- Category Archives
- Currently displaying all posts related to the category Fran. If you would like to browse more of our archives, you can head over here.
-
Restaurant Round-Up: Gibraltar
Tuesday, October 6, 2009 4:01PM
In an age where everyone with a computer is a food critic—us included—universal acclaim is all but dead. Well, Gibraltar in Lancaster is as close as I've found in this area. Glowing reviews online, an impressive nod from Zagat, strong word of mouth, all of it. So when Fran asked me for suggestions for an anniversary dinner, I quickly recommended it without having been myself. I figured the next time we talked, he'd tell me about a life-changing culinary experience. Not so. Turns out he liked it, but clearly wasn't blown away. Here's what he had do say: Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Da’ Pits, Progress Grill & Sakura Do
Tuesday, January 27, 2009 11:47AMThere are certain restaurants in the area that I've been meaning to try ever since I moved back to Central Pennsylvania, and on the occasion that I do get to try one and it doesn't quite live up to billing, it's disappointing. People have been telling me for months that Da' Pits Chicago Grill was great for lunch. I went last week and it was... meh (hey, it's in the dictionary). It gets great reviews online, and a number of different people recommended it. Who knows, maybe they had an off day. In addition to a complete description of lunch at Da' Pits, this week in the Round-Up, Fran writes about really, really, really enjoying a piece of cheesecake at Progress Grill and Katie visits Japanese/Italian Restaurant Sakura Do for the first time. I'm sorry, I'll never get used to the thought of one restaurant serving sushi and fettuccine. Leave us some love. Full Article »
-
Restaurant Round-Up: The Melting Pot, Flinchy’s & Downtown Cafe
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 4:13PM
Competition is good for the consumer in any business, the restaurant business in particular. It helps keeps things fresh and ensures that established restaurants that have built good reputations don't just rest on their laurels. This week in Restaurant Round-Up, Fran talks about his first trip to the new Melting Pot in Harrisburg, a restaurant that has truly brought something different to Central Pennsylvania. Also, Larry reviews the lattes and Seattle's Best coffee at the Downtown Cafe on 3rd Street. As a latte lover myself, I think another gourmet coffee option would be good for downtown Harrisburg. I'm going to have to check it out next time I need some caffeine. Finally, Pete writes about his first visit to Flinchy's. Not a new place, but a place that seems to "get it." As always, leave us some love in the comments section. Been to the Melting Pot? Let us know. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Taco Factory, Dafnos & Applebee’s
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 12:00PMSpotobe is all about supporting local businesses, and I personally make an effort to eat at establishments with local roots. At the same time, unlike some people, I have nothing against national chains.
Honestly, I don't care how cookie-cutter they are, I've had some excellent plates of pasta at the Olive Garden. Still, after college I found myself really burned out on most of the major casual dining chains. There's just something about the food at those places that makes me feel vaguely ill for about 24 hours after I eat it. Anyway, we have a mixed bag in the Round-Up this week. I go into more detail about a surprise trip to Applebee's, Fran sings the praises of the Strawberry Square Taco Factory (a popular place around the office) and Winton talks about his first trip to Dafnos in Hershey. Agree with us? Disagree with us? Let us know below. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Gilligan’s, Macaroni Grill & Nonna’s
Monday, December 22, 2008 4:44PM
With the possible exception of Sunday dinner, dinner on Friday might be the most important meal of the week. Think about it. You get home from work; you probably don't feel like cooking, so you decide to go out. You know that everyone else feels the same way, so you try to decide where you want to go and make a reservation if the place takes them. Now you're hungry. You're trying to forget about the stress of the work week. Really, nothing gets the weekend off to a worse start than a crappy dining experience. There's no doubt that Friday night's dinner is my favorite meal of the week. This week in Restaurant Round-Up, Fran, Jim and Lily all talk about their dinners from last Friday. Fran went for a relaxed meal at Gilligan's, Jim for pasta at Macaroni Grill and Lily found a new favorite in Nonna's. The only Christmas present we really need are your comments. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Ceoltas, Molly’s & Thai Palace
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 4:00PM
