The Newtown Square / Broomall area is an interesting one for Main Line food-lovers. It’s likely that many people who live on the true “main line” (especially blue-bloods) don’t think of NS as a place to go for food, despite its proximity to just about every town between Bryn Mawr and Paoli. That said, there are some extremely interesting food options here, many of which are somewhat under the radar on the food scene.

Perhaps this is due to the fact that restaurants and food stores in this area tend to be very traditional and less trendy that what you might find on the Line. We’ve previously discussed the fantastic selection of Italian-style pork sandwiches along the Route 3 corridor, and old-school Italian restaurants like Valentino’s remain quietly successful after all these years. Along those same lines, Weinrich Bakery (which, for some reason, we’ve yet to profile on MLD) offers a great selection of traditional German (and PA Dutch) specialties like butter cake. A little further down Route 3 lies Armenian Delight, a small storefront selling Middle Eastern groceries and prepared foods.

I’ve surely driven past Armenian Delight hundreds of times over the years, but honestly never really paid it much attention. The storefront does not appear to have been cleaned, spruced, touched in any way in at least 25 years. To be blunt, it looks dilapidated and outdated. Though we’ve all been taught to not judge a book by its cover, we all still do.

Interestingly enough, it was Anthony Bourdain who finally convinced me to check out Armenian Delight. Well, not directly, but it was certainly his influence. It was the Istanbul episode, where Tony and a friend go to a restaurant to get a local specialty called Lahmacun: flatbread with spiced beef. Basically, it was a combination of two outstanding food groups – pizza and middle-eastern food. How could that possibly be anything but wonderful?

After perusing the interwebs for a few recipes, I filed away good one for a time when I was feeling inspired and kind of forgot about it… until I saw a mention of Armenian Delight in some local publication that raved about their Lahmajoun (different spelling, same foodstuff). That close to home!? A visit here became imminent.

The inside of the store is not much different than the outside – simple, a touch austere, and outdated. But there are some really interesting foods to try. Of course, the main goal was Lahmajoun, of which there was plenty to be had. A 12-pack of beef ones (which are about 8-inches in diameter and very thin) runs about $16. Not a bad deal for a lot of food, although certainly more than a normal-sized family needs for a meal. There were also chicken and veggie varieites in the freezer. Reheat them at 400F for about 5 minutes before eating.

Truth be told, eating Lahmajoun was not a life-changing experience. Spicy (not hot spicy, but flavorful spicy) beef, onions and garlic were the dominant flavors, and overall they were balanced. This is a nice snack or lunch to keep in the freezer for sure, but, just the same, I can’t insist that this is a must-try. Also, this being my only experience, I have little to compare them to. That said, they rate as tasty and interesting, if unspectacular.

Hummus, on the other hand, is something I can speak to quite familiarly. Armenian Delight’s is quite good. Smooth, creamy and very flavorful. It had a bit too much lemon for my taste, however I do prefer mine with less than most recipes. The zesty acidity did provide a nice foil to the spiced beef.

Armenian Delight also offers an interesting selection of other foods such as flatbreads, stuffed grape leaves, fresh phyllo, a nice variety of cheeses, olives, plus some dry goods (including their own blend of falafel mix that we acquired but have yet to taste), spices and nuts.

Armenian Delight

2591 West Chester Pike
Broomall, PA
(610) 353-7711

I’m not really a cake person. I’d much rather eat a cookie or a brownie, or some ice cream. I’ll admit, however, to getting caught up in the cupcake movement when it hit the area, falling for Cupcakes Gourmet when it first opened. But that love affair was short-lived. I quickly remembered cookies and brownies, and lost interest in the cupcake thing.

So, though I’ve seen Dia Doce at the East Goshen Farmers Market on several occasions, I always walked by without much of a glance (after all, My House Cookies, Laura’s Biscotti and Market Day Canele all also appear at the same market). Being a reluctant slave to food trend, however, I have to admit that, the other day, I walked past their cupcake truck at an event and couldn’t resist the temptation to try a Maple Bacon cupcake. After all, cupcakes and bacon are two of the biggest trends we’ve seen over the past 5 years or so, and I’ve never had the combination.

