So #6 on the restaurant tour of Pottstown is Henry's Cafe. I went to Henry's on July 12th because they were having a special event. I have been trying to avoid restaurants where I consider myself a regular because one goal of this project is to try new places. Henry's special wine pairing dinners are pretty awesome though and this one was a casual, picnic theme with fried chicken. I was going there, so why not post a review?
The pairing dinners are basically a prix fixe menu with complimentary wines. They've done a few beer dinners too. The menu for this one is here. The dinners vary, but usually Henry's arranges for large group seating for their special dinners. My friend Samm and I were seated at a large table with ten or so other people. The large groups are fun to chat with and the atmosphere is like a big family. This dinner was a little more casual and all the food was served family-style so it was perfect. On a normal night at Henry's you would just be seated with your party.
Frank is the chef and owner at Henry's and Denise waits tables, takes reservations and I'm sure a million other things behind the scenes. Sometimes on big nights they have other people in helping out with dishes, prepping, etc. For the picnic in Provence it was just the two of them.
We started out with a meat plate that I didn't get a photo of. Henry's always has great charcuterie on hand for their regular menu and that night was no exception.
Following the meat plate was an amazing foie gras. The foie gras was cut into rounds and placed on top of a liver mousse/pate. The dish was cold and there was a thin layer of jelly on top. It was a big dish served to groups of 5 or so and you could scoop some out and spread it on toasted bread with two different local preserves and cornichons with tomato and onion. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. It was so smooth and had a little bit of the liver funk to it, but just enough that I don't think it would have been a stretch for most people. It melted in your mouth and left a nice, lingering coating of flavor. The mousse/foie gras dish was made to Frank's specifications by Freeland Market.
The main course was fried chicken. Henry's is know for their fresh seafood. Frank has a selection of the feshest and best items every week. In a past life Frank was known for amazing fish and chips. Every once in a while they bring them back for a special night. I mention this because it is a similar skill. I have yet to experience the pleasure of Frank's fish and chips, but he definitely worked the magic at the fryer for the chicken. The chicken was served family style on large plates. It was crispy and seasoned nicely on the outside and moist and hot on the inside. We had plates of dark meat and plates of breast meat.
The tomato salad was served with fresh basil and fresh mozzarella. It was a great palate cleanser after the fried chicken.
I'm not much for dessert, but it was included in the meal and it is always very good at Henry's. This time around it was a kind of thick crepe or pancake called a clafoutis with fruit on top. It wasn't the easiest thing to cut which we had to do because we were sharing. The whipped cream was great and I loved the little champagne grapes it was served with.
It was a different kind of meal for Henry's, but you can't beat the friendly, warm and fun atmosphere and the amazing food. They have a friend that helps pick out the complimentary wines and they are always amazing for these meals. I really enjoyed the 1989 Alsace Grand Cru Vorbourg Pinot Gris Clos St Landelin which says a lot because I'm not much for dessert wines.
Henry's is always at the top of my list for a special night out with friends or a romantic meal. It is a casual feel with fine dining food. Bring an extra bottle of wine and come with people you like. Plan to spend a couple hours for a regular dinner.
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