The Morning Call from Allentown, Pennsylvania • 62

5 i i .1 A62 THE MORNING CALL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11 Widow Brown's offering new menu, lower prices SWT By DIANE STONEBACK Home and Food Editor The two Widow Browns have been around for a long time, but they have never been lonely. And now that the two landmark Lehigh Valley restaurants have undergone some pricing adjustments, they're likely to have more company than ever. Compare the old menus with the new and you'll see some prices have fallen by 50 cents or $1, or even more. Regular dinner prices still include the impressive Widow Brown's salad bar. There's also a new lighter menu in effect 4:30 to 9 p.m.

Monday through Thursday and 1-8 p.m. Sundays (except holidays) with dinner prices of Children's dinner prices all have been dropped to $3.95 and include entree, french fries and beverage. John Nyari, who has owned Widow Brown's Inn (Wescosville) and Widow Brown's Inn (Stockertown) for nearly two decades, said new menus and prices go JOHN F. SIMITZ The Morning Call Owner John Nyari, left. Dan Vallo (a Culinary Institute extern) and Chef John Wolf flank the Wescosville restaurant's salad bar.

into effect this weekend. He commented, "We wanted to create a menu that was more affordable for more people." That's all he had to say to shoot down the one major criticism I had about an entree, before I could level it at always has stayed in touch with his clientele and that's, no doubt, part of the reason why Restaurant Hospitality magazine has recognized his operations as among the top 500 restaurants in the country. By the time I called for a phone interview and let him know that my husband, two children and I had paid the Wescos- ville restaurant a visit, the new menus already were printed. No one could accuse -him of changing something just because I complained about it. But let me explain.

Everything went smoothly with our meal, both in quality and quantity, until my husband's dinner arrived. It was a house specialty called Chicken Maryland We expected a whole chicken breast and a substantial amount of crab imperial, but the ramekin contained just a scant half breast of chicken and what we -judged to be two ounces of crab imperial, topped off with a pleasant lemon butter sauce. Its taste was quite good but the entree fell far short of what we considered value for the money. Something went wrong in the kitchen according to Nyari who said that although portion sizes aren't measured exactly, the entree should have been about four to five ounces of chicken breast along with six ounces of crab imperial. Chicken Maryland's price now is $13.95.

Given the new price, correct portion size and good taste, I'd rate the dish as an excellent value for the money on the new menu. The night we visited, we spent $74.62 for food, tax and non-alcoholic beverages. With tip, the final bill was $85.81. Cut your bill by ordering the entree and filling up at the salad bar, rather than having appetizers and desserts. Some things about the Widow Brown's restaurant in Wescosville have stayed the same.

I The decor, a combination of book-lined walls, old-time advertising and signs, re-, mains comfortable and interesting. Prime rib still is the biggest seller ($17.95 for 16 $15.95 for 12 In 17 years, Nyari figures he has gone through 1.25 million pounds of prime rib. While we're on statistics, Nyari said the revolving circular salad bar in Wescosville has traveled 65,500 miles. He keeps it spinning because, he says, it makes people remember it. But I'll remember it because there's a particularly fresh and flavorful assortment of salads and salad makings on the bar.

Save room among the greens on your salad plate for some freshly made marinated mushroom salad and the chow chow (among the best salad bar offerings I've ever tasted). Our waitress, though slow at first to deliver menus, served us well after that She brought warm loaves of bread for slicing, made sure water glasses were filled and gave the children a bit of extra attention now and then to make them -feel welcome. We selected the potato bacon soup ($2.75 a bowl) and the Widow's sampler (a -stuffed mushroom cap, a shrimp stuffed with crabmeat and two clams casino for $6.95) from the "Great Beginnings" section of the menu. They belonged there. Each measured up on the "value for mon- ey" scale.

The creamy soup, containing colorful -bits of red pepper and carrot was such a 1 good choice that I'd be tempted to have it again. On the other hand, the new soup that becomes a house specialty this weekend, cream of corn and crab, would be an- other temptation. 1 My entree selection is' one that didn't make the "cut" forthe new menu's lineup. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the chicken fraise Two chicken breast halves were sauteed with fresh strawberries and then flambeed with strawberry liqueur and finished off with heavy cream. Although fruit can be overpowering enough to destroy a dish or so understated to be worthless, this entree had the right bal- ance of fruity flavor to complement the chicken.

Our desserts (cheesecake at carrot cake and chocolate walnut pie, $2.50 a slice; and ice cream, $2) were fine, but Nyari isn't satisfied. By the end of February, the Wescosville location should nave a full complement of young pastry chefs from an ex-ternship program with the Culinary Institute of America who'll create an array of new sweets. Once they add an impressive dessert tray to the existing menu offer-ings, the Widow's place in Wescosville is sure to be a favorite dinner spot for at least another decade. rr Widow Brown's Inn 4939 Hamilton Wescosville Telephone: 398 1300 Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and dinner p.m.

Monday through Saturday; Dinners only 1 -9 p.m, Sunday. Price range: Most entrees $18.95 Credit cards: Ail major cards. I Smokingnonsmoking: Yes. Reservations: Accepted. Accessibility: There we curb ramps: Bathrooms accessible.

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