Despite the fact that I didn’t particularly care for the Maple Bacon flavor, Dia Doce are perhaps the best cupcakes I’ve ever had (I got a box of 4 for $10). Yep, better than Cupcakes Gourmet. The cakes are incredibly moist, the frosting-cake ratio is perfect, and the flavor combinations are very creative.

For the bacon cupcake, the maple frosting and cake were both nice, but the chewy bacon added an odd textural element. Though it was fun to try, I wouldn’t order it again. The chocolate chip cookie dough cupcake (pictured), on the other hand, was perfect for me – as it was kind of a combination of a cookie and a cake. We also tried a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting that was filled with a salted caramel cream, adding even more moistness to the wonderful cake. Lastly, the pumpkin pie cupcake – an obviously seasonal choice – was probably my favorite. Rich with fall spices, this cake was insanely moist and the frosting had just the right sweetness.

Has Dia Doce converted me to a cake person? Not quite. But if I do get the hankering for cupcakes (or the need to please those in my household who do love them), I know where I’ll be getting them from now on.

Dia Doce sells cupcakes at a variety of farmers markets in the area. In addition, you can track their cupcake truck online or rent it for a private event.

Dia Doce Cupcakes
http://www.diadoce.com
610.476.5684

(note: photo from Dia Doce Facebook page)

The subhead on Rosewood Coffee’s menu reads: “Uncommonly good coffee & tea. Unlikely Venue.” It’s no wonder — hospital cafeterias are not exactly known for their culinary expertise. In most cases, if you find Starbucks brew that’s been sitting around all day and a fresh banana, that’s pretty much a win. As such, imagine my surprise when I found this wonderful coffee & lunch stand located within Penn Medicine Valley Forge.

This place is incredible. The fact that it is located within a medical facility is absurd, but I honestly believe it would be just as good if it was a standalone shop in Wayne or West Chester, or even Philly. It is such a hidden gem right now; I’m not sure I should even be telling you about it!

Firstly, there’s the coffee; they pour one of the best cups for miles, mostly due to intense focus on both technique and ingredients. Using freshly-roasted, seasonal and traceable (meaning they know exactly where they are from) beans, the skilled baristas create amazing espresso drinks, pour-over and french press coffees. The espresso-based drinks are especially good. Using Counter Culture’s Espresso Rustico (on most occasions), they are able to extract maximum flavor and brilliant crema from a new La Marzocco espresso machine. A proper shot of 20-21 grams is expertly pulled, then topped with micro-foam textured milk (if desired).

On the food side, the menu is committed to high-quality, local and healthy ingredients. Many of the foods (including sweets) feature whole grains, organic sugars and other heart-friendly options (the one thing that actually makes sense in a medical facility!). They offer mostly light bites, such as breakfast sandwiches, baked goods, sandwiches and salads. I love their chocolate chip cookies (pictured), which are actually more like little cakes, made with whole wheat flour and organic chocolate – they are light, airy and delicious. For lunch, there’s a good variety of sandwiches and salads. We tried the chicken pesto wrap, made with provolone cheese, ripe tomatoes and greens with fresh pesto, on a whole wheat wrap. It was simple, but quite tasty and perfect fuel for a productive afternoon.

A few other menu highlights are:

• Whole leaf teas
• Turkey Sausage & Egg with sun-dried tomatoes & artisan greens on a multi-grain English muffin
• Granola w/ Greek Yogurt
• Ham & Brie Panini with greens, tomatoes and dijon on multi-grain harvest bread
• Field of Greens Salad – mixed greens with red apples, dried cranberries, candied pecans, goat cheese in a vidalia onion vinaigrette

The staff is super-friendly, and has always asked me sincerely how I enjoyed what I ordered. They are extremely knowledgeable about coffee in particular, and interested in discussing it at length. In addition, they always seem to remember me, even though my visits have been sporadic.

One thing worth noting is that service is not particularly quick. This is not a criticism; everything is made to order and with care, which shows in the final product. Those in a hurry, however, might consider calling ahead.

In sum, customers of Penn Valley Forge should not pass this place by. Heck, even if you regularly work in or travel through the Chesterbrook/252/202 area, this place should be a regular stop, doctor’s visit or not!

