Apollo Grill - Bethlehem PA

It's summer restaurant week in Bethlehem, PA and it's like getting a pile of restaurants throwing great food at you.  Today we dined at Apollo Grill on Broad Street in downtown Bethlehem, PA.  We ate outside which was a bit loud, but charming.  The chairs were comfortable and the amazing atmosphere from inside the restaurant was brought outside in the place settings.  The service was great and treated us with respect.  Even when calling to make a reservation, the staff regretted to tell me they could not accommodate me at my hoped time, but that tables outside were available on a first come first serve basis and would likely be available at that time.

Now the food.  They started us with a wide selection of delicious breads including whole wheat and pumpernickel slices, garlic sticks and sesame crackers.  The breads had great flavor but were slightly dry, which was made up by the freshly whipped butter. We began our meal sharing the PEI Mussels and Vegetable and Goat Cheese Dip.  Both were fabulous and flavorful.  The mussels were cooked perfectly and in a delightful garlic wine broth that brought out the flavor of the mussels.   The dip was creamy but a bit heavy for an appetizer course and somewhat greasy.  It was full of vegetables as promised but did not come with enough chips to pile the dip on.  Next course was the Soup du Jour, three bean vegetable.  The soup was full of flavor and chock full of beans and vegetables all cooked to perfection.  Next, the entrees: Goat Cheese Linguini and Beef Short Ribs.  The linguini shone with parmesan and goat cheeses highlighted with savory sun-dried tomatoes, shaved asparagus, chick peas and shredded basil.  Each element seemed thoughtful and perfectly proportioned to illustrate pure deliciousness.  The short ribs were cooked with pride and were actually cut by fork.  There were fresh steamed veggies that were very average along side of the meat and quite creamy mashed potatoes.  The meat was truly the highlight of the dish; however, there were garnishes of wasabi, a red pepper puree and some kind of reduction.  These should have been used more throughout the dish to marry the flavors together and achieve true perfection in the entree.  Finally, dessert.  We had the Kahlua Chocolate Cake and the Strawberry Ice Cream Cake.  The Kahlua Cake tasted fantastic with a light cake, moderate frosting and rich chocolatey ganache covering; however, the Kahlua taste was lost.  The Strawberry Ice Cream Cake had a delectable shortbread crust and delicious strawberry flavor, but the ice cream was icy and not creamy enough.  There was a garnish of fresh lightly-sweetened whipped cream and a berry puree which were both amazing and really brought the dish to a heightened level.

Overall the meal was fantastic despite a few let downs in taste.  I would definitely recommend Apollo Grill to those in the area. Restaurant Week or not, the tastes are something to stop in for.  Enjoy and until next time,
Gina Beana!

The Blue Sky Cafe - Bethlehem PA

So, to start a blog about eating in Easton I thought it best to begin with my favorite breakfast spot. That is with no question the Blue Sky Cafe in Bethlehem PA. They do lunch as well, but that I haven't gotten to. The atmosphere is that of your typical college coffee shop with original paintings for sale on the walls and flyers everywhere. The place is very cozy and you can see all the food being cooked if you like, but let's get to the best part: the food.

The food is what I would call gourmet college grub. From the oh so popular Sweet Potato Quesadilla to their massive pancakes there's little room to go wrong. The Sweet Potato Quesadilla puts two wraps together with mashed sweet potatoes in the delicious center. This is all topped with some black bean salsa that alone is out of this world. The pancakes are the size of your plate and when they say one is enough, they really mean that its too much. Not only are they plate-sized, but they are about a half inch thick and cooked to perfection. With a toasty outside and caky delicious center, they will make you happy for hours. Moving forward is their 'scrambles' which have eggs, hash browns and a mix of what you choose. My favorite is Solomons' which is the vegetarian option. It's just amazing. To top it all off they bring you one of the best cups of coffee in the area. Even when it sits for a while at the table you still feel how deliciously fresh it is with every sip.

The only thing that makes this better is the outstandingly friendly staff. What more can you ask for? Maybe a shorter wait to be seated on the weekend, but this place is a hit.

Try it.