Cafe Fratelli (Clair)

It's been a while since we have posted any reviews, mainly because we haven't eaten anywhere new and interesting lately. We've been way too busy. But on Friday, May 20 Corey and I went to the newest restaurant here in Somerset, Cafe Fratelli. It is located on East Main Street/Rt. 31 in Somerset. All Corey and I knew was that it was an Italian restaurant and we had heard that it was good from some friends.

The first thing we noticed was how difficult it was to get into the parking lot. It is located near a very busy intersection and the traffic was backed up quite a bit from the stop light. But our wait wasn't too long and soon we were inside. We were greeted immediately and taken to our booth. Being a fairly new restaurant, everything was very clean and classy. There were various pictures and pottery around the room. The lighting was low but the windows provided extra light. There are booths and tables that you can sit in spread throughout the room.

The menus were already placed on the tables so we immediately started studying the menu. Our waitress came promptly and took our drink order. The menu said they had Coke products but instead they had Pepsi products. The drinks came served in glasses that said "Coca-Cola" on them. But that is a small detail (I prefer Pepsi anyways).

The menu offered a small selection of appetizers with an Italian flavor, as well as pasta dishes, Italian classics, salads, steaks, and sandwiches. It also has a kids menu. Desserts were not listed on the menu. For an appetizer, we ordered the breaded provolone wheel, which I figured would be similar to cheese sticks. Then we ordered our meals. Corey picked Chicken Parmigiana and I got the Marinated Shrimp Linguini Alfredo.

When our appetizer came, it was served in a very attractive way. The breaded provolone wheel was served on a bed of marinara sauce and garnished with herbs. The breading on the outside was crispy and did not taste greasy or fried. The cheese inside was just melted enough that it was soft and chewy, which was a good contrast to the crispy breading. The marinara sauce also tasted very fresh and was just a hint on the sour side but was very good.

After the appetizer came our salads and bread. The bread was fresh and not too crunchy on the outside. Our salads came with a mix of lettuces, onions, carrots, tomatoes and a pepperoncini pepper. Corey and I both got ranch dressing, which was homeade and thick and delicious.

The service was very quick as well. We didn't have to wait long between each course of our meal. Corey's chicken parmigiana came with a side (he ordered fries). He didn't realize that it did not come with pasta, but you can order pasta as a side. He did say that next time he will order pasta instead of the fries, as he thought the fries were not very good. The chicken was cooked perfectly--very moist and the breading was crispy on the outside. The marinara sauce muted the crispy texture on the outside perfectly. Overall he felt his meal was ok.

My shrimp alfredo came with only 5 shrimp (a little shocking when considering the price). The shrimp were a bit undercooked but were seasoned perfectly. The pasta was also cooked well. The only thing that did not impress me was the sauce. It didn't have any flavor. You could smell garlic but could not taste anything. I had to add salt and that helped a bit. But overall the meal was ok.

We ordered dessert to finish our meal. Corey had the cheesecake with strawberries and whipped cream and I had the mandarin orange cake. Corey loved his cheesecake. He actually said it was the best cheesecake he ever had. It was topped with fresh strawberries. My cake was also delicioius. It was a yellow cake in three layers filled with pineapple and mandarin oranges in some type of cream. I think it may have even had coconut in it (similar to ambrosia salad). It was garnished with mandarin oranges. The cake was very fresh and tasty--just the right amount of sweetness.

One item of note: They do not have their liquor license yet so you cannot order alcohol if you go there. They have applied for it though and hope to get it soon.

Overall, we are definitely planning to go back, although we may order different entrees when we return.

Food: 3 Stars (mainly good)
Environment: 5 Stars (very nice inside due to it being a brand new restaurant)
Overall: 4 Stars

Hoss's Steak and Sea (Corey)

Clair and I went to Hoss's for the 3rd Sunday in a row (we went twice with others who paid for our meal, so we had no choice). Hoss's features their steaks and seafood entrees, as well as a salad, soup, bread and dessert bar. It is a family type of restaurant located in the center of Somerset, although there are many located across the state of Pennsylvania and two in West Virginia.

When you enter the restaurant, you order your food at a register (similar to the way you order at Ponderosa) and they give you your ticket and seat you without having you pay first. You must wait to the end of the meal to pay, and your waitress takes up your money or credit cards. Sometimes this can take a long time, depending on how good your waitress is. However, we were seated immediately (sometimes you have to wait in line to order, depending on what time you get there on a Sunday). The decor in the restaurant is very old fashioned, ranging from wagon wheel lights hanging from the ceiling to local street signs and artifacts hanging on the wall. It is a very large restaurant that has several banquet areas for large parties.

