Several years ago your favorite phantom raved about a place called Sidney in East Berlin, a tiny Hamlet twixt Gettysburg and York.

Go there, I wrote. Find an excuse to go there. For in an unlikely location one often finds truly fine food.  I’ve been back since, and what I wrote then holds today.

But I’m here to tell you about another Sidney, this one hard against Willoughby Run, a stream flowing through fields just west of Gettysburg that was once the scene of Civil War-era fighting. (The first day of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg to be exact.)

This Sidney is owned and operated by the same chef and owner of East Berlin’s Sidney — Neil Annis, who is quite simply a Central PA culinary treasure. 

An Adams County native educated at the famed Culinary Institute of America (or, as I like to call it, the tasty CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y., Annis has worked in top-tier restaurants in Washington and New York, and it shows. His menus are creative. His flavor matches are flawless.

His new location is in the Gettysburg County Club along Route 30 (Chambersburg Road) and just minutes from the town square. It offers something far different from the largely tourist-oriented dining available in and round the historic borough. This Sidney specializes in an ever-changing menu of small plates and a focus on local products. 

There’s a bar, a well-designed waiting area just inside the club’s main door, a small dining room and a lovely expanse of quiet outdoor patio dining with piped-out music, table-top candles and an extended view of peaceful landscape.

But because you read “small plates,” don’t read “small price.” Everything served at Sidney is elegant and exceptional and that doesn’t come with discounts. I’m not saying the pricing is unfair. I’m saying the pricing is pricey. Dining for two, for example, with cocktails, with two small plates, one glass of wine and dessert can run to $120. 

But let me tell you, it was an excellent meal — one of the best I’ve had in the region. 

For starters, cocktails are generous and perfectly put together. There are specialty drinks and special martinis including a “Hendrick’s Tini” of Hendrick’s gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, mint, cucumber and fresh lemon juice. Most cocktails are in the $11 range. 

The beer list is striking, which actually struck me as odd given the gourmet nature of the menu (unless, of course, the chef prefers beer). It runs the gamut from Miller Lite and Yuengling Lager on tap to Old Speckled Hen English Ale ($5), Belgian Ommegang Witte wheat ale ($12) and a 25-ounce Chimay Grande Reserve Blue Label dark ale ($22). 

Some might consider an evening of a small plate and beer-tasting a nice way to cap the day. But the wine, too, is inviting and includes several French Champagnes The menu offerings are not as broad as the beverage list, but anyone who enjoys smallplate dining will be happy with the variety. 

During my visit — and I’ll confess a bias because it was a perfect evening to dine outdoors — we had company on the patio, our servers were wonderful and the food was delicious. There were a dozen small plates and four “things to share.” I refused to “share” one of those four things and am glad I did. They were six perfect Wiley Point oysters with a Banyuls (French aperitif) mignonette sauce, and they were heavenly. Wiley Points are Maine oysters known for their body (large, but light) and flavor. These lived up to that reputation so well that I was tempted to order six more. The drawback was the cost: $21 (which I mention only because not everyone savors oysters enough to lay down a double sawbuck for a half dozen). 

I should also mention they came with a crispy wedge of pappadam — a paperthin, nut-flavored wafer. I could easily eat a boxful. 

My other selection was an equally delicious entree seldom seen on local menus. It was beef tartare with marinated sweet peppers topped with American paddlefish caviar and surrounded by tiny tile-sized gold and purple beets (some topped with capers). Presentation was magazine picturesque. And the dish ($24) was delightful. 

Other offerings included grilled octopus with Spanish chorizo; crispy organic chicken with fingerling potatoes, wild dandelion and squash; braised monkfish filet with kale pesto; and raw cobia (a firm, flavorful fish common  in temperate and tropical waters) with sweet corn puree, mushroom salad and wasabi peanuts. 

My dining partner had a house-made chilled corn soup ($8) and a small plate of blackened white Florida shrimp served in a bean broth ($13). Both drew positive responses. 

Many menu items are under $10, some are $11 and others run into the $20s. 

Desserts are limited. We tried homemade caramel ice cream, which sadly tasted nothing like caramel. We also shared a blueberry crème brulee, which was superb. 

So my advice is the same as it was seven years ago. It’s a different Sidney but the result is the same. And fans of fine dining should go there. 

The phantom diner has been dining anonymously for Central PA magazine since 1987.

SIDNEY AT WILLOUGHBY RUN 

730 Chambersburg Road, Gettysburg (the former Gettysburg County Club)
717.334.3774
www.restaurantsidney.com/willoughby-run
Hours: Opens at 5 p.m. for dinner Tuesday through Saturday; major cards except American Express; casual dress.

The Sturges Speakeasy is located in the same spot as Garrason’s along Forster Street off Third Street and beside (interestingly enough) the Liquor Control Board building. The State Museum and archives buildings are across the street.

So you’re in the neighborhood of a little history, a little booze regulation and, usually, available parking along Forster. Inside, the original layout remains much the same: nice bar upfront, some exposed brick, tables off to the side and in the back, second-floor seating to accommodate private gigs and overflows and a smallish but nicely appointed outdoor deck upstairs. 

Beyond that, the place is really spruced up. There’s a new tin ceiling and hardwood floors, big mirrors along the wall, strategically placed TVs, a ton of beer taps, nice tall wooden tables for six, candles on the tables and piped-in music. Sometimes it gets loud.

The drink and food menus offer a lot of reasonably priced choices. In addition, the service is especially friendly and competent and all of the food items — even the dressings — are made in-house.

The fare, as you might expect, is largely bar food. But there are items on the menu or offered as specials that go way beyond burgers and fries. Not that you’d want to avoid the burgers or the fries. It’s just that in separate visits, I was struck by the high quality of what I ate that wasn’t burgers or fries.

For example, a weekly special appetizer of bacon and panko (flaky breadcrumbs common in Japanese cuisine) encrusted scallops with Granny Smith apple slaw and celery puree ($11) was absolutely wonderful. The two scallops were large enough to share. The presentation was beautiful. The taste was fresh and light. Add two more scallops and this dish would make a terrific entrée.

