Food & Drink

By Daisy Schneider — 2 years ago

Annabel’s Italian Restaurant Opens in Phillipsburg, NJ Friday January 20

Join the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday, January 20th from 12-1pm to celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of Annabel’s Italian Restaurant (located at 224 Stockton Street Phillipsburg NJ 08865) This new business has opened in the former Marianna’s Restaurant space.

Annabel’s Italian Restaurant Opens in Phillipsburg, NJ Friday January 20

“The Phillipsburg Chamber, a proud partner of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to be welcoming this new business to the Phillipsburg community.

We are excited to help them celebrate and make this day memorable for the team over at Annabel’s!”

Laurie Nelson, Senior Vice President of the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

The official ribbon cutting ceremony and remarks will begin at 12:30pm with Mayor Todd Tersigni and members of our Phillipsburg Town Council.

This event is a free community event, and all are invited to attend and welcome this new business to Phillipsburg!

For more information, please visit: https://facebook.com/events/s/annabels-italian-restaurant-ri/1070069657722336/

When: Friday, January 20, 12- 1pm, Ribbon Cutting Ceremony begins at 12:30pm

Where: 224 Stockton Street Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg's Sherman Theater January 21

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Love Beer? Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

By Ruben Kellermen — 2 years ago

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

Thirsty for a brew? Love Beer?

Something is brewing…

It’s the Pocono Winter Beerfest on Saturday, January 21 at the Sherman Theater in downtown Stroudsburg, PA.

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

Chill out and sample your choice of over 100 hand-selected, frosty craft beers inside the warm and spacious theater.

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

Supporting local PA breweries

The majority of the beers at this festival are from breweries in the Poconos and the Eastern Pennsylvania region.

“We want to support the local brewers

who devote their energy and talents to making beers

that are unique to their brewery and to the Poconos,”

said Sherman Theater CEO Richard Berkowitz.

He added, “Many of these are small brewers doing innovative things with their beer. By inviting them here, we are introducing their beers to hundreds of people in one day.”

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

Tickers

The first Pocono Winter Beerfest was held in the Sherman Theater in 2016.

It grew each year through 2020 and was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to Covid. It is back for 2023 featuring more selections and some of the best beers in the region with many breweries and home brewing clubs participating.

General Admission tickets are $40 in advance and $50 on the day of the event. Doors open for General Admission at 1:00 PM. The ticket includes a souvenir beer glass and beer samples from the breweries. Vendors will be selling things that pair well with beer and food will also be available for purchase.

For more information, visit shermantheater.com or call 570-420-2808.

Some breweries in attendance will be:

Lehigh Valley Home Brewers, Hidden River, Crooked Eye, Yergey, Hopping Eagle, Bright Path, Wallenpaupack, Birthright, Allegheny Creek, Richmond Farm, Shawnee Craft and Barley Creek.

Show: Pocono Winter Beerfest
Sherman Theater, 524 Main Street, Stroudsburg PA
Saturday, January 21, 2023
Doors at 1:00 PM for General Admission

Pocono Winter Beerfest Returns to Stroudsburg’s Sherman Theater January 21

The Sherman Theater is Monroe County’s only nationally ranked, non-profit theater and performing arts center. Located in downtown Stroudsburg, PA, the Sherman Theater has proudly served the Pocono region for 90 years. The Theater and Performing Arts Center is committed to strengthening the community by producing culturally-diverse, nationally-known professional acts and festivals at the theater and at satellite locations throughout Monroe County for people of all ages, by providing an opportunity for local artists to perform, and by creating economic development in the region. The Sherman Theater projects and events attract over 100,000 visitors to the Pocono Region annually.

For more information call 570-420-2808 or visit www.shermantheater.com.

Winter Restaurant Week is here! Amazing deals on Hellertown and Lower Saucon's best bites from Jan 15 - Jan 21

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Winter Restaurant Week is here! Amazing deals on Hellertown and Lower Saucon’s best bites from Jan 15 – Jan 21

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Winter Restaurant Week is here! Amazing deals on Hellertown and Lower Saucon’s best bites from Jan 15 – Jan 21.

