red Steakhouse - Mt. Airy Casino

red Steakhouse @ Mt. Airy Casino
44 Woodland Rd., Mount Pocono, PA


☆ ☆ ☆ 3/5 stars

We ate at red Steakhouse a few months ago when we were much newer to the area and desperate to find a good steak (now we know of a good local butcher and can make our own).

I almost always prefer to cook my own filet because the taste and price are unbeatable when you have the right tools (simple enough you just need an cast iron stovetop griddle and some aluminum foil - I can further explain at a different time). But, as it was, we weren't yet unpacked and were also in the mood to visit the nearby casino.

We started our meal off with a few appetizers: the Trio of Tuna and Prime Beef carpaccio - the tuna was delightful but the beef escapes my memory (which means it couldn't have been too wonderful). For my main course, I ordered the petit felit, cooked medium, while pricey at $37 (though for casino-based restaurants, reasonable) - the cook and cut were right on point.

But, I must resort back to my old gripe: the dreaded wine choices. For a place with entrees that cost upwards of $30 per person, Sutter Home should not be on your wine list at all. We ordered a bottle of Rodney Strong Chardonnay for the table, as it was more affordable than ordering by the glass for other choices. On a positive note, they did have Kendall Jackson Chardonnay as a choice to order by the bottle (it is one of my favorites).

All in all, the atmosphere did boast a certain higher-end dining than many of the restaurants in the area and the servers presented the food quite formally.

I would say it's basically on point for the price to dine. You pay for the casino-based location and the steaks were much better than other restaurant choices.

For the menu

Blakeslee Inn

Blakeslee Inn
Rt. 940, Blakeslee, PA

☆ ☆ 2 stars/5

Where to begin? We had visitors staying with us who were seeking a fine dining experience. Unfortunately, while the country club-like atmosphere boasts just that, and the menu fits the bill, the food itself was an underachiever.

The food is very overpriced, not sure if it's because the Blakeslee Inn is the only fine dining option in town or if it's because someone in the management office is greedy.

Either way, the most impressive part of the dining experience was the selection of quality beer (they have all Chimay variations, which is hard to find in many restaurants) and the quasi-appetizers - these little fried balls of tastiness (we were told they were Chicken Cordon Bleu bites, though the wait staff was unable to point us in the direction of a recipe).

Now, here's the bad: I had filet, cooked medium. The cut of the steak was okay but the tenderness left much to be desired as did the side vegetable (overcooked and bland). One of my guests had the chicken special (not sure what it is called, this was a month or so ago) but suffice to say, the chicken was very overcooked - it's dryness did provoke us to order more Chimay but the indulgence of beer or any beverage caused a whole other issue...their bathrooms were not in working order.

Not sure how long they didn't have water for, so I won't assume they continued serving without a public restroom for the remainder of the night, as we didn't hang around much longer. We took our open bottle of Chimay to go, paid the steep bill and never returned.

My suggestion is: buy your own steak and find a gourmet recipe. If you have 100+ bucks to spend on dinner for two, visit a local pub then go bowling, otherwise your empty stomach will be accompanied by an empty wallet.