Around Back Cafe and Lounge in Lower Burrell is exactly what a hometown eatery should be — good food, good prices, pleasant atmosphere and good service.
The Lunch Bunch had a soft spot for Around Back since its initial visit when the restaurant opened more than three years ago. We're happy to report we were just as thrilled this time around.
The ambiance remains intimate with soft lighting and cushy booths and tables. Service was prompt and friendly.
We settled into a comfy booth and shared Spinach and Artichoke Dip ($6.50), which was served with garlic baguettes. Instead of the artichokes being chopped and mixed in with the dip, large bite-size pieces of artichokes were spread throughout. There were plenty of garlic baguettes to accommodate the large serving of dip. We agreed, however, that we prefer our artichokes chopped and mixed in with the dip.
The Steak Salad ($9.50) featured a hearty blend of lettuces -- spring mix baby greens and iceberg and leaf -- topped with a variety of good toppings -- tomato wedges, cukes, black olives, hard-cooked egg halves, pepperoncini, shredded red cabbage, cheddar and mozzarella cheese, fries and two large onion rings -- and a real New York strip steak grilled to your preference and cut into strips and placed atop the bed.
While $9.50 might seem pricey at first, this beauty is worth it. We enjoyed ours with the house Italian dressing -- a homemade dressing with herbs in vinegar and oil.
We thought the Hawaiian Wrap ($5.95) sounded interesting with pieces of breaded white chicken, ham and chunks of pineapple served with a raspberry sauce. We were thoroughly delighted with this wrap. The chicken pieces were tender and crispy, and the slices of ham and chunks of pineapple were surprisingly just what this wrap called for. The raspberry sauce is to die for and made this the best wrap we've had anywhere.
The Italian Hoagie ($6.25) fed two people with no problem. Slices of ham, capicola, salami, provolone cheese along with lettuce tomato and onion were cradled in a large toasted hoagie bun.
Compiled by Rebecca Killian, Sis Reola and guests. Meals are paid for by the Valley News Dispatch and are unrelated to advertising.
Additional Information:Around Back
Address: 1155 Wildlife Lodge Road, Lower Burrell
Phone: 724-337-1110 or via Web site
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays
Credit cards: All major cards accepted
Smoking: Not permitted in dining room or bar area; permitted on outside patio
Handicapped accessible: Yes
Prices: Appetizers, $4.50-$6.95; sandwiches, $4.95-$7.25; salads, $3.25-$9.50