Regular appetizers run from just $3 for an order of fresh-cut fries cooked in peanut oil to $13 for 15 wings with choice of sauce. There are some common and some uncommon appetizer choices: chips and salsa, nachos, steamed clams, black bean hummus, Cajun shrimp with grits and a deviled eggs sampler.

There are several salads, priced from $6 to $12. They include a Caesar to which you can add chicken, steak or tuna; a roasted beet salad with goat cheese and toasted almonds; a chicken cranberry spinach salad with apples and walnuts, and a Pittsburgh steak salad with fries, cheddar cheese, sliced egg and black olives.

On one visit, I had the grilled tuna salad with the tuna served rare over spinach, green beans and avocado slices with bits of bacon and tri-colored potatoes. This a large salad, truly a meal, and a real deal at $12. (There are also wraps for just $8: turkey, veggie and chicken Caesar.)

Dining partners raved about the 8-ounce burgers served with fries, a side salad, slaw or soup. And there’s a black bean burger with tofu French fries. (Don’t worry you can switch to regular fries.) 

But there’s also a cornmeal oyster po’boy ($10) served on focaccia as well as a pulledpork barbecue on a brioche with grated cheddar cheese that drew high praise.

I can speak to the turkey burger ($9) served with avocado, cheese and horseradish mayo. It was excellent. And one dining partner had nothing but positive things to say about the (to me, oddly offered) shark tacos. You get a choice of hard or soft tacos, two for $11.

Entrées include the ubiquitous bone-in rib eye steak. This one is 14 ounces, rubbed in truffle oil and served with roasted corn mashed potatoes for $24.

There’s also a sirloin for $17, fried chicken for $12 (and when was the last time you saw fried chicken that wasn’t served out of a drive-thru window?), chicken pot pie, blackened catfish with house-made cornbread as well as grilled swordfish served with risotto.

House-made desserts include bananas Foster chocolate bread pudding for $6 and ice cream for $4. The beer list is extensive. The wine pours are extremely generous. And the cocktail list goes on and on, including classics like Long Island iced tea.

If you like the atmosphere of a friendly neighborhood bar and want really good quality food (which starts and ends with beer nuts in many neighborhood bars), then you’ll love the feel and the food at The Sturges Speakeasy.

Owner Adam Sturges is a past manager at McGrath’s Pub in Harrisburg, a place that’s always packed. He’s brought a real sense of how to run a restaurant to his new, refurbished tavern. And during a weekend visit, a security person was offering to walk patrons to their cars.

The Speakeasy opened in June and had a fast start that was handled well — no doubt due to its owner’s experience. If the restaurant maintains the quality shown so far, it’ll likely be a success.

The Phantom Diner has been a longtime restaurant reviewer for Central PA Magazine.

THE STURGES SPEAKEASY
400 Forster St., Harrisburg; 717.412.0931
www.sturgesspeakeasy.com 
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Monday-Friday; Noon-2 a.m.
Saturday; 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday.

It’s written that way because the owners, Taylor and Leeann Mason, are playing on the French word maison, meaning home or house, and their last name — he’s the chef — to convey the notion that you’re dining, literally, in their home.

It's not a far-fetched notion. They live upstairs.

The eatery is along North Prince Street near the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design inside a redone space that can only be described as eclectic and artsy. But the place fits the menu and the stated goals of the proprietors. More on that shortly.

It is small, about 10 tables. Along one wall is a long, comfy banquette. There's an interesting (some might say oddly so) chef's table that's really a smallish counter overlooking the equally smallish, very busy and very hot kitchen. And there's a small front porch for warm weather dining, but it opens right onto noisy Prince Street, which is fine for true urban diners but maybe a tad too urban for others.

There's a mix of décor: porcelain animal heads (even a rhino) on one wall; staggered mirrors distressed white wood paneling expressing the country barn effect; modern high-up drop lighting; nice wood flooring, wood tables and chairs; and a candle at each place. Non-intrusive light jazz played in the background during my visit. A neat, well-kept unisex restroom has real towels and a slate wall on which is chalked the origin of menu items. You might find references to Tulip Tree Hill Farm in southern Lancaster County, the Wenger Farm in Lititz, the famous Groff's Farm in Bird-in-Hand or MiLi's Bakery in downtown Lancaster.

The bread, by the way, is fabulous, a combination of ciabattas and sourdough served warm with fresh salted butter and called "pain maison." And that's not pain, that's pain, the French word for bread. The only real pain is, if you ask for more, you get charged an extra $1 (which, between you and me, is worth it).

The focus at Ma(i)son is Italian- and French-inspired simple country cooking, all done with local produce and products, and all handmade. The small seasonal menu changes weekly or whenever they run out of stuff.

My experience there was delightful. The atmosphere is lovely and welcoming; the service friendly and knowledgeable. And everything I tasted, from the pain maison to the French press coffee was excellent.

This kind of dining is different from traditional Central PA fare, which too often relies on standard recipes, over-sized portions and predictable entrées. This kind of dining is different, and while it might not be for everyone, I think its appeal can only spread.

Not that its freshness and simplicity is cheap. It isn’t. Two can easily drop close to $100 even though it’s a BYOB (with a $5 corkage fee) by the time you do small plates, large plates, dessert and coffee.

But let’s look at the menu, remembering that it’s constantly changing. There are, or were, eight small plates and four large plates. The small plates run from $12 to $13; the larger plates from $26 to $28. The choices represent a delightful and unusual range.

Small plates included a grilled escarole salad with a soft-cooked farm egg and a pancetta vinaigrette; grilled wild ramps (leeks) with cured hog lardo and grilled country bread; and a hydroponic Bibb lettuce salad with shaved radish, crushed walnuts, pecorino (sheep’s milk) and black truffle  vinaigrette.

Not the stuff, in other words, you’d find at the usual salad bar. Two small plates devoured at my table were handmade burrata, a fresh Italian cheese that’s silky on the outside and filled with fresh cream, served with a fig and roasted shallot jam, exceptional smoked prosciutto and extra virgin olive oil; and an amazingly simple but delicious offering of asparagus and eggs.

