thereafter, all heck broke loose customer-wise; the waiting line just kept expanding (perhaps I should note that it was the night before Sweetest Day, so that may have had something to do with the large crowd).

Even then, we didn’t have a long wait for a server to appear; busy as she obviously was, she was friendly to the point of bubbly. We decided to start with shared appetizers - hot peppers in oil ($3) and bruschetta ($6) and, of course, something to drink (Jack and I picked draught beers, albeit different kinds).

Just one swallow later, we learned that was a mistake. Jack’s beer was totally undrinkable (he sent it back and opted for a bottle instead); mine tasted watered down, but not so much that I wasn't willing to live with it. Thankfully, when we sampled the appetizers, the beer didn’t matter so much. The peppers were on the hot side with a wonderful flavor (great for me to eat straight from the dish but not so hot that the others weren't able to nibble on tiny bits on pieces of the rolls that arrived with our drinks). Fine with me, I said as I polished off almost the entire dish.

The bruschetta, which appeared to be two of the dinner rolls that were brought previously in a basket (much like ciabatta rolls) sliced in half, were topped with a very flavorful combination of cheese, tomatoes and basil. There are four on the place, but each is rather small; next time we’ll know to get a single order for every two of us there happens to be.

For entrees, Jack chose his usual Italian favorite linguine with red clam sauce ($12), while I finally settled on cheese ravioli, going with marinara instead of pink sauce ($12). Jerry and Barb picked chicken ($12) and shrimp Mediterranean ($14), respectively (same dish, different main ingredient). All except me ordered salads as their side; if wedding soup is on the menu - as it is here - I’ll always give that a try.

The soup broth was tasty, and the cup was loaded with lots of tiny meatballs. As is his custom, Jack asked for extra dressing on his salad (all three got the house Italian). As it turned out, he needn’t have asked; the iceberg lettuce - the only greens in the salads, BTW - was swimming in dressing (which was tasty, they agreed) so no extra was needed.

Then our entrees arrived, and we all tucked in. Jack really liked the red clam sauce. Sadly, it was only then (when, knowing my preference, Jack asked the server about it) that I learned it can be ordered with white sauce as well. I’d passed over the only other option I saw on the menu - seafood linguine in white sauce - which included shrimp, mussels and clams but at $17.99 is way out of my price range. Oh well, I said, maybe next time I’ll ask, although I questioned why it wasn't listed on the menu and thus no asking would be necessary. Meantime, I enjoyed the ravioli - and although the sauce didn’t have a to-die-for flavor, it was on the thick and very tomato-y side and quite good. 

While our friends weren’t unhappy with their choices, both said the sauce lacked flavor (in olive oil, fresh garlic, tomatoes and basil over fettuccine). The shrimp were tender and not chewy (although Barb said a couple more would have been an improvement); Jerry said he’d have preferred a whole chicken breast instead of chunks. Still, both of them cleaned off their plates, as did the two of us (well, I had one ravioli left when I ran out of room - not enough to bother taking home).

Our next visit came a couple of weeks later, when Jack and I stopped around 12:30 p.m. on a weekday for lunch. Although there were several cars in the parking lot, when we walked in the door, we almost gasped; the hostess table, located right at the entrance against a partition that separates the two dining areas, was completely dark (as was one side of the restaurant). Whoa, we said - is the place open for business?

Then we glanced to the right and saw the light: In that room, at least three tables were occupied. So, we stood our ground, waiting - and waiting some more - for someone to acknowledge us. After several minutes, we deliberately moved over to stand in the lit-up dining room. Even then, we waited a couple more minutes before anyone paid the slightest attention.

Okay, Macbeth took the words right out of my mouth: Hold enough! Walking into any restaurant and finding no one staffing the greeting station is an invitation for trouble; it’s unthinkable that the station would be totally in the dark, thus allowing customers to enter unnoticed. Clearly, other folks don't disagree; after we were seated, two couples came in, stood in the dark looking a bit confused for a few minutes - then turned around and walked right back out.

Although it was almost impossible to see it in the dark, a small chalkboard at the entrance listed one or two specials including $2 bottles of Corona. Sounds great, I said, and after we were seated and our server - another friendly one - came to take our drink order. But never one to trust signs (especially ones I can’t see very well), I asked her to confirm the beer deal. Another surprise: She had no clue what I was talking about. Finally, she agreed we were probably right, so Corona it was for both of us. But as we ordered, I made a mental note that when we got the bill and the charge exceeded the two bucks each, I would make my protest known all the way to the rooftops.

After a longer-than-should-be wait given the number of other diners, our server appeared once again - but to take our lunch order and apologize for not bringing the beers. “No one is behind the bar,” she explained. Say what? Even if that were true, all we wanted was bottled beer - the special of the day, no less. You can’t reach in and grab them for us?

For our entrees, chosen from the lunch menu, Jack decided on a meatball sub sandwich ($6), which comes with a choice of fries, soup or salad. He picked a salad once again, this time with thousand island dressing (again asking for double the usual amount). My choice was chicken piccata, a breast with fresh garlic, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lemon and butter sauce ($8). Since I’d already tasted the wedding soup, I opted for the soup of the day, cheese tortellini.

It took several more minutes before our beers were delivered, along with a plate of rolls. Not long thereafter came the salad and soup, but wait: This time, the salad dressing was on the side in a small container, but no extra as Jack had ordered. And - yet another surprise - my cheese tortellini soup apparently had morphed into wedding soup.

Although I was relatively happy to eat the soup and say nothing, Jack - who needed to order more dressing anyway, insisted that I send it back and get what I’d ordered. That I did; but while he got his extra container right away, my soup didn’t make it to our table until the entrees did.

Still another shouldn’t-be happening thing; especially since my soup choice was tomato based (as was my entree), I really, really didn't want to eat them at the same time. More to the point, I'm not a happy camper when I'm trying to scarf down what was supposed to be a prelude to the main course while watching that main course get colder with every passing spoonful.

For the record, the soup was very good, as was my chicken piccata (why no capers in it I’m not sure - that’s a pretty standard ingredient in the dish). The chicken and artichoke hearts were fork tender and the sauce quite flavorful, so I gobbled up every single bite. Jack’s meatball sub, though, was so-so - to the point that he brought half of it home, where he ended up throwing it away.

Will we return? Maybe, but if we do it's only because we’re hopeful that the place will be a success; after our first two experiences neither of us is chomping at the bit to get back. And that's extremely disappointing, because this place has real potential (and I certainly like the location). Hopefully, the kinks we encountered stem from being new at the restaurant game and will get untangled before it’s too late. Stay tuned!

If you go:

Giorgio’s Ristorante
1231 Youngstown-Warren Road
Niles, Ohio 44446
330-544-9280

https://www.facebook.com/giorgios.ristorante.niles

Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday. Find the menu under the “About” tab on Facebook.