Gettysburg, PA

[Escoffier]

I'm headed for a 100 member (roughly) sports car club meeting in Gettysburg in October. The sophistication of the members and their wallets range across the entire universe. Once I suggested dinner in a restaurant where the median meal was about $45 and was told (by some) that was more than they spent in a week of eating out. I'm open to any and all suggestions...PLEASE! And if you happen to know of a place that can accomodate a group that large (and isn't a buffet or diner) and serves decent food, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know.

Ken

[Escoffier]

Grover and I have been searching for a restaurant in the Gettysburg area that would feed about 60 people at a decent price, serve alcohol and not be too far removed from the hotel where we will be staying. We ended up at Gettysbrew, a brew pub just off of Rt 30. We sampled the buffet and were quite impressed. The new owners took over just 3 weeks ago and are already making changes to the food and drink menu. As we just sampled from the buffet menu, we can't speak to the general menu but there are some things that stand out. The roast beef was tender, very flavorful, and nicely seasoned. The green beans were a bit more cooked than al dente but were still nicely seasoned and very good. We had a bit of the meatballs in BBQ sauce and found them nicely seasoned and the ground beef very moist and tasty. Desserts are cheesecakes and layer cakes, nothing unusual but they did seem very nicely done. There are 3 different beers on tap, all brewed at the restaurant in small batches. Prices for the beers was quite reasonable at $4 per pint or 2.25 per half pint. There was a selection of 4 PA wines, 2 whites, 2 reds. I found the Pinot Noir to be ok but not great but the chardonnay was a nice surprise. Crisp, with a good nose and quite pleasing on the tongue.

[brr]

We're heading up to Gettysburg tomorrow with my parents and the kids. Any suggestions for decent places to eat. Gettysbrew appears to be either closed or on the market again and the number has been disconnected (and judging by the comments on a beer review site it may be just as well). Appalachian Brewing Company is closed on Mondays.

It doesn't have to be a brewpub, just somewhere delivering better than tourist fare.

Thanks

[pax]

I am helping organize a get together of handlers from the National Sheepdog Finals which are being held in Gettysburg this month.

I was hoping to find a not-too-expensive place for a bunch of non-foodies to get together at dinner time, and I could really use some help with suggestions from anyone who knows the town a little bit.

I know it's a little far afield, but I'm figuring most of us DCers have made the trek up to G'burg at least once and might have some ideas.

Thanks in advance.

[DonRocks]

I am helping organize a get together of handlers from the National Sheepdog Finals which are being held in Gettysburg this month.

I was hoping to find a not-too-expensive place for a bunch of non-foodies to get together at dinner time, and I could really use some help with suggestions from anyone who knows the town a little bit.

I know it's a little far afield, but I'm figuring most of us DCers have made the trek up to G'burg at least once and might have some ideas.

Thanks in advance.

[This post got merged into this thread, so I at least wanted to bump it so pax's question didn't get lost.]

[pax]

Thanks! (and bump!)

[mdt]

Any recent intel?

[saf]

Any recent intel?

What do you want? Dining, or eating?

I actually like the Lincoln Diner - as a diner, not as a destination.

The Gettysburg Sweet Shop used to be good. They had wonderful Belgian waffles. They did not have those last time I was there. If they are back, might be worth trying again.

[frogprince]

150th?

[Escoffier]

We are now doing dinner at Herr's Ridge Tavern. Good but not amazingly so. Cross Keys Diner is well known in the area, serves decent diner food and is HUGE. I have yet to find a place there to do my usual Thursday night 'gourmet' dinners. If anybody knows of a place that serves excellent food around the $80 to $100 a person range, please let me know.

[leleboo]

Good grief. Gettysburg is the closest I can get to my area, based on my own indexing of 7 (!!!) years ago.

