Date 3: Frankie I's Bar and Grille....The Great Local Food Tour 2020

We were roaring and ready for our next restaurant, having scoped it out by driving by and checking info online beforehand. Frankie I's!

Frankie I's Bar and Grill is the next in our lineup along Rt 19 in Washington and is located at 1180 Mapleview Dr Washington, Pennsylvania 15301

So, how did our first experience here go? Read all about it! 

We were seated in a requested cozy booth to the left of the stage where it would be a little quieter, away from the bar. This is a hopping place for people to hang out, watch sports on the numerous tv's or catch a show later at night so we knew there would be some noise, but it was at a level that we could hear each other speak so I give that a thumbs up! 

The stage is a nice size and would definitely bring in a music loving crowd. We were here hours before the show so we just caught them setting up towards the tail end of our dinner. The bar area is large and sits nicely, just the right amount of space away from the tables and booths, even those along the side of it for those who don't prefer being seated near standers. 

Jessica B served us with a smile, had a friendly table side manner and was right on spot for drink refills and check-ins. 

In our "Great Local Food Tour" style, we ordered 3 dishes; an appetizer and 2 sandwiches to split. 

First Dish...Nachos. 

We do love a great nacho platter and Frank came through on this one! One person could easily fill up on this yummy appetizer. Freshly Made Tortilla Chips Topped with Three Cheeses, Lettuce and Jalapenos. Served with Homemade Pico De Gallo and Sour Cream. All of the tastes in all the right places of each and every bite! You can also add beef or chicken for an added fee, but we wanted to save room for our other dishes and were afraid of getting too filled.

Second Dish...Frankie I's Signature Sandwich

I have to admit that when I see the word "Signature" I want it! My curiosity gets me every time when finding out what specific food makes ones "signature" list. In this case, we have a sandwich that has a kick....in 2 different places! I can only describe this sandwich as being similar to a pork barbecue except with fresh shaved sirloin on a hoagie bun and a lot of yipe in the spice department! This is due to it being marinated in Frankie's Secret Marinade. It is stacked high on a Fresh Mancini Roll and then topped with yet "another" Secret Sauce Recipe. I am not a spice person at all so having the lettuce and tomato really toned it down where I needed which put a smile on my face :) There is also onion included with the garnish pieces. My husband was not a huge fan of the aftertaste of the sauces, but I actually did like it. We chose the fries instead of the homemade chips on this dish and really liked them a lot. The only complaint I have about this dish was that we were charged for that cup of ranch you see sitting next to the fries. A small gesture can go a long way and to see it charged on our bill afterward was a disappointment. 

Third Dish...Small Fish Sandwich

I was really surprised at the size of this sandwich for being a small...still a nice size (1/2 lb). I tasted the homemade tartar sauce on my fork before putting it on the sandwich and will say that the sauce is Amazing! The fish is hand battered cod, deep fried to a crisp golden brown. The fish had some crunch and flaked well, but had just a little bit of sog beyond my taste (maybe it sat a little longer in liquid when hand battering today) If I had put all of the tartar sauce on the sandwich, I think it may have had a better taste, but I wanted to try to taste evenly so I only put on a little. Have heard a lot of good reviews on this sandwich so maybe it was a fluke today. Since we did the fry choice with the Signature Sandwich, we went with the homemade chips on this dish. Oh-My-YUMMM....So good! 

Our sandwiches...dish 2 and 3, came out very close to our appetizer when we hadn't even made it halfway through which the server apologized for and we appreciated her saying so.

Being parents, we always look for a nice kid's menu which was provided. Each main dish choice comes with fries or chips and a soft drink for $4.99. I love any place where the drink is included! They also have a very nice happy hour menu. 

As for the restaurant atmosphere, I think it went right along with what they were aiming. Sports decor designs near large tv's, booths and tables suitable for small or large parties, bar, stage and patio seating in warm weather. 

Read all about them here: http://www.frankieis.com/about-us

Check out their menu options here: http://www.frankieis.com/menu.php

Like their FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/fibg26/

A few snags with us for our first time here, but overall...a good experience. We give it 4 out of 5 stars. 

See you on Date 4! 

Date 2: Bacon, Bourbon and Beer...The Great Local Food Tour 2020

So much for doing every other week on our tour. We were so excited about our next place that we decided to go on Date 2 one week after Date 1! Of course, spreading it out is the plan since we usually do date night every other week so you won't see 2 weeks in a row often.

The next restaurant in a row on Rt 19 falls in the same plaza as Napoli, which was the first stop on our tour. This one is nestled right in the middle, but is in no way hidden as it is a happening place! It is located at 1000 Park Place Dr. in Washington, PA.

If you go to this establishment on a Saturday night at dinner time, definitely plan on a wait, but well worth it. Since there was only 2 of us, we were given a 20-30 minute wait time, but it only ended up being about 10 minutes. Our table was just left of the bar and the pathway to the restroom so there was a lot of traffic near us throughout our dinner. We did stand and move our table over just a bit as there were some standers near the bar and it was hard for anyone trying to get to the restroom to squeeze past our table. 

