Veal Chop Special / Photo: Ron Knerr
Imperatore Bar and Grill
We had passed Imperatore restaurant in Blue Bell numerous times with the intent to pay them a visit. Our friends had secured a reservation at Imperatore Bar and Wood Fired Grill on Stump Road in North Wales which we initially confused with the Blue Bell location. The original Imperatore was opened by Tunisian native Chef Adel and his wife Malik in April 2018, and the initial success they found warranted a second location opened in North Wales as the Imperatore Bar and Wood Fired Grill in early 2021.
After checking out the offerings at the North Wales location on the website, we expected an upscale pizza shop that offered other Italian fare. Housed in the space formerly occupied by the long-lived Village Tavern, we were pleasantly surprised to find an expansive dining area with comfortably spaced white tablecloth covered tables and a full Italian entrée menu that reached well above the preconceived notion of a restaurant centered on wood-fired pizzas. Professional waitstaff and a reserved ambiance conducive to quiet conversation was a plus.
Read the rest of Ron's column below...
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Barstool sports bar opens in Philly
Officially known as Barstool Sansom St. because of it's location, the Barstool brand has officially opened its first Philly sports bar as of this past Friday, March 18th at 11:00am. Give them a follow on Instagram at @barstoolsansomstreet! From some of their social media content so far the place looks like a fun time, and obviously a great place to catch a game with other Philly sports fans! Here's an article from bizjournals.com containing some more info and details on the new establishment.
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El Volcan opens second location in Spring City
Adding to it's first location in Lower Providence (2851 Ridge Pike), El Volcan Cocina Mexicana opens its second location in Spring City (625 New St.)... Ron 'Dished On' the original location in a previous edition here. Known for its authentic Mexican cuisine, if you end up making it to the new location before we do, drop us a line at amoveablefeastmontco@gmail.com and let us know your thoughts!
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El Volcan 2 / Photo: facebook.com
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Daniel’s newest addition to Conshy restaurant scene
Daniel's Restaurant + Bar is now open in the space previously inhabited by The Lucky Dog at 16 East 1st Avenue in Conshohocken. In a prior 'Quick Bite' we referenced the closing of The Lucky Dog, and the talks of a new restaurant to be run by the husband and wife team of Dan and Debbie Brodeur... Support the newest addition to the restaurant scene in Conshy, and give Daniel's a shot next time you are in town!
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We’ll be scouring Montgomery as well as neighboring counties for a wide variety of potent potables, highlighting everything from local craft brews to intriguing cocktail recipes that we come across along our travels!
Got a favorite? Hit us up so we can check it out for ourselves!
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Five Saints Blood Orange Cosmo / Photo: Stan Huskey
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Five Saints Distilling "Blood Orange Cosmo"
Five Saints Distilling, located at 129 E Main St in Norristown is ALWAYS churning out delicious cocktails as well as bottled spirits! The "Blood Orange Cosmo" happens to be one of our favorites...
RECIPE:
Chill a martini glass with ice water...
- 1oz Five Saints Vodka
- 1oz Five Saints Blood Orange Liqueur
- 1/2oz Triple Sec
- 1/2oz Lime Juice
- 1oz Cranberry Juice
...Shake with ice and double strain. Garnish with an orange slice, and ENJOY!
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Mid Atlantic Indoor Nationals - Car, Truck and Bike Show
March 26th and 27th starting at 9am at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks! The Mid Atlantic Indoor Nationals show is a custom car, truck and bike show featuring some of the east coasts best custom vehicles. Vendors, live entertainment, music and great food turns the event into a weekend festival! Check out the Expo Centers site for more information.
'Bury the Hatchet' in KOP!
Looking for something fun to do this weekend with a group of friends and/or family?! How about axe throwing at Bury the Hatchet KOP! The sport of Axe throwing was founded in Canada but you can experience it for yourself now at the indoor axe throwing venue in King of Prussia.
Lansdale Farmers Market
Open every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month through April (Spring/Summer hours to return in May), 10:00am to 12:00pm. The mission? "To maintain a seasonal farmers’ market that supports local producers of healthy, nourishing foods and quality, crafted goods. We desire to build community while providing educational programs that promote local, sustainable living." To learn more, check them out here at lansdalefarmersmarket.org.
The Escape Game of King of Prussia
Be the hero of your very own 60-minute adventure! You and your team will work together to find clues, solve puzzles, and ultimately complete a mission. Break out of prison, find hidden gold, and more! Located at 160 N. Gulph Road, Suite 4230 King of Prussia. For more information and to setup your game visit theescapegame.com/kingofprussia/!
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Fitness food hacks to spring into spring!
Many people attempt to embark on a weight loss routine around summer time, but if you start a little earlier you'll be one step ahead... With these spring season fitness food hacks, you'll have the fuel for powering through those training sessions.
Share your favorites with us by sending an email to amoveablefeastmontco@gmail.com.