The former is a dish rare even in finer big-city Italian restaurants. The latter included fresh asparagus from Groff’s served with delicious, perfectly grilled polenta, a (smallish, but heavenly) soft-cooked organic chicken egg, olives and fried bread.

There was a moment I came close to ordering another serving. Large plates included lightly braised veal served with spinach and roasted turnips; “house-ground” Southern Italian meatballs cooked in white wine, served with wilted mustard greens and white polenta; and whole prawns, roasted, with garlic mustard and ramp greens.

I had a free-range Cornish game hen with grilled wild ramps and “chicken fried potatoes.” It was very good, especially the potatoes.

My dining companion had an off-menu vegetarian dish that included borlotti beans (also known as cranberry beans or French horticultural beans), grilled polenta, ramps and dandelion, all served with an amazing beet jam. Dessert included a peanut butter torte, a cheese plate, goat milk panna cotta and an olive oil and rosemary cake. We split the latter ($7). It was moist and tasty.

I think the word is spreading about Ma(i)son because it wasn’t easy getting reservations. My advice is go there, and make sure to call ahead.

MA(i)SON
230 N. Prince St.,Lancaster; 717.293.5060;
www.maisonlancaster.com
Hours: 5 to 11 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday;
reservations a must; street parking; BYOB.

THE PHANTOM DINER HAS BEEN A LONGTIME RESTAURANT REVIEWER FOR CENTRAL PA MAGAZINE.

So I forgive Piazza Sorrento its Derry Twp. location near a gas station in a shopping area. You will, too, once you leave the fume-filled, little parking lot and enter Sorrento’s for its self-proclaimed “little taste of Italy.”

Inside, it’s like a tidy neighborhood spot. There’s a front-room bar, a side dining room with tables and booths, and another side room that appears to be for overflow or private functions. As is often the case in neighborhood spots, the lighting is low, the noise level high and the piped-in music a tad odd: Louis Armstrong, for example, and what sounded like the soundtrack from the 1954 film “Young at Heart.” (And, yes, I know Sinatra was in the movie and sang the song, and one can argue what better music for an Italian joint than Sinatra. But I contend just the music without lyrics and without Sinatra’s voice is a stretch.)

But I digress.

Sorrento’s dinner menu is large. The best thing on it is this: “We don’t serve any food that has been frozen.” Even better, the bread, sauce, meatballs and some of the pasta is made in-house. Cocktails are small, but wine pours are large. The service is excellent: friendly, attentive and very knowledgeable. The manager stopped by each table to check on diners — a nice touch. I quickly realized why I needed a reservation on a weeknight.

To the food.

Many “starters” come in small sizes for one or full sizes to share. They include homemade bruschetta, calamari, rolled eggplant, garlic shrimp and asparagus wrapped with prosciutto. There are steamed clams, bacon-wrapped scallops, an antipasto platter and more. Prices are $4 to $5 for small plates, $9 to $11 for full plates.

My dining partner and I shared a “starter” of homemade meatballs in marinara sauce with thick slices of warm garlic bread ($6). Three excellent meatballs were easily enough. The bread was great. The dish is a house specialty well worth trying. There’s a soup of the day (cup or bowl; I had a cup of pasta fagiole that was very good) and plenty of large salads, including a caprese with house-made mozzarella ($8), and a lovely arugula, pear and pecorino (Italian sheep’s milk cheese) salad with a honey cider dressing (also $8). These, too, are nice to share.

I should mention entrées come with a house salad or a cup of soup and wonderful house-made bread served with both olive oil and butter.

There are a variety of 10-inch dinner pizzas with lots of add-ons, including everything from ground beef to pineapple to broccoli. But I’ll note two house specialties: Old World with three cheeses, oregano and sauce ($9), and Buffalo Chicken pizza with grilled chicken, hot sauce, mozzarella and ranch dressing ($13). Sorrento’s started long ago as a pizzeria in Hershey and you can still get a 16-inch pizza to go. It’s been a restaurant at its present locale for three years.

As to the main entrées, did I mention the menu is large? There are 30-plus offerings: pasta, veal, chicken, seafood, steak — you name it, and many are available in half orders. Prices range from $10 for a half order of cheese ravioli to $22 for veal marsala over risotto. Given the quality of this food, these are extremely reasonable prices.

Pasta dishes include grilled gnocchi with sausage, onions, peas, spinach and cream; pappardelle with meat sauce; penne with sausage and peppers; and an Italian sampler of lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken Parmesan. There are also specials. And the pasta made for the specials is fresh, house-made pasta. And you can order the house-made pasta as part of any other entrée for a modest ($2 to $3) surcharge. So, for example, my potato and ricotta gnocchi with Bolognese sauce ($16) was up-priced to ($18) because gnocchi was one of the house-made pastas the night of my visit; same for my dining partner who had fresh fettuccine with Bolognese.

Two observations: the fresh pasta is lovely, light as a feather, worth the extra couple bucks; the Bolognese is good, just not as flavorful or complex as it could be. I like the food here, and I like the service. We ended our meal with espresso and a shared slice of homemade ricotta cheesecake with a little chocolate sauce on the side. When you go to Sorrento’s, trust me, you should try it.

PIAZZA SORRENTO
16 Briarcrest Square, Derry Twp.; 717.835.1919; www.piazzasorrento.com.
Hours: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday;11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; closed Sunday.
A gluten-free menu is available.

The Phantom Diner has been a longtime restaurant reviewer for Central PA Magazine.

The atmosphere is relaxed and casual and reinforces that vibe.

And the location, right along Market Street in Camp Hill, is a site with local restaurant history, most notably the long gone, greatly missed Café on Market that delighted so many area diners for so many years.

But now the spot holds Layel Bistro, owned by Richard Hanna, who is better known as the owner of Roxy's, a great little diner at Third and North streets in downtown Harrisburg across from the Capitol.

