Returning home for the semester has been a bit of a struggle for me, in more ways than one. I could pontificate about how online learning provides advantages to students who learn some ways and disadvantages to students who learn other ways, but for now, I want to discuss the issue that is going to be of most relevance to this blog: in Pennsylvania, the governor has ordered that all restaurants close their dining areas. From this point forward, if it’s not takeout or drive-thru, it’s not an option.

Thankfully for me, I was able to go out to dinner with my family and their friends this weekend, before the order was given. It may not be in State College, but if any of you ever are nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania, in the far future, you can check out this sit-in Italian restaurant: Pagley’s Pasta and More. This joint was recommended to my parents by my high school principal, who invited us to join his family for dinner (probably to relieve the stress of running a school during a pandemic.) They made sure to recommend the spaghetti and waxed eloquent about the marinara sauce, so I ended up ordering the eggplant parmigiana and a bowl of wedding soup.

I wish that I could describe the food there in flowery language that took up another 300 words, but to be entirely honest, the food there was painfully average. The soup was precisely what you’d expect, the eggplant couldn’t decide whether it had been undercooked and rubbery or overcooked and leeched of flavor, and the marinara sauce tasted like it came from a can. Of course, this isn’t the sort of thing you say in front of your high school principal, who clearly needed to relieve stress after facing another week debating whether to close down or risk being the source of the first coronavirus case in Mercer County. I remained polite, and even sampled a piece of banana cream pie that almost tasted like bananas, but I think I can heartily say that this is the first restaurant I’ve reviewed this semester that I wouldn’t recommend.

To be honest, more important than some average Italian restaurant in some nowhere town, I want to discuss where my blog could go from here. As of now, the governor of Pennsylvania has  closed all sit-in restaurants for the foreseeable future, which is going to seriously hinder my blog about reviewing restaurants in State College. As I see it, I do have some options on how to adapt my blog to the times.

My first idea would be to review whatever local restaurants are still open throughout this crisis. On the one hand, this would continue my motif of reviewing restaurants that none of my readers have visited. On the other hand, chances are good that none of you will ever visit Hermitage, Pennsylvania, and I’m not sure how I feel about giving you guys useless information.

Another option I’ve considered is transitioning my focus to large chain restaurants. While this option would remove some of the individuality from my list of recommendations, I also feel like it might be nice to be able to connect with each other in the small ways, recommending to each other restaurants that are still open and we know everyone can visit.

At the same time, I know that most people are planning on eating out less entirely, so I could use this as an opportunity to switch my blog entirely from reviewing restaurants to sharing recipes. I’ve got plenty of family recipes that I could recommend, maybe even focus on recipes you could make with nonperishable items, like canned vegetables and such. Still, I have a feeling I’ll struggle to fill out the word count with this method, unless I use several recipes per post or master the art of the classic “tangentially-related story in a recipe blog post.”

Let me know what direction you want my blog to go in next week, and I’ll see you then!

Normally, when I review restaurants for this blog, my main method of choosing where I eat, unless I get a recommendation that sounds good, has been to wander around State College and look for whatever I find. This week, however, I decided to set out with a goal: to eat where no one else was eating. Sure, an empty seating area is not exactly something any restaurant would flaunt, but I figured that finding an empty restaurant on a Tuesday afternoon would be both relatively simple and fairly likely to introduce me to a restaurant that most people hadn’t visited before.

It took a bit of wandering, but I eventually wound up at UR Pizza, which, ironically, had been recommended to me earlier in the day. The restaurant, quite literally tucked underneath Calder Way, proved to be very interesting in location, decoration, and menu. While the storefront and some of the menus featured the name “UR Pizza,” others bore the name “Smash Falafel.” The menu options were even more diverse, including salad bowls along with the aforementioned pizza and falafel.

With so many options, I decided to focus my review on the restaurant’s namesake (or namesakes?) and ordered a falafel sandwich and a cheese pizza. I was surprised to see that you could order a cheese pizza for only $3, but once the chef began making it, the price point became clear for two reasons. First, the pizzas offered were meant to be personal pizzas, maybe 8 inches in diameter. Second, I had assumed that the pizza would come with tomato sauce, which was not how they were prepared at UR Pizza. Still, I’m the last person you would hear complaining; there’s just something so simple and satisfying about the combination of melted cheese and baked dough. It certainly didn’t do my figure any favors, but for the price, I feel comfortable recommending it.

The falafel sandwich, even if I was too busy eating to take a picture of it, was just as enjoyable. I don’t really know enough about falafel to make a statement on its quality, but I do know that it was hot and filling. In addition, I was able to choose from a variety of vegetables and sauces to accompany my falafel in the sandwich, so finding a sandwich that you can enjoy is simple. The falafel sandwiches were priced similarly to the pizza, with a half sandwich costing $3 and a whole sandwich costing $5. I’ve been trying to keep away from the topic of prices on this blog, but I feel like I should say that these prices were definitely the most affordable out of every restaurant I have visited so far.