The Hellertown-Lower Saucon Chamber of Commerce, a proud partner of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, is kicking off 2023 in the most delicious way possible with their annual Winter Restaurant Week!

Winter Restaurant Week from Jan 15 – Jan 21

From Sunday, January 15^th – Saturday, January 21^st, food lovers from across the Lehigh Valley can get a taste of everything that the Hellertown-Lower Saucon food and beverage scene has to offer. Participating locations will offer a variety of specials that include, but are not limited to, “set-price” or “prix fixe” menus, gift card deals, and discount opportunities.

Healthy shakes from The Vibe Nutrition

Patrons will have a chance to return to their favorite spots with added incentives or try new eateries during Winter Restaurant Week.

As of January 1^st, thirteen outstanding restaurants and eateries are participating, with more to come.

There are so many wonderful, hard-working restaurants and eateries in the Borough of Hellertown and Lower Saucon Township, and this is a great way for them to gain the exposure they deserve. There is a wide range of dining options, something for everyone!

Winter Restaurant Week is also a great opportunity for the community to come together

Winter Restaurant Week is also a great opportunity for the community to come together and break bread with one another, all while supporting the local economy and reinforcing the wonderful communal feeling of the Hellertown – Lower Saucon area, and is something fun to spice up the winter months.

Yum! Tacos from Wings on Main

Kat Brown of Yianni’s Taverna adds:

“We are looking forward to welcoming guests in the new year to experience our authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.”

Yianni’s Taverna will be offering a three course, pre fixe menu for $39.

Lauren Musselman, owner of The Vibe Nutrition, located at 650 Main Street in Hellertown, expressed her enthusiasm:

“We are excited to be participating in Winter Restaurant Week.

It is a big incentive for us because we want the community to see how important good nutrition is. Everyone has a New Year’s resolution, and we have the solution for you. The Vibe has everything for you, from weight loss to weight gain, energy needs, and we can’t wait to serve you in the new year.” The Vibe Nutrition will be offering 15% off any meal combo during Winter Restaurant Week.

Special thanks to our Winter Restaurant Week Bronze Sponsor, Lindsay O. Albert, Taxes and Accounting for her support of this local initiative.

Lindsay is an advocate for a vibrant Hellertown community. Also thanks to B104, our Marketing Sponsor, for sharing the excitement of this weeklong event.

Finally, another enticing opportunity is the chance to be a winner! Check our Hellertown-Lower Saucon Facebook page for a chance to win gift cards to the participating eateries and listen to WAEB and B-104 on your radio or iHeart app for a chance to call in and win gift cards.

Participants (as of 1/5/2023):

Drip – The Flavor Lab

Participants’ Specials: Offers can be viewed at Hellertown Lower Saucon Winter Restaurant Week as they are added.

Pricing Information: Varies depending on each establishment’s offer.

Sponsors (as of 1/1/2023):

Bronze Sponsor: Lindsay O. Albert E.A.
Marketing Sponsor: iHeart radio/ B104

For more information on this event and any upcoming events, visit the Hellertown-Lower Saucon Facebook page, or the Affiliated Chamber’s Instagram or LinkedIn pages.

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Lehigh Valley is Falling in Love with the Flavors of Nazareth’s Indigo 52

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Lehigh Valley is falling in love with the flavors of Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52

Indigo 52 is a Nazareth restaurant gaining big buzz both in the Lehigh Valley and throughout the East Coast.

It’s not your average restaurant. There’s a twist.

The menu, the owner, the ingredients. Everything is special and there’s a reason why.

Lehigh Valley is falling in love with the flavors of Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52

It’s special enough to inspire families to drive hours just to enjoy a meal there. More about that in a minute, let’s get to the food.

Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52 Menu

Restaurant Owner Felicia Rocchino has a “Food Vision” for the items they serve and if you’re a foodie, you’re gonna love this:

All their dishes are:

Unique – things you can’t find everywhere
Better than what someone can cook at home
Plated amazingly – be instagrammable!

Here’s what I sampled on my visit:

Indigo 52’s Cauliflower wings

Cauliflower wings

Grain-free battered cauliflower with maple garlic (you could also choose hot buffalo or mild sauce).