Roxy's is a breakfast/lunch joint that draws lots of political types. Among favorite menu items are its "Looney Tuna" sandwich of homemade tuna salad with cheese and tomato on an English muffin, and its "Mousetrap," a three-cheese grilled sandwich on sourdough bread with tomato and bacon.

Hanna's bistro venture is relatively new (it opened last November) and is named for Hanna's young daughter. It's a BYOB place with no corkage fee. It stresses fresh, local products in its salads, small plates and entrées. (A server said there is no freezer.) There are also daily blackboard specials.

Menus are seasonal and prices are reasonable. Large salads are in the $9 to $11 range; all small plates are under $10; entrées range from $18 to $32 but most are in the $20s.

It's a place to try and the food — at least the food I ate — is good. But during my visit, there was one recurring thought regarding service, a minor complaint that likely will resolve itself with time, if it hasn't already.

The service was more diner-like than restaurant- or bistro-like, which is to say it was rushed. This is understandable given the ownership background, but Layel's would do well to remember that one goes to a diner to eat but goes to a restaurant to dine.

Another minor point: Filled water glasses came with straws, which at once put me in mind of Roxy's.

But to the food.

I started with a large salad of greens and watercress with duck confit and Roquefort cheese ($11), which was very good and nicely paired with excellent, fresh French baguettes.

Next, I opted for a small plate of marinated anchovies ($9), which were tasty, not great but, again, nice with the bread.

For an entrée — and I have to believe no matter what the season this entrée will be on the menu, I selected the steak in a red wine sauce with frites and sautéed spinach ($23). The steak was near-perfect, the potatoes were perfect and the spinach was, well, good for me.

BISTRO BOUNTY (top right): Salad with greens and watercress with confit duck, Roquefort cheese, cherries, apricots and lemon vinaigrette ; (above): Rosemary skewered sea scallops with pappardelle pasta and spinach, artichokes, capers, garlic, olives, tomato, extra virgin olive oil, lemon and fresh thyme.

My dining partner did not fare as well. The menu item selected looked wonderful: pan-roasted chicken with polenta cakes in an herb sauce ($23). It arrived in an attractive pan and looked promising but fell well short of expectations. Too much sauce rendered the polenta far too mushy and the chicken was described as badly in need of more taste; probably just a bad night in the kitchen for chickens.

I like this menu and I like this venue and I think there's real promise here.

The other offerings during my visit included salads of seasonal grilled veggies with greens and watercress; arugula, radicchio and frisee with crumbled cheddar cheese, pork belly, egg and an apple cider vinaigrette; and arugula, radicchio and frisee with ham, cheese, anchovy, red peppers and a sherry vinaigrette.

Small plates included white bean salad with andouille sausage; truffle and Parmesan fries; paprika-spiced almonds; fried artichokes; and Serrano (dry-cured Spanish) ham with asparagus.

Entreés beyond those mentioned included duck confit with lentil and veggie salad ($25); skewered sea scallops with pappardelle pasta and spinach, artichokes, capers and garlic ($27); grilled pork chop with French-style sweet potato and asparagus ($23); and fried ravioli stuffed with Manchego (a Spanish, sheep's milk cheese), spinach and tomato confit ($18).

The top-priced menu item was a whole fish of the day stuffed with lemon and thyme and served with spinach and roasted fingerling potatoes ($32).

Dessert and French-press coffee was next. The coffee was wonderful. The cannolli, not so much.

But, again, I like this place. I hold out hope that it will only get better. And I figure any restaurateur who can run a place as good as Roxy's and names his next place after a family member is a restaurateur very likely to make certain the place succeeds.

So go get some French wine, head to Camp Hill and try out the new bistro on Market.

LAYEL BISTRO
2138 Market St., Camp Hill;
717.731.1114

Hours: 11 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.Tuesday-Friday for lunch and 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday for dinner. Brunch 10:30 a.m-2:30 p.m Saturday and 10:30 a.m-3 p.m Sunday. Street parking and lot in back; BYOB; accepts major credit cards, reservations (recommended for dinner) and walk-ins.

The Phantom Diner has been a longtime restaurant reviewer for Central PA Magazine.

That search recently took me to downtown York for a visit to longtime local staple, Sam & Tony's on West Market Street, not too far from the town square.

I can tell you a few things right off the bat.

For being located not too far from the York town square (and by that I do not mean the York Daily Record's blog the "Town Square," I mean the intersection of George and Market streets), Sam & Tony's can seem a tad isolated on a week night. On the other hand, there's plenty of street parking, including right in front of the place.

Once inside, there's a comfy feel that includes nice tables and bentwood chairs, carpeting, a glass storefront with tables by the windows and a large wall fresco or mural of a lovely Italian countryside scene.

This is not a stuffy or dressy place but it's also not checkered tablecloths and candled wine bottles with melted wax dripping down the sides. (Think working class Italian more than romantic, stereotypical Italian.) There's a full bar, though nothing in sight suggests that, and I was surprised frankly by the size and quality of an ordered cocktail and, more importantly, the size of the pours of very reasonable $6 glasses of wine with dinner. Sam & Tony evidently know how to party.

The menu, in places, is an amalgam of I'm not quite sure what.

There are classic Italian appetizers such as bruschetta, mussels and fried calamari (somebody please offer a grilled version!). But then there are items such as "tuna taco" or escargot, neither exactly favorites in Umbria.

Having said that, I had an order of six minicrab cakes served with a chipotle pepper mayo ($9) that was delicious and large enough to share.

Appetizers run from $3 for garlic bread to $12 for mussels steamed in Lancaster Stout with chicken broth, cream and mustard. No wedding soup, I guess.

The full menu actually made me nervous. Tons of items for a not-very-large place and, judging from my weeknight visit, not a place over-run with everyday crowds.

But when the bread arrived with roasted garlic and a black olive tapenade, my nerves were at once settled. The bread, the garlic and the paste were excellent. And maybe when places have been around a while — Sam & Tony's says it's been at it for 21 years, menus pick up items that stick.

