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Crowley’s Restaurant: Chew On it by Andrew Kochirka 6/16/15

After five years of writing this blog and living in Erie for twelve, I love when I get to go somewhere new. This weekend, Amanda and I took a drive down to Cranesville to visit Crowley’s Restaurant. It is located about туры в Дагестан two miles south of I-90 (Girard/Platea exit 9). We were both shocked by the size of the building when we were walking through room after room toward our seats. We were seated in a large back dining room surrounded by nice woodwork, wildlife, and a beautiful view of the almost 30 acres of property. Rhiannon was our server, but we also had a few visits and some attention from the owner, Charles Allen. We got some information about the menu from both of them as well as recommendations. After a few minutes, we were ready to order.
Amanda got the beef tenderloin medallions. Two 3 ounce tenderloin filets were wrapped with a single piece of bacon and cooked to a beautiful medium-rare. They were served over a rich demi-glace (stock and wine reduction) and Amanda choose hand cut fries as her starch. The bacon added a hint of smoke to the beef and acted as a barrier to keep moisture in. It was fork tender and truly melted with each bite. The fries was crispy and well seasoned. They came with a side of NJ sauce, named after the former owner, Norma Jean Crowley. It is a combination of mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, and “secrets,” to quote our server. Whatever those secrets are, they work because the sauce was creamy, tangy, and wholly fantastic.

Rhiannon recommended the Chicken Cordon Bleu, so that was my choice. A chicken breast was lightly breaded and fried to a golden brown. Instead of the traditional serving of a stuffed chicken breast, this was stacked with sliced ham, Swiss cheese, and a decadent mornay sauce (bechamel with cheese). I ordered mine with a side of sauteed vegetables and some spaghetti to see how their red sauce was. I was slightly concerned that between the fried chicken, the ham, and the mornay that it was going to be salty, but I was wrong. It had layers of salt, sweetness, and richness. The chicken was tender and moist and the cheese acted as a binder to hold the ham in place. The mornay was rich, creamy, and incredibly flavorful and mellowed out the salt. The vegetables were crisp, but there was a lot of butter on them. The pasta was a surprise. The spaghetti was a nice al dente with an herb laced sauce. It was on the sweeter side which I have come to expect in the Erie area, but it was really good.

Thank you to Rhiannon and Charles for the excellent hospitality and friendly, attentive service. Thank you to the kitchen for a delicious meal. You will see us again for sure. The number for information and reservations is 814-774-8450. The hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday from 4:00PM to 8:30PM, Friday and Saturday from 4:00 to 9:30PM, Sunday from 12 Noon to 8:00PM, they are closed on Monday.

My trip through the Erie Fine Dining card continues. Keep sending me recommendations on foods and restaurants to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook. Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food