These were delicious and better than what I expected. The flavor, the breading; and each piece held together well, even after dipping.

Indigo 52’s Vegan “Crab” Cake Bites

Vegan “Crab” Cake Bites

Mini heart of palm bites, seasoned, and served with a house made cocktail dipping sauce

Great flavor, very moist. The same tender and moist notes (like most vegan “crab” cakes) also made them fall apart easily. Delicious, but delicate.

Indigo 52’s Hand-cut Sweet Potato Fries

Hand-cut Sweet Potato Fries

Served with house-made maple garlic dipping sauce

I wanted these to be great and they were. Big flavor, excellent snacky side dish and the maple garlic is a winner.

Indigo 52’s Chicken Marsala Rotini

Chicken Marsala Rotini

Anti-biotic free chicken breast, over pasta with julienne onions, mushrooms, organic spinach, fresh herbs, with marsala sauce.

This was the highlight. A very well-balanced dish. On different bites, the onion stood out, then the mushroom, then the marsala. There’s a lot of nuance here and the sauce pulls it together. Also, it’s a big portion. Take the remainder home and give yourself a present for lunch tomorrow.

Indigo 52’s Apple Pie stuffed French Toast

Apple Pie stuffed French Toast

3 slices topped with a house-made fresh apple cinnamon “filling”, house-made cashew cream, and 100% pure grade A maple syrup.

The brunch favorite brings a big bold flavor. And, again, a lot of food. Each bite makes you smile. If you’re into boozy brunches, this plate deserves a glass of bubbly.

Felicia’s Passion for Nazareth restaurant Indigo 52

Felicia is a triple-threat. She has a creative eye, a global expertise in restaurants and retail and she has a personal passion creating this concept to help others.

Creative in the way the restaurant looks and feels. It’s funky. It’s whimsical. It’s playful. As you walk in, the decor gives your eyes flavors to enjoy, while the menu handles your taste buds.

Indigo 52’s Felicia Rocchino and Chef Kadel Woody

Expertise from years at her previous corporate work helping successful restaurants launch and grow into hugely popular brands.

And personal passion. Yes, it’s very personal.

Recently, Felicia was living the life of a big city retail and hospitality professional based out of Philadelphia, helping restaurants grow and fulfill their professional dreams.

Indigo 52’s funky, whimsical, playful decor gives your eyes flavors to enjoy

Problem is, she was always feeling sick; and in and out of dozens of doctors offices trying to understand why. Year after year, test after test, with no answers.

One day, she met the right doctor who decided to give her a different test and there she learned the truth – Felicia has Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease is sensitivity to gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, which is in… a lot of food.

Indigo 52 is gluten free and dairy free

Truthfully, many of us suffer from different nutrition allergies, with different levels of sensitivity in reaction. The statistic is 1-10 people.

A strong majority of people are un-diagnosed. Some people react with a stomach ache, others are rushed to the hospital for a few days of care.

Those who end up with stronger reactions (like needing a hospital visit) tend to never eat out or get take-out, because the risk isn’t worth it.

Even “gluten-friendly” food tends to not be so friendly. The restaurant and its kitchen needs to enforce incredibly disciplined action and even then, it’s still a risk.

But Felicia Rocchino’s Indigo 52 practices incredibly disciplined kitchen practices to make it safe for immune-compromised people.

And around the country, people are taking notice.

“That’s Just The Way Life Is.” Nah, it doesn’t have to be.

A local family always stops by the Nazareth eatery when they’re picking up their college-aged daughter because their family is immune sensitive and Indigo 52 is one of the only restaurants on the East Coast that truly offers safe food. So they’re willing to drive hours for a meal there.

Indigo 52’s seating and decor

Same thing for a Lehigh Valley couple who became used to not eating out because of the risk. Then they tried Indigo 52 and to their relief, it was perfect. As a result, they even had their anniversary dinner there and Chef Kadel catered the menu toward romance.

Because of the growing unique demand, Indigo 52 has become reservation-only with diners driving from hours away to have a very specific and risk-free meal.