So there's a menu section called "Members of the Family" with dishes clearly named for relatives of Sam and/or Tony: "Chicken Rosario" is a breast with sweet Italian sausage and roasted red peppers served over pasta ($17); "Veal Samantha" is a sautéed cutlet with crab and provolone cheese served over pasta ($24).

You get the idea.

Seafood entrees include cioppino (shrimp, mussels, scallops, chopped clams in broth) with pasta ($28); shrimp or scallop scampi over pasta ($20); and a seared tuna steak prepared with pesto sauce ($20).

There's eggplant, veal, chicken or shrimp parmesan ($14 to $20), lots of veal and chicken dishes, a New York strip steak and baked entrees such as lasagna and ravioli. There are maybe eight sauces to put on different types of pasta and add-ons such as sausage, homemade meatballs, shrimp and veggies. The menu also says the kitchen will do special orders.

Two things were disappointing: the salad (usually an Italian point of pride) was skimpy and not great; the homemade meatballs ordered by my dining partner to go with some fettuccine were, sadly, close to tasteless.

Two things impressed me. My dining partner couldn't decide on marinara or diablo sauce. Our server brought both. I ordered a featured dish, meat tortellini with marinara, baked with mozzarella, and it was very good. Very good.

Servings (in large white pasta bowls) are generous, service is extremely accommodating and prices are reasonable: $14 for the featured pasta entree and just $12 for the fettuccine with meatballs.

Be careful, though, of unseen desserts. I ordered something that sounded yummy, cannolli bites with caramel, for just $5. Turns out they were very deep fried and way too sweet. And the espresso was suspect. It came too fast and with no crema.

Now I suspect I didn't experience Sam & Tony's on its best night or even one of its better nights. Nobody stays in the restaurant business for two decades without doing an awful lot of things right most of the time.

But — and with no disrespect to Sam or Tony or "members of the family" — this Phantom's search for a great Italian restaurant with reasonable prices, atmosphere and reliable excellence located somewhere between South Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, unfortunately, goes on.

SAM & TONY'S
243 W. Market St., York; 717.852.0059;www.samandtonys.com
Hours: Lunch, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m Monday-Friday; Dinner, 5-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; Street parking; Full bar; Large menu; Reservations accepted.

It's fondue without the cheese, chocolate or long, skinny forks. And it's available in Camp Hill in a relatively new restaurant right beside the Camp Hill Cinema Center on Simpson Ferry Road.

But if you're thinking about enjoying dinner and a movie, you better see the movie first. "Hot pot" meals are not what one would ever call fast food.

But I get ahead of myself.

The site has been the location for a bunch of hapless eateries that lost the good fight. This restaurant — its full name is Fusion Fire Asian Fondue and Sushi Bar — might look like some kind of fort on the outside, but inside it is gorgeous.

It is sleek and modern: gray and charcoal walls, dark hardwood flooring, large booths and tables set off by pillars holding etched glass, an attractive sushi bar, elegant chop-sticks, linen napkins and simple but classy white plates, bowls, soup spoons and tea services.

Yet despite its clear investment in style, Fusion Fire has a casual, easy-going feel that seems to match almost any patron's attire. Once inside, you won't feel like you're anywhere near a strip mall, a movieplex or, for that matter, central Pennsylvania.

I was there on a week night and the place was packed. Judging from the steam rising from the tables, "hot pot" was the main attraction. Such cuisine is said to have started more than 1,000 years ago. Mongol soldiers are believed to have boiled their food in their helmets.

But the "pot" here is actually more of a covered, two-chambered silver tureen that sits on a built-in cook-top in the middle of the table. And, trust me, it does get hot.

But I get ahead of myself.

There are two menus, one for the more-familiar Thai- and sushi-side of the place, and an entire separate menu for "hot pot" items.

It can get confusing. Diners are asked to go through a four-step process: pick an entrée, pick a broth to cook it in, pick a dipping sauce to dip it in once it's cooked and pick a noodle to go with it. This can get pricey, because everything — the entrée, the broth, the noodles, etc. — is priced individually and per order. ("Combos" come with dipping sauce, veggies and noodles.)

My table's server, who was terrific, patiently explained the process and all the options. This lead to a prolonged discussion with my dining partner and some disagreement over my suggestion of ordering quail eggs, squid and prawns.

But our server, sensing a need for intervention, then explained that Fusion Fire just added one-price "packages" for two, three, four, five, six diners and mentioned we could order a combo of "meat lovers" and scallops, two broths, dipping sauces, veggies, some "meatballs" and noodles.

A saving grace in my book; we ordered a $60 package for two.

While waiting, we also had a shrimp tempura roll with cucumber, lettuce and caviar ($6) and a three-piece order of crispy Thai spring rolls ($6) with chicken, veggies and lime juice. Both were excellent.

The "meat lovers" is a lot, and I mean a lot, of thinly-sliced beef, lamb and pork that you drop into your steaming broth (satay, beef stew, curry and others). The scallops are large, fresh and delicious. The "meatballs" are actually rounded servings of pureed fish, shrimp and chicken that cook in 30 seconds and are different and wonderful. Noodle choices include udon, Chinese, wide bean and more.

There's a sort of pincer tool to pick up your raw food and drop it in your broth of choice. Because the food is thin and light, it cooks in no time. There's another tool with a rounded sieve on the end to scoop your cooked food out and onto your plate. This is unique and tasty dining.

Ordering, cooking and eating "hot pot" takes time. So bring some friends, bring some wine (it's BYOB) and settle in.

My meal doesn't begin to recount options. There is, for example, shrimp and pureed crab, crab balls and crab legs. There are mussels and oysters, beef tripe, Kobe beef short ribs and the aforementioned quail eggs, squid and prawns.

And again, this is ONLY the "hot pot" menu. There's a whole other menu offering dozens of sushi and Thai dishes.

Now I understand there are those who go out specifically so someone else will cook their food. Also, some food offerings here represent acquired tastes. Fusion Fire isn't for everyone.

But as a dining experience, especially with a small group, it can be a unique night out, lots of fun or just something new and different. And I recommend you try it.