Overall, I feel satisfied with my visit to UR Pizza, for more than one reason. Obviously, the food was well-crafted, with both the pizza and the falafel managing to find a balance between greasy and filling that left me feeling delightfully full, if slightly guilty. Beyond that, I knew that I would likely never have visited a place like UR Pizza unless I went out looking for a location most students ignored. In that regard, when I visited UR Pizza, I found a new method for discovering new culinary experiences in State College, as well as a place to go for some good falafel.

This week, for my restaurant review, I was considering visiting one of the restaurants that have been recommended to me at one point or another; my top choices were Mad Mex, a nearby Mexican-Americana fusion joint with plenty of character, or Osaka, a sushi restaurant with a more “student friendly” price range than Tadashi. Still, I wasn’t entirely sure about either choice, so I stepped back into my tried-and-true strategy of wandering downtown State College until I found something that looked interesting.

Before I even stepped off campus, however, I recognized an old friend who I hadn’t seen since my freshman year of high school. Last semester, he had been off studying abroad in Italy, and this semester would be his last semester. As a senior, I figured that he would have plenty of advice, and I told him about my new tradition of eating out on Tuesday nights, asking him for any recommendations. He immediately recommended BRGR, which was apparently right below his apartment. With that in mind, I invited him to join me, but he told me that he was heading back to finish some homework, and together, we danced the timeless dance of once-friends meeting again.

“We should meet sometime! For coffee or lunch or something.”
“That sounds great! I’ll be in touch!”
Traditionally, the two friends then part ways, never to speak again, but I hope to revise the conclusion of that piece.

Regardless, I ended up visiting BRGR this week, a spot so close to campus that I was surprised I had never been there before. I’d make comments about available tables and quick server times, but I’ve come to accept that every restaurant will have these on a Tuesday evening. Their menu was, strangely enough, what I was expecting to have seen at Baby’s. Plenty of space was spared for their burgers, obviously, as well as their shakes, both of which came in surprising varieties. The burgers on the menu included Impossible burgers, a personal favorite, as well as turkey and bison burgers. The shakes, on the other hand, were limited in variety compared to Baby’s, but they also offered “spiked” versions of most of their shakes, which sounded interesting. Those would be off-limits for a while, so I ordered a strawberry shake and a “Cease and Desist” burger with cheese, caramelized onions, and thousand island dressing, with a side of fries.

In my opinion, the picture doesn’t quite do the meal justice, but I’ve always gone crazy over caramelized onions on any burger, so who knows? What I do know is that the fries were hot, the milkshake was frothy, and the burger was cooked well. (Or, rather, medium. I’m not a heathen.) I may know absolutely nothing about the restaurant business, but the art of the burger, fries, and milkshake seems almost like dancing; the audience will never know how much effort goes into making it look easy. Nevertheless, if any of you have (somehow?) not given BRGR a try, I highly recommend it!

This week, for my restaurant review, I didn’t have any particular cravings or ideas this Tuesday, so I decided to wander around downtown and see what I could find. After strolling down College Avenue, turning onto Garner Street, and passing more bars than I even thought existed in State College, I found myself looking into a quaint little ’50’s-style diner by the name of Baby’s Burgers and Shakes. Intrigued, I went in and got myself a booth, where I could see their dedication to the aesthetic. There was a jukebox in the corner playing music no one know and everyone remembers, the booths and counter looked like they had been stripped from the diner in Grease, and all of the menu items had names that probably referenced songs and celebrities from the 1950’s.

Speaking of the menu, their selection practically screamed Americana, with a wide selection of burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and a chili that they seemed keen on advertising. Nevertheless, as I was called into this strange place with the siren song of “burgers and shakes,” I decided to get just that; the waiter recommended their “Shake of the Month,” which was a raspberry truffle milkshake, and I ended up ordering a Bleu Moon burger, topped with onion rings and bleu cheese dressing.

The wait time was fairly standard, especially considering that Tuesday evening is not going to be very busy anywhere in State College. My shake got out considerably faster than my burger, which was to be expected, and while it wasn’t quite what you’d get from the Creamery, I wasn’t disappointed; it is, after all, really difficult to mess up a milkshake. Once my burger arrived, I decided to take a picture, to keep this post from being a wall of text if nothing else.

I will say that my burger definitely tasted better than it looked. But at the same time, I feel like starting with that statement will set expectations too high. It was a burger that delivered what was promised, without embellishment or complaint. I ordered a burger with onion rings and bleu cheese dressing, and that is what I received. I don’t necessarily mean to criticize by saying this either; there is great comfort in going to an unfamiliar restaurant and knowing that your meal is going to taste how you expect it to taste, more or less.

Overall, I get the sense that many students will overlook a place like Baby’s, which I think is a real shame. It may not be right on College Avenue, but the character of this place is something into which not many restaurants will put that much effort. I can’t be the only person who has briefly fantasized about living in the 1950’s, where a minimum wage job could pay for your college tuition and you could buy a gallon of fuel for 30 cents. Of course, then I remember the Cold War and the sexism, and those thoughts tend to fly away fast. Still, it seems like an inherent part of human nature to long for an idealized time in the past that never existed or in the future that never will exist, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a restaurant like Baby’s Burgers and Shakes helping me to remember fondly a 1952 that never was.

