Category Archives: Restaurants

Burger Bliss

Posted on July 31, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last week I got a craving for a hamburger.  Not just any hamburger, but a GOOD hamburger.   A juicy, beefy, yummy burger on a bun with stuff.  “Stuff” was not well defined in my craving.  It may have been lettuce and tomato, or maybe cheese and bacon, perhaps mushrooms, onions, or something unusual.  You know, a good burger.

I got such a burger Saturday at Jerry’s Place in Hartwick, NY.  Steven and I were in the midst of our adventures, which ranged among Richfield Springs, Cooperstown, Fly Creek, Burlington Flats, and points in between.  At one point we were very hungry, and there was Jerry’s.

“It’s the place with all the lunch boxes,” Steven said.  The walls are lined with vintage lunchboxes.  The rest of the decor is pure Americana, including models of old cars and a statue of Elvis.

Steven ordered a Bacon Cheeseburger while I got and M.O.S., which had caramelized mushrooms and onions topped with Swiss cheese.  Steven also got a chocolate shake, because he noticed that it was served in a mason jar.  I got a bottle of water, because I feared dehydration.

We made our orders at the counter and were given a plastic magnetic letter to put on our table.  It did not take long for someone to bring us our food.  It was quite yummy. We could have gotten ice cream for dessert, but the burgers were pretty filling.  We left feeling well-fueled for further adventures.

Jerry’s Place is located at 6635 St. Hwy 28, Hartwick, NY, phone number 607-547-1037.  You can visit their website at http://www.jerrysplaceny.com/ and you can Like them on Facebook.

 

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Low-Key and Gracious

Posted on March 24, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

Before going to the Ilion Little Theatre on Friday to see The Psychic, Steven and I met a couple of our theatre friends at Sorrento’s in Ilion, NY for a bite to eat and some good conversation.

The front part of Sorrento’s looks like a regular, low-key pizzeria, while the back room is what I call gracious dining surroundings. We sat in gracious dining surroundings. I had been a little worried about getting a table at six o’clock on a Friday night, but it was no problem. We were soon sipping wine and perusing menus.

I wanted something light and non-meat (Friday during Lent), so I chose linguini with oil and garlic, Italian dressing on my salad. Steven got a fish sandwich with french fries. The others in our party got fried calimari and spinach ravioli, respectively. The dinner also came with garlic bread, which was delicious.

While we ate, we talked about Ilion Little Theatre (ILT). Steven and I had missed the last dinner meeting, but we were told my name had come up. Some people had read my article in Mohawk Valley Living magazine, which was about ILT and the casting of our last production, Busybody.

It was a very good dinner. We’ve been to Sorrento’s many times before but not in a while, so it was good to eat there again, and a delightful start to our Friday night adventures. Sorrento’s is located at 86 Central Ave. in Ilion, phone number 315-894-9991. For more information you can visit their website at www.sorrento-ilion.com and you can Like them on Facebook.

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When in Stress, Eat a Cheeseburger

Posted on March 3, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

I took today off to celebrate my husband’s birthday, which is tomorrow. So one might think I had plenty of time to come up with a decent blog post. Other readers are no doubt expecting my usual schtick about why I can’t write a post today. I will compromise with brief shout-out to a local business.

We had a few things going on today, mostly unexpected. In the middle of it, though, we managed to go out for lunch at Brian’s Roast Beef Deli. When stressed, one must have sufficient nutrition.

We got a table with no problem and looked at menus. We both got burgers: good food when under stress. I got a regular cheeseburger, which sounded just right to me. Steven got a cheddar-bacon burger, which came with fries. We each got a Labatt’s Blue draft as well. The waitress said she could use a beer herself. I told her I’d never tell.

It was one of those times when as I ate the food my whole body said, “THANK YOU!!!” I ate quite a few of Steven’s French fries as well. The service was great, the price was reasonable, and we both felt considerably less stressed after lunch than we had before. As for the cause of our stress, it was no big deal, and one must count one’s blessings after all.

Brian’s Roast Beef Deli is located at 122 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY, 13350, phone number 315-866-3664. You can Like them on Facebook. I did.

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Post-Christmas Breakfast

Posted on January 2, 2015 by mohawkvalleygirl

One factor which helped keep my post-Christmas letdown from kicking in last week was a good breakfast my husband Steven and I enjoyed at The Knight Spot in Frankfort, NY. Steven had the day after Christmas off, and we were determined to have several adventures, beginning with breakfast out. The Knight Spot is one of our favorite places.

It is a casual, family type restaurant. We go there for breakfast, lunch, dinner and mid-afternoon ice cream. Usually not all in the same day, but wouldn’t that be a fun way to go way off my diet? We found a seat in a booth and ordered coffee and water while we perused the menus.

I didn’t really need much time to decide. I had started thinking about an egg sandwich on a hard roll with sausage, egg and cheese as soon as Steven had suggested The Knight Spot. I love egg sandwiches anyways, and The Knight Spot makes a really good one. Steven got eggs over medium with bacon and toast.