Rosewood Coffee Co.
Penn Medicine Valley Forge
1001 Chesterbrook Blvd
Berwyn, PA
(484) 222-0318
http://rosewoodcoffee.tumblr.com  |  Facebook

It’s amazing how many small food businesses exist in this area that even the most avid food lover might not know about. Take Sugartown Smoked Specialties, for example, who has been smoking up specialty meats & fish in this area for almost 20 years. 20 years! Though much of their business is selling to restaurants and wholesalers, Sugartown Smoked Specialties has also been a longtime tenant at the Lancaster County Farmers Market in Wayne (located next to the Greek stand in the back aisle), and sells some products at Hill’s Seafood Markets locations. In addition, all of their products can also be ordered online.

Owner Scott Hattersley offers a wide variety of smoked foods, including fish (salmon, scallops, etc.), fowl (chicken breast, pheasant) and pork (loins, tenderloins and ribs). Here’s an overview of a few of the items we sampled:

Natural Wood Smoked Boneless Duck Breast
Duck prosciutto, which is cured duck breast, is a somewhat trendy item to find on a charcuterie tray, and, with that wonderful layer of duck fat that sits atop the breast meat, it really is no wonder. This isn’t that… but there are similarities. Instead of being cured, Sugartown’s 12oz moulard duck breast is hot smoked over wood, which imparts a bold, intense flavor. That wonderful layer of duck fat remains, and the meat is packed with smoky goodness. What does that have to do with duck prosciutto, you ask? Well, although this can be heated an eaten like any other duck breast dish, I actually suggest serving it like charcuterie. Cut it super thin, and serve as you would prosciutto… alongside hors d’oeuvres, or perhaps in a sandwich with figs and bleu cheese. At more than $30 for each breast, this isn’t an everyday treat, but it’s a nice addition to the antipasti platter for a special occasion.

Whole Smoked Quail
4oz each, 4 for $26.50

Quail’s flavor is much stronger than that of chicken, and the natural smoke flavor that’s added during cooking makes this dish even more intense. I ordered quail in a restaurant once. It’s tasty, but it’s also a lot of work. There I was, sweating for every bite, while I watched my fellow diners relaxingly enjoying their non-quail meals. Since then, I’ve stayed away. It’s just not worth the effort. There are bones in Sugartown’s quail too, but I took a different tact. I broke the quails down while they were cold. Tore them apart with reckless abandon, not caring so much for the presentation as for the meat itself. I heated the yield gently and served it over a summer salad of mixed greens, peaches and corn. A great weekday meal. Of course, if presentation matters, you could certainly heat these babies whole and they’d look mighty purty.

Natural Smoked Tasmanian Trout
This trout, which was awarded the outstanding fish or seafood product award in 2008 in the Gallo Family Vineyards Gold Medal Awards for artisinal food producers, is similar to smoked salmon, but with a more intense, slightly gamey flavor. Though that may not be for everyone, lovers of smoked fish should be salivating. We served it in a rather traditional manner — with cream cheese and rye crackers — but this could be used in just about any preparation that calls for smoked fish. (8oz for about $20, larger sizes also available)

Sugartown Smoked Specialties
Headquarters:
306-1Q Westtown Road
West Chester, PA 19382
(610) 429-4080
http://www.smokedfoods.com

Lancaster County Farmers Market:
389 W Lancaster Ave.
Wayne , PA 19087
610-688-9688
Hours: Wed, Fri – Sat, 6am – 4pm; Sun – Tue, Thu, closed

Photos courtesy smokedfoods.com. Complimentary samples of items were provided to MainLineDine.

Bake 425, which opened in April 2011 at 1012 W. Lancaster Ave. in Bryn Mawr, is a take-out, bake-at-home pizza shop and the latest project from Pete Howey and Aaron Nocks, owners of Peace-A-Pizza. Elizabeth Comiskey of Phoenixville’s Farmers Market helps source the completely organic, seasonal ingredients. The menu is mostly pizza, ranging from simple plain or Margherita to more innovative combinations such as the “Southwest Sausage”, which features organic tomato sauce, locally made Italian sausage, mozzerella & fontinella cheeses, sliced poblano peppers, caramelized onions & fresh oregano. Other offerings include organic salads, apple crisp and “ginormous” cookies.

The store itself is bright and open; chalkboards & kitchy decor create a casual-meets-gourmet feeling. (The space will also be available for in-store events and catering services.) Staff are friendly and willing to answer questions about the menu or the cooking process. Especially appreciated is the “demo kitchen”, where customers are shown how to insert and remove ‘za from the oven. (It seems easy in theory, but you don’t want to lose a pizza on the bottom of your oven – trust me.)

