20120320

Bullfrog Brewery-Williamsport, PA


Let me start by saying that I love brewpubs.  Brewpubs are awesome, the beer is incredible, the food is incredible.  Even if you don't drink, you should try a brewpub for the food.  Every one I have been to has been excellent, and they all have been different.  The Bullfrog Brewpub in Williamsport was no exception.  They have a great collection of beers and some excellent food.  Most of the meat comes from a sustainable co-op in Troy, PA, and they source everything as locally as possible.  

There were many choices to be made with the Reuben at the Bullfrog, turkey, pastrami or tempeh (a variety of that which is not meat)  There was also a choice between coleslaw and sauerkraut.  I went the traditional route with pastrami and sauerkraut.  My side of choice was garlic fries.  

I was rather surprised to see the dressing on the side and once again a marble rye.  The contents of the sandwich were a bit wet which caused the bread to start to get soggy but on the whole it was well grilled and crisp.

The pastrami on it was incredible.  It had a great flavor.  It tasted like meat should taste.  It was salty, peppered, and mildly smokey.  If the pastrami was great, the sauerkraut really raised the bar.  It was a peppered kraut rich in flavor and texture.  It blended well with everything else and added a sharpness which I didn't realize I wanted until I had it.  

The sandwich came together and was one of the best ones that I have had.

Rating 4.5 of 5.
A sample of the beers available.

20120316

Arby's - Reedsville, PA

Need a Reuban... Not!

Recently, Arby's commercials have been promoting their reuben and their "super-reuben" a reuben/rachel hybrid.  For the uninitiated a rachel is a turkey reuben.  Reedsville is outside of my normal stomping grounds but the local Arby's has been closed due to a tendency for people to confuse the dining room with a drive through.  This is my second attempt to hit a non local Arby's.  The first ended in frustration when I attempted to visit one that closed at 9 pm.  "Needing a Reuben Now" must not occur after 9 pm in Bradford, PA.

I visited the Reedsville Arby's at about 8 pm and found it reasonably active.  I ordered the reuben with a side of curly fries and a drink.  The reuben came wrapped in paper.  The bread was stale and dry.  It might have been toasted but it didn't seem to be.  The surface of the bread had an odd flat texture, almost polished.  In addition the bread was bland, chewy and stale.  The pastrami had flavor like it had been boiled for a while or perhaps microwaved.  The dressing was watery and the cheese was practically non existent.  Yes, this was a reuben and perhaps it would satisfy a craving if there was nothing better available.

The only thing that saved me from great disappointment was low expectations.


Rating: 1 out of 5.

20120310

Garfield's Pub - State College, PA


Garfield's Pub, a national chain of casual dining restaurants.  Kitsch on the walls, uninspired food, and frou-frou drinks.  One of a dozen chains that are almost indistinguishable.  This one is in the Nittany Mall in State College, Pennsylvania.  I ordered the reuben with a side of beer battered onion rings and the featured beer, a vanilla porter (as opposed to a chocolate one?).

The bread was dry.  Not just not soggy, but actively dry.  It was like it was thrown on the grill without oil or butter.  Once again it was a rye pumpernickel swirl, a fine bread on its own but not aggressive enough.  The corned beef was thinly sliced and well stacked.  The sauerkraut was okay.  The Swiss cheese was excellent. It was melted and tangy and was probably the best part of sandwich.  On the whole it wasn't bad.  3.5 of 5.

As for the beer, it was okay, a bit hoppier than I like with a hint of vanilla.  The beer battered onion rings were mediocre.  They were battered in what is essentially catfish batter; a lot of corn meal, not much beer flavor and far more batter than onion, and only 3 rings for an upcharged side.