Dining in Newport, Kentucky – Hofbräuhaus

by Adrienne Wilson on

Once word gets out that I blog for a travel website people expect me to know all of thousand of the  Philippines islands by name, the capital city of Nauru (there isn’t one) or the ingredients of that strange gelatin found in a lot of European fare. Well let it be known it’s a pretty big world out there and a lot of information for one person to store, but I do my best to grab the bull by the horns when presented with a new and foreign opportunity. Such was the case when I stepped into a world of German cuisine at the Hofbräuhaus. I was nothing more than a tenderfoot. My taste buds long deprived from the splendors found in Bavarian dishes wanted more and my belly just felt as if it would pop. Wait, I just realized I’m getting far ahead of things here. I haven’t told you what I ordered.

When I stepped into the Newport, Kentucky’s Hofbräuhaus I hadn’t a clue what to expect. I was told there would be chicken dancing which semi-frightened me and my companions were all aghast that I had come so far in life without tasting good German food. I knew then I would have to do everything the German way that night – even beer which I usually don’t let pass my lips ever. When we started with beverage orders I requested the lightest brew possible and the smallest serving. I continued gazing over the menu lost and confused. What should I order? I saw a chicken sandwich on the menu, but common sense told me that certainly wasn’t German food. There was Schnitzel, Leberkäse, Bierwurst, Bratwurst, Grillwurst and Kasseler Rippchen. From what I could gather it was a lot of sausage and a lot of potatoes. I was clueless. Luckily 7 of the 12 of us dining that evening were real experts at this and had even dined at the original Hofbräuhaus in Munich.

They pointed me to the Sauerbraten – a roasted round of delicious marinated beef accompanied by red apple kraut, mashed potatoes and broccoli. I was humming with joy, but I still had to wait for my dish. In the meantime one of my pals ordered several appetizers for all the tenderfeet in the group to gain a full scale of what the cuisine is like. We sampled Fritierte Gurken (German fried pickles), Sauerkraut balls and something that reminded me of the cheesy goldfish snacks except they were kind of doughy and less cheesy. Before I could question my excuse for not having had so much of these scrumptious treats in the past my Saurbraten found its way into the center of my being. I dug in.

Oh, time for the chicken dance! I abandoned my seat and meal to take part in the chicken dancing business. I stretched my wings up high, flapped them around and wiggled down with the best of them until the live band started speeding things up. My rhythm got lost in laughter and I was having a ball of a time. Once dancing time was up I retreated from the dance floor back to the dinner table. The brief bit of dancing gave me enough energy to plough through the rest of my plate. As I cleaned up house my group smiled and cheered me on! I was a newbie no more.

The Hofbräuhaus is located in Northern Kentucky on the southern side of Cincinnati at 3rd & Saratoga at the Levee, Newport, KY 41071. Ph. 859.491.7200. Open daily from 11:00 A.M. Most dishes range from the $10-$30 price range. Excellent and friendly wait staff.

Word for the Travel Wise (05/17/06)

by Adrienne Wilson on

After my first experience at a Tibetan restaurant I figured I’d share some of the delicious vocabulary I plucked off the menu for today’s lovely lingo lesson. Since most of the items were names of dishes I won’t bother throwing them out there, but here’s one you can surely use in Tibet beyond meal times.

Today’s word is a Tibetan word used in Tibet:

Tashi delek – Welcome

Tibet is the type of place I’ve always heard tons of hoopla about, but never truly took the time to figure out what all the rage is about. I’ve already got a lot on my plate and I’m not talking about the veggie-style tsel thupek I had for dinner. Without going into politics I’ll pass on what I’ve found in regards to the language here and some cool notes to note on the country name itself.

According to the Wikipedia the English word for Tibet is derived from the Turkic word Töbän meaning “the heights.” The Sanskrit name for Tibet is Trivishtap and Tibetans call their homeland Bod, pronounced pö in Lhasa dialect. To learn more about the Tibetan language visit Tibet.com where you can find an audio guide, exhibition of Tibetan calligraphy, places to study and various other links. Your most extensive source for information on the web is probably going to be the Tibetan Language Institute site, which you’ll want to check out for yourself if genuinely interested in learning further.

Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord, Lancaster, PA

by Adrienne Wilson on

When taking a trip through Pennsylvania’s Dutch and Amish country lands make sure you step into the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord. I was on the hunt for some hard-core Amish style food to take down when I, myself stumbled into this off-road dining destination. Best for families and close friends looking to fuel up before heading deeper into the land before time, Bird-in-Hand offers all the traditional-style, comfort fare one could ever dream up. Think fried chicken, ham balls, baked fish, sauerkraut, shepherds pie and much more. Take advantage of the reasonably priced breakfast ($6.99), lunch ($9.79 weekdays / $12.99 Saturdays) and dinner smorgasbord ($13.99 M-Thurs / $15.99 Fri-Sat).

The atmosphere is comfy and casual and very much down home. You can count on everyone from the hostess to the wait staff to be overly accommodating and happy to continue the ways of the Smucker family tradition.

Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant is located at 2727 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, PA 17505. Phone: 800.665.8780. Web: www.bird-in-hand.com

Casanova's Pizzeria – Oakford, PA

by Adrienne Wilson on

If you’re searching for the best breakfast in all
of Oakford, Pennsylvania and want your two eggs scrambled hard with a side of mystery meat you can find that and more
at Casanova’s Pizzeria. Honestly, I never would have thought to give a pizzeria the time of day for breakfast, yet the
sign boasted the best fare in the neighborhood so it was worth giving it a shot. Not a single space could be found in
the entire parking lot and the place was jam packed inside, which made making the decision a hundred times easier. No
questions asked.

Casanova’s is a cozy casual family-style restaurant where everyone seems to know one
another and the wait staff even feels like close relatives. Established in 1980 the interior is small and decorated
with simple wall hangings of vintage Coca-Cola ads and the windows out looking the road, a combination of regular glass
and stained glass. The atmosphere is warm and the plates even warmer. Try the peanut butter pancakes should your
taste-buds desire something sweet or feast on a huge omelet and home fries covered in onions. If you’re bold and brave
take a stab at some  mouth-watering ‘scrapple’. Ask
the waitress what it is and she’ll tell you most people don’t want to know. Ask her if she likes it and she’ll tell you
with ketchup. Ask me what I think and I’ll tell you the same and only add that it’s a different type of delicious. (To
give you an idea it is pork, cornmeal, more pork scraps, other meat scraps, and Lord knows what else.)

Though the breakfast dishes are large, your bill should remain small in comparison. Casanova’s is easy on the pockets
for certain with most plates ranging in the $5-$8 area. If there’s any confusion in the name let it be known the sign
outside reads Casanova’s Pizzeria and the menu inside says Casanova’s Kitchen. The restaurant is located at
4944 Bristol Road, Oakford, PA. Make a mental note to carry cash since they do not accept checks or
credit cards of any fashion. To phone your order in dial (215) 322-0225.