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My first experience with Inner Circle Pizza happened quite a number of years ago, when my husband Jack was teaching freshman English classes at Youngstown State University. The final “class,” at which students turned in the research papers on which they’d been working during the quarter, usually took place at the Inner Circle that at the time was on Lincoln Avenue across from the YSU campus. Some students sat and chatted a while, some had to run in, drop off their papers and run to another final exam, and one or two stayed long enough to enjoy pizza or a burger.
When Jack stopped classroom teaching and switched to supervising student teachers in the English Department, those quarterly outings at Inner Circle came to a halt as well. From then on, I doubt we went there more than once or twice. More recently, we enjoyed visits to the Inner Circle that was open for a while in the Eastwood Mall complex (where Wing Warehouse is now), and after we moved from Niles to Mineral Ridge, we made it a couple of times to the Inner Circle on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown.
Needless to say, it’s a place we’ve enjoyed over the years, but one location we hadn’t visited is the Inner Circle in Canfield. That omission came to an end a few weeks ago - and we found that this one is noticeably different from the others. First and foremost, the wide variety of pizzas has been pared down considerably. My all-time favorite, the IC Hot, wasn’t on the menu - although happily, my second favorite, spinach and tomato (spinach, fresh-cut tomatoes topped with cheese, spices and garlic is still there.
The interior is quite spacious - the familiar brick is here as at other locations - and there’s a large bar in the center of the main dining area. Lots of windows let light in, and there are several large-screen plasma TV sets here and there (eight, the website says, but we didn’t count).
We’d come because we bought one of those dining coupons - spend $10 up front for a $20 certificate - and, of course, because we wanted to see this location. We got there about 1:30 on a Thursday, and the place was fairly crowded, although we had no trouble being seated right away. Much of the crowd was gone by the time our food arrived - more on that later - so we figured folks in Canfield tend to eat lunch a bit later than elsewhere.
We did have a bit of a wait after being seated, but once our server appeared, we ordered drinks (ignoring the extensive list of martinis and specialty drinks and sticking with beers). Then we took some time to look over the menu, although we both had a pretty good idea what we wanted when we went in. We peeked at the list of daily specials (on Thursdays, it’s penne with meatballs, chicken parmesan and baked Tuscan pasta with sausage, peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese. The penne was tempting, but the others just seemed to be too much for lunch.
There are quite a number of salads, including one called the Youngstown Chicken Salad that sounded especially good: Grilled chicken breast with greens, tomato, carrots, black olives with French fries and cheese. Calzones and stromboli are specialties here as well, with several options from which to choose. From the appetizer list, I want to try the hot peppers in oil with breadsticks sometime soon - this time out, my stomach just wasn’t ready to take the heat for some reason.
Of course, I was disappointed that “my” hot-pepper pizza wasn’t available, but judging from past experience, I was confident that the spinach and tomato one would work just fine. I went with the small 6-inch version ($4.75) so I could add a cup of wedding soup to start ($3.95). Remembering how great the burgers used to be, Jack ordered the Circle burger for $7.75. Sandwiches here don’t come with fries, but you can add them for $2.49; because he wasn’t all that hungry, he declined.
Once we’d placed our order, we really had a wait until my soup was delivered. It was quite tasty with lots of broth, fresh greens, celery, chicken and those tiny meatballs in a generous-sized cup. I would have preferred it much hotter - it was just a cut above lukewarm - but since it was delicious I made short work of it anyway.
Next up was my pizza, neatly cut in four pieces. Our server told Jack his burger would take “a few more minutes,” and I finished half of my pizza (and gave Jack about a third of my soup when it was apparent his burger wasn’t going to be forthcoming) before the sandwich arrived with an apology from the server, who told us the cook didn’t see the burger on the original ticket and had to play catch-up. It was, however, worth at least some of the wait, loaded with mushrooms, onions, peppers and melted cheese.
As for the pizza, it was as yummy as ever - the flavored dough is especially wonderful. There’s enough spinach to taste but not turn the whole thing green, and it’s topped with very thin whole slices of tomato, plenty of cheese and enough garlic to add zest but not overwhelm.
