Bucks County Culinary Musings
May 28, 2023
We’ve lived in Bucks County for almost seven years. It’s the second longest stretch that we’ve occupied in the twenty-three years of being married. We’ve come from a city that was seven square miles and hosted over three thousand restaurants which is San Franciso. The borough we currently live in rural Pennsylvania has a population of about eight thousand people and has only fifty restaurants. Most are Italian. Most aren’t great which narrows down our choices on where we want to spend our hard-earned money. There are only so many times you can order red pepper hummus or pierogis before you desire to slowly walk into the deep end of a river. I get it. Pubs and taverns serve a purpose but when you want food that is elevated, you have to seek them out. We did.
I’m a chef at a tavern but I try to create cuisine that sets us apart from our competitors and we enjoy a loyal customer base and great reviews. My background as a chef for years has been working in scratch kitchens that focused on local products from sustainable butchers and farms. There are not too many eateries in Bucks that are dedicated to this type of discipline. It took us many years to eventually find places, but the ones we did stumble upon need to be mentioned. Not all are farm-to-table but their attention to detail, customer service, cocktail, beer, and wine selections made them stand out and are now favorites of ours.
There was no particular order in which we found these gems. Most were simply discovered because they were open on our days off. Most places around here are closed Mondays.
The first place we frequent the most is Heart of Oak Pub in the ground floor of Baci Restorante in Buckingham. The building is gorgeous, built in the 1700’s and has amazing character. Exposed beams, stone-built, and very cozy. The pub mixes its Italian menu with approachable pub fare. They have great pasta, amazing steaks, and a decent, affordable wine list. We never miss their amazing martinis. It is less than two miles from our home.

https://www.baciristorante.com/
Let’s move on to our next destination which is only ten minutes from our home. It’s the Black Bass Hotel. It’s a hundred-year-old hotel and restaurant in Lumberville PA that is nestled on the Delaware River which borders New Jersey. They feature a CIA-trained chef and a robust farm-to-table menu that features duck, lamb, and even great vegetarian salads and entrees. Their cocktail list is amazing and have an approachable wine list. They also have beautiful suites that overlook the river just upstairs from the restaurant. We’ve stayed in their rooms and they are great. Have a wonderful dinner, then head up to the balcony for wine and an amazing view of the Roebling pedestrian bridge and river.



https://www.blackbasshotel.com
Our next gem is literally up the hill from our home. Another Revolutionary War watering hole and former hotel, the Gardenville Hotel is the definition of a local tavern. They have a very robust working-class crowd and a gigantic food menu, a decent yet small beer list, and great service. We always choose the pub side vs the dining room because it’s lively and the locals are extremely entertaining. Add decent pub food and a great jukebox and it’s definitely a must but go early. It gets crowded fast.

The next venture is a trek up the Delaware River to The Riegelsville Inn in Reigelsville PA sitting again, on the Delaware River bordering New Jersey which hosts yet another Roebling-designed bridge. This is another Revolutionary War era building that used to be an inn but now is just a restaurant. Extremely innovative cuisine which features lobster mac-n-cheese, Asian duck breast, and one of the best pork chops we’ve ever had. They have ample outside seating and the bar is very beautiful and comfortable. The service is good. Patience is the key here and they have a lively local patron scene. F-bombs are provided free of charge!

Our next destination is across the Delaware to Lambertville New Jersey. This is about a twenty-minute trip from our home, through beautiful New Hope PA along the Delaware River. This very small eatery features homemade pasta, great salads and appetizers, and half-off bottled wine Tuesdays. We suggest you go early. The joint fills up quickly and the bar area is first come, first serve.