The food was delicious, the service was good, and the atmosphere was pleasant. What more could we ask? I guess I could ask that something funny happen to include in my blog post, but what can I say? Sometimes my life is just ordinary.

The Knight Spot is located at 264 E. Main St., Frankfort, NY, phone number 315-894-4054. Their website is www.theknightspot.com, and they are on Facebook.

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Steve’s Birthday Dinner

Posted on March 6, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

As part of Steven’s Birthday Weekend, we enjoyed dinner out at PK’s Pub in Herkimer, NY. I’ve given PK’s shout-outs before, but I always like to give another, because it is always a good time and a great meal.

We arrived shortly after 4:30. Pete escorted us to the room with the fireplace. We chose a table by the window. I debated what kind of wine to order, because I wasn’t sure yet what I wanted for food. Then again, I am not that knowledgeable about food and wine pairings. I don’t think my palate is sophisticated enough to notice a less than ideal combination. I finally settled on Cabernet Sauvignon. Steven had Merlot.

For food I got Chicken Riggies while Steven chose Chicken Marsala. Yes, we both had red wine with chicken. Wasn’t that bold of us? I said I don’t know much about wine and food, but I know the most basic rule of white wine with chicken, red wine with beef. Perhaps real oenophiles are horrified (I don’t even know how to pronounce oenophile), but I thought it tasted pretty good.

I did not eat all my entree, because I was saving room for dessert. That worked out pretty well, because I was able to heat up the leftovers as part of our dinner on Tuesday, when I was tired.

Desserts are always a highlight at PKs. I got chocolate chip cheesecake. I completely cannot remember what Steven’s dessert was called. I know, if I was a real blogger, I would have made a note of it at the time. Let’s not open that can of worms. It was a kind of cream pie with chocolate and nuts and other stuff. I know it was yummy, because he nicely gave me a bite.

PK’s Pub is located at 221 King St. in Herkimer, phone (315) 866-3494. They are open Tues. to Fri. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sat. 4:30 to 9 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. You can Like them on Facebook. I did.

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Continuing the Fun

Posted on August 10, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

When Steven and I left the Balloon Farm Bed and Breakfast (see yesterday’s post), we were not ready to end our afternoon of fun. We decided to treat ourselves to a visit to the Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY.

The Waterfront Grille is located just across from the New York State Thruway exit, at Gems Along the Mohawk. Lil’ Diamond Cruises leave from there, and there is a delightful retail store that highlights many area businesses and attractions. I’ve plugged Gems Along the Mohawk before, and probably will again.

We sat at the bar and ordered drinks. I love looking out over the water. I hope to go on one of the cruises before the season is over. We discussed the possibility as we perused the menu. After much debate, we got two of the appetizer specials: bacon-wrapped artichoke hearts and grilled chicken wings. Yum!

Waterfront Grille’s actual address is 800 Mohawk St., Herkimer, NY. Their phone number is 315-717-0700.

This is quite a short post, even for a Lame Post Friday. I’ve been trying to think what I could add to it and, what a surprise, I got nuthin’. Not even a would-be witty comment on why I can’t think of anything. I suppose you’ll have that in the blogging business. Happy Friday, everybody.

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Fun Breakfast

Posted on July 19, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Last Sunday Steven had the day off, which is rare, and we had a lot of cleaning to do in our recently flooded basement, which these days is not the least bit rare. We still were not able to cook on our stove, and we needed sustenance before we began. I offered to cook scrambled eggs in the microwave, but Steven said, “Let’s go out.” Where to go?

I have often driven by the Family Fun Center, a bright purple and fuchsia Victorian-looking building (not that I know from architecture) on Main Street in Mohawk, NY, but never ventured in. I thought it was more a place that families went for parties or activities or, you know, fun. I knew they did a Friday Fish Fry, because a sign out front says so. A co-worker said they did a good breakfast, so after debating where to go on Sunday, we decided to check it out.

It’s often problematic to go out for breakfast on a Sunday, because this is probably the most popular day for breakfast out. I do hate fighting a crowd. I said if we could find a parking space, we could probably find a seat. As we walked in the back door (we tried the front, but a sign there said to use the back), a little girl immediately said, “Hi!”

“It is a fun center,” I said, after returning the greeting. We sat in a booth and looked around.

It is an old house with large rooms and an ornate ceiling that I admired. The dining room is brightly painted and decorated with retro and antique Coca-Cola memorabilia. I do enjoy a restaurant with cool things to look at. Adjoining the dining room is a room with a pool table and video games. I did not walk in and check out what all they had, but it looked like a fun center to me.

I ordered an egg sandwich on a roll with bacon, egg and cheese. Steven got eggs over medium with bacon, toast and some very yummy potatoes (I tried them). We had a strenuous day of basement cleaning ahead of us, but we felt we had fueled up for the endeavor.

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Shout Out to Symeon’s

Posted on May 1, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

I mentioned briefly having lunch at Symeon’s on Saturday. I thought I’d write a little more about them today, in the interests of plugging a local business that is well worth the praise.