FUSION FIRE ASIAN FONDUE & SUSHI BAR
3421 Simpson Ferry Road, Camp Hill; 717.731.1188; www.fusionfire.com
Hours: Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner; reservations accepted; adjacent parking; BYOB.

Well, I’m here to tell ya that in Harrisburg,there’s no place like Home 231.

That’s the relatively new downtown/midtown restaurant at 231 North St. between Second and Third streets.

While only open since spring, it hit its stride early and promises to be as successful as owner Nick Laus’ other restaurants: Café Fresco Center City (and Level 2, its hip, dress-coded nightspot upstairs) and Café Fresco out on Paxton Street near the Harrisburg Mall.

And that’s despite the fact that these other places are not like Home.

Home stresses basic foods and local-grown freshness, has an easy homelike feel to it and a menu that varies with the season and the best products available.

It is, like most new restaurants, geared toward casual dining but has a classy feel both inside and out. (There’s a tent-covered courtyard in back that’s a delight in warm weather.)

Décor is clean and simple, bordering on dull and dark. But the staff is terrific. The customer is important. And the fact the owner owns multiple restaurants really shows in how Home is run.

It’s a fun place for groups of, say six; this is mostly because too many of the “small plates” are too good to pass up, and a larger group can order a bunch and share.

On multiple visits, I didn’t taste anything that wasn’t wonderful. And on one visit during which initial service was slow and less than attentive, the unprompted arrival of a variety of “small plates” — on the house and with apologies — more than made up for the wait.

And I love this kind of menu.

There are soups and salads, including a much-admired jumbo lump crab salad with corn, watercress and curry vinaigrette ($13). There’s also a nice spinach salad with chicken ($9), and all salads can be had with various add-ons.

I can’t recommend every “small plate” because I have to (and will) go back again. But the many that I’ve eaten are well worth ordering.

During my visits, there were day boat scallops with sweet garlic, asparagus and truffle ($13); crispy rock shrimp with smoky Buffalo sauce ($9); chorizo corn dogs ($6); a crab cake ($13), and Prince Edward Island mussels ($10).

Pray that when you’re there the “small plate” menu includes homemade potato chips with truffle ($4); Home’s amazing deviled eggs with bacon and red beets ($5); mac and cheese with smoked ham ($7), and fabulous homemade pierogies with caramelized onion and sour cream ($7). You really need to try these.

Also, three “small plates” won my heart: filet mignon tartare ($13); fried green tomatoes ($6), and an artisan cheese plate with a glorious selection of three local cheeses served with sliced fruit ($12).

There are also sliders that can serve as “small plates.” Three grilled kielbasa sliders with sauerkraut and whole-grain mustard are $10, as are three pork barbecue sliders with homemade sauce and pickled red onion.

Any two of these smaller dishes can easily serve as a light (and delicious) supper.

But there also are sandwiches. They run from $9 for a grilled cheese or a Rueben or chicken salad with lettuce, tomato and onion, to $11 for a turkey club with smoked bacon and avocado, or $10 for a made-to-order classic burger with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and Home’s homemade sauce.

And, for heartier appetites, there are entrees. They range from $17 for chicken pie with peas and carrots to $27 for the whole grilled fish of the day or the filet mignon with fingerling potatoes and asparagus. Both of the latter entrees — the fish was a bronzini — won raves from dinner mates during one visit.

There are familiar dishes, “comfort food” for some, such as meatloaf, organic chicken breast with Brussels sprouts, ricotta gnocchi and fish ‘n’ chips.

Then there’s hanger steak or crab cake with hand-cut fries, rainbow trout and house-made pasta.

I’ve had the trout and a pappardelle pasta dish with a light sauce and veggies, and I can heartily recommend both.

Dangerously, there are also wonderful desserts, including homemade donuts, homemade ice cream, a hot fudge sundae, seasonal pie and a coconut custard cake you’ll think your grandmother made. Desserts are reasonably priced at $5 or $6. And there’s coffee and good espresso.

Plus, there’s no automatic gratuity for larger parties, no reason not to try this place and no reason (I’m betting) for not leaving a generous tip. For, at least in the Capital City, there’s no place like Home.

HOME 231

231 North St., Harrisburg; 717.232.4663; www.home231.com
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday; Dinner, 5-10 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 5-11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; Brunch, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday; Reservations highly recommended; Restaurant parking lot nearby; major credit cards

Located on South Third Street away from Second Street's Restaurant Row but in close proximity to two other fine restaurants, El Sol and Bricco, this fusion-cuisine find is almost hidden.

Don't be fooled by the sort of seedy exterior of what was a diner-type breakfast/lunch place. Go inside and you'll be warmed at once by the coziness of Dunes and its welcoming servers.

Yes, there's still a lunch counter with a large Coke machine behind it. But get past it and sit at one of the comfy tables in the back, where dim lighting, big pillows, wall hangings, rugs and soft Mideastern music are as welcoming as the staff.

Dunes is BYOB. Our wine was opened immediately, and we were brought glasses, an impressive ice bucket, water and a nice basket of tasty fresh flatbread.

The menu is easy to deal with. Servers offer advice and recommendations. There's plenty of food per serving, and the price can't be beat. Two can dine healthily and well for less than $50. (If your service is as good as mine was, you'll also leave a nice tip.)

Starters include Moroccan salads, appetizers and soups such as harira soup (lentils, tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, celery and ginger in a veggie broth), hummus and couscous salad or bakoula (spinach with cumin, olives, garlic and lemon).

There are Mediterranean flavors such as shrimp pil pil, a Spanish dish of spicy, sautéed shrimp, eggplant soufflé with cheese or bell peppers roasted with garlic and goat cheese.

Soups, salads and appetizers range in price from $4.50 for the harira soup to $10 for the shrimp.

You might want to try a "tapas mix" of bakoula, hummus and zaalouk, a cooked eggplant salad. The "mix" is $8.50. (Not sure which wine goes best with zaalouk.)