The restaurant is loud so if noise is not your cup of tea, it may not be the best choice, but with noise comes a lot of conversation with your party (instead of staring at a phone) and happy faces. A great place to just kick back! 

We went just a little above our $30 budget to try 3 different dishes and were not disappointed. 

We ordered a salad, side and burger, but asked them to be brought out all at the same time. As we waited, we enjoyed a nice chilled bottle of water that was poured for us and placed on our table to refill. Very nice touch! We chose to drink water to keep under budget and just asked for lemon for some flavor. Our server Suzanne was very friendly. She was very busy as the restaurant was hopping, but made sure to check in on how our dinners tasted and how everything was. 

First dish: House Salad

Feta Cheese, Pecans, Tomatoes, Picked Red Onion and Bourbon Soaked Rendered Bacon. I was so excited about this dish!! Due to trying to remain on budget, we did not order an actual glass of bourbon, but were able to catch a taste of it in this crumbled bacon. This was a nice size salad. The house dressing was a vinaigrette which added a lovely sour note. The pickled onion had some mid-sour added to the sweetness of the pecans and voila! An amazing salad!  

Second Dish: B3 Macaroni & Cheese w/Bacon

I am not a fan of overly cheesy mac and cheese and this dish is spot on for what I like!!! Very subtle cheesy mac with some added cheese shreds on top along with bacon. So good! 

Third Dish: The B3

Ok. When I saw that they had a burger named after the establishment, I knew I had to have it! This burger is piled high (and I mean high) with Pulled Bacon, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Bacon Jam, Arugula, Tomatoes, Red Onion, White Cheddar, BBQ Sauce, Thick Onion Rings and topped with a Fried Pickle! We had the pickle on the side first. A nice garlic flavor and then munched on some fries....very good! When we were ready to tackle this beast, we tried the fried pickle first. Batter is amazing! Sliced the burger down the center and kept the skewers in as we ate as this is a BIG Bite! 

Can you say A-M-A-Z-I-N-G...well, we had to wait because our mouths were full of this goodness, but the word came shortly thereafter! 

As for the restaurant atmosphere...the design went right along with the name. Natural wood elements, concrete floors, skinny water glasses, bumpy metal design plates. Everything just flowed....

The bar area had a gorgeous lit bourbon bottle background and there were tv's in all areas to catch a game or 2. Bathrooms were clean and matched the restaurant design. 

Read their story here: https://observer-reporter.com/business/serving-up-the-b-s-washington-native-launches-bacon-bourbon/article_bc39b47b-daf2-532f-ae74-52710af48009.html

Check out their website for menu options: http://www.baconbourbonandbeer.com/

Be sure to like their FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/BaconBourbonBeer/

If you are a WV friend, there is also a location in Morgantown! 368 Suncrest Town Center Drive 

We recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves a really great burger! 5 stars! 

We will be back! 

See you on Date 3! 

Date 1: Napoli's Italian Restaurant...The Great Local Food Tour 2020

I must say that I did not realize how predictable my husband and I actually are. Could we seriously have lived in PA for almost 20 years and always hit the same places? Seriously though! 

We were so excited when we came up with "The Great Local Food Tour 2020" for our next "Bucket List" idea as it will keep us on track every other week (date nights) to hitting all of these awesome establishments that we were obviously missing! Will we hit a few that may not be so hot? I'm sure, but we are determined to say that we did them all...good or bad!!! 

So, here we go....

Date 1: Napoli's Italian Restaurant

I guess we do not make our way around as much as we thought. The establishment is located just off of Rt 19 in a plaza at 2112 Park Place Dr. This little place is much bigger than it looks from the outside, with a bar area to the right when you enter and 2 dining areas to the left. I thought the decor was spot on, ivy murals coming from stone look painted walls and lovely light fixtures along the walls to give just the right ambiance. It was very busy that night, but we managed to get a booth off to the side which makes us the very happiest! 

When we go to a regular dinner place, we each get our own meal, but when we are doing something like this, we like to grab as much as we can to "taste test" per say, within our budget. We were able to get 3 different dishes and bellies were filled. 

Our server, Kodi was very friendly and right on par. She filled our water when they were down to half each time, food came out in just the right amount of time. 

We ordered the Pepperoni Roll, Meatball Casserole and a 9" Sicilian Pizza. 

Pepperoni Roll: Being a WV girl, this was the first dish that caught my eye. I had to taste the PA version of my hometown favorite. It was definitely different than what I am used to in WV as we do not put cheese on ours. This roll came with cheese melted on top, cut into pieces and served alongside their sauce. I did try with and without the sauce and just seem to go back to my roots....bare all the way, with the exception of the melted cheese. The plating was fun and this roll was extremely good! 