Central Pennsylvania has more than a few Irish Pubs; Harrisburg in particular. It would be easy to be condescending and say that they all came from the same cookie cutter, but I think that each of them has its own charm. Personally, I always tended to view Harrisburg's Irish pubs more as watering holes than actual restaurants. But after a while you get tired of the same old lunch options, and in the last few months, we've hit a couple of them. With that in mind, while I'd be more than happy to raise a bottle of Newcastle (sorry, I'm an English boy through and through) or five at McGrath's or Molly's, I'm a bit partial to the food at Ceoltas. So is Jason, who writes about it in this week's Restaurant Round-Up. Also in the Round-Up, Fran recaps lunch at Molly's in a vernacular about as Irish as the veggie wrap that he ordered. Also, Dave weighs in on Thai Palace in Camp Hill. He doesn't write in Thai though. ขอบพระคุณครับ Dave. As always, your input is greatly appreciated. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Portabella’s, Tokyo Diner & Soda Jerk Diner
Tuesday, November 4, 2008 10:58AM
I used to be a regular at a diner. When I was in high school, my friends and I would always go to the Carlisle Diner late-night, and it was very pleasant. We had the same waitress, sat at the same table in the back and ordered generally the same stuff every time we went. We were like the crew from Seinfeld going to the coffee shop except we were young, poor and probably annoying. No one even suggested going anywhere else; that would have been the equivalent of George suggesting that Jerry and Elaine go to Monks [UPDATE: I have been informed that Monk's is the name of the regular coffee shop in Seinfeld, and then in the episode in question, George is trying to get the gang to go to Reggies. My mistake. As a Seinfeld maniac, I'm ashamed].
To me, that's what a diner is. Apparently some people around here people seem to have other ideas. For a while, Tom Sawyer's Cantina on 2nd St. in Harrisburg was called Tom Sawyer's Diner, but while it looked like a diner on the outside, it certainly wasn't one in spirit. This week in the Restaurant Round-Up, Dori gives another non-diner diner—Tokyo Diner—high marks. Also, Fran talks about eating beef at a place named after a mushroom and Winton reviews a REAL diner, the Soda Jerk in Hummelstown. As always: Comments, leave 'em if you got 'em. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Hummelstown House, T. Brendan O’Reilly’s & Texas Roadhouse
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 1:30PM
I love introducing people to new things. I get a huge kick out of a friend digging a band he first heard through me or frequenting a restaurant or bar that I turned him or her on to. Well, Spotobe contributor Fran gets that pleasure this week. He went to the Hummelstown House for brunch on Sunday and was so impressed by it, that his description literally made me toss my Subway turkey sub in the trash in disgust. Read his description and tell me you don't feel the same way. Also this week on the Round-Up, Katie gets corned beef and cabbage (really?) at T. Brendan O'Reilly's and Lily enjoys a stuffed sweet potato and some line dancing at Texas Roadhouse. Comments? Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Visaggio’s, Miyako Sushi & Houlihan’s
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 12:25PM
There are certain times that you really need a restaurant to step up, none more than when you're going out to eat for a special occasion. Like it or not, even the most carefully planned evening can be derailed by an expensive dinner that fails to meet expectations. Last weekend, Restaurant Round-Up contributor Winton celebrated his 5-Year Anniversary with his girlfriend, Ann, at Visaggio's (congrats, guys!), and happily, they had a fantastic meal. Visaggio's website features glowing recommendations from the pages of the Philadelphia Inquirer and from George Will, so it's not a surprise that the meal was good. I mean, if George Will says so...
This week, in addition to Winton's report on Visaggio's, Fran gives the pros and cons of Miyako Sushi and Dave talks about his favorite chain restaurant, Houlihan's. As always, let us know what you think in the comments section. Full Article » -
Restaurant Round-Up: Piazza Sorrento, Zia’s & Back Door Café
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:26AM
This week, Fran checked out Piazza Sorrento in Hershey for the first time and left underwhelmed, Dori checked out Zia's for the first time and liked it so much she went right back and I went somewhere I've probably eaten 100 times. Variety is the spice of life, but there's something comforting about going back to an old favorite. Who knows, maybe you'll read something here that will make you check out somewhere new and find a favorite of your own. If you have anything to add about any of these places, feel free to do it in the comments section. Full Article »
Did you miss something? Find what you’re looking for by selecting any "linked" day to read all posts from that day. Nifty.
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | |
| 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| « February 2010 | March 2010 | April 2010 » |
|---|
