Bites Nearby: Poor Richard's Wexford Ale House & Grill

Overview:  

is a mouthful, but its food is more than a mouthful. This is a casual, seat-yourself restaurant off Route 19 in Wexford. The food is definitely a cut above pub fare.

The restaurant is open 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. It's closed Sunday. The focus is good, casual food, great prices and an extensive drink menu. There are lots of specials, including daily food specials, 50-cent wings Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday [by the dozen, dine-in only], and happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday [$2 well drinks, $3 drafts, $4 select appetizers, dine-in only]. It was quite busy when we stopped in for an early dinner after a hectic day. 

Décor:

Very open and clean [one of my favorite attributes in a restaurant]. The large bar dominates the interior, with smaller dining rooms on either side. Lots of wood and red leather give it a very comfortable atmosphere. There are plenty of TVs for watching the big, or little, game.

Drinks:

A very extensive beer list - dozens at least. The restaurant has a full bar and wine list. We did not drink this day as one of us was driving and the other was a minor, but it's worth coming back to sample some of the beers. Prices range from $3 to $8.

Appetizers:

There are plenty of "starters" as befits a place where people go to hang out and drink and nibble. They include loaded fries, wings, chicken tenders and quite a few others. Most interesting were the Buffalo Mac and Cheese and the Ale House "Not"-Chos, which are waffle fries loaded with toppings. Appetizers range from $2 for a small order of fries to $10.95 for an appetizer platter. There also is a selection of soups and chili.

Entrees:

Some of the appetizers seem as if they could be entrees, but there are plenty of those too. My eyes lit up when I saw Beef on Weck [which is actually called its Signature Roast Beef] on the menu [$7.95]. This sandwich of thinly sliced roast beef piled on a kimmelweck roll is one of my favorite foods, but I've not seen it outside of Buffalo, NY, where it is a staple of bars and taverns. 

I didn't need to look any further to decide what I wanted, although if I had, I would have been able to choose from an extensive selection of burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps and paninis. For something a little more "dinner-like" there is a selection of pastas and full-course meals of meat and fish. My minor dining partner had a bacon, egg and cheeseburger [$8.50], and it was terrific. As for the Beef on Weck? Who needs to shuffle off to Buffalo? Not me. Entrees are huge, by the way. No one's going away hungry from this place. 

Desserts:

My son originally had planned to have dessert because the three desserts of the day -- Oreo Moussecake ($3.95), Limoncello Mascarpone Cake ($3.95) and Moscato Berry Tiramisu ($4.25) -- looked so tempting, but after that giant burger all he could do was dream about them. 

Service:

Our waitress, who was also the bartender, was friendly and efficient. When we ordered she talked up the offerings, letting us know that everything was good and the restaurant used only fresh beef. We liked that; too many waitresses just hand you a menu and walk away. I am assuming, however, that the restaurant has wait staff help as the dinner rush gets closer because I think she would have been overwhelmed doing double duty if the restaurant had been more crowded.

Signature Dish:

Beef on Weck. Take that, Buffalo!

Cost: $ to $$

Website:  http://www.poorrichardsalehouse.com/Home.php