Delaware and Lehigh Valley Restaurants

These are some of our favorites in the region for food, cocktails and snacks.

Indian Rock Inn *****
2206 River Road, Pennsylvania Route 32
Upper Black Eddy
Bucks County, Pennsylvania 18972
Phone: (610) 982-9600 ~ Fax: (610) 982 9629 ~ Toll Free: 877-888-7555

Restaurant Review With Lori Dalrymple From The Irregular, Easton PA, July 2004

"More than just a great meal"

    On a recent summer-like Thursday evening, I had the utmost pleasure of dining at the Indian Rock Inn. My traveling companion for the evening was my lovely mother, Nancy. Located just 12 miles south of Easton on Route 32 in Upper Black Eddy, the ride down was enjoyable. The pace was calm as spring wildflowers filled the warm evening air. I felt like I was traveling back in time down the dirt road that lies under the asphalt—back to the early 1800s when the Indian Rock Inn was born. The tavern of the inn was actually erected atop a strongwalled tank, built into the mountain by the Lenni Lenape Indians to hold fish brought up from the river. Raft pilots stopped, stagecoach passengers were let out and the men who toiled and built the canal all refreshed themselves and relaxed on the banks of the river at this spot.

    The Indian Rock is truly a breathtaking property. Built against a rock-wall palisade, the view across the road is incredible. A footbridge takes you over the canal to the majestic Delaware River. Even though the night felt like summer, the air hung heavy with the fragrance of spring as we headed back across the bridge for dinner.

    Owner Tom Schweder greeted us at the entrance and took us to our table, where we could see both bodies of water and a family of geese preening across the way. We ordered two refreshing herbal iced teas, were served warm and crusty Portuguese rolls (my favorite) with lots of butter. Tearing my eyes from the water, I realized we were surrounded by a gallery of watercolors. The works of two local female artists, the paintings are available for sale.

    Back to the mouthwatering choices on the dinner menu…We planned our attack. I ordered the French Onion Soup, Boulder Style (with bleu and provolone cheeses). Mom ordered the soup du jour, a Cream of Mushroom. What a start…the soups were fabulous. It was the best Boulder I’ve ever had, and the Mushroom Soup was bursting with flavor. I later asked Chef Val Roy Gerischer what type of mushrooms he uses and, with a smile, he replied, “porcini, cepes and black trumpet.” So alive and natural!

    Moving on to our salads, Mom ordered a crisp bleu Caesar and I, the Strawberry Spinach Salad served with bleu cheese, toasted pecans and drizzled balsamic vinaigrette. We began to exchange plates. With growing anticipation, we ordered a few appetizers and again we were delighted. The Stuffed Mushrooms are available with crabmeat or with leeks and bleu cheese. Since we were on a bleu cheese roll, we sampled the latter. The marriage of the leeks and bleu was very good. We also devoured the Asparagus Pastry, which was a puff pastry filled with asparagus, fresh goat cheese and pesto. Yum! Mussels, escargot, quail, shrimp or scallops were some of the other appetizer choices.

    With 14 enticing entrees to choose from, we decided to sample three and asked if the chef could prepare smaller portions. Our very attentive waiter, Gary, said that he could. Truly torn, we chose Florentine Chicken Rolatini, Veal Piccata and Sea Scallops en Papillote. While anxiously awaiting the continuance of our great meal, I perused the artwork and walked into the next dining room. Breathtaking views behind a glass wall make you feel like you are dining in nature. As well, there were a few folks dining al fresco on the porch.

    Our dinner was served and our eyes felt much larger than our stomachs. To our surprise, the chef prepared full portions of the entrees we had chosen! The presentation was beautiful. The veal consisted of two large pieces, finished in white wine, lemon and capers and served with mashed potatoes and zucchini. The sea scallops were magnificent and light, steamed with asparagus, garlic saffron rice and zucchini. I must say the yellow and green zucchini was my first of the season and tasted fresh picked—delish! Our third choice, and Mom’s favorite, was the Chicken Rolatini—rolled chicken filled with prosciutto, spinach and tiger shrimp, served over a bed of tricolored pasta. The dish was drizzled with a red beet mayonnaise puree that not only highlighted the chicken, but also delighted the eyes with a beautiful fuchsia color!

