Rossi’s Pizza is a small Italian eatery tucked away on Lehigh Street, or State Avenue, just over the Salisbury Township border in Emmaus. It has a few tables for in-house dining, but it seems that most people call in their orders for delivery or pick-up. The owner is incredibly nice (and incredibly Italian, which is always a good sign). When I walked in, he said a warm hello and handed me a printed menu.  When I looked over the menu, I realized that Rossi’s is anything but small.  They’ve got a long list of pizzas, including specialties like barbeque chicken, taco and chicken bacon ranch. …

Many were disappointed with the closure of Tap & Table last April – it was a unique gastro pub and restaurant next door in Emmaus with a medieval feel and an upscale menu. But mourn no more! Tap & Table employees Jennifer Funk and John Kerstetter re-opened the business as The Trapp Door, and I’m happy to say not much has changed. The building is the same – exposed wooden beams and red and gold walls, with a large chalkboard behind the bar advertising daily specials. The atmosphere is still dimly lit, with dark wooden tables and the same copper-topped bar, but the candles in the chandeliers …

The best things about Oliver Shakewell’s are what it’s not: It’s not a chain, its food is rarely frozen and it’s not an “eat, pay & get out” kind of place. It’s a neighborhood spot, no matter where you call home. Located on busy S. 4th Street in Allentown, one block north of Emmaus Avenue, it’s conveniently close to Salisbury and Upper Saucon townships, as well as Emmaus, Fountain Hill and Bethlehem. The restaurant is famous for its ambience and foods that go well with beer and sports (there are more than 20 televisions). “We sold 5,000 chicken wings Super Bowl Sunday,” mostly take-out, says …

Sitting in Apollo Grill is almost like sitting in a big art gallery. The atmosphere is artsy and contemporary: the ceiling is tiled white, it's lit with track and blue pendant lighting, and the large square bar is topped with a dark stone. But the neatest part is the wall artwork that changes as they sponsor new artists. The food is a whole different story. The Apollo menu is extensive. There are plenty of sandwiches like the crab cake, Italian BMT, grilled tuna wrap and a vegetable baguette, and plenty of salads like the Nicoise, Apollo Waldorf, and tricolore. In addition, they feature …

When I heard the Mountainside Restaurant was under new ownership and operating as a sports bar I wanted to check it out. I mean, I like sports and I like bars, so it sounded like a natural. My visit to the previous establishment on S. Pike Avenue (also known as S. 4th Street or Route 145) in Salisbury Township was something of a disappointment. While the food wasn’t bad, the place seemed just a little bit creepy and in need of a makeover, not to mention an airing out. Done and done. The plastic plants and patriotic knickknacks have given way to televisions. Lots of televisions. The briny old …

Generations of Lehigh Valley residents have marked their milestones with a meal at the Brass Rail in Allentown. I’ve been there dozens of times, for large birthday dinners, quiet meals for two or just to sit at the bar to watch a Phillies game. I’ve always been treated to unfailingly friendly service, consistent good food and reasonable prices. The restaurant has more than 30 dinner entrees, ranging from chicken fingers and fries ($7.99) to 10 oz. lobster tail ($27.49). If you’ve got a hankering for grilled liver and onions ($10.49), they’ve got it. There are also several Italian dishes …

Ever since it first opened several years ago at the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley, Kome's reputation as one of the premier Japanese restaurants in the Lehigh Valley has been growing. Step inside its sleekly appointed interior and you'll begin to realize why. The restaurant features two levels, and its open concept-style main dining area bears a resemblence to fine dining establishments in Center City Philadelphia and other major urban centers. The long, elegant bar near the restaurant's entrance looks like the perfect place to savor a pre-dinner drink and people watch. Of course, it's the …

Even before the Revolutionary War, the crossroads tavern that is now the King George Inn was serving weary travelers. Very few horse drawn carriages have occasion to pass by Hamilton and Cedar Crest Boulevards anymore, but now the parking lot is a welcome sight for gasoline-powered conveyances, and hungry diners can still find refreshment within. The cozy dining rooms feature thick stone walls, fireplaces and antique cocktail bars. Full course dinners are the staple of the menu. Appetizers include jumbo lump crabmeat and baked almond crusted brie. Steak, lobster and other seafood dominate the…

A rallying point for the Fries Rebellion in 1799 when an armed militia rose up to chase tax assessors out of the area, the historic Commix Hotel in Salisbury Township was quite peaceful when I dropped in for a quick bite a few days ago. As a smoking establishment, Commix food sales must be 20 percent or less of its total sales by law, making it more of a bar than a restaurant. That also means no one under 21 may enter. And, despite the smell of stale smoke when I walked in the door, as taverns go it’s pretty pleasant. It's not a pretentious place; in fact, it's more of a dive. But a friendly …

If you’re near the South Mall in Salisbury Township, the Dragon Ball restaurant is a quick, inexpensive option to grab a buffet lunch or dinner. I stopped by on a recent afternoon. I was glad to see that no dragons were harmed in the preparation of my lunch as the buffet selections were standard Chinese restaurant fare. Chickens, that’s another story. Gen. Tso’s chicken, sweet and sour chicken, salt and pepper chicken, chicken and broccoli and Malaysian chicken were among the more than a dozen selections available. I enjoyed the Gen. Tso’s, though it was devoid of broccoli or other vegetables…

