Editor’s Note: Last year, Michael and Nicole Borrell began reviewing Lebanon Valley’s restaurants and eating attractions as the Lebanon Valley Food Critics. Since then, the couple has aimed to offer unbiased reviews of the eating and drinking establishments the Lebanon Valley has to offer. LebTown is pleased to be partnering with LVFC to share these reviews with our readers. Bon appétit!
The critic crew loves this time of year. The sun is up, there’s a smooth breeze in the air, and the decks are open at our local establishments.
We were able to take the family out to enjoy a lovely Sunday afternoon to a deck nestled amongst the large trees on the mountain at Mount Gretna Hideaway.
Mount Gretna Hideaway
40 Boulevard Ave
Mt. Gretna, PA 17064
Website
mtgretnahideaway.com
Restaurant Hours
Monday – 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Tuesday – 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Wednesday – 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Thursday – 11:30 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Friday – 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Saturday – 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Sunday – 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
We visited the Hideaway during our first season of Wing Wars. But today, we got to enjoy some entrée options. The Hideaway boasts a menu featuring pub foods, salads, and entrée dishes, as well as drink/cocktails and desserts.
For our meals today, we selected the strawberry & spinach salad with salmon ($22), black & bleu shrimp salad ($18) and the Cajun style chicken Alfredo ($23).
The strawberry and spinach salad was a special menu item and we added the full salmon portion. This salad comes with bleu cheese crumbles, sliced almonds, and red onions tossed in a blood orange shallot vinaigrette. This spring-themed salad was a nice, light selection. Adding the protein was needed, otherwise it would’ve only been an appetizer salad. The best part was the red onion flavor mixed in the vinaigrette throughout.
The black & bleu shrimp salad came with plenty of spicy blackened shrimp, unfortunately with the tails still on, bleu cheese crumbles, red onions, and diced tomatoes. Another option that suffices for an “outside feel” meal. Even though the salad came with the standard bleu cheese dressing, it could have had some more bleu cheese crumbles. You get more than enough shrimp with this plate.
Our last dish was the Cajun style chicken Alfredo, which comes with a blackened and sliced chicken breast served over seasoned fettuccine. The plate is assembled with standard ingredients which all come together nicely as a plate. The plating includes an extra sprinkle of seasonings over the edges of the dish to enhance its presentation.
Our take: The Hideaway has a lot of things going on. They have quiet dining inside as well as a vibrant bar area. The best area to dine is the spacious deck which, given its surroundings, creates one of the best deck atmospheres in the Valley. The Hideaway puts together some decent food options and the staff have also been quick and attentive each time we have visited. It is always a packed house here. So come early or you’ll be waiting to get in.
We give this place .
If you have a restaurant you would like us to visit or review, whether a place you like or are nervous to try, please message us on Facebook or email lvfoodcritics@outlook.com and let us know. We thank everyone for the recommendations and the kind words we have received.