Bad Service, Slimey Pork Sandwich Puts Fork in Brother Paul's as Viable Dining Option

“Why did we stop going to Brother Paul’s?”

This is the question I asked my wife when we were thinking of going to the Eagleville, Pennsylvania establishment a couple weeks ago. The reasons were somewhat vague in my head. I sort of remember friends of ours saying they got hassled about coming into play darts too late? I think there was something where another friend wanted a certain sort of glass for his beer and it was seen as a major affront by the staff. There may have even been something in there about a waitress being generally rude. But we couldn’t really remember so I figured we should make a return trip.

Anyway, now that we have returned, the reason for our lack of patronization over the last few years has been crystallized anew: The service blows. And the food isn’t much better.

Chickie's and Pete's: A Stream-of-Consciousness Review

So there's a Chickie's and Pete's near us now. That's right. We live in Norristown and Philadelphia famous crab fry emporium moved in right across the street. Which is funny, because they say they are in Audubon. But don't get me started on that, as other people who live in Norristown like to say they are from Eagleville or Jeffersonville. I don't know why, but I think it has something to do with making sure people do not think you live in a crack house. Anyway, they opened the place in November, I believe (right after the Phillies' last meteoric flop), and we have been wanting to check it out ever since, but were never able to find the time. Two Thursdays ago, we found the time. The place is a lot smaller than the one in South Philly, but they were able to make it spacious enough. Which is odd when you consider how much real estate is covered by pictures of the owner with famous and semi-famous Philadelphia sports personalities. A very friendly server took our order. The first thing we ordered, of course, was crab fries. This is something that I think you are required by law to order if you go to any Chickie's and Pete's. They came in a sizeable basket that can be shared by two. The basket itself is pretty ingenious, as it features a cupholder on both sides. A cheese cup is placed in each end so that you don't have to keep asking your dining partner to pass the cheese. Pretty smart. I'm not going to lie: These were quite tasty. And really they better be as the place has pretty much made its name on these crab fries. That, though, got me thinking: What is so special about this appetizer? It's a bunch of fries - just the right texture and width, but still - a boatload of Old Bay, and a fine cheese sauce. It is probably a little bit insane the lengths people go to give props to this potato dish (as many plaques in the establishment attest). Next up was the main course - a Buffalo Cutlet sandwich for me and a BBQ Burger for the wife. I found the Buffalo Cutlet sandwich to be agreeable, but there were definite drawbacks. First of all, the chicken sandwich came out quite gently sauced. The wife had to buck up and ask them to bring me out a side of buffalo (I can be shy). Second, the sandwich was somewhat small. While the chicken was tender and moist, I would say that I probably killed the whole thing in about eight bites. That is a little bit tiny when you consider that the sandwich cost [BLANK] (wow, they are savvy; no prices on the Internet menu; think it was around nine bucks) and doesn't come with fries (no surprise; they want you to buy the crab fries, folks). As for the wife's burger, I can't vouch for it really. I did have a bite and thought it adequate, but it was very thin for a non-fast-food burger. As for beers, I had two. The first was a Victory HopDevil. The second was a Victory HopDevil. Did I do this because I just love Victory HopDevil? No (although it is splendid). I found that the taste of the beer was good, but probably not the freshness that you would expect at a stellar beer bar. In actuality, I ordered the same beer twice (something I never do) because it was really the only decent beer on the docket. In scanning the beer menu online, I realize that might be a SLIGHTLY unfair statement (they have Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on draft and Newcastle in bottle), but the bottom line is this is not a place you would ever think to go if you wanted to kill anything but Miller/Coors/Bud in 30 oz. glasses designed to make you want to order more crab fries. Here's the thing: This is not the place for me. The beer choices are not acceptable and the food is not good enough to make you want to forget that fact. Also, I have the sneaking suspicion that it is most likely packed with tools on a frequent-to-perpetual basis. Still, I feel it appropriate to point out some positives. First off, our server was quite nice. Did she fall into a conversation with some customers in our area causing us to wait to long to get our check? Yes. But she did also bring us some extra pickles when she realized that Saucy Jr. liked them. Not only did she do this, but she waited until I had taken him to the bathroom to ask my wife is she could bring them just in case we were the type of parents who would deny him said snack. I thought it was extremely mannerly and it allowed me to get that second HopDevil. Another thing is that I realize that we are not the target audience for this particular spot. Chickie's and Pete's does not exist as a spot for two parents to take their child for a wonderful culinary experience. No. It is designed as a spot for two fellows to drop in, sit at the bar, watch the game on the gigantic televisions, check out the nubile young waitresses, and drink beers that make them take a piss once every 11.84 minutes. And there is no doubt about it, if my brother were to come out to my neck of the woods and we wanted to go out and accomplish the things that I describe above, the first place I would think to take him would be...Hooters. But the second would be Chickie's and Pete's.

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Chickie's and Pete's Crab House and Sports Bar
675 Shannondell Drive
Audubon, PA 19403



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Le Village Cafe an Intriguing Option for Your Breakfast Needs

If you look at the Norristown, Pa. area (and if you are not from there, we apologize and will get something for you up soon) right now, there is a surprising dearth of options in the greasy-spoon-breakfast diner category. The Trooper Diner consistently disappoints. Last we checked, Astoria Family Restaurant provided decent food with service that verges on the horrendous. Christine's? Umm...no. With this thought in mind, we decided to try Le Village Cafe, a low-key spot in Norristown's Fairview Village Shopping Center. Turns out the food is quite good, yet not without room for improvement.