Dino’s Pizza-teria at the South Mall in Salisbury Township is a cross between a pizza joint and a cafeteria, hence the name. But this casual, inexpensive eatery, located inside the mall's main entrance, serves several other Italian dishes, such as Italian wedding soup, stromboli, ravioli and other kinds of pasta. And for people on wheat-free diets, Dino's now serves gluten-free pizza. After you place your order up front and watch the friendly staff warm up your meal and pour your beverages, you can either take the meal home or sit down in the small but cozy, dimly-lit dining area. Dino’s …

Penn Pizza Restaurant prides itself on not being a run-of-the-mill pizza shop. That's because the restaurant offers specialty pizzas with gourmet toppings such as anchovies, eggplant, spinach, ricotta, fresh tomato, fresh garlic and pineapple, and a variety of pasta dishes. And on nice days, you can dine al fresco, although it's in an office park. The pasta dishes include ravioli, stuffed shells manicotti, lasagna, baked ziti and something called Tour of Italy, which is one ravioli, half a serving of lasagna and half a serving of chicken parmesan. Entrees include chicken marsala, veal …

When you’re in the mood for a sweet treat, nothing beats the freshly baked flaky pastries and bread of Vallos Bakery, a neighborhood institution that has stood at the same busy corner of Salisbury Township's eastern end for more than 80 years. Located at 1800 Broadway, at the busy crossroads of Broadway, Susquehanna Street and Seidersville Road, many customers stop in to buy bread and rolls as part of their weekly grocery trip, Others make a pitstop for their daily doughnut or any number of decadent pastries such as sticky buns, apple fritters, cannolis, cakes and strudels. And once a year on…

It’s easy to zoom past Soumaya & Sons, an unassuming white building on Fullerton Avenue in Whitehall. But walk once through the doors to this Middle Eastern bakery, deli and grocery store, and I can assure you, it won’t be your last. The Ballan family, originally from Lebanon, is there to greet you upon entering their establishment, with friendly hellos and how can I help yous? Let them help you, as navigating the rows of exotic spices, candies and foodstuffs can be daunting as a first-timer. The shelves are filled with exotic items such as zaatar bread, harissa and hookah pipes. I had never …

With its neon sign and tempting aroma of freshly baking pretzels luring you in, it’s hard to ignore Pretzel Gourmet located near the South Mall's main entrance. Don't fight it. You deserve a pretzel after a hard day of shopping. Pretzel Gourmet goes beyond your typical Philadelphia soft pretzel (although they sell those, too) and offers a variety of pretzels that range from sweet to savory. There are dessert-like ones with cinnamon, cinnamon apple, and cream cheese, to hearty ones with garlic, parmesan, "everything" (like their bagel counterpart) and pizza sauce. The pretzels cost between $2 …

I’ll admit I was none too happy when Louie’s restaurant moved from 12th and Chew streets to its new home off 31st and Lehigh streets in southwest Allentown, a block from Salisbury Township. The old place was worn and cramped, but charming and homey too and we almost always knew someone else in line as we waited for a table holding our little brown bag of wine or beer. But I don’t think I ever gave the new digs  a decent chance. There was one raucous weekend visit where we waited a long time for a table while a band played too loud for us to talk. Then, just as we got served, we lost our …

There is a celebrity chef--- I shall call him a flavor ninja ---  who is making people go “Mmm” in downtown Allentown. Foodies, may I present to you, Abe Lopez, the new executive chef of Sangria, an upscale Mediterranean-inspired restaurant at 840 W.  Hamilton St. For all you Food Network junkies, this New York native needs no introduction. For the rest of you: Lopez became a nationally recognized chef when he won the first season of the show, “Chopped,” in 2009. Lopez demonstrated a knack for creating delicious dishes under pressure, with minimal time and ingredients. Now that he has all the…

Are you someone with a persistent hankering for Chinese food, but you have rather fickle taste? Bored with the same formulaic menu consisting of fried rice and egg rolls found in most corner takeout joints? If all of these apply, you’re in luck, because a smorgasbord of delicious, exotic cuisine awaits at New China Buffet in the Mountainville Shopping Center on S. 4th in Allentown, just across the Salisbury Township border. New China Buffet offers an all-you-can-eat feast of Chinese, Japanese and American dishes, all served in generous proportions and at very affordable prices. The salad bar…

Where I come from, delis with fresh bagels are a dime a dozen. Here, you have to go on a bit of a hunt. Lucky for Allentowners, their search just got a little shorter. 3 Men & A Bagel has opened a second location at Cedar Crest Professional Park, across the street from Lehigh Valley Hospital. And I’ll tell ya, as a Bethlehem-er, I was thinking that my first trip to 3 Men & A Bagel would be my last, but having tasted many mediocre bagels locally, I now have to say I just may have to make the drive weekly. The eatery is definitely more deli than brunch spot – they are not equipped with a fry …

The portable electric sign pitching lobster tail in front of the Mountainside Restaurant and Lounge doesn’t exactly scream fine dining. But inside we found that the dining is just fine, even if the surroundings are badly in need of an update. We parked on the north side of the building – formerly the Captain’s Table -- at 2720 S. Pike Ave. (S. 4th St. or Route 145), which turned out to be the back entrance. Greeted by two large pots of plastic flowers, a stuffed turkey, the eye-watering aroma of  heavy duty cleaning product and what sounded like a growling animal (the turkey?), we made our …