This Lehigh Valley restaurant has become one of the very few healthy (and delicious) stops on the East Coast to offer a consistently safe (risk-free) experience to immune-compromised diner. And word is spreading quickly.

Chef Kadel’s work is Art, Magic and Flavor

Chef Kadel Woody has been working in Lehigh Valley restaurants since he was in high school. Learning his kitchen secrets from time at Widow’s Tavern and Grille, Two Rivers Brewing, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza.

Felicia and Kadel connected when she knew she needed someone magical to create these unique and challenging dishes and her first several chefs couldn’t give her the results she envisioned.

Chef Kadel’s plating is art.

Chef Kadel’s ingredients are magic.

And the flavor is in every bite.

The kitchen is open so that diners can watch him create magic from their seat or even step over and get a closer glimpse.

Local Food Brings Big Flavor

Most of Indigo 52’s ingredients are local. Some come from Nazareth farms literally down the street from the restaurant and their delivery is walked over. That’s very local. That’s fresh.

Felicia and Kadel are big supporters of the local community handing out snacks at nearby businesses and contributing delicious bites at neighborhood events.

Indigo 52 Review

Cuisine: Very strong. From their locally sourced ingredients and an inventive menu, to Chef Kadel who’s able to create custom experiences for even the most sensitive diners.

Ambience: Fun, playful. Small town quaint with ambitious creativity

Service: Now that they’ve switched to reservation only, once you’ve been seated you get plenty of friendly and knowledgeable support. The kitchen proudly goes out of their way to service your specific needs.

Hospitality: Because Indigo 52 is such a unique experience, if you visit knowing how special your experience can be, the kitchen and staff go out of their way to surprise and delight you

Indigo 52 is located at:

52 S Main St
Nazareth, PA 18064

Indigo 52 is open Thursday – Saturday, 10a- 8pm, reservation only

Make a reservation here.

To browse their menu.

Join Dominique Crenn, the Michelin Star Chef behind hit Foodie movie “The Menu” on a global adventure

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Join Dominique Crenn, the Michelin Star Chef behind hit Foodie movie “The Menu”, on a global adventure

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Dominique Crenn, the Chef Behind movie “The Menu” on a global foodie adventure.

Chef Dominique Crenn, the first and only female chef in North America with three Michelin stars, helped the filmmakers of the horror movie “The Menu” bring to life the perfect menu for the main event which has been described as a real 9-courses culinary and artist masterpiece.

And now there is an opportunity for an intimate group of guests to meet, dine and discover with Dominique in person in France

Dominique Crenn, the Chef Behind movie “The Menu” on a global foodie adventure.

Enjoy Dominique Crenn for 5 days in France for a Hosted Experience with Satopia Travel

As the chief technical consultant for The Menu film, Dominique Crenn was responsible for advising on all aspects of food preparation and presentation to bring to life the concepts of the menu based on Seth Reiss and Will Tracy’s screenplay.

Crenn is known for her creative approach to cooking

She has been working closely with Mark Mylod, the director and producers to ensure that the film accurately portrays the culinary world.

Her menu is inspired by her travels and experiences around the world

Crenn is known for her creative approach to cooking, and her menu is often inspired by her travels and experiences around the world. Dishes that Dominique Crenn designed as a consultant are presented with the slow-motion pomp and string accompaniment of a “Chef’s Table” episode. Indeed, the food-worshiping Netflix series, which featured Crenn in season two, was an inspiration for “The Menu”.

There is an incredible opportunity for an intimate group of like-minded travelers

There is an incredible opportunity for an intimate group of like-minded travelers to meet chef, icon and activist Dominique Crenn.

In collaboration with Satopia Travel, Crenn conjures up five magical days and evenings where creativity and nature converge. Our most inspired Hosted Experience is a wonder to behold for our guests. Combining the magnificent culinary delights of triple Michelin star chef Dominique Crenn with the stunning backdrop of an ancient French chateau is certain to ignite your palette and spirit.

Dominique Crenn brings her soul to the feast

Dominique Crenn brings her soul to the feast, transforming ingredients through the poetry of gastronomy. Those fortunate to share her table and her stories will discover a world of passion and gratitude for food, community and life. You’ll create and share unforgettable memories.

