

Westchester Inn dishes up budget-gentle dinners

First impressions: Tucked in an unpretentious mall anchored by a Dominick's supermarket, between Curves and Subway, it's easy to miss the Westchester Inn. Or dismiss it as just another mall eatery. You could -- but you probably shouldn't. Not if you're looking for hearty portions of simple food at easy-to-swallow prices. Judging by how busy this restaurant was on the two Saturday evenings we visited, a whole lot of diners are looking for just that. The small, wood-paneled booth-and-table restaurant is brightened with silk flowers, bright red curtains and cheerful plastic tablecloths.

On the plate: The restaurant boasts Bohemian-American food (translation: meat, dumplings, gravy). But you'll find much more than the standard liver dumpling soup, roast duck, brats, thuringer and svickova. Specials when we visited included rabbit with sour cream gravy, lamb shank and chicken paprikash. Regular menu items include meatloaf, barbecued ribs, stuffed cabbage, pierogi and fruit dumplings. There are a few seafood items (breaded shrimp, broiled orange roughy and breaded cod) and some sandwiches (incorporating the meats). Most entrees include a choice of soup (often liver dumpling and beef noodle) or tomato juice, a basket of bread, plus coffee and dessert. Entrees also come with a choice of dumplings (yeasty bread or dense potato), mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut, sweet and sour cabbage, or vegetable. Portions can be huge, but some entrees can be ordered in a small size. Most everyone leaves with leftovers.At your service: Staff is friendly and helpful -- no matter how many times they have to repeat the soup or side dish options. Or deliver the distressing news that they're out of a popular dessert -- maybe the strudel or a certain fruit kolachy.

Second helpings: Dense, mildly flavored liver dumplings the size of walnuts arrived floating in a richly flavored broth. Among the entrees, the half duck (also available as a quarter) was meaty and juicy, boasting a crisp caraway seed-studded skin. We'd order it again in a minute. It shared the platter with slices of potato dumplings topped with sauteed onions. A pitcher of gravy and dish of sauerkraut arrived alongside. A combo plate of roast pork and breaded pork tenderloin arrived, with several thick slices of pork nudged to the edge of the platter by a 6-by-8-inch, crisp-coated thin pork tenderloin. Yum. (Occasionally you can hear cooks pounding the tenderloins in the kitchen.) A side of sweet and sour cabbage was fine, though it could have used more vinegar to balance the sweetness. Puffy bread dumplings slices did a yeoman's job of soaking up gravy and serving as a foil to the rich meats. And dessert? Strudel boasted a light flaky, barely-there pastry. The sugar-dusted kolachy, tender yeast dough buns topped with prune or poppy-seed filling, were a sweet finish.

Take a pass: There were several slices of tender beef on a platter of svickova, but the sour cream-enriched sauce lacked the tang and depth of seasoning (where's the allspice?) we enjoy in a classic version. And until stone-fruit season, the fruit dumplings may disappoint. An order of five fist-sized yeast dumplings, drenched in butter and sweetened cottage cheese, overwhelmed the small amount of fruit tucked inside.

Thirst quenchers: Soda, coffee, tea; beer and wine.

Extras: Carryout and catering; a free glass of wine (chablis, rose, burgundy) on Friday and Saturday nights.

Price range: Sandwiches, $5.75-$7.75; lunch entrees, $6.75-$10.95; dinner entrees, $7.95-$12.50; beverages, $1.75 (soda)-$3.75 (beer, wine).


(2 forks)

3069 S. Wolf Rd., Westbrook Common Shopping Center, Westchester


Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Thurs., 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sun.

Credit cards: DS, M, V

Noise: Conversation friendly

Other: Parking lot, dinner prices start at 4 p.m., catering



Copyright © 2014, The Morning Call
Related Content