“Everything is made here from start to finish,” says Becky Kline, owner/manager of uncorkd in West Reading, and “every dish is cooked to order.” She’s seriously passionate about making uncorkd a destination that you and your friends will return to time and again. The clever name is her own brainchild — meant to convey a feeling of opening up wines and drinks and opening the kitchen’s great pleasures to every hungry guest. From the time you are seated and start deciding which of the myriad drinks and enticing foods to choose from, expect individual care in a welcoming, cozy atmosphere.
Kline explains, “For example, our Seafood Manicotti is handstuffed per order, all vegetables are roasted per dish and the Chicken Cutlet is hand-breaded and made to order.” She credits the restaurant’s success since its opening a year ago to members of the team, especially Executive Chef Chris and Sous Chef Brandon. “With just about 10 staff,” she says, smiling, “we do everything with care.”
The effectively rebranded double-room establishment (this location was formerly known as winedown and The Whiskey Bar) exudes a determination to ensure that everyone’s visit is thoroughly enjoyable. Without a doubt, uncorkd has already made its mark as a cool go-to destination in which to experience the totality of an absurd number of delicious craft cocktails and fine wines that complement dishes from a creative, regularly updated menu.
Snack on uncorkd Tots, Cheese Curds & Vegetable Egg Rolls
Starters include delightfully seasoned, crunchy homemade chips to dip in a feisty sour cream and onion dip as well as potato tots that vary season to season. In colder months, the uncorkd Tots (yes, all tots are made inhouse) feature house-made pan gravy for tantalizing comfort, changing over in warm months to be adorned with savory sherry cream sauce and crab meat. Cheese curds with Thai chili aioli, soft pretzels, pierogies and yummy cheesesteak egg rolls are all popular.
Two Asian-style vegetable egg rolls are served cut in half with a lovely, lite-heat wasabi aioli. The perfectly textured shells contain a colorful variety of freshly shredded veggies like carrots and broccoli with so much natural flavor, you might not want to share! In fact, this “snack” could easily be a prelude to a complete meal: all you need to do is add seared ahi tuna or perhaps the truly elegant vegetable risotto (both found under “Small Plates”) for utter satisfaction.
Consider ordering a most perfectly concocted cocktail — such as the Spare Pear — to enhance the vegetable egg rolls. This drink contains Ketel One Vodka, pear, lemon and a whisper of cinnamon; it’s piquant and potent, refreshing and seamlessly well blended. One of uncorkd’s attentive servers, Kelly, points out that “all the syrups are homemade — using fresh fruits, fresh everything!” She adds, laughing, “Our bartender’s usually juicing all night.”
Burger Night, Pasta Night & Special Attractions
On Wednesdays, you’ll find an alluring array of luscious pasta dishes while Thursdays are all about the burgers with a very affordable burger-plus-drink deal. (Of course, diners can still order other items on the larger menu, including salmon, ribeye, scampi and chicken.)
Here’s just a sampling of the restaurant’s truly inventive burger styles, which vary according to season: the Penn Ave (bacon, balsamic, fried mozzarella and more), the O-Ring (beerbattered onion rings, BBQ sauce, mushrooms), Portobello Mushroom (with caramelized onions, roasted red pepper) and the Brussels (candied bacon, garlic aioli, goat cheese, shaved Brussels sprouts).
But who can resist trying a meal named after the restaurant itself? The uncorkd Burger delivers fullflavored, high-quality Hereford beef (typically leaner than Angus) packed with a cacophony of burger-enhancing add-ons: zesty red onion slices, Roma tomato, Romaine lettuce, a round of justfirm fresh mozzarella cheese, plus garlic aioli dressing. Add chips or house-made fries and/or Caesar salad with shaved cheese (for a slight upcharge) along with a glass of House Red or Yuengling Lager, and you’re fast-tracked to Americana heaven.
Equally juicy is the Black & Bleu Burger for fans who adore the aromatic bleu cheese. There’s no skimping on the cheese flavor or any other element in this burger choice. It’ll fill you up, guaranteed, at the same time awakening every taste bud that has long been yearning for such a rich, lovingly constructed, beefy sandwich. Cajun seasoning, sweetly caramelized onions, crispy prosciutto and that creamy bleu cheese sauce round out the entrée. As a note: the toasted buns for uncorkd’s burgers are fantastic — far better than a clunky Kaiser or other roll.
Post-dinner Libations & Desserts
Dinners that progress with final fun and closing conversations can include fine dessert wine such as Dow’s Vintage Port (from Portugal), other after-dinner beverages and/or hot drinks. Sweets vary by season, so definitely ask what amazing desserts are on tap that evening. Possibilities include Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake, cheesecake, Three-Layer Chocolate Thunder Cake, Limoncello Mascarpone and House-made Vanilla Bread Pudding.
622 Penn Avenue, West Reading 610.373.4907 | uncorkd-westreading.com
