Logan Inn in New Hope shifts restaurant focus toward the Mediterranean with introduction of ‘Nikolas’

Nikolas restaurant at the Logan Inn, New Hope, PA (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

The Logan Inn at 10 W. Ferry St. in New Hope has renamed its indoor/outdoor dining space “Nikolas”, and the new menu is impressive. Prices are not bargain basement, but owner Nick Gialias says that he “seeks out the finest, freshest ingredients, and then we go from there.

“The restaurant is named after my grandfather Nikolas to highlight our Mediterranean roots and our emphasis on good, natural food,” added Gialias.

The menu is presented in four prix fixe sections ranging from $35 to $75, with optional bottles of wine specially paired with each entre. A seven-course tasting menu is also available. Dishes like seared octopus, clams casino, Greek salad, grilled whole fish, prime rib, Kobe strip steak, filet mignon, and crab strudel with seared scallops underscore the surf and turf emphasis.

“We amped up the wine selection quite a bit,” said Gialias. “We brought in several new wines.” Not that a selection of more than 150 wasn’t enough, but Gialias’ latest additions reflect his love and knowledge of the grape, and also his disdain for mass produced wine products with numerous artificial additives.

Gialias says he’s adding wines from small family-owned vineyards, many of which specialize in organic production methods. White and red varieties from the United States, France and Italy are well represented, but the selections from Spain, Portugal, and Greece are standouts.

All in all, Nikolas adds an interesting, fresh take on Mediterranean-inspired cuisine to the downtown scene.

Blue Penguin frozen yogurt shop latest entrant into New Hope's ice cream wars

Frozen yogurt dispensers at Blue Penguin in New Hope (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

New Hope is famous for many things, but no one can deny that ice cream is king and competition is fierce. Gerenser's deserves much of the credit, with its pioneering gourmet "exotic" flavors, and survives as a popular establishment to this day. Clusters Bucks County Caramel Corn on West Bridge Street offers gelato, Last Temptation offers the creamy, super-premium Thomas Sweet, and even Little China restaurant has a small freezer with Good Humor bars of dubious age.

Enter Blue Penguin at 15 E. Bridge St., a location that has been home to more than one failed ice cream enterprise. Yes, they're cleaning up during the borough's Friday Night Fireworks shows, but can they survive having opened late in the busy season and with cooler weather just around the corner?

Manager Sang H. Lee thinks so. "We opened later to get it right," he said.

And Blue Penguin's business plan factors in an eight-month selling season at best. So, what's their model for success? Lee believes that having "complete control over the product" will insure quality, while the self-serve model offers simplicity.

He seems spot on with regard to the latter. The customer experience is simple and fun, judging from the random reactions of those trying the product. One simply grabs a cup, pours in frozen yogurt from a wall mounted dispenser, then adds toppings. The finished yogurt snack is then weighed at the checkout counter. Prices typically range in the $3-$4 area, and can easily top $6 if one goes crazy with some of the 36 toppings. And what toppings they are: from pitted cherries, berries, melon and other fruit to chocolate chunks, Rainbow Rice Krispies, nuts, and sprinkles.

The 12 basic yogurt flavors themselves were varied and luscious. One young woman was gushing over her Georgia Peach, and a six-year-old boy went bonkers over Red Velvet Cake, although Lee says Cookies n' Cream has proven the most popular flavor among customers thus far.

So, can Blue Penguin be a major player in the battle to win over New Hope's ice cream lovers?

"This is yogurt, not ice cream," said one outspoken customer from Toms River. "It has healthy bacteria, less fat and tastes great. I'll be back."

Blue Penguin is located at 15 E. Bridge St. near the New Hope-Lambertville free bridge; (215) 693-1748.

New Hope's Annapurna fills local Indian restaurant void

Annapurna Indian restaurant in New Hope (Photo: Charlie Sahner)

By Charlie Sahner

Annapurna sits at the back of the Four Seasons Mall in New Hope, a location that once made up part of the sizable and popular Toys for Men shop. There are now windows in the rear offering Delaware River views courtesy of a prior restaurant's effort, but unlike that establishment, this one has a crack at succeeding.

A recent visit to Annapurna revealed clean, tasteful decor, a classic selection of Indian cuisine, and friendly, efficient service. The details: to start, one won't find unusual, fiery regional dishes. And that may be a good thing. It seems that while some local palettes might be accustomed to Thai cooking, far fewer are familar with the culinary joys of the subcontinent.