On our initial visit, we couldn’t resist the “Nutty Chick”, a tantalizing combination that includes butternut squash puree, fontinella cheese, arugula, pancetta, herb-grilled chicken, shaved Parmesan & fresh rosemary. Though I recall reading that Bake 425 would offer a choice of gluten-free, vegan, whole wheat, and regular thin crust dough, these choices weren’t listed on the menu, so they either aren’t available yet or you have to ask. I meant to inquire about whole wheat, but it slipped my mind at ordering time.

Though the temperature 425 is an integral part of this store’s identity, directing customers to cook pizza at such a low temperature is a bit odd. Professional kitchens typically cook thin crusts at 800-900F; home ovens obviously don’t get that hot, but I typically aim for 475-500 when cooking my own ‘za. Bake 425′s pie isn’t all that thin, which is probably part of the reason the suggested temperature is lower. Still, these instructions might need tweaking. Though the outer crust got crisp quickly, the center was undercooked, and the top didn’t get bubbly as a great pizza should. I even resorted to pulling out the blowtorch to crisp the cheese, but that didn’t help much.

My personal preference is for the thinnest possible pizza crust; I’ll complain, for example, about the thickness of Neopolitan-style when coming from Rome’s paper-thin pizzerias. So, Bake 425′s crust, which falls somewhere between local Italian (thin) and Greek (thick) style pies, was disappointing. If you prefer it with a bit more heft, of course, this may be less of a concern.

Despite the crust complaint, the balance of flavors on the Nutty Chick was outstanding. Butternut squash sweetness perfectly offset the salty pancetta, woodsy fresh herbs and pungent flourishes of Parmesan. Though the menu explicitly listed rosemary, I detected a blast of sage as well — probably from the “herb-crusted” chicken. Interestingly, while the herbs on said chicken were essential, the chicken was probably extraneous. Restraint is crucial when it comes to pizza ingredients, and the chicken — although it certainly didn’t cause any flavor imbalance — may have weighed down the pie and contributed to the cooking troubles.

It was difficult to judge the doneness of the “ginormous” cookie, due to a lack of experience cooking such absurdly-sized treats. Alas, I believe I slightly overcooked it. Considering the ginormousness (this thing could easily satiate 6 adults after a meal of pizza), it seems that offering a choice of smaller cookies would be better for both cooking execution and portion control. Though the cookie was decent while hot, it didn’t hold up well the following evening (it became brittle and bland), thus I would have preferred to have extra uncooked dough for another fresh batch.

Price is certainly a consideration when ordering from Bake 425. For $17, a large Nutty Chick feeds 2-3 people (more likely 2). Considering the quality of fresh, organic ingredients, this is actually quite reasonable, but feeding a family will certainly cost more than a trip to the corner pizza shop.

Lastly, one surely can’t write about Bake 425 without a comparison to Mom’s Bake at Home Pizza, the torch-bearer for ready-to-cook pies on the Main Line since 1981 (who, incidentally, suggests cooking at 475 degrees). In reality, with Mom’s locations in Devon, Havertown and Newtown Square, there probably isn’t a great deal of direct competition for a shop in Bryn Mawr. If, however, they were located on the same block, Mom’s would be the easy winner, for their superior, thin crust and evenly-cooking pies. Don’t write off Bake 425 just yet, however. Though there were a few flaws in the execution, a knack for creative, tasty flavor combinations sets the foundation for success.

Bake 425's Nutty Chick, before

Bake 425's Ginormous Cookie, before

Bake 425's Ginormous Cookie, after

Bake 425
1012 West Lancaster Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA
610-525-6425
http://www.bake425.com | Facebook | Menu

Pick-up and delivery is available 1:00pm – 8:00pm Sunday through Thursday and until 9:00pm Friday and Saturday.

A “good” cup of coffee is relatively easy to find in our area. (Last summer, while driving through rural North Carolina, well, that was another story.) We’re lucky enough to have a few decent independent coffee shops, and even chains like Starbucks or Saxby’s will typically provide a reasonable cup. “Great” cups of coffee, on the other hand, are far more rare. Great coffee isn’t just tasty; it’s an experience that lingers for days, even years after the mere moments of consumption are past. Town Hall Coffee in Merion Station (Narberth) makes great coffee. In fact, they brew one of the finest two or three cups of coffee I’ve ever had.

