We were on our way to Amish country in Lancaster County Pennsylvania and it was time for lunch. How about trying a kitschy looking Pennsylvania Dutch restaurant that we happened upon at just the right moment?
This is the Windmill Family Restaurant in Morgantown Pennsylvania. It began it’s life as an ice cream stand in 1952 but after 20 years, new owners turned it into a sit down restaurant. It was renovated and expanded in the early 80’s and it was given it’s current name.
This isn’t the greatest photo of the interior of the restaurant but it serves its purpose. The interior had a worn, tired look…just a bit on the shabby side. The restaurant was clean but it’s time for another renovation.
We were there at lunch time so we missed the opportunity for breakfast. The prices for all meals were very reasonable at the Windmill. A standard breakfast with 2 eggs, meat, toast and home fries cost $5.05! Laurie would have gone for the Eggs Benedict - Dutch Style…thin sliced ham on an English muffin topped with poached eggs and then covered with creamed chipped beef. ($5.99) Alternatively, how about a Scrapple and Cheese Omelette! ($6.19)
For the uninitiated, the Pennsylvania Dutch refer to scrapple as ‘pon haus’. Basically, it’s comprised of pig organ meat, the head and other scraps, mixed into a mush with cornmeal and flour plus some spices. The mush is then refrigerated and formed into a loaf. Typically, it’s sliced and fried for use with breakfast or as a sandwich. I guess that this is a prime example of ‘waste not, want not’! For more information on scrapple, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrapple.
Laurie started out with a bowl of French Onion Soup ($3.99) It was loaded with cheese and onions and she gave it a solid thumbs up.
I went with the bowl of Pennslvania Dutch Homemade Chicken Corn Chowder ($2.50, or a cup $2.20) The price was right and it was filling but I thought that the soup lacked character. It was OK…
This was my sandwich…the Turkey Melt ($6.69 with pickles, cole slaw and French fries (We skipped the fries) It was a very nice sandwich…with lots of flavor! Of course, anything that you add bacon to is going to be greatly enhanced…
Had we been at the Windmill Family Restaurant later in the day, we might have tried one of their Pennsylvania Dutch dinner favorites. These included: Chicken Pot Pie ($8.45); Roast Turkey Platter ($9.99); Pork and Sauerkraut Platter ($8.99) or perhaps; the Dutch Dinner with the chicken corn chowder, ham with raisin sauce, baked chicken and 2 vegetables plus dessert…possibly Shoofly Pie (all for $12.99)
For more on the Shoofly Pie, just go to http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory/ShooflyPie.htm.
Laurie went with her favorite sandwich…the Patty Melt ($6.59) She liked it very much & the pickles were great too!
The lunch/dinner menu was very extensive. In addition to the Dutch Favorites, it listed Appetizers ($2.99/$7.79); Soups ($2.20/$3.99); Dinner Salads ($5.39/$8.99); Burgers ($3.99/$6.59); Sandwiches from the Griddle ($3.99/$6.79); Hot Sandwiches ($5.45/$8.99); Cold Sandwiches ($5.25/$7.99); Steaks and Chops ($9.45/$16.99); Seafood Entrees ($8.99/$15.99); Poultry ($8.19/$8.75) and; Pasta/Italian Favorites ($7.99/$11.99). There is also a small all day breakfast selection available.
So…lots of variety, decent food, OK service, great price in a setting that needs a little TLC. All in all, it was a positive experience and if we were passing this way again, we’d stop to try the dinner entrees…
The Windmill Family Retaurant is located at 2838 Main Street, (corner of PA Routes 10 & 23), in Morgantown Pennsylvania. Phone: 610-286-5980. Website: www.windmillfamrestaurant.com.
Just click on any photo to enlarge it…
Thanks for stopping by for a visit!
Take Care, Big Daddy Dave
You have a knack for finding nice places to eat on the road. Your photos of the lunch are great and its nice to know these places are there. You never know when you'll pass this way. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
ReplyDeleteI was all excited to see Morgantown until I read PA. I grew up eating scrapple and love it - make my own on occasion. All of the food looks good, but the soups look especially so.
ReplyDeleteDear Dave, The Pennsylvania Dutch are some of the best cooks. I love the simple goodness of their cooking. The baked goods are usually just delicious. I glad that you and Laurie enjoyed the lunch. I think if you added some hot sauce to that soup you would have "kicked" it up a bit! Blessings my friend, Catherine
ReplyDeleteHey Dave,
ReplyDeleteI've worked at the windmill for a couple of years now I was thrilled to stumble upon this while creating the Windmill's new facebook page. I'm glad to see how much you enjoyed your experience. I appreciate your positive yet honest critique of the restaurant. I was however disappointed to see you only had "OK service"; We'll do better next time you stop in.