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JIM THORPE — Visitors to Jim Thorpe could easily spend an entire day in the quaint village. Family-friendly activities abound, and gift shops tempt shoppers with all sorts of items, from homemade pickles to “I Love Lucy” and “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia.
The same variety can describe Jim Thorpe’s dining scene. You can grab chicken fingers, popcorn, even pierogies to-go for a hike or scenic train ride.
If you’re in the mood for a relaxing sit-down lunch or dinner, Broadway Grille and Pub fits the bill. Its menu boasts more than your average bar food, with fancier (and pricier) menu items.
We started with some Southern Comfort barbecue wings. Eight plump and crispy wings, doused with a sweet-smokey sauce, was delivered to our table. The sauce was not spicy, so for those wanting a kick, try the Thai Sriracha or Spicy Honey Ginger.
The wait for wings took a little longer than an average appetizer delivery, as did our main course, so if you’ve got a train to catch or a raft to captain, forego the wings and dive right in to the main course.
For lunch, we ordered burgers: two Swiss applewood-bacon burgers, medium rare. We opted to keep in simple at a restaurant that also serves elk, bison or bore, or ostrich meat ($20, $18 and $25, respectively). It also offers a vegetarian black-bean version of its burger ($11).
Our traditional red meat was cooked just the way we ordered it and arrived at our table a juicy pink. Each burger came between two pieces of untoasted ciabatta bread. Toasting ciabatta crisps up the crust while bringing out the flavor. Serving it plain tastes like eating a raw English muffin.
One burger came with sweet-potatoes fries, the other with onion rings. The fries came out as was expected, but the onion rings were on a different level. They were fried perfectly, no hint of an oil taste, which allowed the seasoning and spices to reach the palate — definitely from a homemade batter.
Since our day in Jim Thorpe was casual, with our only scheduled event being a tour of The Old Jail Museum, we savored the moment with dessert.
No matter what type of schedule you’re on, make sure you save time, or room in a bag, for dessert.
Their selection changes seasonally, so there could always be something new. We went for a slice of key lime pie and a piece of chocolate torte. The pie is sweet off the bat and right when you’re asking yourself ‘Where is the tartness?’ is when it’ll hit the sides of your tounge all the way in the back. The balance is perfect.
The torte was chocolatey and rich — very chocolatey and rich — tasting like a block of homemade fudge.
The Broadway Grille and Pub has a dinner menu which adds to its already vast options, so no matter what time you find yourself in this touristy village, this restaurant is a smart stop.