When my pizza arrived, I told our server I also wanted an order of cinnamon dippers - fried warm breadsticks about an inch wide loaded with cinnamon sugar and a container of ooey-gooey white frosting to dip them in ($3.99). They’re a treat I enjoyed back in those YSU days, and I was delighted that they hadn’t gone by the boards. In fact, I waited to place the order because I was afraid they’d be delivered too early and cool down by the time I was ready to eat them.
Once we’d finished up, our server stopped to ask if we wanted anything else, and I reminded her about the dippers. Oh yes, she said, scurrying to put in the order. In five minutes or less, we were happily scarfing them down as fast as we could. Yum!
If you go:
Inner Circle Pizza
6579 Ironwood Blvd.
Canfield, Ohio 44410
(330) 533-7575
http://innercirclepizzacanfield.com
Open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday.
Have you ever happened on a restaurant you absolutely love from the minute you walk in the door? Well let me tell you, it’s a treat. Such was the case when my husband Jack and I went to a family get-together at Mike’s Place in Kent. Even before we took a bite, our eyes took in the decor - which might best be described as All-American Clutter - and knew we’d found a culinary home.
For the record, Mike’s has been around since 1987, created “in the honor of salt, sugar & grease,” or so the website says. Also of interest on that website (see below), are the “Rules of Mike’s Place - a sampling of my favorites follows:
Special Orders DO UPSET US ! (our kitchen is staffed with former professional wrestlers).
Tips may be thrown at cooks. (in appreciation or as an incentive to never cook again).
Yes, burping is allowed and appreciated. (please, no rolling your placemats into megaphones).
We will not split orders. If you are that cheap, split it yourself.
We serve breakfast all day (cuz we never know when your lazy butt is getting out of bed).
At that aforementioned party, which was arranged by our son Scott, his wife, Lilla and Lilla’s brother Iain, we had a room to ourselves next to a real bus - empty except for the driver’s seat (a special attraction for restless youngsters) and several tables and chairs. Turns out, in fact, it’s rentable, as are other rooms here with intriguing names like Twin Coach Bus Room, Da Tequil Room, Thortan O'Grady "Filthy Oar" Irish pub room and (my personal favorite), "Ship Happens.” On that occasion, we chowed down on delicious munchies like wings - with way too many sauce choices to count here - as well as baskets filled with yummy breaded mushrooms, fries and such washed down with equally yummy margaritas.
We very much enjoyed poking around in all the other rooms, which are filled with all sorts of kitschy “stuff,” but since we were there mostly for the camaraderie we didn’t pay much attention to the menu except to make a mental note that we’d have to come back. And that we did a month or so later on our way home from drooling over the snazzy cars at the big auto show at the Cleveland I-X Center with friends Jerry and Barb from Niles. The first thing we learned is it’s absolutely impossible to review the entire menu and pick what you want in less than a couple of hours.
Yes, it’s that extensive. The sandwich section alone had 39 entries (and that’s not counting burgers or wraps); the whole menu takes up most of four pages of newspaper tab-size paper with print so small that if you’re our age or older, you’ll need a magnifying glass to read most of it.
Oh yes, and then there’s The Stu-anator - nearly 70 ounces of ground beef, onions, mushrooms, American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard and mayo topped with fries, curly fries and at least one pickle. Eat the whole thing and you get a shirt and your photo on the wall, but don’t get your hopes too high: 152 have tried it but only five have been successful.
We made a half-hearted attempt that lasted perhaps 15 minutes as we polished off the first of our beers, and then we simply gave up. The special of the day was all-you-can-eat breaded fish (cod, if I recall correctly) for $9.99, so we threw up our hands and went for it. Then, of course, we were faced with choosing two sides apiece - not an insignificant challenge. In part, that’s because the food here is a bit out of the ordinary; yes, there are mashed potatoes and fries and a couple of other standard accompaniments, but other choices are spicy Baja rice, Texas style baked beans with sausage, sprats with bacon & kraut, Southern green beans and, well, you get the point.