After such a bold statement, I should qualify my coffee-drinking experience; if limited to Wawa and Waffle House, the assertion wouldn’t mean much. But that’s not the case. I’ve sipped while standing around the crowded bar at Sant’Eustachio in Rome, which was once called the “perfect espresso” by the New York Times (but has nothing on Town Hall). I’ve licked crema from the mug at Blue Bottle in San Francisco (which did live up to the hype). Town Hall is great enough to be mentioned with the best.

Espresso is my coffee drink of choice. Though rarer in this part of the world, for me, the best cups are always espresso. Even if you prefer the drip, or a milky latte, you’ll still love Town Hall. Espresso is the building block to coffee; if a coffee house does it well, they are sure to also excel at both drip coffee and espresso-based milk drinks. How can one be sure? It’s all in the preparation. The employees of Town Hall are obsessive (in a good way) about ingredients and conditions. Each step matters: picking the right beans, executing the proper grind, filtering the water and brewing at the correct temperature. They take it all very seriously, no matter what type of coffee is desired. Just ask one of the friendly baristas — they’ll be happy to tell you all about it.

One of the most common questions a Town Hall barista gets is about their hand-brewed method for making drip coffee. Instead of using a fancy machine, they have a small rack that holds a few small cones. For each cup of coffee, they ground the right amount of beans (measured by weight instead of volume, for consistency), then pour hot water over them through the cone. It’s a simple, old-time way to brew that allows each cup to receive a special amount of attention. (And, from the reaction of those drinking it near me, it appears to be worth every extra second.)

Town Hall doesn’t roast it’s own coffee beans, but it carries a wide variety of fair-trade, sustainable beans from roasters like Counter Culture, Ritual and Novo. At around $15 for 12oz, it’s not cheap, but it is high-quality stuff. They also offer a small selection of homemade pastries like scones, cookies and croissants.

There are lots of great coffee shops, but fewer great coffee makers. Town Hall offers both; it’s a great neighborhood spot that is welcoming and relaxing, and they just happen to brew world-class coffee.

Town Hall Coffee
358 Montgomery Ave
Merion Station, PA
(484) 270-8041
http://www.townhallcoffee.com

It’s on the main drag (Rt. 30), but not all that easy to notice. Located in the spot that most recently housed the Great Valley Deli (Collegeville Deli II), BuenaVista Mexican is a small, nondescript restaurant in a small, nondescript strip mall (that also houses Strawberry Bakery) along a nondescript area of Frazer. It is, however, worth finding this place, for hearty, homemade Mexican fare that stands above the more common fast-casual Mexican chains of the area.

The space is somewhat dark (during the day), and is sparsely-decorated but clean and comfortable. Only a few tables were filled, but the folks there were talking to the waitress (table-service is provided, as well as actual plates and silverware) as if they were regulars. We got take-out, but this would be a perfectly fine place to enjoy a casual lunch or dinner, and probably a good place for kids.

The lunch menu (which we chose from) is dominated by Tex-Mex favorites fajitas, enchiladas, and burritos, all available with chicken, beef, pork carnita, or veggie option, and a variety of sauces including mole and chipotle. There are also quesadillas, tacos, and a few other traditional options like tacos, sopes and flautas. For more adventurous eaters, tripe tacos are often on special. Also, “Mexican Burgers”, a fusion that mixes the torta with everyone’s favorite American sandwich. The dinner menu is expanded, featuring all of the above as well as a variety of platter options featuring chicken (mole poblano), steak (carne asada), pork, and/or veggies (chile relleno).

Our first choice was the pork enchiladas with mole sauce. The sauce was the star here — a perfect balance of sweet and spicy, rich and robust without being too thick. I can’t really comment on the authenticity of said sauce, but I can say that I ate every last drop of it. The pork carnitas appeared to be chunks of pork shoulder – not pulled as expected – and perhaps a bit dry, but when paired with the wonderful sauce, this was not an issue. The platter was served with a side of refried beans and Mexican rice. The beans were smoky, with hints of char, which created a more rich and flavorful bite than the typical canned beans. The spiced rice was somewhat pedestrian, but served as a nice foil for that sauce.