    How would we ever find room for dessert? We did! To share, we ordered the Mississippi Mud Pie Crème Brûlée and a sample of Chef Val’s homemade ice cream. The crème brûlée was divine. Smashing through the top into marshmallow and chocolate custard laced with Kahlua was heavenly. (I love chocolate.) The ice cream, honey almond, lime and fresh raspberry, were clean and fresh and simply delectable. From out of nowhere appeared a slice of chocolate ganache tart, and that was beyond words. All desserts are made inhouse, and were a grand finale to a perfect evening for the senses.

    Finally, Tom’s lovely wife, Beverly, arrived and you could see the lobe and pride the couple has for the property. Beverly informed me that the inn also boasts six rooms to let and gave me a tour of a few rooms. Being a former innkeeper in New England, I must say I was mesmerized by the incredible water views from the rooms, which were furnished with local antiques, fitted with private baths, clean and simple, yet elegant.

    I was also blown away when Tom informed me that they were kid and pet friendly. In today’s B & B environ, children under 12 years are not usually welcome and only a few inns around the country allow pets.

    They have three pet-friendly rooms, and soon I met the reason why. The true “innkeepers”—Itchy and Ruby—are two adorable dachshunds that pretty much rule the inn. They convinced Tom and Beverly to invite all their Del Val dog club friends over for a dachshund picnic, scheduled for June 12 at the inn. They also convinced them to name the tavern the “Barking Dog Saloon,” although I didn’t hear Itchy and Ruby make even a sound while I was visiting.

    The inn offers live music on weekends, romantic getaway packages and facilities for private parties and banquets, the Open for lunch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the inn serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday. There is also a light-fare menu available.

    A lovely location, two bodies of water, two proud owners, a happy chef, Indian lore, kids and animals… a perfect recipe for a winning combination and a destination point I plan to visit many times. I could sure go for a bowl of onion soup right now!

To reach the Indian Rock Inn, call (610) 982-9600, or visit www.indianrockinn.com.

Lunch: Saturday + Sunday
Dinner: Wednesday - Sunday

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The Cafe at Rosemont *****
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Routes 509 and 613
Rosemont, NJ 08556
(609) 397-4097

Located in a tiny old farming community in rural New Jersey, the Cafe is worth the drive. No restaurant compares to this jewel of Central NJ. Few places in the nation can. The Cafe is an original. From the outside and once you walk in, you'll get the feeling of an old country store.

The menu and the food are in stark contrast to the homey environment. You'll find Vegetarian Entrees as well as fusion influenced offerings. The owner, and the staff are knowledgable and well traveled. Once a week, the restaurant travels to a different country with it's "Eat Globally" Dinner. You are welcome to travel with them!!!

Our favorite manner to "Do the Cafe", is to take a leasurely breakfast or lunch, meet with friends, and inspect the monthly featured artshow of local artist's offerings.

The Restaurant is BYOB, and reservations are suggested. Visit them online by clicking on their name above.

Located an hour Southeast of Easton in gorgeous Hunterdon County, NJ.

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Porcini *****
Lunch, Dinner
2048 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 751-1175

Hard to find, Hard to get to, Hard to beat. Porcini makes Italian Food that will make you come back again and again and again. Owned and run by two brothers, we always feel like family here. Porcini is the size of a postage stamp with tables crammed in tightly and it is always full at dinner with a line of hungry locals and "tourists who know" waiting to get in.

This is smart, clean, scrumptious food.

The Restaurant is BYOB, and reservations are highly suggested.

Located an hour and a half South of Easton in the heart of Philadelphia.

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If you are planning a Northeastern United States antiquing trip, a getaway weekend escape from New York City or Philadelphia, A Crayola Factory tour, or a visit to the State Theatre, stop in and see us. To see more of what downtown Easton has to offer, just click on "Shop + Dine" below.

  Antique Shopping in Easton with a list of other dealers in town you should visit
  Antique Shopping in the Region (Some of stores you cant miss while you are here)
  Antique Shopping in the U.S. (Searching for those hard to find items on your list)
  Artists, Art Galleries and Resources in Easton (Our town in full of venues for the visual arts)
  Artists, Art Galleries and Resources in the Region (Delaware Valley and Lehigh Valley areas)
  Artists, Art Galleries and Resources in the U.S. (Online and Offline)
  Home Decor Resources in the Region (Interior Designers and Decorators and Sources)
  Shops You Can't Miss!!! (A personal list of our favorites in the area)
  Dining in Easton with a complete directory restaurant reviews and ratings
  Dining in the Region with a complete directory restaurant reviews and ratings