Escargots. Duck. Filet mignon. If those dishes are on your mind and you know Berks County, you’ve definitely heard of Emily’s in Mohnton. It’s where many people go for occasions — a special date, an anniversary, birthdays. But it’s also an anytime, stop-in-after-work restaurant and bar with daily specials, refreshing cocktails, and several sitting areas to choose from for light meals or full-scale elegant dining.
And now Emily’s has added an expansive outdoor deck for patio dining in nice weather, with live music from time to time. In the evenings, the romantic twinkling lights become one with the laughter and conversations at table. Perfectly suited for wedding events (it seats 100), the patio is surrounded by lush lawn, colorful flowers, trees and well-landscaped gardens.
So why wait for a birthday? Carpe diem, folks. This is one dining establishment that exudes pride in its historical foundations and utterly Pennsylvanian atmosphere — the beautiful building itself dates back to 1827—while focusing on service to discerning patrons who can count on lifting a glass to Emily’s culinary treats, ever-fresh gourmet expressions of both stunning simplicity and daring complexity.
Shakers at the Victorian Table
If you order a specialty drink, the server leaves a shaker right there at the table for refills. Nice touch! The citrusy, satisfying signature “Emily-Rita” cocktail is made of 1800 Tequila, Grand Marnier, triple sec, and lime juice. There’s also a Raspberry Lemon Drop Martini, a bit fruitier, and — just right for summer — a Georgia Peach-Tini, which delivers a sweet, light burn with its combination of peach vodka, peach schnapps, triple sec and splash of orange juice.
Select an appetizer, soup and salad early so you can take extra time looking over the extensive entrée menu (and read the back page with the old hotel’s history). The escargots come in a burgundy-colored, nicely thick gravy that’s heartier than you’d expect — a favorite among regulars. “They’re very nice — and not your standard garlic-based escargots,” says one fan.
Butternut squash crostini are lovely both visually and texturally: tiny cubes of tiger lily orange squash sit atop smooth white mascarpone spread on thinly sliced breads. There’s a tangy fried sage (the sage is pulverized and fried in oil) to dip in, as well as a separate local-honey-and-fig balsamic reduction for a sweet undertone. This appetizer is nutty and savory, smooth and crunchy.
Baked Oysters, Scallop and Bacon Puff, Fried Calamari, and Coconut Shrimp are also popular choices for starters.
The soups are luscious. If you’re a fan of French Onion, always searching for the best of the best, you might decide that the end of that rainbow is here. It’s fabulous. It’s not overwhelming or so heavy that you’re too full. Each spoonful delivers a tantalizingly light herbal sensation, with just the right amount of juicy onions.
Mohntondorf Salad — Uniquely Delightful
A piquant mix of citrus from mandarin oranges, crisp red onion, chewy cranberries and salty bleu cheese dressing combines with leafy greens, sliced apples and candied walnuts to make this bold salad a winner. Add grilled chicken breast strips and you’ve got a full meal in itself, delightfully intriguing in flavor. Unlike a Waldorf, Emily’s version stresses whole fresh ingredients that are standalones on the salad plate — not all chopped and mixed together, in other words. That allows the diner to pick and choose combinations for the fork.
Course by course, as you enjoy each serving, you gradually become aware that one of the nicest aspects of Emily’s is how easy it is to hold a conversation. Though background music quietly plays, talking, eating and truly enjoying is at the heart of this dining experience.
Duck Divine
Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Emily’s Crab Cakes, Rack of Lamb, Scallops and Risotto, Chicken Parmesan: so many tantalizing main dishes.
The filet mignon is every inch what you’d expect from a top chef: tender, tasty, char-grilled to perfect preference. Its mantle is a red-wine demiglace and black truffle butter. The steak is paired with thick garlic-mashed potatoes — the starch of the day — gently herbed, made ever more flavorful with bits of red potato skin left in. The vegetables of the day highlight what’s freshest from the farm, such as a rainbow medley of buttery carrots, nutty yellow squash and sautéed zucchini.
The Duck Breast is succulent, unforgettable. Tender Maple Leaf duck meat is drawn out by deep hints of thyme in a handsome brick-red wine sauce with dark red cherries. Slices of duck are layered one on top of the other, so it’s easy to pull with knife and fork; the edges are crispy and dark. Mmmm. Divine.
Best dessert? That’s a tie between the Chocolate Brownie Mousse Parfait and the White Chocolate Cheesecake with raspberry drizzle. For a lighter ending, there’s also lemon-flavored sorbet with fresh berries. Happy summer!
By Marian Frances Wolbers | Photos by Heidi Reuter