With many of the meals, salad bar is included. It features fresh lettuce with many toppings and dressings, 4 kinds of soups, different types of breads and rolls, and a place where you can even make nachos. Every time we go, the lettuce is very fresh. You never see anything brown or that looks like it has been sitting there for a while. The bar is always full and never empty, even when it is very busy. The soups on Sundays are usually french onion, chicken noodle, loaded potato and stuffed cabbage. Clair enjoys the loaded potato soup, although today it had large chunks of potatoes in it and was a bit salty. I had the chicken noodle and it was very good--hot and the noodles were fresh. The rolls are also always very fresh and warm. We recommend the salad bar with any meal that you order, even if your meal doesn't include it.

Today, I ordered the steak and shrimp, which had an 8 ounce sirloin and 15 shrimp which you can order broiled, fried, or scampied. I ordered mine broiled today and also ordered my steak "medium." For my side order, I picked french fries. My steak came and it was actually closer to rare. I was so hungry that I still ate it. It was very tender and melted in your mouth and the flavor was good. It was actually one of the best steaks I have had other than the cooking. The shrimp were cooked well and were flavored with Old Bay. It could have used more Old Bay because it just had a very light sprinkling and not enough to add flavor. Overall, the meal was pretty satisfactory. I just wish more people would learn how to cook a proper steak.

Clair ordered an 8 oz. sirloin cooked "medium" topped with mushrooms as well with a baked potato as her side. When her steak came, it was very unevenly cooked, anywhere from rare to medium well, with a very large piece of fat. It was difficult to cut but was tender to chew. The mushrooms were juicy. The best thing about her meal was the baked potato, topped with butter and sour cream. The baked potatoes are always cooked perfectly, soft on the inside and the skin is a bit crispy on the outside.

For dessert, Clair got some dessert items from the dessert bar. She tried the bread pudding, which didn't have much flavor at all but was soft on the inside and had a nice crust on the outside. She also had some type of cake with chocolate sauce and marshmallows on top. The cake was very dry inside but the marshmallows were good. She had some oreo fluff as well, which was very good. They do also have an ice cream sundae bar with soft serve ice cream, which is a favorite of young kids and adults alike.

The service leaves a bit to be desired. We were there for an hour and we saw our waitress maybe two or three times to bring drinks and refills. It was busy in the restaurant today but they also did have a lot of waitresses. And as I said before, sometimes it takes a long time to get your bill taken care of.

Food: 3.5 stars (good deal for the price, just wish it was cooked properly)
Environment: 3 stars (it is a large restaurant but it can get very loud; the service is slow sometimes)
Overall: 3 stars

Rey Azteca (Corey)

Clair and I went to Rey Azteca on Friday, March 25. It is located in the middle of Somerset across from Dairy Queen and beside Maggie Mae's. This location is one of a few chains--one of which is located in Johnstown. They boast authentic Mexican food plus a full selection of alcoholic beverages.

We have been there many times and the restaurant is always very clean and has great service. The workers are very friendly and good at their jobs. They keep the Mexican theme by calling you "Senor" and even use Spanish when using numbers, like "dos" for 2. The environment is very authentic. They decorate with sombreros and pottery and have Spanish music playing in the background.

When we arrived we were seated immediately and soon after one of the workers brought out a basket of chips and salsa. The salsa is very delicious. The ingredients are very fresh and the chips are always hot and crunchy. The menu says that the first 2 baskets of chips and salsa are free, and we find that we can't really finish more than 2 baskets anyways!

For an appetizer, we ordered a shrimp quesedilla (quesedilla de camarones). Clair and I each ordered one since we knew they would be on the smaller side. When it came, the quesedilla was a golden brown on both sides with perfectly cooked shrimp. Clair noticed that some of the shrimp weren't properly cleaned but that doesn't bother me. I thought it could have used more cheese but Clair thought that there was enough cheese on hers and that it was a very good flavor blend.

I had ordered the camarones a la diabla (shrimp in a spicy sauce). When I ordered this, the waitress said, "For both of you, or just for you?" She said it was a very large meal. It was very nice of her to let us know this. When the meal came, it had shrimp with a spicy barbeque sauce on top with rice and guacamole salad served with warm flour tortillas. The shrimp was cooked to perfection as always. The menu said that it was very spicy but it just had a little spice compared to what I am used to. The rice was perfectly cooked--very moist and soft--and with the blend of the sauce made for a great meal all to itself. When I put it in a tortilla, I included the rice and the shrimp to make a good meal. I was very satisfied with this new meal that I tried and would recommend it.

