A Few of My Favorite Things

One sure way to get me out of a funk is to have me talk about food! Thanks to M over at Smoke and Mirrors who tagged me for this meme about food. And after reading his blog about all the fantastic places he lives close to including those places in Hyannis on the Cape....I'm so totally jealous!!! His daughter an I apparently have the same taste in food. She's a Moe's kinda girl and so am I! I love that place, but it's not on my list!

Here’s how it goes; I list 5 of my favorite area restaurants and I'll be nice and won't tag anyone, but if you want to, have at it!! This is one serious meme. The best local places to eat recommended by the local people that have actually eaten the food there. It just doesn’t get any better than that, does it?



El Rodeo This place has the best darned food in town. They're all over the central PA area, though I'm not a huge fan of chain restaurants, but this one certainly gets my vote. The food is inexpensive, and they have a huge selection including many vegetarian choices. The margarita's are pretty good, the wait staff are true blue Mexicano's and just about every month there is a mariachi band on site. When you first arrive, you get a big basket of homemade corn chips and a bowl of homemade salsa. I know it's homemade because it tastes different every time you eat there. Sometimes it'll set your mouth on fire! The guacamole is also homemade and there's nothing like the real thing. That grocery store variety is for the birds!


Paxtang Grill This place has been in business for over 40 years. It is small, unassuming with great crab cakes and drink specials every night. You can get a prime rib dinner for $12.99 or a NY Strip for next to nothing. They have a full "tini" menu for those martini snobs in the crowd. There's not a lot of atmosphere but the food is great. Nick is in the kitchen, girls, he's tall and lanky and kinda looks like a Greek God. It's all worth it!!

Sandwich Man This is the place I worked at over the summer last year and claimed it to having the best Reuben this side of NYC!!! You cannot beat the sandwiches here. Take for instance their "Visions of Utopia"...it's rye bread, lettuce, turkey, bacon, another layer of rye bread, tomato, roast beef, american cheese, onion, another layer of rye bread, corned beef, swiss cheese, and another layer of rye bread. Or, you could try the "Salad Split Sub" which is lettuce, chicken salad, american cheese, tomato, egg salad, provolone, tuna salad, onion, potato salad, and pickle wedges. DEAR GAWD!!!

The Warwick Hotel It is truly a hotel nestled between Harrisburg and Hershey in a little town called Hummelstown. The thing I like best, is that every salad you can get with eitherportobello mushrooms, steak, chicken or shrimp. There is their cajun salad, or the salad with apples or pears with glazed walnuts. YUM!!! You can get a dinner or sandwich whatever you want in a great homey atmosphere.

Ceoltas This is not your run of the mill Irish pub. Located in downtown Harrisburg, you can find fresh salads or fish and chips. There is often live Irish music on any day of the week, sometimes with local firefighters behind the bar serving drinks in KILTS! Hello LADIES!!!!! They have the best "black velvets" in town which for this place is a Guiness and cider layered in a pint glass. You meet the most interesting people here with authentic Irish bartenders serving you a pint! "'Bhí an-chraic againn."

And even though I'm not 'supposed to, I'm including a sixth....Neato Burrito. This place serves mission style burritos that could bust the gut on the most hearty of appetites. They have vegetarian and meat-aterian delights. Three different kinds of rice and salsas, if you cannot find somthing you like here, there's something wrong.

And o.k. just one more, because I cannot resist....Isaac's. Their broccoli and tortolini salads are to die for and they have a sandwich called the Tufted Tit Mouse...any questions???