The last but not least new favorite of ours is the sargenstvilles Inn in Sargentsville New Jersey. Another Revolutionary War Era building that housed many different businesses over three hundred years that was recently bought by a team of professionals with Michelin starred restaurant experience. This by far is the best place we’ve tried so far on our culinary excursions.
whole animal butchering, hyper local products, a great, affordable wine list and they even have a wine shop connected to the restaurant. Their small plates are our favorite where you can create an entire experience with three to four choices
https://www.sergeantsvilleinn.com/contact/

We realized that you have to put forward an effort to find decent places to eat. Some are a haul, but the rewards are plenty. Carefully crafted cocktails, a well-designed menu that is presented in a casual setting that puts you at ease, and great service at every place we frequent. We can safely say we are regulars at every place I mentioned and all are highly recommended.
Another Kroger/Mundy Collaboration!
August 16, 2021
I always get a little nervous making ravioli. Worrying about whether the mix is correct, will it lose flavor after hitting boiling water, will they break open in the process, will they, will they, will they? Procuring fresh pasta sheets locally is not easy.
I couldn’t find any place near me that sold them. What I traditionally used in the past were wonton wrappers. They are extremely versatile and have the same consistency as pasta. The local Kroger carried two different sizes. I opted for the smaller wraps for individual ravioli versus the large sheets that are used for egg rolls.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to create for the filling. First, I was thinking smoked salmon, cream cheese, and fresh chives but ended up deciding on jumbo lump crabmeat and ricotta. I added lemon zest, lemon juice, and a citrus blend seasoning salt.
For the sauce, I created a beurre blanc using a great white balsamic vinegar, white wine, garlic, bay leaf, basil, heavy cream, and butter. It turned out excellent. I garnished the ravioli with chopped basil Chris brought from his garden and then shaved pecorino tartufello over the ravioli. The cheese has the same consistency as port salut but has bits of truffle in the cheese. It was delicate and didn’t overpower the dish with the truffle flavor.
Chris brought over his great homemade pesto and he created crostini with golden cherry tomatoes, tossed in extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper that were oven-roasted and then cooled. He assembled them with a layer of ricotta, the pesto and then topped them with the tomatoes. The combination was superb.
I have to say, this was one of the better dishes we enjoyed and it was fun resourcing the product and creating it. Not to mention the complex flavors.



Frida, Not Just an Artist…
August 12, 2021
I was fortunate enough to live in an area that had some of the best Latin American food outside Mexico. Peruvian, Salvadorian, and Mexican Taquerias were scattered all over the San Francisco Bay Area. Concentrated in The Mission District of San Francisco was a myriad of excellent and cheap restaurants that put their heart and soul into their kitchens.
Attempting to find places in the Tri-State area I was told about a restaurant in Covington’s Mainstrasse District called Frida, named after famed Native Folk artist Frida Kahlo. The building is beautiful, spacious and also has a taco window, in case you want to grab a quick bite, then sit at one of the many picnic benches in the park.
This wouldn’t be classified as a traditional Taqueria or even an authentic ethnic restaurant. Their claim to fame is “Latin Street Cuisine”. and has many different influences including American. My guess is this is American-owned but pays homage to different Mexican and South American food trends. In the two visits to Frida, the execution was focused and the food was well presented and very good.
My first visit, I opted for a chicken burrito and a fish taco as seen in the pictures below. The flavors are balanced, the plates were nicely designed, the fish was crispy, seasoned well, and hot! My only gripe is when you put wet ingredients like toppings for the burrito, you are then obligated to eat with a knife and fork which causes the paper that is lining the serving tin to shred throughout the course of the meal, thus leaving you with having to sift through the food you are eating to discard the shredded paper.
In order to not have to navigate another burrito paper lining debacle, I decided on four tacos. Two fish, a beef and a chicken. Each one of them had a unique preparation and the beef resembled almost a braised short rib consistency and was delicious. I also ordered the chips and salsa sampler with a tomatillo, peanut satay, and traditional pico de gallo salsa. The peanut sauce was my favorite.
Each visit was accompanied by their house margaritas. I don’t want to get on a soapbox here, but you can serve a shrug-inducing screwdriver, gin and tonic or greyhound anywhere and get away with it. What you don’t want to fuck up are margaritas. I’ve had some of the shittiest margaritas in my time from places I dined as well as places I worked. It is imperative that you put some effort into this amazing drink or you will lose my business. Frida nailed it. Not heavy on the bar mix, the lime juice shined through and you could taste the tequila. Some spots I’ve been, windshield washing fluid gave these drinks a run for their money. No Bueno!.
I suggest early afternoon on weekdays to enjoy a carefree lunch and afternoon saloon. Both times I went around three o’clock and it was empty. By the early evening, the place was packed. I can see why.