The fish turned out to be two rather large filets - so big that only Jerry polished them off and had room for a refill. It was delicious - as was the homemade tartar sauce that came with it. Our sides ranged from the simple to those baked beans with sausage for me, and I’m here to tell you I’ll be having that side dish again.
It didn’t take long for us to head back again, this time also on the way home from Cleveland but just Jack and I. Once again, we wrestled with the menu, looking at dozens of yummy-sounding entrees like shrimp tortellini alfredo, ($11.39) and others with oddball names like The Hog Wild Mother Clucker, The Wild Salty Dawg Horseshoe and The Reagga Reefers Seafood Combo. Ah, what’s a diner to do?
We know what we did - revert to the old standard grilled whitefish ($9.99 with two sides, but not all you can eat). I got mine blackened, while Jack opted for basic lemon butter. For our sides, he chose simple cole slaw and applesauce, while I couldn’t resist trying the sprats with bacon & kraut and yes, those beans again. The sprats were good - lots of paprika - but I probably won’t try them again. And next time we’re here - and there will be a next time very soon - I’ll have had a chance to look over the menu I brought home and at least narrow it down to a couple of sandwich and entree possibilities.
And then hope to heck I don’t like the special of the day and have to start from scratch.
If you go:
Mike's Place
1700 S. Water St.
Kent, Ohio
(330) 673-6501
http://www.mikesplacerestaurant.com
Open 6 a.m. - 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 6 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; 7 a.m. -10 p.m. Sundays.
"The most beautiful adventures are not those we go to seek."
Intriguing quote, but more on that later. When I said back when winter was in full swing that my husband Jack and I would be staying relatively close to home to find restaurants until the Spring thaw, I wasn't thinking quite this close. But one very snowy night when our friends, Jerry and Barb, asked us to join them at a restaurant near Youngstown, fate intervened. Just as we started out, we ran smack dab into driving snow and a very icy road and made an instant decision to not push our luck. Well, Jerry said, is anyone up for Chinese? Sure, we agreed, after which he pointed the car toward downtown Niles and the Chef Peng Chinese Restaurant. He and Barb, he explained, eat there often.
Since that fateful night, we’ve eaten there a few more times simply because it’s close - not far from the center of Niles - and the food is outstanding.
The entire place is far from lavish and it’s on the small side - not a lot of tables and just a few booths - but the Oriental-style decor is quite pleasing nonetheless; on the way in, there’s a huge fish tank filled with colorful critters. When our server arrived to take our drink orders -- no alcohol here, for the record -- we all jumped at hot tea on that first visit, no doubt because our coats still were dusted with a few snowflakes and our insides craved something warm and soothing.
I'm a tea-lover, and this was quite good; each couple got a pot to share. If I had a complaint, it is that the little handle-less cups got very hot very quickly once the liquid was poured inside. That's fine for those who don't want their tea almost boiling hot -- just wait a few minutes for the tea to cool down -- but that's not me. Once the cup gets cool enough to pick up with my fingers, the tea has passed its prime as far as I'm concerned, so I was forced to wrap the cup with my napkin before I could pick it up.
On a recent occasion when we all got together here, we started with soup. Only won ton can be purchased by the cup ($1.75); crab meat corn, hot and sour and a couple of others are sold only in large bowls starting at $3.95. Two of us - Barb and Jack - went for won ton, while my favorite is hot and sour. Jerry, meanwhile, tried the crab meat corn just to see if we liked it.
I say “we” because we enjoy sharing, especially when it’s something a bit out of the ordinary. The won ton soup was filled with dumplings and other "stuff" I didn't bother to write down but probably should have, and my hot and sour had the usual tang, though possibly a bit less than at other oriental restaurants. But since none of us had tried the crab meat corn (and the bowl was huge), we all dug in. It was quite tasty, creamy with corn and bits of crabmeat, but we all agreed we wouldn’t want a lot of it.
The list of entrees is extensive -- both "combination plate" with an egg roll and fried rice and "dinners," larger portions served with steamed rice or, for 50 cents more, fried rice. Several appetizers are there as well, and and a four-item kids menu ranges from $3.95 to $5.95. There are three desserts: A deep fried banana or apple and Lychee (Chinese fruit), each priced at $4.50.