A burrito with chicken (pollo) in chipotle sauce was less successful. Like the mole, the sauce was excellent. It was subtly creamy, and persistently but not overwhelmingly spicy, with hints of smoke and sweetness. Unfortunately, the burrito filling was 2/3 rice, which was dry and bland, and the chicken was somewhat sparse. There was certainly some nice flavor here, but the abundance of rice overwhelmed it to some extent.

All in all, BuenaVista is a nice find for a quick, healthy take-out meal or a casual lunch or night out. We’ll certainly be back!

Buena Vista Mexican American Cuisine
365 Lancaster Ave.,
Malvern, PA
610-644-3982
Hours: Mon – Thurs, 11:30 a.m.– 8 p.m.; Fri, Sat, 11:30 a.m. – 9 p.m.; closed Sun
Credit Cards: Yes
Bar: BYO

Tucked quietly in the Gateway Shopping Center, Kabab Cafe is a fast-casual Persian grill, serving a variety of kababs and other middle-eastern specialties. It’s an interesting choice for a shake-up of the rote, standard fare that pervades the area.

The bright, open storefront is spotlessly clean, if simple inside. The ample seating area is perfect for lunch or a quick dinner, though certainly not for lingering over a meal. The food is well-suited for takeout, able to survive the trip home still warm and without losing too much quality.

The menu, shockingly, is dominated by kababs. A wide selection of lamb, chicken, several varieties of beef, and doner (that classic “meat on a stick” this cuisine is known for), are lovingly spiced, tender and juicy. The veggie kabab is well-charred for maximum flavor. Flafel is crispy on the outside, yet moist and savory within.

At lunch, try a sandwich ($4.99 on weekdays) served on the wonderfully fresh, airy flatbread with lettuce, tomato & onion, and choose the cucumber-yogurt side salad (which is really more like a sauce than a salad), which brings a welcome tangy sweetness into the mix. For dinner, platters come with two kababs, a side salad, some of that wonderful flatbread, and enough rice to feed Radnor Township. (Budget tip: order one meat-based platter, plus an “extra” veggie kabab for $4, and you’ll have plenty of food for two adults — maybe 3).

Aside from the kababs, one of the specialties is koreshte goosht, a ground beef stew with peas & potatoes. It’s an interesting, perhaps seductively spiced blend (turmeric, I think?), but texturally lacking something. The beef was just a bit too pasty – almost like eating a ragu. I’m glad to have tried it once, but I’m not sure I would order it again.

Though in general our experiences have been quite good, my one gripe with Kabab’s food is that the chefs can be a bit heavy-handed with the onions – particularly in the koobideh (ground beef). Eaten straight, the onion flavor is so overwhelming that it’s almost difficult to taste the beef. On a sandwich, when mixed with the other flavors, it is far less noticeable, but either way, it will stick with you for the rest of the day (that’s not a good thing).

Otherwise, Kabab Cafe is a great option to mix up your lunches or take-out meals. They’re celebrating their 2nd anniversary in March 2011, so if you haven’t been yet, it’s time to give them a try. Maybe next time you think about visiting 5 Guys, try a kabab instead!

Kabab Cafe
Gateway Shopping Center
Wayne, PA
610-975-5850
http://kababcafe.com/

For years, Savona – the Italian fine dining destination restaurant between Conshy and King of Prussia – has been on my restaurant wish list. The prices, however, have stood in the way of a visit. $40 for an entree? In Manhattan, maybe, but not Gulph Mills. So, when they announced a renovation that would introduce a new dining experience, BAR Savona, which would offer a more casual atmosphere, relaxed prices, and rustic, simple Italian fare, (alongside the existing fine dining) the opportunity to finally dine at this longtime Main Line fav seemed imminent (so long as you consider 18 months imminent). A recent visit was a mixed bag; the food is good, but the atmosphere is inconsistent with the restaurant’s promise of a more casual experience.