After last week’s adventure off-campus, I figured that it would be a good idea to take a look at a restaurant that was a bit closer to home, especially since without my parents in town, I had no access to a car. What I did have access to, thankfully, were my smartphone and my own two feet, which I used to track down a nearby sushi restaurant known as Tadashi.

Tadashi has two locations, both within State College, but the one that I visited was only two blocks from the West dorms. It’s a convenient spot for students, and the restaurant staff seem to know this, boasting an impressive amount of seating in a fairly small establishment. Thankfully, when I visited on Tuesday night, not many people were planning on hitting the town, so I was able to find a seat and place my order quickly.

As for the menu, Tadashi’s menu, for the most part, is split in two; while they do offer a wide variety of sushi, which was what drew me there in the first place, they also have a variety of other entrees, most of which are variations on a traditional udon bowl. As much as I wanted to sample both sides of the menu, I am still on a student’s budget, so I decided to get a “passion roll,” an extravagant sushi roll filled with four different types of seafood, including eel, crab, and shrimp tempura, as well as avocado, cucumber, and wasabi mayo. I’m normally not the sort of person to take pictures of their food, but once my plate arrived, I’m sure you can see why I had to snap a picture.

(And yes, I did slap a filter on it and post it on Instagram. Can you really blame me?)

As my description and picture might imply, I enjoyed my meal very much. Then again, I’ve found that it’s difficult to find bad sushi unless you’re specifically looking for “bad sushi.” Still, the overall experience at Tadashi was great, especially the speed. I’ve already mentioned that I was seated quickly, but my food was also brought out quickly by an attentive wait staff. After I had finished my meal and made my way back to my dorm, I was pleasantly surprised to find that only 25 minutes had passed since I left!

Overall, I would definitely recommend Tadashi to any Penn State student, regardless of whether or not you enjoy sushi. Though I’d imagine the place can get crowded during the weekends, visiting during the week for dinner is a pleasant option. And if you’re not looking to splurge and have an hour or so without classes in the middle of the day, they also offer  lunch specials for the money-savvy college kid.

That being said, I understand that not everyone is interested in Japanese cuisine. Let me know if there are any cuisines that you want me to investigate in the area. I’ve never been a picky eater, so feel free to suggest anything!

Welcome to the first of what will hopefully be a series of reviews for various restaurants in the State College area. While I don’t claim to be some sort of expert food critic, I hope that a student’s perspective will be slightly more practical to you than that of a professional critic.

To start this semester, I took a trip with my parents, who were passing through State College with my younger brother over the weekend, to the Happy Valley Brewing Company. It’s part restaurant, part bar, and entirely located within two miles of campus. As we arrived, we learned firsthand that the parking lot tended to crowd easily during rush hours, but we also learned not to worry; most of the traffic tended to come for the bar downstairs, while the restaurant was well-staffed and turned tables over quickly.

Once we were seated, I found the dinner menu to be full of variety, with options ranging from pizza to gnocchi, from cheeseburgers to filets. Overall, it felt like your classic Americana spread with twists and additions where you wouldn’t expect them. I ended up ordering a fried oyster BLT. My mom got a Louisiana-inspired bowl of shrimp, sausage, and jalapeño grits, while my dad ordered the “Klinger Chicken Dinner,” a fried chicken platter accompanied by gravy and poached eggs, and my brother decided on a four-cheese pizza and a side of macaroni and cheese. Before our food arrived, my mom also ordered a plate of nachos for the table at the suggestion of our server, which I’m sure I would have something to say about if my brother hadn’t eaten them all while I was in the restroom.

Still, I had nothing to complain about once the main course arrived. It probably took less than fifteen minutes for our food to arrive, and no one ended up disappointed with their meals. I can honestly say that I wasn’t expecting such a landlocked state to have such good fried oysters. Once the rest of my family was full, I sampled each of their leftovers, which were also high quality. To end the night, my brother and I each got the restaurant’s signature dessert: “pie in a jar.” The flavors apparently change seasonally, but we were greeted with two Mason jars filled with warm blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and pieces of pie crust, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. Do I need to say anything else?

Overall, eating at the Happy Valley Brewing Company was a very pleasant experience. With so many options on the menu, even the pickiest of eaters will find something they enjoy. I want to try and avoid warning you about the prices of the places I review, mostly because if this blog was meant to help you save money, then I’d tell you to live off of ramen. But I should mention that the prices are pretty steep. I suppose it’s for the best; after all, pie in a jar is meant to be a “sometimes” food. The distance from campus also means that unless you have an upperclassman friend or a mastery of the bus system, this restaurant will be off-limits until sophomore year. Despite all of this, I would still highly recommend visiting the Happy Valley Brewing Company.