While we perused the dinner menu, we decided to splurge on a couple of appetizers, considering first the Pu Pu platter to share -- fried shrimp, egg roll, crab meat rangoon, beef teriyaki, fried won ton and paper-wrapped chicken for $9.50, which we’ve enjoyed on previous visits. No, we decided, we'd rather go for three different appetizers that offered more sharing possibilities for the four of us: Crab Meat Rangoon (eight for $3.95), Beef Teriyaki (two skewers for $2.95) and steamed or fried dumplings (six for $4.50, and we chose steamed).
Admittedly, it took us a while to decide on entrees, which are divided by categories like Pork, Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Lo Mein or Chop Suey and Vegetables as well as portion size -- with quite a number of choices in each. Finally, we all picked something different so we could sample as many things as possible (sorry, Martha, but we're among friends here; sticking our forks in each others' plates is permissible, at least within reason). Our choices included Mongolian Chicken with steamed rice (large portion at $8.25), Sweet and Sour Shrimp ($7.50), Orange Chicken ($6.95) and -- for me, the cast-iron stomach member of the group, the spicy Szechuan Chicken ($6.50, and I ordered it extra spicy).
First came our appetizers, and very quickly we decided we should have passed -- but because they were so good, not because they weren't. The Crab Meat Rangoon -- those little folded handkerchief-like pastries filled with a crab meat-cream cheese mixture -- were delicious. The dumplings were tender and wrapped around tiny balls of sausage; for dipping, there was an intriguing sauce that was cold, slightly spiced with what we suspected might be ginger. The Teriyaki Beef, two fairly large flattened pieces of beef on wood skewers, looked very dry and overcooked. The taste was what I'd call "satisfactory" and they weren't tough like we'd expected, but we agreed we'd all stick with other choices next time out.
Once our entrees arrived -- discerning diners that we are -- we realized that these are not "cookie-cutter" meals. Much to our delight, each had distinctive flavors and ingredients. Trust me, the forks were flying right and left as we tasted our own choices and moved on (again!) to one of the others. Our collective favorite, perhaps, was the Orange Chicken -- a simply wonderful dish we agreed we'd order again in a heartbeat. The Mongolian Chicken was a close second, a huge mound of chicken and grilled, thinly sliced onions (make that lots of grilled onions)! The Sweet and Sour Shrimp comes with the typical bright pinkish-orange sauce that for me (and our friends) is a bit too sweet, but Jack absolutely loves it and devoured every single bite.
As for the Szechuan chicken, it was spicy -- but not even close to what I'd call "hot" -- but I'd made my choice in the knowledge that I probably wouldn't have to share (clearly, my momma didn't raise a fool). Only Jerry had the intestinal fortitude to sample it (and then only a tiny bite). It was filled with chicken, of course, plus tons of thinly sliced veggies like onions and carrots, and quite delicious.
The portions here aren't what I'd call gigantic -- two of the four of us brought home leftovers -- but on the other hand, we went there totally famished and there was plenty to more than satisfy our cold-weather appetites (and the prices are quite reasonable). In all, we went home stuffed at far less cost than we would have spent had we ventured to the restaurant we'd originally planned to visit.
Ah yes -- almost forgot! As at any self-respecting Chinese restaurant, the end of the meal comes with fortune cookies. And of course, as any self-respecting diner would do, we cracked them open to read the advice. The first was a ho-hum: "Goodness is its own reward." The second wasn't much more exciting: "Turn off the TV and computer and exercise your mind with a good book." The third? A big improvement, and advice -- albeit a bit sexist -- we'd all do well to heed: "Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such."
By far the most prophetic, though, was this one, with which I started this write-up: "The most beautiful adventures are not those we go to seek."
No, we didn't "seek out" Chef Peng's, but for sure we won't let grass grow under our feet before we go back again!
If you go:
Chef Peng Chinese Restaurant
517 N. Main St.
Niles, Ohio 44446
(330) 544-8132
Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday Noon to 9:30 p.m.; closed Sunday.