Clair ordered the Chilaquiles Mexicanos, which was tortilla chips covered in a special sauce with shredded chicken and cheese. It came with rice and guacamole salad as well. The sauce tasted like warm salsa, but it was still very good. The chicken was moist and tender and along with the cheese created a good blend. The tortilla chips did get a bit soggy with the sauce on top, but that can be expected. The rice was cooked well and very tasty. Clair ate the guacamole and said it was very creamy and tasted wonderful. She was happy with her meal.

Often when we go there, we order the Pollo con Crema, which is chicken in a cheese sauce with rice and sour cream salad. It is served with warm tortillas. This is our favorite thing to order when we go there and we highly recommend this.

Overall, Rey Azteca is an excellent place to eat. It has good service, good food, and lots of menu items to choose from. If you have never been to Rey Azteca, you need to go ASAP!

Food: 5 Stars (lots of choices and great food every time)
Environment: 5 Stars (authentic Mexican feel)
Overall: 5 Stars!

Ruby Tuesday--Somerset (Clair)

Corey and I went to Ruby Tuesday in Somerset, PA this evening. If you are familiar with these chain restaurants, you know that it is a fancier version of Applebee's or TGIFriday's. They specialize in seafood and steaks and advertise their salad bar. They have a large variety of appetizers--everything from queso dip and chips to southwestern spring rolls to samplers. They also feature an array of desserts, from cupcakes to cookies and cakes. They have a large selection of cocktails and beers as well.

The restaurant is located in the middle of Somerset, surrounded by many other restaurants, including a Starbucks. I will say that the ambiance makes you feel like you are in a very fancy and elite restaurant, which is refreshing when surrounded by fast food and family restaurants. We arrived around 5:30 and were immediately seated in a small booth for two.

Corey and I have both been to this particular restaurant several times. On a previous visit, I was very displeased when almost everything I wanted to order was sold out! So I made sure to ask about my favorite item: the Italian Cream Cake. The waitress said she would check and when she came back with our drinks she told me that the manager said they were sold out yet again.

Due to that tidbit, we decided to order an appetizer instead. We ordered the queso dip and chips. The waitress also took our orders. Corey ordered the Chef Cut steak with french fries and brown rice pilaf. I ordered the Peppercorn Mushroom Sirloin with a baked potato (butter and sour cream) and broccoli. The waitress took our order back to the kitchen and then came back telling us that the kitchen confirmed that they did have the Italian Cream Cake! If I had known that, I wouldn't have ordered the appetizer!

Nonetheless, our appetizer was delivered. On first look, the dip looked very greasy on top. It looked to have spinach in it and we could not really identify what kind of cheese it was made of. The menu described it as a spicy dip, but it wasn't really very spicy. Some bites had a slight afterburn, but it did not really live up to the description. The chips were just ok. Some of them were chewy and almost stale but others were crunchy. We also were served two of their Garlic Cheese Biscuits. Although small, these were delicious. They have a sweet taste to them which complements the saltiness of the biscuit quite nicely.

When our meals arrived, I immediately noticed that there was a sticker in my mushrooms. Upon further investigation, I found that it was a sticker that is put on produce to label when it was prepped. The sticker said "Sat" on it, so I at least knew that my food was fresh! Thankfully these types of things don't bother me--in fact they happen all the time to me!

Corey's steak was unevenly cooked, ranging from well done to medium (he ordered it medium). It was tender though. There was a little bit of fat on the steak as well but not a lot. The fries were soggy and not cooked to a crisp like he prefers. The rice was undercooked and very crunchy. There was no seasoning either. He had to add A1 sauce just to get a flavor to the rice. Overall, he was very disastisfied with his meal. He said he has had better experiences there in the past and really likes their pasta dishes better.

After I got over my "sticker shock," I began eating my broccoli. It was very good and cooked perfectly but I did have to add salt for seasoning. The baked potato did not have enough sour cream and butter on it as it was a very large potato. I wish they would have served it on the side so I could have added it myself. The potato was cooked pretty well although some of the skin was a bit tough. I cut into my steak and noticed it was very unevenly cooked as well. It almost seemed rare or medium rare the way it was cooked. It was moist inside but difficult to cut and I got a big piece of fat. However, the mushroom sauce that was on top of the steak was to die for! It was so delicious and really went well with the meat. The sauce saved them, as I was a bit disappointed with the rest of the meal.

Our check came to $48 with tip. I was not given a discount for having a sticker in my meal, probably because I continued to eat it before I told them about it. However, it would have been nice if a manager or someone would have come to the table to apologize. We were not very impressed with Ruby Tuesday overall, especially as a franchise restaurant.

