With its classic American dishes at moderate prices, Doylestown, Pa.’s newest alfresco eatery may easily become a popular favorite in town.
By: Amy Brummer
Doylestown, Pa., is an outdoor dining kind of town. Restaurants in the borough make the most of their porches and patios, even alleyways, to keep diners on the front lines of the downtown scene.
In April, the newest addition to these alfresco eateries set up shop at 64 W. State St., a property whose roomy front porch is unquestionably better suited to accommodating chatty diners than welcoming retail shoppers. When the two shops inside closed their businesses earlier this year, the owners of Domani Star, just across the street, jumped at the opportunity to expand their scope
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American Kitchen |
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American Kitchen has a strong presence and gives the feeling that it has been up and running for longer than its brief four months. In part, this comes from the management team, which also runs Domani Star. They carry their many years of experience to the new venture seamlessly. The interior has been tastefully designed with a clean, contemporary look, warmed by the natural stone and brick of the walls and accented with touches of vintage Americana.
The hostess greeted us warmly the night we arrived and we were glad to find that there were seats open on the porch. Since American Kitchen is a BYO establishment, we brought a bottle of wine, which the server was quick to open for us while we perused the menu, which is fairly short and simple.
A nice selection of salads includes goat cheese with mixed greens ($10), apple tossed with pecans and cheddar cheese toast ($8) and romaine hearts with blue cheese, tomato and walnut ($8), as well as a classic Caesar ($7). From the appetizer menu we chose the artichoke and crab dip ($11) and a warm goat cheese quesadilla ($9.50), though the steamed littleneck clams ($10.50) in a white wine and lemon-herb broth was tempting.
Entrées cover all the bases with several grilled preparations chicken breast ($19), tuna ($24), salmon ($22), filet ($27) and strip steak ($27), in addition to a couple of pasta dishes ($14-$22), crab cakes and sautéed medallions of veal ($24). And, paying homage to the quintessential American meal, the menu also features meatloaf and mashed potatoes ($17) with a light sage gravy. We went with the salmon and one of the specials, a stuffed cannelloni filled with chicken, roasted corn, bacon and spinach ($18).
Our appetizers arrived quickly and we admired the bold and colorful arrangements on the plate. Folded into a tomato tortilla, the quesadilla was balanced with roasted red beets and fresh spinach tossed with a sesame vinaigrette. The combination of flavors worked well together, fusing the creamy, tangy cheese with the sweet beets and nutty sesame, but I thought that the beets were not as sweet and concentrated as they should be. Large chunks of artichoke formed the base of the crab dip, which cut through the richness, and a smattering of herbs and fresh chopped tomato kept the flavors lively and fresh throughout.
The entrées were less successful. While the cannelloni was a nice combination of flavors, the chicken inside was dry, though this was mitigated somewhat by the generous pool of garlicky cream sauce. Salmon, on the other hand, had no such redeeming factor, with a tough exterior and bland flavor. The warm tomato vinaigrette was a distraction, only adding to the sharpness of the dish. We were also put off by the sautéed spinach that formed the bed for both of our dishes, as it made the plates watery.
In keeping with the American theme, portions are large, and neither of us were particularly interested in the dessert menu. In addition to rice pudding, chocolate pudding and crème caramel, there is ice cream or a warm brownie. We went with the brownie. More cakey than fudgy, it had an excess of walnuts, blueberries and hot fudge and only a miniscule tablespoon of ice cream to balance the sweetness.
But food aside, we found the atmosphere to be warm and relaxing, and the service attentive. All members of the staff was truly friendly and wanted the customers to feel that they were well served. The manager pointed out that, once the decision was made to move on the opportunity, the restaurant opened quickly for the summer season, and is still working out some of the kinks.
But I got the sense that the restaurant will become a popular favorite in town. With its moderate prices and classic dishes, it is a place that is well suited to a variety of diners and offers one of the best outdoor dining locations in town.

