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Restaurant Reviews: A Plateful of 2011

The Malvern area offers true variety of dining options.

Editor's note: This is the Dining Duo's final regular dining review. After eating our way through many of the dining venues in East Whiteland, Willistown and Malvern over the past year, we wanted to highlight some of our favorites. We can’t help but notice the variety of cuisines represented—Vietnamese, Mexican, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Lebanese, Italian, French and good, old American barbecue. We also have to comment on the friendliness of the servers and owners who welcomed us graciously and were happy to tell us about their food. On the barbecue front, Jimmy’s BBQ is the real deal, with a smoker and three types of sauces on the table. The Smoky Wings are a must-try. It’s casual, but a flat-screen television and nice wine glasses …

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Restaurant Review: Julie Anne's Place

Julie Anne's Place in Malvern serves breakfast and lunch in a friendly setting.

From the sidewalk, Julie Anne’s Place looked like any other well-kept twin, except for the sign hanging on the porch and the menu board propped by the door. The homey feeling continued with a gracious welcome by one of the servers as we entered. We were looking up the staircase along the mauve and cream colored walls when she motioned to the list of daily specials posted by the bottom. She brought menus to the blond wood table with dark wood chairs that we chose. It was already set with paper place mats and utensils wrapped in paper napkins. She took our drink order and quickly returned with a bottle of Coke ($1.75) and an acrylic tumbler of water. A friendly server soon appeared. He pointed out the day’s specials, and we asked for a few …

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Restaurant Review: Jack's Pizza & Pasta

Jack's Pizza & Pasta in Frazer offers a large selection in a relaxed atmosphere.

Parts of Route 30 in East Whiteland can seem almost small-town quaint, as evidenced by the lighted sign and unassuming front of Jack’s Pizza & Pasta in Frazer. Always curious as to what food experience lies ahead, we entered by the front counter and glanced up at the lit menu sign overhead. The friendly man behind the counter asked if we’ve been there before, then suggested we take paper menus to make it easier to order. We sat down in a booth with a green laminate table and faux wood seat. Some people waited for their takeout orders at the red naugahyde and silver stools along a bar in the front of the room. Several families were already enjoying their food while watching the television in the corner. We returned to the front to place our…

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If You Drink, Let Ralph Drive

Baxter's Saloon has hired a driver, Ralph, for patrons who live within a 15-minute radius.

Baxter's Saloon in East Whiteland is offering a shuttle bus this holiday season to safely transport patrons to and from the restaurant and bar. Starting Thanksgiving eve, people in need of a designated driver have a new option: Our driver’s name is Ralph and his phone number is 610-350-8678. Ralph will drive a maximum of 15 minutes from the bar, from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. close, on dates below: Riders are asked to call an hour before pickup, if possible. "We're trying to help people go out and have fun, and not worry about driving," Tina Michell, Baxter's marketing director, said. The bus, bought by owner Jack Stretch in 2009, seats 22 people and was originally used for large groups at hotels. The driver, Ralph, is a former Abel Brothers …

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Restaurant Review: Redhound Grille

Redhound Grille in Paoli serves homemade American fare in a comfortable setting.

A lively group at the bar was enjoying Happy Hour on the night of our mid-week visit to the Redhound Grille in the former Big Easy space. A greeter, who we later learned was a co-owner, allowed us to choose between the main and smaller side dining areas. We asked to sit in the smaller room where less of the noise from the bar drifted in. She filled our water goblets and told us that our server would be right with us. We asked our bubbly server if we could hear about the Happy Hour specials, but she explained that they were only available in the bar area. Since we were already seated at a dark wood table, set with white linen napkins against a brown brick wall, we opened our bound dinner menus. The wine list of "30 Under 40" included …

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Kids Eat Local: Slice It Up Pizza

Find out how kid-friendly Slice It Up Pizza in Malvern is.

Restaurant: Slice It Up Pizza Is there a kid’s menu? Yes.  Are there healthy options on the kid’s menu? Of the three options, the Mini Pizza is probably healthier than the Grilled Cheese & Fries or Chicken Fingers & Fries. How does the restaurant deal with food allergies? Questions are welcomed. Informing the server about allergies when ordering lets them help in choosing appropriate items or substitutions. Are high chairs available? Yes. Is there a diaper changing station? No.  Are there public restrooms? Yes. There are two single-sex rooms.  How difficult is it to maneuver a stroller through the dining area? The tables are spaced to allow strollers through.  Is the restaurant so quiet that any childish outburst will draw attention or is …

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Restaurant Review: Firehouse Subs

At Firehouse Subs in the Lincoln Court Shopping Center, hoagies are made with quality ingredients.

We weren’t sure what to expect from the new sub shop in the Lincoln Court Shopping Center called Firehouse Subs, but decided to stop in for a takeout meal. A hearty, ”Welcome to the firehouse!” greeted us as we entered. The friendly server behind the counter was patient as we asked about different items and “Combos.” Since we planned to enjoy the subs several hours later while watching the Phillies game, we asked that the hoagies be made with cold fillings rather than steaming the meats and cheese “to enhance their flavor.” We admit that we may have missed out on the full experience, but there were errands to run and baseball to watch, so we placed our order at the counter. We decided against the combos, which include a choice from a large…

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Restaurant Review: Rosalita's Brings Tex-Mex to Malvern

Rosalita's Fresh Mexican serves tacos, chimichangas and chili in a casual setting in the Lincoln Court Shopping Center.

Although hidden from traffic in a back corner of the Lincoln Court Shopping Center, Rosalita’s is no wallflower. We were struck by the sign in front with a woman in a sombrero smiling over her bared shoulder and the classic rock music playing inside and outside at rather high volume. We decided that the proof was in the pudding—or flan—and went inside to check out the food. A board above the front counter where we placed our order served as the menu. We chose to create our own items by selecting "Comidas" of burritos, tacos or quesadillas, adding different “Proteinas” including Grilled Veggies, and adding one of six salsas. "Platos Especiales" like Chimichangas ($8.95), Burritos ($8.95), Black Bean Tacos ($7.95) and Arroz con Pollo ($9.95…

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Royal India Serves Some Chinese Too

Royal India in Malvern has Chinese options and a banquet hall.

When we arrived at Royal India, we attempted to enter through a door under a prominent canopy bearing the restaurant and banquet hall's name. Through the windows, we could see a spacious banquet facility. Finding the door locked, we followed a path under an arbor on the side of the building and were greeted at another door. The dining room was much darker than the brightly lit front hall, with a mix of chandeliers and smaller artistic glass lamps. Mauve walls were decorated with colorful Indian scenes on black velvet. Tables were set with maroon and white linen tablecloths, napkins and paper placemats. A server brought a basket of crispy Papadum and two chutneys and took our bottle of wine to be opened. She returned with wine glasses and …

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Dixie Picnic Serves Up Southern Comfort Foods

The restaurant has established itself with its unique Upcakes and savory breakfast menu.

What do two Yankees know about a Dixie Picnic? We know we've been missing out on some great food after a stop at the Lincoln Court Shopping Center. We had checked out the menu online and placed our order to go at the front counter with a friendly young server. He told us that the Baby Back Ribs would take about 15 minutes—it turned out to be closer to ten—and we said it was fine. We expected a takeout shop with maybe a table or two in a corner. We were pleasantly surprised to find a comfortable, casual space with wicker chairs and loveseats, and some black resin tables and chairs. Walls in yellow and eggshell offset with black-and-white photos and black metal-rimmed mirrors went with the blues music. After admiring the old family photos of…

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