Annapurna manages to cover all the bases in a pleasing, authentic way. Appetizers include the standard pakoras and samosas tastefully rendered, and the bread selection focused on interesting varieties of naan. Prices were moderate, with many entrees in the $12-15 range, including tandoori, curry, masala, korma and biryani dishes. The vegetarian selection was sizable and varied.

Standouts included the chicken tikka masala (cooked in a mild, but well-seasoned tomato and cream sauce), and the shrimp vindaloo, which had an abundanance of medium shrimp in a wonderfully seasoned curry sauce that made up in flavor what it lacked in heat. In fact, should one be an experienced fan of Indian cuisine, informing the waiter that one's dish can be prepared on the hot side would not be out of order.

The service was excellent; our waiter offered extra helpings of basmati rice and chutneys. Fresh coriander was in the air, and the entrees weren't swimming in ghee. The river view added to the overall experience. We'll be back.

A great introduction to Indian food for everyone that can also be enjoyed by experienced afficiandados. BYOB and take-out avaialble.

Annapurna is located at 32 S. Main St.; (215) 862-5080.

New owners to convert large New Hope retail space into Italian restaurant

By Charlie Sahner

A local partnership, 46 North Main Associates, LLC, is taking over the property located at that address in New Hope and seeking permission to convert it into a restaurant featuring homemade pasta, pizza and fine Italian entrees at what owners say will be moderate prices.

At 7,000 square feet, the space formerly occupied by the Trading Post of Bucks County seems ideal to create the type of airy, almost opulent decor for which co-owner Antonio Adragna is known. His Cafe Antonio in Morrisville has a loyal following, traditional Italian menu, and an impressive interior featuring soaring ceilings, chandeliers, and charming murals.

Says Lambertville resident and partner Glenn Kapuscienski, "We want to combine the energy of New Hope with fine Italian dining on the riverfront."

Blueprints for the planned restaurant feature two prominent bar areas, and a rumor has circulated among some concerned homeowners in New Hope's largely quiet north end that a nightclub or bar might be in the works.

But the owners say they're interested in gaining the community's respect and loyalty as a fine dining venue. "New Hope is a wonderful historic town with diversity and a flair for the arts," said Kapuscienski. "We intend to be a friendly neighbor and a complement to the community."

High Heel Drag Race on Mechanic Street in New Hope 2010

By Charlie Sahner

New Hope's West Mechanic Street was packed Sunday night with Halloween revelers and spectators of the borough's Annual High Heel Drag Race.

Contestants had to race uphill to the top of the block near the canal, then back down the street.  The event, sponsored by TearDrop Memories, required that participants wear high heels and carry antique bird cages while running.

Prizes were provided by local merchants, who were quite generous this year.

The legal drag race was immediately followed by a parade of zombies sponsored by Delia's Makeup and Theatrical Supplies.

The whole affair was creepy beyond belief, and the crowd ate it up, so to speak.

Only in New Hope!

Spatola's Remains King of New Hope Pizza

Louis Vanegas (foreground), co-owner of Spatola's

By Charlie Sahner

When California natives Louis and Eddie Vanegas came to New Hope via New York City some nine years ago, their goal was to make a simple living by baking a great pie of pizza.

And despite several challengers over the years, the brothers Vanegas have stayed on top, occupying an important niche in family-style, value-oriented dining.

Their secret?

"Friendly service," says Louis.  Of course, offering free delivery to New Hope, Lambertville and Solebury doesn't hurt either.

Neither does the pizza itself: traditional style, on the thin side, crispy but not crackly or cornmeal-ensconced.  It's really "Queens style," i.e. not dripping cheese, with light use of a special sauce made with two kinds of tomato.

So, what flavor of pizza to choose?   The clear neighborhood favorite is the Buffalo Chicken pie.

Overall: inexpensive, traditional pizza, along with good subs, salads, cheese steaks and wings; family-friendly.

Spatola's Pizza, 82 S. Main St., 215-862-6041.

Adam Martinez throws a pizza while Louis looks on

New Hope PA is Ice Cream Lover's Paradise

By Charlie Sahner

During the 1960s in places like Philadelphia and Central New Jersey the most exotic frozen treat around was a "neapolitan", those xeroxed squares of layered strawberry, chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

When visiting Gerenser's ice cream shop in New Hope back then, I'd be astounded by exotic flavors previously unimaginable. My fave at the time: honeydew.

Today, I also like Shawn's hand made ice cream at Zoubi Food; my family buys a pint of mango flavored almost every week. And the high cream content and overall quality of the Thomas Sweet selection at the Last Temptation (pictured above at 115. S. Main St.) is awesome in all its splendid caloric excess. Most recently, I was impressed by the coffee crunch, with bits o' bean in every bite.