Not knowing what to expect when we got there, the tiny size of the bar area was a bit surprising. Based on what I’d read about BAR Savona, I was expecting two very different dining spaces, with a considerable area devoted to the bar. Instead, the cramped, crowded entry area included those eating at the bar, two four-tops near the bar, and those waiting for tables in the main dining room. Apparently there is additional bar seating upstairs, but we were eventually (after a 25-minute wait — with a reservation — with no open seats at the bar) seated in the formal dining room, but presented with the bar menu. This could be taken two ways — on one hand, here we were, sitting in one of the more exclusive dining rooms in the area, about to receive food and service from one of the top kitchens. However, there was one major problem: it’s stuffy. We were all set for a night of salads & pizza in a casual atmosphere, and now we were forced to sit in this overly formal, quiet dining room. Elegant? Romantic? Sure, it was both of those things, but we signed up for neither when we made the reservation.

The service, which might have been one silver lining of our unfortunate location, was actually quite mediocre, especially considering the pedigree of Savona. Do they place less attention on the tables ordering from the bar menu? Probably. But, as mentioned previously, we weren’t looking for 5-star service. Yet, whenever we needed something — whether it was to place our orders, request another drink, or similar — we had difficultly finding someone to help us. When we ordered a second bottle of wine in between our pizza and pasta courses, it didn’t arrive until after we’d ordered dessert. A good neighborhood trattoria shouldn’t make these mistakes, so the “bar menu” excuse doesn’t hold water.

Could the food make up for our atmospheric concerns? We started with two salads, “baby arugula, reggiano ‘paper’, cherry tomatoes, lemon” ($11), and “escarole, toasted walnuts, red onion, pecorino romano, walnut oil” ($11). The lemon vinaigrette of the former was quite nice – tangy and fragrant, but the salad itself left a bit to be desired. It’s true that Italian food is about simplicity and letting the ingredients stand on their own, but this was a bit too simple. A pile of arugula and a handful of cherry tomatoes on a plate, with 3 shavings of cheese (calling it “paper” doesn’t really help), just seemed pedestrian. The second salad was a bit more complex, but the dressing wasn’t quite as tasty.

The brick-oven pizzas, one of the main draws for us, were solid, if a little uneven. We tried the “salsiccia”, fennel sausage, peppers, onions and a farm egg ($14), which, despite the potentially heavy toppings, was built with restraint and thus nicely balanced yet still packed with flavor. We also tried the “marco castro”, which came with pancetta, san marzano tomatoes, arugula & red onion ($14). A large pile of arugula that was dressed with the same lemon dressing from our salad sat on top of this pie, uncooked. As nice as this dressing was on our salad, it overwhelmed the flavors of the pizza (not to mention wasn’t included in the item’s description), so we found ourselves removing it to enjoy the remaining salty pancetta, tomatoes and cheese. The crust on both pizzas was thin and charred, but it was a little too cracker-like to be considered world-class. Just a bit more chewiness, and they’d really be on to something here. Still, these should be considered top tier for our ‘burbs.

We also sampled a couple of the pasta dishes: firstly, the ricotta gnocchi with lamb ragout & Brussels sprouts ($17), which paired light, airy gnocchi with savory, melted lamb. There was more meat than expected, but it was not overly gamey and thus paired effortlessly with the simple pasta and bitter greens to create what was probably the best dish of the evening. We also tried the farrotto of the day (a risotto-style dish made with farro, an Italian grain similar to rice), made with Butternut Squash. Farro is a bit firmer than rice, creating a chewier dish, however it was still nicely prepared. In all honestly, however, I don’t remember too much about it.

For dessert we tried the special, a molten chocolate cake “for two”, which easily could have served six adults. It was tasty, yes — though nothing all that special — but after a big meal, really how many bites of oozing chocolate does one need? I was spent after about 3, and we barely made a dent in the dish.

From a value standpoint, the BAR Savona menu is reasonable — you could easily share an app and get a couple pizzas or pastas without breaking the bank. The problem with the restaurant’s setup (as we’ve detailed above), however, creeps into the value proposition as well. Basically, you’re eating pizza, but paying fine dining prices for drinks. Yes, Savona has an amazing wine list. In fact, they have the only master sommelier in the area, Melissa Monasoff. But, for most of us, pairing a $150 bottle of Brunello with a pie is pure folly, as is spending $50 on a simple, everyday red. No, this isn’t a unique problem to Savona, but the odd connection between the BAR and the formal restaurant accentuates it. (Incidentally, there is also a small but interesting beer list and quite a few creative cocktail creations.)