Ancient olive groves, crisp French linen, the vintages of Cognac and the sound of boisterous laughter under a starlit sky. Step into a magical world of natural beauty, wonder and awe.

Booking is now open. Book before the 1st of January to take advantage of the holiday rates before prices increase.

About Satopia Travel

Satopia Travel (www.satopiatravel.com) specializes in unique experiences, led by world-class hosts. Providing guests with unprecedented access to some of the most extraordinary people on the planet, Satopia hosts world-class leaders who champion the potential for the future of humanity, creating meaningful connections through shared experiences. Every hosted experience has an element of giving back, either to a local community, social or environmental cause close to their heart.

Website http://satopiatravel.com

Instagram www.instagram.com/satopiatravel

Wingstop To Open New Restaurant serving food and flavor in Allentown

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Wingstop To Open New Restaurant in Allentown

By Sasha Sinclair — 2 years ago

Wingstop To Open New Restaurant serving food and flavor in Allentown

Wingstop Restaurants Inc., the award-winning flavor concept with more than 1,850 locations globally, announced the opening of its newest restaurant in Allentown, PA, located at 1824 Airport Road.

The Wing Experts are now saucing-and-tossing signature flavors at 1824 Airport Road, Allentown, PA

After opening the Emmaus location last month, this will be the fourth Wingstop restaurant in the greater Lehigh Valley area.

Fourth Wingstop restaurant in the greater Lehigh Valley area

The restaurant will be owned and operated by Wingstop brand partner, Talon Restaurants, LLC, which has an area development agreement to open 15 restaurants over four years.

Talon Restaurants is locally owned and operated and is looking forward to serving the Wingstop flavor to communities throughout eastern and central Pennsylvania. The Airport Road location will open Nov. 30, with the Bethlehem Square location opening in the coming months.

“Wingstop aspires to be a Top 10 Global Restaurant Brand

and is expanding at a rapid pace, here in Emmaus

and across the globe,”

said a Wingstop spokesperson.

“We believe that everyone should have a chance to try our signature flavors that we believe put Wingstop in a category of one, and we’re excited to see Wingstop become a favorite, go-to spot for flavor in the community.”

The Wingstop menu features cooked-to-order classic and boneless chicken wings, crispy tenders and – launched most recently – the Wingstop Chicken Sandwich, all of which are cooked-to-order and handsauced and tossed in 12 bold and distinctive flavors.

Fan favorites included Mango Habanero, Lemon Pepper, Garlic Parmesan and Original Hot. Wingstop’s bold, distinct flavors pair well with a variety of house-made sides, including hand-cut, seasoned fries, and scratch-made ranch.

The new Wingstop is open daily from 11 a.m. – midnight, seven days a week. Guests can visit Wingstop.com or download the Wingstop app, to place their order for dine-in, carryout or delivery.

Bring Great Flavors to your Lehigh Valley Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough.

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Bring Great Flavors to your Lehigh Valley Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Bring Great Flavors to your Lehigh Valley Thanksgiving with Wine Ideas from Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough.

Thanksgiving is coming up fast, and you just have a few days left, do not panic just yet.

Most people are not “hosting” a Thanksgiving; instead, they are guests. Whether its family, friends, or you are the plus one, it is always better to make a good impression – and what better way than with an exceptional wine or two?

Wine can be inexpensive; our winemaker suggested a few wines between $15-$45.

Brian Cheeseborough has more than 20 vintages of wine experience and made 90+ point wines in 6 different regions worldwide (California, France, New Zealand, Argentina, and more). He is an expert at pairing flavors and (more importantly) how to fix sour or off flavors – think dry turkey. (yikes!)

Winemaker Brian Cheeseborough shares Delicious Wine Pairings for Your Thanksgiving Feast

Take it away, Brian!

Thanks for having me. I’m excited to share these ideas because there are two goals: if the food is incredible, we want a wine that matches it and makes it even better (think like a dancing partner), and secondly, if the food is not great, we want a way to elevate the experience and fix the mistake.