Dunkin' Donuts also has some frozen things, and I've heard there's good ice cream at Weenie World. There's Rita's if you like ices or their type of soft serve, and a friendly but unmemorable purveyor near the bridge.

New Hope is truly an ice cream lover's kind of town!

Bitter Bob Dishes Up a Sweet Deal

Back in March, we interviewed Bitter Bob about his new barbecue style restaurant, so we recently decided to sneak in for a lunchtime sampling of his cooking.

Bottom line: Bitter Bob's didn't disappoint.

The meat selections all had an excellent texture and the right smokey flavor. Sauces can be served on the side; one a mildly spicy vinegar based Carolina style sauce, the other, a classic red BBQ slather with some subtlety. The sampler platter lets you try most of the best entrees.

The sides were glorious: sweet potato fries were a standout, as were the zesty 5-bean BBQ beans, and exceptionally fresh corn bread. Slaw slightly unispired. Decor: sparse. Service: first-rate.

All in all, if our boy Bob can keep prices at this level, he will have a hit on his hands and have no further cause for bitterness in his world. :-)

110 South Main Street in New Hope PA.

New Hope Restaurant Peace Out to Open Monday

Peace Out Pizza in New Hope PA

A chat with the owner of the new organic bake-at-home pizza joint opening this week on Bridge Street in New Hope, PA.

Captain Bob Keeps on Truckin' This Holiday Season at His Famous New Hope PA Ice Cream Parlor

You'd think that losing a bid for New Hope PA Borough Council (again) and owning an ice cream parlor with winter approaching would be enough to give anyone pause, but not New Hope's very own Bob Gerenser, owner of New Hope landmark Gerenser's Exotic Ice Cream, and plyer of the Delaware's currents, George Washington impersonator and Havana karaoke legend.

I stopped by on Thanksgiving day during my downtown "who's open" tour. Of course a lot of local inns and bars were open to offer cool weather warmth, but not as many shops and smaller businesses. Gerenser's, however, was open and Captain Bob was running his river tour boat out back on the Delaware. He's promoting winter fare like warm beverages and wieners, but the hottest dish in the joint was easily his girlfriend (forgive the Dashiell Hammett), keeping busy behind the counter.

Gerenser's Exotic Ice Cream. A New Hope PA original.

22 S Main St
New Hope, PA 18938
215-862-2050

Dining Out: Karla's Bar and Restaurant in New Hope PA

As I sat outside at Karla's Bar and Restaurant reading the lunch menu on a warm afternoon last weekend, I was happy to learn they'd won a Best of Bucks Award for 2009, and pleased to see a new, broader menu with more entres that looked intriguing. I was more surprised on closer inspection to see that they'd also lowered prices!

Let me get this straight: restaurant gets recognition, freshens up menu, and then lowers prices?

I asked manager Cynthia, "Is it me, or is this menu looking less expensive?"

"It's still tough out there," she said, referring to the overall economy. "We want to do our part for the customers."

Now, owner Louis is admittedly known more for being a shrewd, if not opportunistic businessman, than a philanthropist, but I was impressed to see this key downtown business doing something right and timely. Louis is smart, and he's a survivor.

I had a hot cider and cheddar burger, medium rare; my dining partner, the Greek salad with fresh bread. All solid. Nice view, attentive staff.

All you need at that point is Ricky behind the bar with fresh mint for Mojitos and an afternoon to kill.

Haven't seen the Locals Night menu yet; write in and let us know what you think!

Karla's is located at 5 West Mechanic Street in New Hope PA, 215-862-2612.

Dining Out: Kids Not Welcome Here

The New Hope PA restaurant above not only admonishes against parking nearby and using their restrooms if one is not a patron, but also makes it pretty plain with front door signage that, frankly, "kids aren't welcome here."

In this author's opinion, a ridiculous, unfriendly, impolite manner to treat our town's visitors. Most parents are nice enough to leave strollers parked outside, but if strollers don't fit, that means wheelchairs don't fit and evacuation in a fire could be interesting.

Funny thing is, the food's not bad, but not memorable, either. The lack of hospitality leaves an impression, though.

Below, two local restaurants that are kid-friendly.

Table Outside, Senor?

With temperatures soaring into the 70s, restaurants with outdoor seating in New Hope PA were in high demand. This popular destination just north of the Bridge on N. Main Street is running a luncheon special to boot, which is great because I've eaten there and it's the real deal although usually a bit pricey.