Poor Service Spoils a Fine Getaway to Cabanas in Cape May

This Labor Day, we shot down to Wildwood for a family get-together. On one particularly rainy day, the little guy simply did not want to take a nap. So we decided to go for a ride and see if that would help him slip off into Dreamland. To our satisfaction, the ploy worked and a drive around Wildwood quickly turned into an excursion to Cape May. The farthest shore point has always been a favorite of ours and one place where we have had a couple good experiences is Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill. On this day, we decided to stop in and get an appetizer and a couple of drinks before a dinner later that night.

While the vibe of Cabanas may be a bit on the kitschy side, I have always enjoyed it. I like the Caribbean feel of the decor. The Bob Marley tunes blaring out of the speakers really add to a relaxing atmosphere. For our appetizer, we decided to try the Mexican Nachos Grande, a plate of tortilla chips with pulled pork, refried beans, jalapenos, pico de gallo, and other pleasing toppings. I thought the dish worked very well, although I can admit to being a person who prefers a wet salsa to a pico de gallo. I think it works better for dipping and ensuring that your chips are never naked. This slight lack of ingredients was the main complaint of Spicy, who felt there were times when more toppings, especially the pulled pork, could have been in order. For myself, I can say that I did not think this was a major violation on their part. The toppings were a little tough to get to, what with some of them being under the chips, but I did not feel Cabanas was delinquent in their topping distribution. It just required the breaking out of forks and knives at times.

New Jersey's Pour House is Enjoyable, not Award-Worthy

In the June/July edition of the very entertaining magazine, Beer Scene, the publication named Westmont's The Pour House as the "Best Classic Bar" in the states of New Jersey and Delaware. Being that I was in the area yesterday, I decided to stop by and find out if their choice held water. The answer unfortunately was both "Yes" and "No."

First, the Yes. There is simply no denying that this place has a very impressive beer list. The following is just a sample of some of the luminaries they are featuring in bottles: Avery. Hitachino. Stone. North Coast. Ommegang. I imagine you could sit here for days and you wouldn't run out of interesting beers to sample. You would probably have to get your stomach pumped, but that is another matter altogether. The draft list also has plenty to savor. As of this writing, they have, among others, Anderson Valley Bootlinger Weiss, Green Flash West Coast IPA, and Stone Ruination IPA. You get the idea: It's a quality lineup. In the interest of full disclosure, the beers I had during my stay were a stellar Weyerbacher Verboten, a Sly Fox Chester County Brown Ale (more on that later), and bottles of Lagunitas Dogtown Pale Ale and Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale (both wonderful).

Weekend in Margate: Luciano Lamberti's Sunset Marina & Restaurant

Two years ago, when some family chipped in to get a shore house in Margate, we went to Lamberti's (Luciano Lamberti's Sunset Marina & Restaurant if you're not into the whole brevity thing) a lot. First of all, they had a lovely view of the bay. Second, they had a happy hour that, while a little bit erratically applied by the staff, lasted from noon to 7 and gave you half off of appetizers. Third, they had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap for cheap. And finally, they made a darn good penne arrabiate. Well, I'm happy to report that we went there again this weekend, and all of those statements remain true.

Overall, a Very Good Thyme!

The other morning, we decided to go out for breakfast, and as our destination we chose a place near us called The Thyme Cafe. It is a nice, small spot (maybe eight tables) in Norristown that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner (it is a BYOB). We are, of course, on a health kick, and since they have some healthy options on their menu, it seemed like this was the place for us.

I ordered the Breakfast Burrito, a very tasty selection with egg, black beans, and steak, while the lady had Huevos Rancheros, which came adorned with chorizo...and some other stuff (I have to work on my foodie retention skills, and, unfortunately, I don't believe they have a website to access a menu). For the little guy, we ordered the blueberry pancakes. The breakfast burrito was very good (I have actually had it several times and it is a quick go-to), and wifey reported that the Huevos Rancheros was also quite satisfactory (although probably not a good choice directly before a 5K race). I did steal a bite of Lil' Man's pancakes as well. Although these delights are probably persona non grata during my pursuit of the body of Adonis/less obese hemoglobin, I can say that the chomp I had was pleasing indeed. So basically, The Thyme Cafe has the food bit down. The owner, a guy named Andrew, has spent several years in the restaurant business and it seems like he puts a great deal of care into every meal that is released from the kitchen.

The Rare Night Out: Tamarindos Mexican Restaurant

With a sixteen-month old at home, the wife and I don't really get to go out much. However, the other night was one of our friend's birthday parties so my sister-in-law was gracious enough to do some babysitting (thanks, Elio!). So out we went to Tamarindos Mexican Restaurant in Ambler for a night of drunken fun and frivolity.

Before I touch on the food, let me discuss the atmosphere. It was a good place for our party, in that they had the music pumped up pretty loud. We tend to get somewhat loud, especially at a BYOB. So I would imagine the customers were probably wondering why the music had to be cranked, but it probably saved them from having to hear a lot of voluminous (and sometimes crude - the cruder the better in fact) laughing and joking. If I were to have my druthers, however, I probably would have wanted them to turn it down a little bit. It was impossible to hear a person more than one seat away from you (I had to strain for a discussion with the person right across the table from me) and the waitress was helpless to shout out the specials (she had to do them twice, once at each end of the table).