Wine can do that! Most of these wines are from vineyards I have worked with or fellow Fresno State alums, some of whom I sat in a lecture with about all things wine. Can’t find the exact bottle? There are numerous producers for these wines under $50 and some below $20 – follow the varietals.

So, let us get started.

Alexander Valley Vineyards – Gewürz, 2021 Mendocino County

This Gewürz can solve many problems. It is a great wine to start the night; It’s also great when you’re eating something dry or bland. Yes, it is on the sweeter side. The aromatics are floral, with enticing notes of apple, grapefruit, and citrus; the mouth is silky and rich. This will pair well with any course. I like it with turkey best!

Buy it here: AVV 2021 Gewürz – Organically Grown

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2021 Estate Chardonnay

Another great option to start the party. The nose is a fresh bouquet of apricot, lemon, lime, and honey. The mouth is rich and supple with flavors of golden apple, caramel, and vanilla, with a nice round, refreshing finish. You can easily pair this with rich seafood dishes like shrimp alfredo and crab-stuffed lobster tail. Also, creamy potatoes or spiced pumpkins. (If you end up with pumpkin or squash on your plate and try a glass of this, you will thank me later.)

Buy it here: Willamette Valley Vineyards – Estate Chardonnay

Pine Ridge Vineyards 2021 Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend

One more light suggestion to start off your feast! This is crisp, bright, and full of life. The nose is a bouquet of honeysuckle, and orange blossoms, with a twist of ginger spice. The mouth is full-bodied with refreshing acidity. Flavors of tangerine, lime, and green apple. It’ll pair great with a light salad, goat cheese, and olives.

Buy it here: Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend – Pine Ridge Vineyards

Now, let us go to the Reds!

Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta 2019

It has a gorgeous fruit-driven nose with aromas of red fruit, cherry, and plum. The mouth is sleek and silky, medium body with flavors of black currant and blueberry, with lush and velvety tannins. It would pair well with turkey, venison with traditional gravy, or cranberry.

Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta 2019

Buy it here: Abacela Tempranillo Fiesta

Dutton-Goldfield’s 2020 Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir

The nose starts telling you this is something extra special; classic rich blackberry, pomegranate, and a touch of vanilla to round out the aromas. The mouth is super juicy and decadent, full of bright red cherry and cola with a baking spice finish. You want this with your main entree – turkey, ham, and stuffing. The people at your party drinking this will be glancing at each other, smiling between bites – they will know why!

Buy it here: Mendocino Hills Pinot Noir

Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River – 2019

On the nose, red fruit notes with cherry and plum. On the mouth, medium body with moderate oak, black currant, and blueberry, with delicate tannins. This pairs well with lean meat.

Buy it here: Porter Creek, Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River

The critical thing to remember is that regardless of your budget, you can find a great flavor to pair with what you are eating. Also, the wine can “save” the day, just in case it ends up a little (or a lot) dry or bland. You are not the chef du jour for Thanksgiving, but you can still contribute to the sharing.

Brian Cheeseborough is currently the Director of Winemaking at FermForge in West Texas.

Bookstore Speakeasy brings memorable style and flavor to Bethlehem’s bar scene.

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Bookstore Speakeasy Brings Memorable Style and Flavor to Bethlehem’s Bar Scene

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Bookstore Speakeasy brings memorable style and flavor to Bethlehem’s bar scene.

As the name suggests, Bookstore Speakeasy brings us back to the Prohibition era speakeasy times. The owners and staff work hard to recreate the look and style of the area and deliver incredible tastes.

According to their website, reservations are suggestions. They’re being modest.

Reservations are pretty much mandatory unless you want to wait over an hour. So, make a reservation. It’s worth it.

Also, since this is a “specialty” restaurant, please check out my tips at the bottom of the article.

You enter through a non-descript door on a plain-looking street. At first, I didn’t think I was at the right place. And, of course, this is all planned on-purpose to match the business’s theme.

Bookstore Speakeasy’s lobby

You walk down the steps into a different world.

The world of a prohibition-style speakeasy. The owners have done a thorough and detailed job on design and it pays off.