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.
If you've ever driven on State Route 46 from Austintown to Niles, you've probably noticed the upside-down sign marking the Ice House Inn at the corner of Webb Road. A popular watering hole and community gathering place for many, many years, the Ice House has undergone renovations inside and out, including the menu.
Oh, it's still a community bar, and if you go on a Bike Night (or for that matter, just about any night much beyond 6 p.m.), you'll have a tough time getting a seat inside. Most often, my husband Jack and I show up for lunch or, as old folks like us are wont to do, an early dinner. If we're just snacking, we'll pick one of the high tables close to the bar; when we're eating something more substantial and need more room to spread out, we'll choose one of the booths on the other side of the bar partition. I love the booth tables, which are inlaid with colorful "business cards" from [mostly] local companies.
Still another section is used for live entertainment set-ups, small parties and such. To be sure, the place hosts great parties; we've attended a few (it's rare for us to go out for an evening since neither of us enjoys driving after dark, but this place is so close to our house that if we could crawl as the crow flies, we'd be home in no time). It's no holds barred for really special occasions like New Year's Eve and, more recently, Super Bowl Sunday.
Wings have long been a specialty of the house here, and we know quite a few folks who rave about them. Quite honestly, until a year or so ago, we weren't that impressed; but lately, we've been raving as well. Boneless versions are available now for those who are so inclined - I still want to pick around the bones, thank you very much. They're meatier now, and the sauces are quite tasty (the butter garlic, lemon pepper and teriyaki come to mind immediately). A dozen goes for $10.99; usually, though, Jack opts for something else and I get six of the butter garlic for $5.99.
For the record, other sauces include mild, hot, gold rush, barbecue, ranch and parmesan; if you want extra sauce, add 50 cents. Wings also are available for carryout; 50 cost $39.99.
On Mondays and Wednesdays, wings are 50 cents each, by the way, so we try to remember to stop in then when we're in the mood for the popular appendages. And while we're on the subject of specials, the Ice House serves up prime rib beginning at 4 p.m. every Saturday for $10.99. Honestly, I haven't tried it yet, but it's very near the top of my food bucket list.
Sandwiches are always a good choice, and both of us are especially fond of the Greek Gyro ($6.99). I love the chicken park sandwich, a lightly breaded breast topped with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce for $7.99. Also tasty are the Reuben, chicken and greens and 1/2-pound sausage patty - you won't leave hungry, that's for sure (all sandwiches come with fries).
With the remodeling has come a very welcome expanded dinner menu - and just about everythings sounds delicious. On our most recent visit, Jack tried the fish & chips ($8.99), ordering cole slaw and pasta - the latter spaghetti with red sauce - while I wanted the fried perch with pasta and a salad ($9.99). Alas, mine wasn't to be; the perch wasn't available on the day of our visit, so I made last-minute switch to that chicken parm sandwich. While we waited, we sipped one of the beer specials for the day - bottles of Bud for just a buck.
I expected the standard fries with my sandwich, but when our orders came I was happy to see they'd given me the pasta I'd wanted with the perch that wasn't to be. The reason? There are a number of pasta dinners on the menu, from plain old pasta and two meatballs to chicken parmesan (a breast fried, topped with mozzarella and marinara over pasta to chicken diablo (not peppers in marinara sauce with chicken over the pasta of the day). Since I'm always leery of ordering nothing but pasta unless I've tasted the sauce, I figured I'd try it as a side before shelling out the 11 bucks or so for the dinner version.
In fact, the sauce was quite tasty - so when and if I'm in the mood, I won't hesitate to order one of the pasta dinners. Between the two of us, we had quite a bit left over to take home, and a couple of days later we learned it heats up quite well.
If you go:
Ice House Inn
5516 W. Webb Road
Austintown, Ohio 44515
(330) 544-8800
Open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday; 7 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ice-House-Inn/110580002328124
For quite a few years, my husband Jack and I enjoyed occasional visits to Salvatore's Italian Grill in Howland Township, Ohio. We'd work in a visit for lunch or dinner and stop at the wine shop next door to replenish our supply. Once in a while, we'd head south from Niles to the Austintown restaurant, which is familiar to many as the former site of The Lodge.
