THE PLACE: Say Cheese!
LOCATION: 600 Penn Avenue, West Reading PA 19611
MY EXPERIENCE: Who doesn’t love cheese? Well…probably the lactose intolerant, but let’s be honest even lactose intolerant folks probably still love it too, even if the cheese doesn’t love them back! At the end of the day, nothing says comfort food like cheese! There are so many ways to prepare it – and I like a place that isn’t afraid to do just that!
After a short drive into West Reading with my foodie friend Kelly this place was found - A quaint little restaurant on a corner. Say Cheese! This location in West Reading was once a coffee establishment. Let’s just say that I am glad they changed over. I think that every community needs a place that serves something everyone loves!
We
walked in, and the place is buzzing! There are people at the cheese counter;
people are in line; people are sitting and talking; people are walking out with
carryout boxes. This place is happening!
We
walk through some shelving filled with homemade jams and jellies (the kind you
know would go amazing with a nice puff pastry wrapped brie) to the hostess
stand. We were greeted with a smile (those of you that know me know that this
is the most important thing to me). The hostess informed us that it would be
about 20 minutes, but it could be less time – which it turned out being much
less.
The
hostess came over to get Kelly and me. This personal touch was so much nicer
than having a beeper or hearing our name over a loud speaker. It felt more like
a friend saying, “hey, come eat!!”
The
table was small, but very nice. The chairs were very comfortable; there were
dark stained tables sitting on a lighter stained wood floor. The table was set
with a napkin and a napkin ring – something you don’t see too often in a
restaurant where people come for lunch and walk out paying less than $20.
The
waiter (Robin) came by and offered us a drink. His reciting of the list of “Say
Drinks!” category impressed Kelly and me. These were the additional what sounded like 30 drinks not
considered “soft drinks.” I ordered a Birch Beer (which was handcrafted right
there in Reading).
It
was a hard decision however when it came to what I wanted to eat. The menu was
straightforward and simple; it all sounded delicious. I wanted it all, but I decided to do the ½ of a sandwich and salad combo.
Smoked
Gouda, cured ham with rosemary brown mustard on whole wheat and a Chèvre salad
– arugula, grilled peach half, fresh chèvre, julienned radishes and peach
vinaigrette. Sounds good doesn’t it?
THE
RATING:
PEOPLE: Everyone that we dealt with during our visit here was delightful. The hostess when we first arrived made us feel like we had been friends for years; the server Robin had a great since of humor and was very attentive to our table. We noticed someone whom I assumed was the manager approaching random tables to see how the service was, and though he did not approach our table, it was nice to see him “on the front lines.” The kitchen was an open style and the restaurant could see in. It appeared that the staff was working like a well-oiled machine, and the best part is – it seemed as though they actually enjoyed what they were doing!
PEOPLE: Everyone that we dealt with during our visit here was delightful. The hostess when we first arrived made us feel like we had been friends for years; the server Robin had a great since of humor and was very attentive to our table. We noticed someone whom I assumed was the manager approaching random tables to see how the service was, and though he did not approach our table, it was nice to see him “on the front lines.” The kitchen was an open style and the restaurant could see in. It appeared that the staff was working like a well-oiled machine, and the best part is – it seemed as though they actually enjoyed what they were doing!
FOOD: The portions were just enough that I
felt full, but I was not stuffed! The salad idea was amazing – the textures and
flavors all work very well. The creamy texture of the cheese with the sweet and
charred flavors of the grilled peach work very well with the fresh crispness of the
radish and the peppery arugula and let's not forget the sweet flavor of the roasted red peppers. For my tastes, I do feel that the salad had too
much chèvre . It is nice that the restaurant doesn’t “skimp” on cheese,
however I feel that goat cheeses can be overpowering. I only ended up needing
about 1/3 of the cheese that was given to me. The sandwich was very good.
Perfect ratio of meat to bread (one of my pet peeves is to have a sandwich that
is all bread) and the mustard was a great addition that gave enough flavors
without overpowering the ham. I believe that when they cut the sandwich that a
majority of the cheese managed to get to the other half, so my ½ did not have
as much gouda as I would have liked, but this is just me being very critical.
Even being as critical as I am of the food- I still would have paid a lot more
money than the price. The food quality is WAY higher than what
they charge you.
ATMOSPHERE: The place is hard to categorize. It feels
very old fashioned, yet very modern. It is like a New York City restaurant
meets a small town deli and they had a child with Parisian quality. The seating
is somewhat close, yet you are not sitting on top of other customers. The drop
“copper” ceilings add a nice feel to the building. It is like a step back in
time.
This place gets a 3 FORK
YEAHs!!!
Did I enjoy my experience –
FORK yeah!
Would I eat there again –
FORK yeah!
Would I recommend this place
to others – FORK yeah!
SAY CHEESE! – Trust me you
can’t help smiling after eating here. Cheese is something that always brings me
back to my childhood. The creamy rich taste added to a well thought out, but
simple menu with a healthy helping of a staff that makes you feel welcome is a
recipe that not only puts a smile on my face – but one in my stomach! This is
an establishment I hope succeeds because I know I will be back!