Not that I have much to add for the Carlisle dining scene. Granted, part of that is because we don't have a regularly available babysitter, and we don't enjoy dining out with our daughters because the meal is all attending to them and not just having a nice night out. We've tried a few restaurants in town that are quite good, but the chances are few and far between. Mostly I'm here, on Christmas, to lament the lack of decent Chinese takeout, particularly lemon chicken, which I'm sure is not in any way authentic, but dammit I want my crisp-fried breaded chicken atop some wilted shredded lettuce, NOT battered nugget-shaped doughballs. 

Suffice it to say, we're having bolognese tonight.

Merry merry!

[Escoffier]

Well, there actually is a good, innovative and reasonably priced restaurant in Gettysburg.  Sidney Willoughby Run.  For the last two years, I have had my Thursday night "gourmet" dinner there and have not been disappointed.  This is possibly the best restaurant in the Gettysburg area.

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Escoffier said:

Well, there actually is a good, innovative and reasonably priced restaurant in Gettysburg.  Sidney Willoughby Run.  For the last two years, I have had my Thursday night "gourmet" dinner there and have not been disappointed.  This is possibly the best restaurant in the Gettysburg area.

Restaurant Sidney Willoughby Run is actually the second restaurant opened by Chef Neil Annis (the first being Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin).

Annis was, among other things, Chef de Cuisine at L'Espinasse in Manhattan, which the bio-sketch says received four stars from the New York Times two months after he took over the kitchen (this NY Times article says that it received two stars). Regardless, the man has some pedigree, and Restaurant Sidney Willoughby Run is probably where I'll end up the next time I'm in Gettysburg.

[Escoffier]

7 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Restaurant Sidney Willoughby Run is actually the second restaurant opened by Chef Neil Annis (the first being Restaurant Sidney in East Berlin).

Annis was, among other things, Chef de Cuisine at L'Espinasse in Manhattan, which the bio-sketch says received four stars from the New York Times two months after he took over the kitchen (this NY Times article says that it received two stars). Regardless, the man has some pedigree, and Restaurant Sidney Willoughby Run is probably where I'll end up the next time I'm in Gettysburg.

Call a couiple of days ahead like I do and ask that they prepare a four-course and paired wines dinner for you.  You won't regret a cent of the cost.  Two years ago, we went with a friend that had an encyclopedia of foods he couldn't (temporarily) eat.  Not only did Sidney Willoughby Run prepare four (actually closer to six) courses for him, they were so good that the rest of us were almost jealous of his food.

[leleboo]

If we ever trek to Gettysburg for dinner, we’ll make a point of this. Given that we generally don’t even go out in Carlisle, much less Mechanicsburg or Harrisburg, I’d give it odds of ... not happening.

[curiouskitkatt]

On 7/3/2006 at 10:13 AM, Escoffier said:

I'm headed for a 100 member (roughly) sports car club meeting in Gettysburg in October. The sophistication of the members and their wallets range across the entire universe. Once I suggested dinner in a restaurant where the median meal was about $45 and was told (by some) that was more than they spent in a week of eating out. I'm open to any and all suggestions...PLEASE! And if you happen to know of a place that can accomodate a group that large (and isn't a buffet or diner) and serves decent food, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE let me know.

Ken

Would this car club happen to convene at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing?

[Escoffier]

5 hours ago, kitkatpaddywak said:

Would this car club happen to convene at the Eastern Museum of Motor Racing?

The Spring (Spring Fling) meet was held in Harrisburg three years ago and we ended up eating lunch at the Hershey Auto Museum.  I'm trying to remember where we had dinner in Harrisburg but am drawing a total blank.  We wander all over the (mostly Eastern) US. Last year we were in Shamokin Falls, PA and there were 40 cars. 

We go to Gettysburg every year for the Gettysburg Get Together (nine years now and still going strong).  We had dinner at the Carriage House Inn in Emmitsburg, MD last year and liked it so much we're going back again this year. (Have to get that food topic in or Don will yell at me ).

[curiouskitkatt]

Haha, I think Rocks revels in the notion  that our exchange has broaden to include many things  outside of food, but food is always at the root of all of our interests. 

