2015 Year in Review

Lehigh Valley & Beyond, 
You've provided many delicious meals, enjoyable moments and satisfying options for all of us in 2015.  Evans' Eats wants to take some time recognize a few of them.  This list is not exhaustive of every food genre, but rather gives some recommendable highlights from our longtime and recent dining experience:

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern:  Damascus Restaurant (Allentown, PA)
Best Mexican:  Fiesta Habanero  (Quakertown, PA)
Best Burrito:  Cali Burrito (Allentown, PA)
Best Sushi:  The Other Fish (Bethlehem, PA)
Best Appetizer:  Karisik Meze at Aci Halal (Allentown, PA)
Best Breakfast Spot:  Blue Sky Cafe (Bethlehem, PA)
Best Sandwich:  Now That's Italian (Coopersburg, PA)
Best Dessert:  Baklava, Anatolian Kitchen (Bethlehem, PA)
Best Ice Cream:  The Inside Scoop (Coopersburg, PA)
Best Deal:  Prince Palace Dumpling House (Bethlehem, PA)
Best Night Out:  Aladdin (Allentown, PA)
New & Noteworthy: Tony's Pizza, especially the cheese steaks & calzones (Coopersburg, PA)
Thankful Addition to the LV & B: Penn State Creamery ice cream at The Shoppe at Hotel Bethlehem  (Bethlehem, PA)
 


 

Anatolian Kitchen: Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine

Anatolian Kitchen
3016 Linden Street 
Bethlehem, PA
610-419-8204
Hours: M-Sun
Spoon Rate:  

We entered a cozy environment, every table filled with friends and family sharing appetizers and appetizing-looking entrees.  The hardworking, friendly servers greeted us and I was optimistic to have a satisfying experience.  The Lehigh Valley is blessed with a wide variety of restaurants serving variations of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cuisine.  Anatolian Kitchen, describing themselves as serving Turkish/Mediterranean fare,  is another to add to the list, and an asset to Bethlehem's restaurant selection, just a few miles outside of Main Street shopping/dining district.

Our accompanying friends have recently become regulars, and recommended we start with Karisik Meze Tabagi, a mix of all their appetizers (small, $9, large, $16).   Perfect for sharing, flavor and variety, it includes a variety of spreads, such as hummus, baba ganoush, an eggplant salad, stuffed grape leaves, and more, served with fresh warm bread.

We chose a variety of their classic entrees, including lamb kebabs ($13,95), chicken kababs ($11.95), manti (traditional Turkish dumplings, $10.95), & kibbee.  We enjoyed sharing the generous, delicious and continually flavorable portions.  

Our meal was completed with turkish coffee served in a classy, special cup.   We chose three classic desserts, including baklava and kunefe (also spelled kanafeh, a pastry that includes a sweet cheese.)  Most noteworthy is the baklava.  The first bite caused me to pause and say "Wow.  I think this is the best baklava I have ever eaten."  This sounded dramatic, I needed to confirm with the second bite, and it proved to be just as extraordinary as it melted in my mouth.  The others tried and each of us had similar reactions.  It's true.  There is something special about the baklava--don't miss it.

 Anatolian Kitchen is the kind of place you can easily revisit and want to bring your friends and family.  It's casual but classy, warm, comfortable and the food is extremely satisfying. 

 

Vassi's Drive-in

Vassi's Drive-in
1666 Main St.
Hellertown, PA 18055
610/838/1877
Hours: M-Sun 11a-9p
Evans' Eats Spoon Rate: 
 

 Summertime is ideal for simple, outdoor eating.  We started our season of alfresco dining by finally visiting Hellertown's historic, well-known and loved, Vassi's Drive-in.   Easily accessible to Route 78 and nearby the popular Saucon Rail Trail, Vassi's is a delightful stop for summer sojourners.  For "hole-in-the-wall" alfresco lovers, it has an attractive front which features a walk-up and order ice cream counter.
    

The menu offers a simple classic sampling of classic family-friendly favorites including burgers, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches and a variety of sides and appetizers.  We highly recommend their New York gyro ($8.65) as a flavorful, satisfying treat.  We also sampled the buffalo chicken cheesesteak ($6.70), a solid option, but it did not top their locally well-known gyro.

For those who are interested in a sweet ending, Vassi's offers soft and hard ice cream, sundaes, milk shakes and banana splits.  

Outdoor eating does provide a view of current roadwork, so it requires some flexibility.  An indoor dining room is also available for a more quiet experience.   This summer keep it outdoor, simple, family friendly and inexpensive.