Rating:
Food: 1.5 stars (not as good as we expected)
Environment: 4 stars (very fancy and ritzy)
Overall: 2 stars (disappointing, especially for a franchise)

Laurel Mountain Inn (Clair)

The Laurel Mountain Inn in located on Route 31 (Glades Pike) between Somerset and Donegal. It is close to the area ski resorts Hidden Valley and Seven Springs and other outdoor recreation hot spots. The website describes the restaurant as a steakhouse and lounge, although it also has a banquet menu. There is ample parking available close to the restaurant and an overflow area across the road (mainly for employees I think). According to their website, they have seating for 130, including a bar and pool room, outdoor deck seating, and a large dining room.

I had been there a few times before but this was Corey's first time eating at the Laurel Mountain. Upon walking in, we found a waiting area with seats and an area to hang your coats. We also noticed that the bar was separated from the dining room by a glass door, which we liked. Although you could still smell the faint hint of smoke, it definitely was not overpowering. We were greeted at the door by a waitress/hostess who seated us in a booth by the windows overlooking Rt. 31. The dining area has old-fashioned booths and what looked like newer tables. Corey felt that the booths needed some work. They had holes that were fixed with tape. There was also a fire place, which wasn't lit when we visited but was decorated for St. Patrick's Day. The dining room did seem a bit dark and dingy, probably because of the dark decor inside, but the tables and silverware were very clean.

Our waitress greeted us and brought us our drinks. We ordered an onion blossom for an appetizer and then perused the menu. The menu featured an array of appetizers, including the fried standards that you expect at a bar type of restaurant and some seafood appetizers, like peel and eat shrimp and oysters. They feature their steaks and seafood dishes, which include crab legs and various types of fish. They had sandwiches and basic burgers as well as pasta dishes. They also had daily specials, such as Kansas City Strip steak and Seafood Alfredo.

Corey ordered a full rack of ribs with beer battered fries and a salad with ranch dressing. I ordered the Portabella Filet, an 8 oz. steak served with a portabella mushroom cap in a mushroom sauce. For my sides I ordered fresh cut fries and a salad with ranch dressing.

As we waited for our appetizer, we noticed that they have special "nights" at the restaurant, such as wing night and steak night. Having gone there before, I know that they serve full wings and that they are rather delicious with just the right amount of sauce.

First came our salads and a loaf of bread with butter. The salad was composed of fresh cut iceberg lettuce with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, shredded carrots and cheddar cheese. The dressing tasted like homeade ranch. The bread was freshly baked but the knife to cut it was dull.

Our appetizer came and we noticed that it was very well prepared. The blossom was spread and coated evenly with the batter as well as fried to a nice, crispy finish. It wasn't too oily like many blooming onions are. The batter had a sweet aftertaste, which complemented the subtle sweetness in the white onion. It was served with a horseradish dipping sauce, similar to what is served at the Outback Steakhouse. We thoroughly enjoyed the onion, although we were only able to finish about half of it.

Our meals came quickly after the appetizer was served. Corey's full rack of ribs were cooked to the fall of the bone stage as they should be. The bones were easy to pull out. The meat was moist and had the perfect amount of barbeque sauce to complement the taste of the meat. The beer battered fries were cooked to a crisp and had an even batter on the fries. Overall he was very pleased with his choice.

My meal came and the plate was doused in sauce. There was so much sauce on the plate that some of the French fries were even soggy. I had ordered my steak "medium" and Corey felt that it was cooked well fairly close to medium. As I began to eat it, I did find a few small pieces of fat but it was mostly very easy to cut and chew. The meat was moist and juicy. The fries were also very good, although they weren't very crispy due to the amount of mushroom sauce that was drowning my plate. The portabella mushroom was cooked just right, not too mushy but not too hard. The mushroom sauce tasted like it had GravyMaster in it, but it also had a strange taste to it that I couldn't place. I'm thinking maybe it was just the flavor of the mushrooms. It wasn't a bad taste, just unusual. Overall, I was pleased with the meal.

Our check came out to a total of $60 with a tip for the waitress. The service was pretty good, although there were several times where our drinks were empty and we were waiting for a refill. She was fairly quick at getting whatever we needed, however. I will mention that in the few times that I have been there, the service and food is often hit and miss. Some of the menu items that I have had there are very good and some are just so-so. If you choose to visit the Laurel Mountain Inn, we recommend that you stick to the steaks or ribs, as these truly are their specialty.

Our ratings on a scale of 1-5 stars:
Food: 3.5 stars (good but not great)
Environment: 2.5 stars (the building needs some updates, such as new furniture and rugs. Keep in mind it is a lounge)
Overall: 3 stars