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Sign up to be a member of the A Moveable Feast Members Club, post a foodie photo on Instagram with #amfeastagram, or just send an email to the A Moveable Feast Guy and you'll be entered to win two (2) Regal Cinemas Movie Tickets!
Join our Members Club below and you're automatically entered to win every month. Remember, 10 percent of your 99 cent membership each month goes to the Montco Anti-Hunger Network!
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A Moveable Feast swag offer!
Share the link to this newsletter with 3 of your friends, and if they sign on to receive our free newsletter, or even if they don't, you'll receive this A Moveable Feast pen! All you have to do is email us at amoveablefeastmontco to let us know you did indeed send the link to 3 friends and we'll send you a pen! Oh, and just to make it as easy as possible, here's the link!
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...the rest of Ron's column
Honing his skills in Philadelphia and Blue Bell, Adel developed a menu with a range of entrees with a Mediterranean flair featuring his homemade pasta (in addition to the Wood Fired Pizza). Arancini, Calamari, Bruschetta, Beef Carpaccio, Mussels, Lamb Meatballs, and Oysters (Fresh and Rockefeller) are offered as appetizers along with soup and a choice of various salads (Caesar, Caprese, Arugula). Entree choices include several protein choices such as Chicken (Chicken Parmesan, Caprese, Venezia with Crab, and Saltimbocca), Seafood (Orange Roughy, Salmon, Shrimp, and Scallops), Veal (Marsala, Asparagus and Crab, and Milanese) and Beef Filet Mignon. Pasta centric dishes are also available, including Fettuccini with Mushrooms, Gnocchi, Penne with Pesto, Farfalle with Salmon, Pappardelle with Oxtail Ragu, and Spaghetti Bolognese. Dailly specials supplement the regular menu.
Eight types of pizza are available, including Bascaldo (Shiitake Mushrooms and Roasted Pearl Onion), Bistecca (Steak Tenderloin and Poached Pear), Calabrese (Andouille Sausage and Broccoli Rabe) and Genovese (Shrimp, Crab with pesto sauce.) We were so impressed with the space and the prepared plates passing by our table served to other diners that our initial thoughts of Wood Fired Pizza were quickly replaced by an interest to take a closer look at the entrée menu.
We were able to order glasses of wine to start, as a full bar and wine bottle service is available. Each couple decided to split a Caesar Salad – presented with an unusual inventive construction using bread to create a toasted crown to hold the salad. Homemade dressing and the “Supersized Crouton” made this course a hit.
Two diners ordered Chicken Parmesan, constructed of three meaty Breaded Chicken Breast segments topped with Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese (accompanied by roasted vegetables instead of pasta). One diner chose a house prepared special pasta that was a first-time menu find for me. A light and delicious dish, Sacchetti Formaggi e Pere was presented as Pasta Parcels filled with Pear, Ricotta, and Parmesan Cheese, topped with a Cream Sauce, and unexpectedly topped with a few Scallops (not indicated on the menu description). I think the bit of sweetness imparted by the pear gave the dish a unique flavor not usually found in common Italian entrees.
Two of us ordered the Pasta Pescatori special, which contained chunks of Swordfish with Shrimp, Scallops, Clams, and Mussels served over a delicious Red Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta. The preparation was outstanding, and the combination of the seafood and sauce was worthy of a reorder on our next visit. Not be outdone by the Seafood Special, one diner chose a one-pound Veal Chop Special, served bone-in and topped with roasted Red Peppers and Mushrooms with a side of Potatoes and Grilled Vegetables. Prepared to a Medium doneness, the chop was flavorful and tender and was a close rival in rating to the seafood dish. (We finished dinner with a bit of Chocolate Mousse cake that disappeared so quickly I couldn’t even capture a photo!)
Unlike the Imperatore in Blue Bell, the Imperatore Bar and Grill is not a BYOB and the entrée prices are a bit higher that you’d find in a typical Italian BYOB. The slight increase in price is well worth the quality of the food and level of service we found at this Imperatore dining experience. All diners agreed that a return visit was warranted though some of us will have difficulty deciding on menu choices.
Reservations on OpenTable. Split Lunch and Dinner hours. Banquet service available in-house.
Rating 4 / 5
Imperatore Bar and Wood Fired Grill
511 Stump Rd
North Wales, PA 19454
Phone: 215-273-3500, 215-273-3900
HOURS -
Monday: CLOSED
Lunch Dinner
Tuesday- Wednesday: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday- Saturday: 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Sunday: 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
https://imperatorebargrill.com/
https://www.facebook.com/imperatorebarandgrill
Ron Knerr is a 30+ year cooking hobbyist who has been a “foodie” before the term was popular. His home arsenal includes a smoker, a sous vide immersion heater, a sausage stuffer, and several crockpots.
Send comments and suggestions to: RonKnerrFeast@gmail.com
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