When sister and brother Kaylynn and Shane Gruber decided to turn Topton into a prime dining destination, they knew they wanted to focus on delicious comfort food. “But we didn’t want our food to be like everyone else’s,” says Kaylynn. “We wanted a lot of homemade foods on the menu — smoked foods, fresh foods” with originality and flair. They also wanted to highlight local craftspeople, giving diners an opportunity to browse and purchase made-in-PA honey, cheeses, candles and interior décor items with a farmhouse-cool feel. Revamping the interior of what used to be (some years ago) the Topton House Hotel, the Grubers accomplished their goal by updating both the old-time elegant bar area and the larger dining area to line up with their catchy motto: “Eat, drink, shop!” The result is a charming, vintage-chic destination for lunch or dinner on Thursday through Sundays from Noon to 8pm. Best of all, they enlisted their dad Rick’s restaurateur expertise to include an onsite smoker that produces everything from unrivaled smoked brisket, chicken, pulled pork and baked beans, to several cheeses and — believe it or not — smoked candy! Great fun. Additionally, their mom Robbin’s home cooking, influenced by her Hawaiian ancestors, weaves its way into some of their most popular dishes.
Lobster & Crab Soup; Buffalo Bowl Salad
From their mouth-watering soups — a cup or crock of luscious Lobster and Crab, classic French Onion, or Soup du Jour — to unique salads and greens that can be served as salads or made into wraps, this restaurant has something to please everyone. Mixed textures and harmonious ingredients reign supreme here. The Buffalo Bowl is well named and a meal in itself, comprised of grilled buffalo chicken, buffalo fries, spring mix, tomato, onion, Cheddar-Monterey jack cheese and tangy bleu cheese dressing.
The burger and sandwich menu is similarly intriguing. Three examples: the Ol’ Smokey is loaded with smoked sausage, peppers, sauteed onions and C+B steak sauce, while the Boss Chick features smoked pulled chicken enveloped with peach bourbon BBQ sauce, plus cole slaw and a toasted bun. Their Reuben adds Guinness kraut to the corned beef and Swiss on rye.
Pretzellas to Start
Never heard of pretzellas? That’s because it’s a new (and legally protected), fabulous invention. With a glass of Clover Hill Riesling or Yuengling Lager, or one of Craft+Barrel’s refreshing cocktails, this starter is a big winner. Make that a champion in the pantheon of terrific appetizers. Think fried mozzarella sticks only with a super-toasted taste created by a crunchy pretzel coating. The fresh, soft, cheesy interior contrasts in a delightful way with classic pretzel flavor and crunch — a truly Pennsylvania appetizer. It comes with warm marinara sauce for dipping…SO good.
Other alluring appetizers include pierogies, chicken wings (with numerous flavor choices), a smoked hot dog and personal pizza. For seafood lovers, aim for the Sesame Tuna or Sweet & Spicy Shrimp.
A Brisket for the Ages & Heavenly Shrimp
If you’re new to Craft+Barrel, Kaylynn recommends trying one of their two most popular entrees. The first is Brisket Skillet. “That’s our in-house, slow-smoked brisket over homemade mashed potatoes with a homemade whiskey peach BBQ, homemade cole slaw and our smoked baked beans on the side,” she explains. Talk about a meal that coordinates in every way! The brisket possesses a perfectly delicate smokiness, practically falling apart on the fork, mingling with mashed spuds enhanced by potato skin, lending an old-school lumpy texture and delivering a magical, memorable taste — all presented in a hot cast-iron skillet à la campfire. Creamy and dreamy is the super-fresh slaw, a cool breeze in the mouth to experience right before those just-spicy, deeply smoked beans conquer the palate with their own riotous splendor.
A second “most popular” dish is the Thai Ginger Shrimp. “This is breaded jumbo shrimp over Thai rice noodles tossed in a sweet ginger sesame sauce with steamed broccoli,” says Kaylynn. Imagine the tenderness of fat shrimp enlivened by a deep-toasted, crunchy outer layer, marrying up with twirls of rice pasta exuding a penetrating heat in every bite. Black sesame seeds dot the jumbled pile of noodles for this Asian-inspired sensation. Utterly satisfying.
Double Chocolate Hot Fudge Brownies — Unabashedly Yummy
A final surrender comes with dessert. Admittedly, the Waffle Sundae issues a siren call…but so do the Homemade Fudge Brownies, any chocoholic’s pure joy. The sheer amount of chocolate involved in this un-shy dessert is unreal. Such a treat, served warm with a dollop of melting ice cream. It is indeed rich, though, and a generous portion, so consider requesting two spoons to enjoy it with a loved one.
Also top-notch is the Homemade Cheesecake, which not only is truly cheesy but rich in integrity — a true cake-style cheesecake — and comes from a cherished home recipe attributed to mom. On a recent evening, the topping was raspberry vanilla for a tart touch.
Craft + Barrel
05 Centre Avenue, Topton
craftnbarrel.com | 610.682.5000