Meatball Casserole: I couldn't go to an Italian restaurant without trying "their meatballs" covered in their sauce. The casserole was 5 meatballs with lots of sauce and melted cheese over the top. I think it was just the right amount of firmness and had a nice taste. Oh and don't forget the slice of garlic bread....so good! 

9" Sicilian Pizza: This was a great choice! It came cut into 4 slices. It was plump and had a lovely crunch when you bit into it. I can honestly say that I loved this pizza. It bounced back just right after a bite, very light. Yum! 

I think that prices were spot on for this type of restaurant. They also have a Rewards Program that you can download to your phone.

The service was exceptional!  As I stated before, our server was fantastic. There was a constant server picking up plates as you finished. Another server immediately spotted when my arm accidentally hit my water glass (which did indeed spill) and promptly mopped it up and brought me a new glass of water.  

Here is their history (as per the menu): Bob and Diane Steffl always wanted to open their own restaurant. In 1988, after looking at several locations, they found Napoli Pizzeria in the Great Southern Shopping Center. Although it was 25 miles from their home in Wexford, they decided they could make Napoli into the restaurant, they always wanted. Together with the help of Diane's parents Nick and Madeline, and recipes of authentic Italian food, they opened their restaurant. At first it was just a pizza shop serving pizza and hoagies on paper plates. 

Their children Nicole and Bobby were only 5 and 3 at the time. They spent many days sitting in the booth doing their homework and making animal figures out of pizza dough. In 1995 they decided to remodel the restaurant and add a bar and lounge area. Today the menu has been expanded using the finest products available. Daily the dough, sauces and soups are made from scratch. Their children are now grown and are the third generation to operate the restaurant. Thanks to a very loyal clientele the restaurant is still going strong. 

26 years later and have made many good friends over the years. 

Now begins the next chapter with the additional location in Washington. ~

Check out their website here for hours and menu options: http://napolipa.com/?fbclid=IwAR1WWZ3r9arrqXy1nGhk2FA_2VZpQS1Bleow2ZKo9029RjtVmUtlnC2MvUU

Like their FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/napolirestaurantandlounge/

I know that I am excited that they decided to branch out. When you live in an area like we do, you don't always think to head further north to hit restaurants and may not have even known that they existed at their original location. What a treat that they brought their gift closer to us! So happy to have experienced Napoli's Italian Restaurant as part of our "Great Local Food Tour!"

We recommend! 5 stars! 

See you on Date 2! 

Welcome to Our Great Local Food Tour Bucket List!!!

Who loves a good bucket list?  My husband and I are all about it and how it can directly effect us as a couple! We believe in giving ourselves goals and having a lot of fun while working towards them.

Our last list was watching the "Top 100 Romance Movies on the Silver Screen". It took us 5 years to complete. The rules were that we had to watch all 100 from #100 down to #1. Even if a movie had been viewed before, we had to re-watch in order to properly complete the list. There was also no skipping the line if a DVD was not available...it had to be done in the correct order to get the right "feel" for how the lowest on the romance list was down to the top one!

We have 8 children and had to fit in a movie where we could. We were also having to receive DVD's from Netflix as our home is located in an area where streaming is not an option. There were some movies that were not even available with Netflix and had to be purchased on eBay, Amazon and in stores so you can imagine why 5 years flew by before the list was completed. The good news is that we had a time period in our head that we wanted to complete it, but luckily, we are not stress type people so we watched when we could and didn't fret.

We recently were trying to come up with yet another list and had so many ideas that it kept us thinking. We are WV raised, my husband and I. We transferred to PA in 2000 when my 2nd child was just born, my husband working in the Pittsburgh area. After living in Washington for 5 years, we made our way to what we considered "the country" to our current home in the Centerville area. After a lot of discussing, we realized that there are a ton of hometown restaurants that we had never been to. We tend to frequent our favorites. What have we been missing out on? We decided to find out!

Welcome to Our Great Local Food Tour Bucket List!!! 

As I stated before, my husband and I have 8 children which means a lot of running with them to sports, play practice, jobs, dance, family activities, etc...We have always allowed ourselves a date every other week to just enjoy time together...trust me, we all need it! We do not have a time limit on this list, but are looking forward to hitting each establishment (our mouths are watering just thinking about it!) We wanted our route to be a long one and found ourselves heading to the Washington area every time. We chose Route 19 as our road to follow. It is one of the busiest in Washington County and has a ton of fun along the way. Here are the rules:

1. Must be a non-franchise unless it originated in PA. That means no DQ, Taco Bell, McDonalds, Arby's...you get the drift.

2. Must be our first time there.

3. Must be dine-in. That doesn't mean that we have to have a server, just that there are tables available to sit and dine.

4. Can only spend $30 max, tax and tip included (hey, I'm not made of money you know...)

5. A blog must follow with our experience...food taste, staff, atmosphere. We are not here to give any negativity, but a basis of our own personal thoughts.

6. Give a star rating.

We are so excited to begin this list and have hit our first location this past weekend! Blog coming soon...