Bookstore Speakeasy’s specialty drink list

In the lobby you wait with other guests until you’re called by the hostess, and then your full party enters yet another world: the bar / seating area. It’s even more dense with speakeasy design.

Cuisine

The drinks are excellent. The food is excellent.

They have a full bar, but also offer custom drink specials.

Bookstore Speakeasy’s bar

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Their drinks aren’t traditionally straight forward. Rather, they’re almond infused, maple-infused, etc. Everything I tasted was “a little bit different” than what I expected.

I could see some people loving that detail. I could see others being very frustrated. The barstaff doesn’t want you to be frustrated, so ask questions.

Once I started asking more and more questions, the bartender (Ry) was very helpful and friendly. He ended up pouring me several small samples until I could figure out what I’d like.

The food was plentiful and outstanding. If you’re a foodie, it’s worth a visit for the food alone.

Ambiance

You’re there for the vibe and it pays off immediately and consistently.

The scene is locally award-winning and very well-crafted.

A mostly-finished Old-Fashioned with 2 samples

I would’ve expected dates, seduction and romance. To me, the vibe was swanky, lounge-y romantic. (maybe that says more about me).

Inside, there was a college-aged date at the bar, a Moms Night Out at one table and older couples (55+) at two other tables. A private group party cozied off in a secluded corner.

Made it hard to figure out the bar’s demographic as tonight’s crowd was very mixed. However it felt like a local hang, as “Lehigh” and “Moravian Academy” were both overhead several times.

For me, I’d travel from well outside the area to have this experience.

There is a corner of the room for a live band and supposedly there’s live music most nights. The overall area seemed too small for that, like the sound would dominate everything.

If you’re a live music lover, maybe that’s great news. Out for dinner, drinks and conversation, maybe that’s not great news.

Service

So here’s where I messed up. It’s not really a “walk-in and grab a quick drink” bar. You really want to make reservations ahead of time. This is “suggested” on their website, but it should be required.

The bar seems to be maintained at a quarter full. The restaurant is steady at ⅔ full.

So, I received rushed service. The hostess worked to squeeze me into their packed schedule. Once seated, the bartender was very helpful. I had a quick drink and a bite and moved on quickly enough to fit their next scheduled seating after me.

Hospitality

All in all, it reminds me of a mini-version Los Angeles’ Magic Castle. At the Castle their rules are very straightforward, respected, must be followed, and the venue is a better place as a result. If anyone asked my opinion, I’d suggest the Bookstore lean more into “rules”.

Bookstore Speakeasy can easily be a special night worthy of driving from anywhere in Eastern PA (roughly 30-45 mins). I’d go back again, but this time I know the rules.

Tips:

Make a reservation
Walk in with an adventurous palette
Sit down expecting to spend some money. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.
Know there’s an automatic 25% gratuity added to your bill. Order accordingly.
Ask the bartenders and waiters questions. Have fun with the experience.

Bookstore Speakeasy is delicious, memorable and helpful.

For more info and to make a reservation: https://www.bookstorespeakeasy.com/

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Youell’s Oyster House is the Lehigh Valley’s Answer to ‘Sea to Table’ Seafood

By Joe Wehinger — 2 years ago

Youell’s Oyster House is the Lehigh Valley’s answer to seafood.

Youell’s Oyster House is hidden in a cozy neighborhood of Allentown, PA within minutes of the Allentown Fairgrounds, Muhlenberg College and Cedar Crest College. About twenty minutes from the PPL center.

Youell’s Oyster House has History

Part of Pennsylvania history, originally opened in 1895. Then Gus Filipos, a longtime patron of Youell’s, bought the business in 1984 and his son Chris joined in 1987.

Youells-Oyster-house

Over the years they earned a reputation for excellent food. Their oysters, their Certified Black Angus beef. Their wine and craft beer selections.

And very fresh seafood.

According to their website the scallops (and presumably most of their seafood) is caught less than 12 hours before being served on your plate.

Pretty good.

The motto they repeat throughout their website is:

“Upscale dining

in a relaxed atmosphere.”

I was told a few times during a recent East Coast visit, that Youell’s has the best seafood in the Lehigh Valley, so I planned to try them out.