Since we moved to Mineral Ridge, though, the Austintown location has become the place to head; most recently, we acquired a taste for flatbread-style pizza and discovered some real treats here. A late lunch of the Monte Cristo (white pizza with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, $8.50) for me and an Old World Brier Hill for Jack (sauteed green peppers, onions and marinara sauce sprinkled with Romano cheese to which he adds pepperoni, $6.50 plus a buck for the extra topping, became almost a habit during the hot months of last summer.
Much of the ambience from The Lodge is still here - the dark wood interior and booths, exposed beams and a few things stuck up near the ceiling like an old clawfoot bathtub. There's a good-sized bar near the kitchen, and plenty of cold beer on tap.
Not long ago, armed with a $20 certificate for which we'd paid $10 at MyValleyDining.com, we headed back for lunch. This time, though, we weren't in the mood for pizza; instead, Jack ordered his always-favorite Philly steak sandwich ($9), substituting a salad for the fries for a $1.50 upcharge. The raspberry vinaigrette dressing, he said, is outstanding.
First came the usual basket of "regular" pizza squares and two crispy-on-the-outside warm Italian rolls. We tried hard not to fill up on them so we'd have no room for our entrees, but it was a struggle.
Since I was on the hungry side (plus I figured I could bring anything left over home for later), my choice was the lunch special sausage and green peppers over penne pasta ($8.99). Instead of a salad, I picked wedding soup, which is always delicious here, filled with lots of goodies. The pasta was excellent, and as expected, I brought home more than half of what was in my very large bowl.
Those who prefer baked Italian specialties should love the Eggplant Parmigiana or Lasagna Classico ($12.50 each, dinner portion) or the Stuffed Eggplant Rollantini (eggplant stuffed with ricotta cheese and ham topped with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese with a side of angel hair pasta ($11.50). My all-time favorite is Linguini Fra Diavlo - crab meat, shrimp and clams in a spicy tomato sauce and served over linguini (I ask for it to be made extra-spicy). Since it blows $15 all to heck I save it for very special occasions, but it's absolutely wonderful. There are a couple of salmon choices on the seafood menu that are delicious as well.
As for Jack, he swears the chicken alla cacciatore is better here than anywhere else ($13.50). The mushrooms, green peppers and fresh tomatoes complement the boneless chicken breast, and the marinara sauce is outstanding. I've also sampled the Chicken Francaise, a boneless breast in lemon white wine sauce served with capellini ($14.50), and still other favorites are the Penne Alla Vodka (penne in cream sauce with prosciutto, shallots and vodka, $14.50) and Penne Alla Arrabiata, or penne with prosciutto in that terrific spicy marinara sauce ($13.50).
For those so inclined, there are several vegetarian specialties here as well, including Penne Primavera with broccoli, spinach, asparagus, mushrooms and tomatoes with either garlic and extra-virgin olive oil or marinara sauce for $13.95. Or, you can built your own, choosing one vegetable and one pasta for $10.50.
Not too long ago when a couple of friends were visiting here from Columbus, we took them to Salvatore's for dinner and discovered a really great deal: Two dinners and a whole bottle of wine for $29.99. The wines (we picked cabernets) were quite good - no $4.95 unknown brand here - and each of us got to choose the entree we wanted (for me, it was that Penne Alla Arrabiata). One of these days, we're going to go for dinner just the two of us and do it all over again.
If you go:
Salvatore's Italian Grill
4831 Mahoning Ave.
Austintown, Ohio 44515
(330) 799-2285
http://www.mysalvatores.com
Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
Both my husband Jack and I are graduates of Kent State University - in fact, we met there back in 1959 toward the end of my freshman year (he was a sophomore; we got married after he graduated in 1962 and was about to start teaching English and competitive speech at Niles McKinley High School in his home town). If we were lucky back in our college days, we'd have four bucks between us on the weekends and would head to downtown Kent - walking, of course, since neither of us had a car. There, we'd have to choose how to best spend our precious money: Would it be on a movie (hopefully with enough left to share a cold drink and a small box of popcorn), or have a beer or two and maybe share a sandwich at one of the bars like The Deck or Ray's?