My dining partner and I shared spinach bastilla, a traditional Moroccan dish of rolled phyllo dough stuffed with spinach and feta cheese. It was $8, delicious and easily enough for two to share.

I also had couscous salad and tasted a cucumber salad, both of which are worth ordering, though the former was a little dry.

Dunes offers a variety of kabob platters. There are chicken, lamb, beef, salmon, shrimp and traditional Moroccan kefta kabobs. Kefta is ground beef or lamb with cumin, paprika and minced onion. They're all in the $10 range and come with couscous salad, Mediterranean salad or bruschetta.

There's also lamb or beef shawarma and gyros made with chicken, lamb or beef. All these dishes come with lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumber and cucumber sauce. All are also served with rice and all are in the $8 range.

Entrees are priced under $20 and include a selection of tagines, popular North African casserole/stew-like dishes in which fish, vegetables or meats are slow-cooked with lots of spices. At Dunes, the serving pieces are beautiful.

My table ordered a lamb tangine ($18.95) that came with tender and wonderful pieces of lamb, caramelized prunes and toasted sesame seeds, all simmered in, according to the menu, "our special 21 spices." (For fast-foodies, that's nearly double The Colonel's famous secret 11 herbs and spices.)

This is a wonderful dish and a house signature entree. It comes with rice. And all entrees also come with a salad or bruschetta.

We could have had a wild salmon tagine and a veggie or a beef tagine. But we opted for a marinated chicken dish with French influences that was served in the same beautiful dishware as was the lamb tagine.

This, too, was bursting with the kind of flavor that's all but unidentifiable because of the mix of spices. Suffice it to say, if you see a chicken entree on the menu (and you don't like lamb), order it.

Those with timid tastes can also dine at Dunes. The menu includes a few simpler dishes such as flounder with rosemary sauce served with asparagus and rice ($16).

There is, of course, baklava (just $2.50), but not always. Dunes was out of it the night I was there but made up for the loss by offering a "house special hot Moroccan tea" that, trust me, tastes like dessert.

It was freshly brewed, served in a gorgeous, ornate golden teapot and poured into small, thick glasses. It's a sweet orange blossom mint tea that's different and delish.

It's on the menu at $2 per person, but maybe you can find something that they're out of and hope your server is as kind as ours was.

The food here is far better than the location or the atmosphere, and the atmosphere, as mentioned, really is OK.

I worry that Dunes isn't in a part of the city that generates much foot traffic. And while I like and appreciate its sort of hideaway location, I also worry that it's too, well, hidden away.

Central PA's dining scene is greatly enhanced by a place such as Dunes, and the region could sure use more restaurants like it. I recommend it for lunch or dinner. I doubt you'll be disappointed.

DUNES
19 S, 3rd St., Harrisburg
717-695-0873
harrisburgdunes.com

BYOB; takes major credit cards; street parking or lot at a half block away at Third and Chestnut; open for lunch and dinner Monday through Friday and for dinner on Saturday; takes reservations.

The food is wonderful.

I can't imagine any diner, regardless of tastes, not finding something to his or her liking. And I liked everything I tasted.

The place is upscale, but there's such a variety — salads, pizzas, small plates, sandwiches, pastas — that patrons can spend as much or as little dough as desired and still enjoy a night out in a great and friendly venue.

The atmosphere is hip with a black-and-white checkered tile floor, painted walls, large, fun artwork, a nice bar in the front of the house and multiple rooms filled with nicely spaced tables with candlelight.

Service was exceptional. As first-timers we were given a full rundown of the menu, including advice on house specials and favorites and a tip that Chef is known for dishes made with fresh seafood.

Our server was a constant overseer without being cloying or annoying. Very professional and very much appreciated.

Cocktails are generous and well-made. There's a great roster of seasonal draft beers from Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware, interesting specialty drinks and a large and excellent wine list.

Warm, house-made whole-grain bread is another highlight.

The only bit of navigation required is figuring out the difference between "small plates" and "bistro plates" and getting to realize that some "small plates" are large enough to easily serve as entrees.

More on that in a minute.

First, examples of the range of offerings: Salads are big or small, pre-dinner size or large enough to serve sufficiently as a meal. And Checkers goes beyond the routine. Yes, there are Caesar and house salads, but there's also a large Cobb salad, a crisp apple salad with greens, bleu cheese and caramelized walnuts, and a roast beef and goat cheese salad, all ranging from about $5 to about $12.

Sandwiches include a crab cake, a turkey/avocado melt, a "Chubby Checkers" cheeseburger made with Lancaster County grass-fed beef and a Po-boy of blackened tuna with chili-garlic mayo and Asian slaw on a French baguette. Prices run from around $10 to around $13.

Pizzas — and one is enough to serve as an entree for one — include a prosciutto and fig pie with roasted garlic and a lobster pizza with pine nuts and baby arugula, each priced around $12.

And the thing is, as good as all this sounds, we haven't yet gotten to the real highlights of the menu.

That would be, in my view, the dozen-plus "small plates," some of which are large enough to serve as a meal. Just ask. Staff, as I said, is more than helpful and happy to explain each dish, its size and whether it's enough food to make an entree.

For an appetizer, I had Peking duck tacos, a dish that sounds like a culture clash but that, trust me, is a small plate of heaven: barbecued duck with guacamole and greens in paper-thin and wonderfully light and crispy wonton taco shells.

There are three to an order (you won't want to share) for $10.50. If you go, get them.

I also had seafood bruschetta, another "small plate" but of sufficient size that I had plenty to eat. This is a version of bouilla­baisse, with scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, diced tomatoes and scallions in a white wine broth and served with a tasty grilled baguette, $15.50. It's a quality dish, and a great bargain.

My dining partner raved about a half-sized beet salad special followed by a fish-of-the-day special of monk fish ($26) served with thinly sliced eggplant and a piquant Asian sauce that, truly, had a unique and extraordinarily good, fresh flavor. I'm telling even people who don't like fish they would like this dish.

Our server was right about leaning toward seafood.