 

  

Smokin' Bull Shack BBQ

Smokin' Bull Shack BBQ Truck
Inside Scoop Parking Lot
301 N. 3rd St (Route 309)
Coopersburg, PA  18036
Wed-Sun  11a-8p


It's the time of year to maximize outdoor dining.  The next few posts will feature some gems in the Lehigh Valley--that may be easily overlooked but are sure to provide enjoyable, family-friendly outdoor eating experiences.   I'm thrilled to begin by announcing a new resident to our very own hometown of Coopersburg.  Yesterday I did a surprised and please doubletake as I drove by our favorite ice cream spot, The Inside Scoop.   There was a food truck.  In our town.  And it featured BBQ.    I immediately contacted my husband and he confirmed he had also seen it.  I was thrilled.  Today was a beautiful day to stop by to try out our new neighbor.  

Having relatives who live in Texas, we've grown a strong appreciation for Texas BBQ and we are always watching and eager to find local BBQ restaurant, as seen from our previously featured BBQ month. With the trendy food truck phase in most urban settings, it is thrilling to see one find home in our small town.  An ideal location on busy Route 309, it can easily serve families and fans at the Southern Lehigh Living Memorial Park during football or baseball season.  It is in close proximity to the Southern Lehigh Pool and it shares a parking lot with the famous, Inside Scoop, providing a perfect compliment before your sweet treat.  My hope is that this town will rise to the challenge, not only to show hospitality, but keep this food truck in business so it finds a permanent home.

The owners are from the Lehigh Valley, providing catering services and attending other local events.  Since they have only been open 2 days, their menu was simple.   Though the truck advertised poboys, which immediately piqued our interest, they were not yet being served.  The simple menu included a classic pulled pork sandwich ($7), jerk chicken roll ($6), a prime rib sandwich ($12), and hot dogs ($2.50).  Somehow we missed ribs ($12) on the menu, which gives us a definite need to return.  Sides included fries, nachos and an intriguing deep fried mac and cheese ($5). 
We settled on the pulled pork sandwich and jerk chicken roll.  Pulled pork sandwich had the undeniable smoky flavor, a sturdy and ideal roll and was topped with cole slaw. The jerk chicken roll was flavorful and also topped with slaw.  (It comes with a wasabi slaw--sounds amazing, but my cautious husband chose traditional slaw.  I recommend the wasabi slaw--Why not?  And I'm sure it had the feisty kick this sandwich was  missing.)
The truck is pristine and attractive, outdoor setting provides a peaceful eating environment and Texas BBQ in Coopersburg?  Out of a truck?  If either of these things sounds unappetizing or too far out of your comfort zone--take the challenge.  Get on the latest food trend and visit a food truck in our backyard.  And take a break from your traditional local lunch or dinner spot and enjoy some southern cuisine. 

Sindbad Mediterranean Cuisine

Sindbad Mediterranean Cuisine

426 N. 7^th Street

Allentown, PA 18102

610-351-3789

Hours: M-Closed; T-Th 10a-8p; Fri-Sat 10a-10p; Sun 11a-7p

Spoon Rate: 

Ready to try something new, we visited www.restaurant.com to take advantage of a gift certificate.  We stumbled upon Sindbad, a restaurant in Allentown that was unfamiliar to us.  Given our love for Mediterranean cuisine, we are always ready to find a new spot in the Lehigh Valley, amidst the many other restaurants that we have grown to love.

In the heart of Allentown, Sindbad is located on N. 7^th Street, home of some other restaurants.  We passed Winston’s, a Jamaican restaurant previously visited and enjoyed by Evans’ Eats, and Mariam’s, on the list of places to review.  Do not be deceived--the Lehigh Valley is full of viable choices for ethnic eating!  On a cold winter night, Sindbad looked intriguing and inviting, with its warm lighting, classy sign and ornate foyer.  As we were greeted by the owner and his father, who prepared our meals, we learned they designed and completed this tiled entrance and all aesthetics of this small, but clean and classy establishment.  Open since August, 2014, Sindbad serves mostly take-out customers, but two tables are available for those who want to dine-in to enjoy the full, hospitable experience.

We ordered cauliflower as an appetizer.  It was delicious, perfectly sautéed and seasoned, with a lemony flavor. For our entrees, we chose a beef shawarma combo ($9.45, includes beverage and hummus or fries) and falafel combo ($9.00). Both were fresh and extraordinary in quality.  The side of hummus and pita was an appreciated side, and its generous portion provided leftovers to take home.

We ended our meal with fresh, authentic Arabic coffee and slices of namoura (cake), a perfect ending to this memorable, satisfying meal.  The friendly, caring hospitality of the owner and his father enhanced the experience.  Their excellence in making everything fresh and using local products show the quality of their work and cuisine that we can easily recommend.  We look forward to returning to try their baba ghanouj, tabbouli and kibbi, along with taking advantage of their outdoor seating in warmer weather.