Harrisburg has certainly grown expotentionly. The next time you are near the mid state try Millworks. It is across the street from The Farmer’s Market, and walking distance from a indie movie theatre. The food at Millworks is  craft brewery, part farm to table , and art gallery featuring local artists all composed into one space. 

It’s heartwarming, I may add, to hear such enthusiam for restos in my immediate area. The District is where I fell in love with the industry, but the Mid State is where my love affair has flourished. I’m finding all kind of hidden gems. I will continue to build the Philadelphia forum. There is so much to discover.

Midstate pride,

kat

    

[Escoffier]

15 hours ago, kitkatpaddywak said:

haha, I think Rocks revels in the notion  that our exchange has broadened to include many things  outside of food. But food is always at the root of all of our interests. 

You might say he "relishes" it. 

[leleboo]

Soooo for those who might be following — astrid, I haven’t forgotten you; we’ve had the Winter of Germs over here — I can recommend Banana Leaf on Carlisle Pike at 114. It’s a totally nondescript joint, but holy cow are these curries fab. They took us seriously when we asked for spicy. The naan is addictive. It’s a 20-min each way for us ... and worth it. 

[astrid]

2 hours ago, leleboo said:

Soooo for those who might be following — astrid, I haven’t forgotten you; we’ve had the Winter of Germs over here — I can recommend Banana Leaf on Carlisle Pike at 114. It’s a totally nondescript joint, but holy cow are these curries fab. They took us seriously when we asked for spicy. The naan is addictive. It’s a 20-min each way for us ... and worth it. 

Thanks for the recommend, we will have to try that!  Hope everyone has recovered from the germies!

[seanvtaylor]

The Hampton Diner is either in Hampton or New Oxford, depending upon what you read, and is a small but friendly breakfast-only place. The food is solid, comforting, and well-made. The service friendly enough, at first, then by the time we left it was effusive and I felt like we were leaving the house of somebody that we'd known for some time.

My 2/2/2--two pieces of French toast (slices of Italian bread turned into really good French toast with something like maple butter slathered on them), 2 strips of perfectly done bacon, and 2 eggs--was absolutely great. My wife had the sausage gravy and biscuits, which was a gargantuan portion of unhealthy but delicious eating. The homefries were from new potatoes, and a particular highlight. We ordered a side of scrapple, and while I'm not a scrapple aficionado, this seemed really good (to me; it was the first time my wife tried it, and probably the last). 

My 5-year old had the kids' eggs plate, and enjoyed it enough (though he enjoyed the lollipop they gave him much more, not surprisingly).

We would almost certainly be back again, should we be within 20 miles of this place.

[saf]

So we made an expedition to the Gettysburg area on Sunday. Needed a change of scenery.

Up Georgia Ave to Westminster, then over to Hanover, for our first stop at the Utz factory store. Always amusing, always tasty, always has a few weird things. So, mustard pretzel twists, white cheddar cheeze balls, chocolate covered pretzels. The boy found the new dill pickle chips. (Ugh.) We discovered that they now own Zap's, and there were KING CAKE flavored corn puff snacks. The bag sits unopened on the kitchen counter. We need to taste it. Also, they threw in 2 little bags of sweet potato chips. Fun stop. I wish Snyder's were open on Sunday.

Then on to New Oxford for some fun, but unproductive, antique shopping. I need furniture! Why does nobody have furniture any more?

Then on to Gettysburg for a visit to the Ploughman Cider taproom, which was lovely. Good chance to sample a variety of their stuff. Mostly tasty. A bit of walking around and shopping. Then we had dinner at Appalachian Brewing. Eh. The food was fine, although it seems odd to have a platter with brats, pierogi, and mashed potatoes. But we ate and enjoyed it so that's that. And a birch beer float for dessert. Now THAT was fabulous! The beer was OK. 

And it was nice to get a change of scenery. (Although politically, we were CLEARLY in a different world.)