Other "small plates" include lobster and shrimp tamale, lollipop lamb chops, seared diver scallops, baby back ribs, fish and chips, and tuna carpaccio with lemon zest and shaved fennel. Most of these are in the $10 to $12 range.

Regular pasta dishes include black fettuccine with mussels, linguine with clams and pappardelle with bolognese. There's also a Thai rice noodle dish with shrimp, fish sauce and cilantro. Pastas are $18 and $19.

Like I say, there are lots of choices at Checkers.

"Bistro plates" are full entrees such as the fish du jour. They also include a seared eight-ounce filet mignon with roasted potatoes and green beans, a 10-ounce flat-iron steak with frites, and crab cakes with potatoes gratin and sautéed spinach. These are priced in the $20s.

Dessert was the largest crème brûlée I've seen in captivity and real French-press coffee. It has been some time since I've had a better meal in Central PA.

I've often noted Lancaster's longtime penchant for good, high-quality eateries. Checkers Bistro is another example and adds to that city's earned reputation as a good place to go out to eat.

CHECKERS BISTRO

300 West James Street
Lancaster
717-509-1069
checkersbistro.com

Street parking and some parking in rear; takes major cards; full bar; open for lunch and dinner Tue-Sat; reservations recommended; cell phone use discouraged

I can tell you from personal experience, it is not that.

For one thing, the restaurant’s neighborhood looks nothing like South Philly. For another, the restaurant is in an old church, not the kind of restaurant setting you’d find in South Philly. And, finally, the restaurant’s food, while not bad, aspires to South Philly quality more than effectively emulates it.

And, look, I like the venue. The church has a neat atmosphere created by great stained-glass windows, some wall tapestries, hardwood floors, pendant and wall-sconce lighting and candlelight that (while the poster art seems to clash with the overall décor) is very pleasant, even comforting.

There’s also a nicely drawn, if unintended, contrast between the sedate dining- room side of the church, arrived at through thick-hanging curtains, and (at least during my visit) the more crowded, noisy, fun-seeming bar side of the church.

But then this is a place with lots going on, from live jazz to comedy and open mike nights. For our purposes, I went to focus on food and so made sure to show up on a night when live entertainment wasn’t starting until later. Some nights, for example, live acts don’t begin until 9 or 10pm.

And even though there is a clear separation — not of church and state but of church dining room and bar — I didn’t want to risk having to shout dinner orders over the sound of, for example, Soul Revolution.

As it turned out, I got to listen to some nice and easy piped-in Sinatra, which always goes well in any Italian restaurant. And the noise level, lighting level and overall ambiance were relaxed and welcoming.

To the food.

Appetizers are limited and ordinary. There’s the ubiquitous “flash-fried” calamari, served with marinara sauce ($8); sautéed mushrooms with grated cheese ($8); “Tuscany” bruschetta with provolone cheese ($8); steamed clams ($9); and (I thought a little oddly) grilled lamb chops over fresh greens ($14).

Not that I’ve got anything against lamb chops. I love ’em. It’s just that I continue searching throughout Central PA for the Italian restaurant offering more Mediterranean-inspired choices — I’m thinking grilled white sardines, grilled baby octopus, tortellini en brodo, prosciutto purses, olive breadsticks, vegetable polenta — rather than catering to Central PA tastes.

(I know, I know, you serve what people want. I can still hold out hope.)

Salads at Victor’s include a house salad for $4, antipasti to share for $13, a Caesar for $8, a Caesar with chicken for $14 and a caprese salad for $8.

I had the Caesar with its boast of “anchovy fillets.” Alas, not a single anchovy made it to my bowl. After I asked, a few of the canned-in-oil variety arrived on a small, separate plate (sigh).

I will say that the salad was fresh, very tasty and not (as is often the case) overdressed. Bread, too, was very good, maybe even better than very good.

Seafood entrees run from $20 for shrimp and clams over linguini either with white or with red sauce, to $26 for shrimp and veal piccata (though I’m not fond of dishes that interfere with the taste of veal).

There’s also shrimp Diablo with bell peppers and onions over pasta of your choice for $21; “seafood pesto” (lump crab, shrimp and scallops in a basil sauce with red peppers and pine nuts over linguini) for $24; and pesto-encrusted salmon served with risotto and veggies for $25.

Pasta “specialties” include traditional polpette (hand-rolled meatballs) with pasta and marinara sauce ($14); pasta carbonara with pancetta in a cream sauce over fettuccine ($17); house-made lobster ravioli with a vodka cream sauce ($24); and “Victor’s Sauté,” roasted peppers, fresh spinach, black olives, artichokes and tomatoes, all tossed with pasta in garlic and oil ($17).

I had the latter and liked it a lot, a nice, light pasta dish. I tasted the house-made ravioli, a rarity these days, and also found them to be very worthwhile, plump and flavorful, not overpowered by the cream sauce.

Victor’s offers other classic Italian dishes, most priced in the high teens and low $20s: chicken, eggplant and veal Parmesan, chicken Marsala, veal saltimbocca, pasta with hot sausage (from D’Angelo Brothers in South Philly’s Italian market) and chicken scaloppini.

There are nightly specials and a weekly “chef’s table” offering, and all entrees come with a house salad.

Desserts include tiramisu, rum cake, cheesecake, tartufo, espresso chocolate cake and cannoli, all reasonably priced in the $5 range. I took the cannoli (without leaving a gun). It was excellent: crisp shell, creamy, sweet filling.

I should mention there’s an extensive (but not overly expensive) wine list featuring many good Italian wines, and a great beer selection including (when available) Sam Smith’s Oatmeal Stout and, on tap, Espresso Stout Oak Aged Yeti (from Denver) and Sly Fox Pikeland Pilsner (from Phoenixville).

Victor’s service was OK, and I think the pricing is fair. It’s a fun, active place. It’s not the best Italian I’ve ever eaten. But then it’s not South Philly either.

VICTOR’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

554 S. Ogontz St., York
717-854-7958
victorsofyork.com

Open for lunch & dinner every day/evening except Sun; full bar; takes major cards; parking lot; reservations suggested.