Symeon’s, located at 4941 Commercial Dr., Yorkville, NY, is a family run Greek restaurant that has been in business for a number of years. When I worked in New Hartford (which is like, right next to Yorkville, for people unfamiliar with the area), I would treat myself to lunch there when the opportunity arose. Now that I work in Ilion, the opportunities are fewer, so I was delighted when Phyllis fell in with my suggestion to have lunch there.

Actually, “fell in with” is kind of a… what’s the opposite of exaggeration? It turns out Phyllis is just as big a fan of Symeon’s as I am. It didn’t really surprise me: lots of people love Symeon’s I was a little worried we’d have to wait for a table (worth the wait, but I was hungry). However, we were seated with no problem in one of the three dining rooms. The three dining rooms make for a cozy atmosphere and a quieter one than what you find in places with one big dining room.

We both ordered the Souvlaki Platter, which comes with a basket of warm flat bread. I asked for extra yoghurt sauce, to dip the bread in. Love that Greek yoghurt sauce. When my sister eats at Symeon’s, she almost always orders the Calimarakia (known as kalamari at other places), which is some of the best I’ve ever eaten. The Thracian chicken is good, too, and their soup is yummy, although Souvlaki is what I order most often. We did not order dessert, but I’ve had their chocolate mousse, which is excellent.

The service was very good, too. When our waitress was moved to another section, she brought her replacement over to the table and introduced her. I thought that was classy.

I had not eaten at Symeon’s in a long time, because, as I mentioned, I don’t get to the area as often. I’ll have to make more of an effort in the future, because, yum.

For more information on Symeon’s call 315-736-4074, visit their website at www.symeons.com, or Like them on Facebook.

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Fast Dinner

Posted on March 28, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

As Mohawk Valley Girl, I don’t usually plug chains and I almost never eat fast food. However, as the week wears on, I don’t have a whole lot to post about, so I thought I’d mention our Tuesday dinner.

We did not have a whole lot of time before rehearsal (regular readers will recall we are rehearsing Dirty Work at the Crossroads for Ilion Little Theatre) and, quite frankly, we did not have much inclination to cook or even slap a sandwich together. I suggested looking in Sunday’s paper (we hadn’t recycled all of it) for Arby’s coupons. No luck, but once you start thinking about Beef-N-Cheddar and Curly Fries…

So off we went down State Street in Herkimer, NY, to Arby’s. There was no line at the counter, although they were a little busy at the drive-thru. We studied the menu. No calorie counts listed like they do at Taco Bell. Um, not that I go there a lot, either. I briefly considered one of the new sandwiches, such as the Reuben or turkey something or other, but ultimately had to go with my favorite.

I just got the sandwich while Steven got the combo with Curly Fries and soda. I figured I could share his fries, to which he graciously agreed. While we waited for our food, I started flashing back to my first job, which was in fast food. When fellow came up and ordered just a small curly fry, I asked the worker if when someone asked for a small fry she ever gave them just one small french fry.

“A girl I used to work with would do that,” I told her. I’m not sure if she got the joke, but it used to amuse my former co-worker mightily.

Our food was pretty good, for fast food. At least, the sandwiches didn’t seem too fast foody. The fries did, of course, being deep fried (one of my favorite flavors). I put Horsy Sauce on my sandwich and dipped the fries in it as well. I do love that Horsy Sauce.

The service was good too. A not bad dining experience before our rehearsal.

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And Thank You, Brian’s

Posted on March 9, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

Monday during our various movements dealing with the computer (see yesterday’s post), Steven and I got a little hungry. I suggested lunch at Brian’s Roast Beef Deli.

We easily found a parking place on Main street and easily found a table at Brian’s, even though they were doing a brisk lunch business. The menus were on the table, under plexiglass. I got up and checked the Specials board as well. Lots of good choices.

Steven decided on a deluxe hamburger with macaroni salad. I got garlic boneless chicken wings and a side of macaroni and cheese. I had been thinking of that macaroni and cheese ever since I suggested Brian’s. Seven got coffee to drink. I daringly ordered a draft beer, smallest size.

The waitress was one we’ve seen before. I asked her if she had lost weight since I last saw her. I always hesitate before I ask that question. I’m afraid the answer will be, “What, you thought I was FAT the last time you saw me?” I usually meet with a good response, though, and so it was this time. She had been trying to lose a few pounds and was glad it showed.

Our food was delicious. While we ate I noticed a note below the plexiglass on the table talking about how all the food was fresh made from the finest ingredients. I could tell. They were some of the best boneless wings I’ve ever had.

A lady Steven knows came in while we were there. She and her luncheon companion were sharing a large antipasto.

“Ooh, that looks good; I should’ve gotten that,” I said. “That’s what I do in restaurants,” I explained. “I look at what other people are eating and see what looks good.”

The lady said she thought my lunch had looked pretty good. I assured her it was. She may get the boneless wings next time.

We greatly enjoyed our lunch at Brian’s. It made a nice interlude in the midst of our computer dealings.

Brian’s Deli is located at 122 N. Main St., Herkimer, NY 13350, phone number 315-866-3664. They are open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. You can like them on Facebook.

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