White Dog Cafe (redux)

Returned to the White Dog Cafe, in Wayne, PA. This was my second visit. Went for a late lunch after an airshow. For those of you not familiar with this place, the interior features quite a few paintings of dogs as you see here:

White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA, interior.

White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA, interior.

That was our table, the one on the left. Not a bad seat with a good people-watching angle on the bar. An interesting starter caught my eye on the menu: fried pickles. Check them out in the next photo.

Fried pickles at White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA.

Fried pickles at White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA.

There were exactly as described: fried pickles. What was I expecting? Fried pickles. Crunchy batter and pickle underneath, which was quite pleasant, spiced up with the dipping sauce you see on the side. A nice feature this was, adding some variety to my tried an true burger you see next:

Burger and fries at White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA.

Burger and fries at White Dog Cafe, Wayne, PA.

Yes, another pickle, this one just out of the barrel. The burger is very good, too. I only wish the fries were a little more crispy. Still, a great meal with fine service at the White Dog Cafe, a place I keep on the list for its fresh offerings and fun people-watching scene.

Scabeche, Aruba

Scabeche Restaurant is located at the Caribbean Palm Village in Noord, Aruba. It’s tucked inside the the complex, which means it’s not visible from the street. You’ll walk past the pools and want to take a dip, but enjoy the food first. I had a very pleasant meal here last week as part of a large group. There were about 30 of us spread over three tables and Scabeche’s staff did a fantastic job. So, let’s get to the food. We started with some appetizers including this shrimp cocktail:

Shrimp cocktail at Scabeche, Aruba.

Shrimp cocktail at Scabeche, Aruba.

Those shrimp were quite large. There was also a nice caesar salad. But let’s see some entrees, like this grouper with mango sauce:

Scabe3

And how about the chicken parmesan you see here:

Chicken Parmesan at Scabeche, Aruba.

Chicken Parmesan at Scabeche, Aruba.

That chicken was perfectly cooking meaning it was juicy and over a bed of truly al dente pasta. A friend liked the rib eye steak as you see next:

Rib eye at Scabeche, Aruba.

Rib eye at Scabeche, Aruba.

Among the other high points were the vegetables, which were cooked just enough. (Sometimes in Aruba, the veggies come out bland. These were still crunch and full of flavor. I like my veggies so these were particularly tasty.) Finally, a slice of cheesecake for dessert:

Cheesecake at Scabeche, Aruba.

Cheesecake at Scabeche, Aruba.

All in all, a solid meal with great service. My water glass was always full and the waiters hustled around the tables so our group could eat mostly together. No easy feat and they did a great job. If you haven’t tried this place, give it a go. I think you’ll like it.

Il Faro Blanco, Aruba

Il Faro Blanco is the restaurant on the northwest tip of Aruba, as the name suggests, situated by the lighthouse. Today, I enjoyed a very pleasant business lunch there. Great Italian vegetable soup and a ravioli bolognese. Tasty and good service. Sorry, no food photos, but here is the view:

View from Il Faro Blanco restaurant in Aruba.

View from Il Faro Blanco restaurant in Aruba.

The vista at sunset can be spectacular. Hopefully, I’ll have the opportunity for a supper there soon. Bon dia.

Riverstone Cafe, Exton, PA (USA)

Sunday Brunch is one of those old institutions I used to enjoy very much. Started way back in college, but that’s another story. Anyway, stopped in to the Riverstone Cafe in Exton, PA for a brunch this week. I found it fresh, tasty, and with plenty of options. The great service made the meal a joy. Here’s a look at some of the offerings, including oysters on the half shell:

Brunch selections at Riverstone Cafe.

Brunch selections at Riverstone Cafe.

Of course you also see that salmon there with all the trimmings. As mentioned, here’s a look at the desserts:

Dessert selection at Riverstone Cafe Sunday Brunch.

Dessert selection at Riverstone Cafe Sunday Brunch.

Well, now that I ate too much, I get to spend plenty of extra hours in the gym. Enjoy every meal!