Sidel's

The predicament of starting a food blog is... where to start your food blog? Let me tell you, we know good food...but we were unprepared for the overwhelming onslaught of "suggestions" from causal foodies such as ourselves. I accumulated several recommendations from my fabulous classmates on..nothing other than hospital napkins, and Jessica gathered a broad list from her the dedicated patrons at her bar tending gig (although it should be noted that as the night went on and as the alcohol consumption grew the suggestions became quite outlandish like...Coopers? no.) You think you know the restaurant scene in Scranton? So did we, but it became clear in a short amount of time that we've barely scratched the surface of Scranton's taste and variety. Tucked away on quiet side streets, and cozy in-the-walls, Scranton has so much more to offer than we ever thought possible. Dedicated? I'll say. Jessica even upped her 65% daily preoccupation of mealtime to a whopping 85% while considering all the options of: where to go first?

Ok Ok Ok... Suspense has been adequately established. Where did we go? Get ready Scranton:

We started our food journey at Sidel's in North Scranton - and they did not disappoint. The perfectly roasted garlic scent permeated to the parking lot where our evening began. Once seated, and submerged by the serious down home Italian ora, Christine (our delightful waitress) explained the mouth watering specials. After some back and forth suggestions our menu consisted of:

An appetizer of sliced eggplant and tomato topped with seasoned breadcrumbs and broiled until crisp (squeezed with a hint of lemon to enhance every flavor nature gave us).

I then had a Caesar salad. I know...Caesar salad..really? But for real I would eat this salad for breakfast lunch and dinner if I could. FORGET creamy Caesar bottled dressing - I was served the REAL DEAL, homemade light delicious Caesar dressing...and the homemade croutons are something I could talk about for at least 35 minutes straight. Seasoned to perfection and crisp, but not the crisp that makes you jaw hurt, the pleasant-perfectly toasted-crisp. wow. This salad was not nearly an after thought, but more of a showcase in my opinion. For my entree I had one of the specials of the evening: seared salmon served over wilted spinach and sun-dried tomatoes with a chili and orange marmalade sauce. Sweet/salty/pop of spice, and texturally on par.

Jess had a house salad with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette topped with blue cheese. These salads are not just a means to meet the 5 a day, people...they are clearly thought out meals within themselves. Yes - similar to the Caesar dressing, this homemade balsamic vinaigrette was outrageous. Fresh, delicious quality ingredients. For Jess' entree she had one of the house specialties: chicken marsala served over white rice. What is special about this chicken marsala? EVERYTHING. Picture perfectly cooked chicken, walnuts, rice, mushrooms, and the most amazing marsala wine sauce, in your mouth. right now. The power of this dish is stated in one word: clean. Not an overwhelming flavor of any one ingredient...each ingredient complements the other in a magnificent symphony of deliciousness.

We shared two desserts - a piece of berry pie, and strawberry cake (with a freshly brewed cup of coffee). The berry pie was sweet..not tart (as Jessica seems to prefer) -- with a wonderfully flaky crust. The strawberry cake was moist and looked like a... strawberry cake. The icing was not my personal favorite, but was able to fill my sweet tooth's needs.

Clearly - I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.. even to the pickiest eater. Not only for its variety and clean flavors, but for the atmosphere and the best part: the people. The Executive Chef/Owner, Richie, started working in the restaurant business at only 14 years old in downtown Scranton's Preno's Pizza Cafe. And guess who he's married to? Christine! (We didn't learn of this until after our fabulous meal). Family, down-home atmosphere and to top it off, Richie is accommodating to anyone's wants/cravings or diet restrictions (including those gluten allergies which is almost unheard of at an Italian restaurant!).. the staff is also extremely friendly and welcoming (in fact...the bartender found my chapstick in the middle of the dining room floor and asked if I anyone was missing a chapstick. She was instantly my favorite person ever, because if you know me...I need a chapstick in my life. always).

You could find Sidel's on Facebook or our link section (and print off their buy one meal get the second half price coupon!!) They seem to update their facebook with different menu items and specials. My recommendation: check 'em out.

Much, much more to come (including visits to local shops, farmers markets, and special concoctions Jessica and I scramble up together on good 'ol Adams ave.) Stay tuned!