Maybe I’m being overly negative — Bar Savona does, after all, offer some tasty food. But that’s only part of what you pay for when you go to a restaurant, and I felt misled about the atmosphere. We were promised casual and then forced to do formal. You have to be in the mood for formal; we weren’t. So maybe it’s just a marketing thing. Or, maybe Savona should give the bar some more space to better accommodate an actual bar scene, if that’s the crowd they need to keep their business going.

Or, maybe we should try again during the summer, when the terrace is open, and we can enjoy the bar menu on the surely-more-casual porch.

BAR Savona
100 Old Gulph Road
Gulph Mills, PA, 19428
610.520.1200
http://www.savonarestaurant.com

Reservations via OpenTable
Valet Parking
Accepts all major credit cards

When news broke that Martini’s Italian Market was coming to the Paoli Village Shoppes, I’ll admit the name had me expecting a Carlino’s-style market that focused on prepared food and Italian products. In reality, however, Martini’s — which is run by relatives of the Martini’s who ran the eponymous restaurant in Devon for many years — is firstly a sandwich shop and cafe, with a wide variety of creative and interesting hoagies and sandwiches and a surprisingly ample seating area. There is also a small selection of prepared foods and dinners available to go, along with a small, interesting (if a bit haphazard) selection of pastas and other Italian goodies.

Though there are 5 or 6 takes on the Italian Hoagie on the menu, we immediately focused on the “House Special” ($6.99): roasted porchetta with broccoli rabe, sharp provolone on a Sarcone’s-style sesame semolina hoagie roll. Good Italian pork sandwiches aren’t exactly hard to find in this area, but this one is a formidable addition to the already great local selection. The salty pork and gravy pairs effortlessly with the bitter greens and the sharp cheese, and the wonderful toasty roll sops up those flavors like a pro. (The first menu, btw, stated this came on a Kaiser Roll — they certainly made the right call ditching that idea!)

Another excellent sandwich option is the “Paoli Specialty” ($6.95), a proscuitto & ricotta panini that spins the classic Sicilian vastedda. The ciabatta bread was crusty outside but fresh and soft within, and the creamy ricotta, bitter arugula and salty ham (I’m sensing a theme here) were an excellent pairing, if a bit messy. There was far more proscuitto than ever needs to be on a sandwich (this rich, savory type of ham is much better in small quantities), but it was easy to remove some (and my dog was quite happy). In addition, I would love to see this sandwich served warm throughout instead of just crisped on the outside.

Moving away from the Italian theme for a minute, I’m a sucker for the Thanksgiving-style hoagie, so “The Babs” ($7.25) had to be tried. Described as a “classic turkey hoagie with cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce and mayo”, and served on that same Sarcone’s-style roll, The Babs gives The Bobbie — Capriotti’s King-of-all-Thanksgiving-hoagies sandwich — a serious run for its money. No joke – this is one of the best I’ve had. The turkey is so fresh and roasty, with none of that processed cold-cut slime, and the cranberries and stuffing add classic freshness. The roll’s subtle but crucial toasted sesame flavor is what takes it to the next level.

Martini’s dinner menu includes simple classics like spaghetti, ravioli and Chicken or Veal Parmigiana, as well as a daily dinner special for each night of the week. We tried the baked meat lasagna, which was rich and flavorful without being too heavy. It was quite cheesy, but the meat was used with a bit more restraint. The sauce was a bit oversweet, but used some interesting spices (cinnamon and/or vanilla, maybe?). At around $16 for two huge pieces, this was certainly a nice take-out dinner for a busy night.

Lastly there are a wide variety of dried and frozen pastas (including a large selection from Springfield Pasta), a selection fresh Italian cheeses, as well as various and sundry gourmet goodies. Olive oil lovers might check out the refillable-bottle deal: buy a large glass bottle of EVOO filled from the big tin for $18, and refill the bottle for $14 going forward. Martini’s also carries One Village Coffee beans, a MLD reader favorite and a nice alternative to the mass-produced Starbucks or Saxby’s available nearby.

Overall Martini’s is an excellent addition to the neighborhood. The staff is friendly and willing to chat in depth about the food, which is simple but well-made and tasty. Get down there and try it!

Martini’s Italian Market
Paoli Village Shoppes
17 Paoli Plaza
Paoli, PA 19301
Phone: 610-644-3800
Fax: 610-644-3900
http://www.martinismarket.com
Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9:00am to 7:00pm