On the times the bar won, our journey often took us past the theater to Water Street, where we'd see - but not really see - the old brick train depot that served as the main railway depot in the area until 1970, when it was boarded up. Not long thereafter, research tells me, the Kent Historical Society was formed, mostly with an eye toward saving the station. Long story short, the Pufferbelly Ltd. Restaurant opened in 1981 and now is part of the Kent Industrial District, which in turn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Outside, the building has retained it's train depot look - much like the B&O Station Restaurant building in downtown Youngstown, Ohio. It's much longer than it is wide with high ceilings, from which a variety of objects hang (including a full-size buggy). Some of the interior walls are the old brick, and railroad memorabilia is hung here, there and everywhere. If you sit on the railroad tracks side, you can hear trains pass by; the railroad itself is still active - the trains just don't stop here any more.
Although neither of us is much interested in returning to our alma mater for special events like homecoming, we do enjoy driving through the campus now and again just to see the latest changes. I was devastated, for instance, when "my" dormitory - Terrace Hall - was razed; lots and lots of wonderful memories came down with that building. And on several of those drive-through occasions, we've stopped for lunch at the Pufferbelly. And on at least two occasions, we've gone to Kent expressly for that purpose. We've lunched there with our son Scott and his wife, Lilla, as well as Lilla's wonderful Mum, Sheila - at the time, they all lived close by in the Cuyahoga Falls area. At any rate, we love the ambience and food here; one of these days, we'll get there for one of the special events (there's a clam bake each September, for instance).
There's also a Sunday brunch buffet that's served from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and it includes several goodies like bacon and sausage, potatoes and vegetables, eggs Benedict, fish, chicken and pork, made-to-order omelets and waffles, rice and pasta and more.
If you go during the right season, we suggest trying the gazpacho as an appetizer. Quite some time ago we took the plunge - call us food-challenged, but we'd never even heard of cold tomato-based soup before. But tell you what - we left smacking our lips, and the first thing we did when we got back home was track down a recipe so we could make it ourselves.
The menu isn't what I'd call extensive, but there are always a few things that are a little on the unique side. Ever hear of Andouille Quesadilla? At $8.25, it's a flour tortilla stuffed with Andouille sausage, scallions, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. For an entree, there's Veggie Aglio, or sauteed artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, black olives, sun-dried tomatoes, onions and spinach served over wheat linguine in a garlic, herb and olive oil sauce ($10.50).
Our most recent stop was on our way home from Cleveland; it was around lunch time, we were hungry, and it wasn't much out of our way to go through Kent. The day was sunny, so we took a few photos in the historic district while we were at it, as is our usual custom. We were seated almost immediately, and then realized it would take some time to decide what we wanted because everything sounded wonderful - even the daily specials.
I almost caved in and ordered the baked Brie appetizer once again - a whole mini-wheel of Brie cheese topped with roasted almonds and served warm with fresh fruit and French bread ($8.95). Oh mama, it's to die for. To this day, I don't know why I passed it by this time, but I did.
Both of us love reuben sandwiches, and past experience told me they're very good here. They're a combination of the usual lean corned beef, swiss cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing, but here, they add a bit of turkey as well ($7.25). Jack went for it almost immediately (substituting cole slaw for the standard fries) and I considered it, but since I've had it before I wanted something different this time.
Finally, I settled on the cashew chicken salad croissant - chicken in a honey mayonnaise blend with toasted cashews served on a toasted croissant with fresh fruit ($6.95). I'd had it long ago and it was delicious - and by golly, it's still every bit as tasty. There's so much filling that it's hard to eat without everything spilling, but it's well worth the effort (besides, you can clean up the fallout with a fork).
If you go:
Pufferbelly Ltd.
152 Franklin Ave.
Kent, Ohio 44240
(330) 673-1771
http://www.pufferbellyltd.com
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday (brunch); 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday (dinner). In winter months, closes at 8 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
