TJ’s Restaurant & Drinkery is a Perfect Stop for a Plate and a Pint

An impromptu movie with my mother led me to the doorstep of TJ’s Restaurant & Drinkery over the weekend. With a large bucket of popcorn that she and I had nearly finished and a bag of Sourpatch Kids already under my belt, I felt the call of casual, no-reservation dining and TJ’s was the answer I was looking for.

Tucked away, off of Lancaster Pike in Paoli Plaza, TJ’s darkened windows, fluorescent beer lights and sign left little to the imagination. Inside, we were sure to find the bar food and beer that we desired. Plus, parked right out in front was a truck with the license plate “NO1CHEF,” so there was obviously no going wrong.

Once inside the choice was obvious, bar or dining room. The bar, off to the right, offered ample seats and views of multiple TVs – a modern tavern. But having just come from seeing a movie, we opted for the calm of the dining room instead.

We walked down the handicap ramp to the left, into the dining, room, passing a handful of families and parties of all ages, and were seated at a table for two off to the side up against an exposed brick wall. The booths, obviously reserved for larger parties were almost all full. The room was bright and comfortable. Each table was lit by a hanging lamp, giving an obvious distinction between the darker more boisterous feeling of the bar area.

Our server Rob, a friendly young man with a genuinely likeable attitude, greeted us with menus.

We looked over the extensive beer list: over 100 choices of bottles, cans, and a rotating draft list of 24 brews. I myself am no beer aficionado. I usually go with a Belgian or wheat beer. Nothing too hoppy or dark, but with a selection as diverse as TJ’s, I can be easily intimidated.

I chose an old standby, the Allagash White, but to no avail. They were out. Luckily, our server Rob was knowledgeable and gave both my mom and myself some great suggestions.

She went with the seasonal Sierra Nevada Summer Ale and I with the Francis Conner, a staple on the rotating draft list. It was a very good choice and right up my alley, as it was perfectly comparable to the Allagash.

We looked over our menus. Each dish came with a suggested beer pairing, a very nice touch, though we had already chosen our drinks. My mother, obviously with a hankering for Nachos went right for it, ordering off the bat. We took another moment to figure out the rest of our meal.

The first portion of the menu was dedicated entirely to Mac-n-Cheese; Three Cheese, Bacon & Tomato, Wild Mushroom, Jalapeño & Green Onion and Chipotle Crispy Chicken ranging from $6.50 – $9.50.

Though I may not be a beer aficionado, I pride myself on my mac and cheese. Sure, it’s boxed when I make it at home, but with the right additions, a $.89 box of uncooked pasta and dried cheese sauce can be turned into the most delightful of creations. Needless to say, I was excited.

Since we’d already chosen the Nachos, house-made tortilla chips, cheddar-jack cheese, tomato, red onion, green onion, jalapeño, salsa roja, salsa verde and sour cream ($8.75), we knew where our appetizer selection was headed. Other choices included the Mojo Chicken Quesadillas, Hot Soft Pretzel's, Sweet Potato Fries, Disco Fries, Wings and Boneless Wings, $8.25 - $9.50.

There was a Stout & Onion Soup or Arrogant Chipotle Chili offered in a cup for $3.75 or a crock at $5.25. Five different salads ranging from $10.25 – $12 included Apple Chicken, Mahi-Mahi, Turkey Cobb, Crispy Chicken and a Taco Salad, which if I’d been in a healthier mood, really did catch my eye.

A half dozen Plates included a Chicken Andouille Meatloaf, Roasted Game Sausages, Fish & Chips, Grilled Mahi Tacos, Gnocchi and the Crab Cake that topped out the price range at $13.25.

The Burger selection was enticing and included the house TJ Burger, Rauchbier Burger, Wild Mushroom Burger, Boursin Burger and Vegetarian Burger, all under $10.

The Mini’s, possibly meant for kids or just for sharing were all under $6 and offered a Mini Crab Cake Sandwich and Fries, Mini Cheeseburger and Fries and Three Boneless Chicken Wings and Fries.

There were nearly 10 different Sandwiches, the most expensive at $11.75 for the Crab Cake Sandwich. There was also a Chicken Panini, Cranberry Turkey Panini, Hot Roast Turkey Sandwich, Hot Roast Beef, Cajun Chicken, a Crispy Chicken Wrap, Buffalo Chicken Wrap and Turkey Club.

I decided on the Chipotle Crispy Chicken Mac-n-Cheese ($9.25) and the Disco Fries, cheddar-jack cheese, crumbled blue cheese and house-made gravy ($8.25). My mother went with the Wild Mushroom Burger, sautéed wild mushrooms, smoked provolone cheese, a brioche roll and fries ($9.25), swapping out the fries for the sweet potato fries for an additional dollar or two.

We sipped our beers and talked about the movie we had just seen – Bridesmaids. It was funny…not as funny as it could have been. Melissa McCarthy 100% stole the show and I look forward to seeing more of her.

Our nachos arrived; a cheesy pile of tortilla chips. We instantly dug in, apparently not getting enough salt from our popcorn earlier in the afternoon. The cheddar-jack cheese was melted over deliciously crisp, house-made tortilla chips: a nice departure from the bagged and processed tortillas to which I’m accustomed.

Unfortunately all the nacho goodies were hidden under the next layer of chips.  Luckily, finger-foods are a guilty pleasure of mine and I had no problem getting to all the good stuff hidden underneath.

Our next course came out just as we were finishing off the giant plate of nachos and suddenly, we were faced with the reality of our choices: cheese, cheese and more cheese. The thought of the salad I passed over jumped into my head, but it was too late.

The Chipotle Crispy Chicken Mac-n-Cheese set down in front of me would strike fear into the heart of even the hungriest of men. This was not my at-home creation. This, my foodie friends was a overflowing portion of gooey, cheesy pasta decorated with bits of chicken and finished with what could have been a hot sauce. I felt guilty just looking at it, knowing the ramifications it would later have on my arteries. But I went forth digging in while eyeing up my next cheesy choice.

The Disco Fries.

I’m a sucker when it comes to gravy and fries. Gravy – like brown gravy. Not gravy on pasta, and yes, it’s gravy on pasta, not sauce, but that’s for another discussion.

The Disco Fries were a double dose of cheese, cheddar-jack and blue cheese. Loaded would be a word to describe them. Maybe if I had been drinking more I could have given this plate of fries the justice it deserved, but alas, I was pretty much cheesed out. The brown gravy was a bit disappointing, but maybe I had hit my salt saturation level.

My mother’s burger was the highlight of the meal. The burger, ordered medium and prepared perfectly, juicy and delicious, was served on a shiny brioche Le Bus Bakery roll. TJ’s uses Le Bus rolls and bread on all of its sandwiches.

The sweet potato fries were much more approachable, after my apparently self-destructive cheese ordering. They were sweet, and crispy and paired nicely with the chipotle mayo that came on the side.

There was no returning from the gluttony that was this afternoon and dessert would have just been punishment, so we asked for the check, two boxes for my curd-overload and were on our way.

I’d absolutely return to try one of the other burgers, but next time I’m going for the salad…I think my arteries will thank me!

TJ’s Drinekry has had a solid run of “Best of’s” and continues to impress, being named on of the “Top 25 Places to Have a Pint” by Beer Advocate. It’s a great place for the family, a night out with friends or even to just sip a beer and watch a game.

Name: TJ's Restaurant & DrinkeryLocation:

Address: 35 Paoli Plaza Paoli, PA 19301

Phone number: 610-725-0100

Hours: 11:30am - 2am 7 days a week.

Price Range: $1.75 - $13.25

Credit cards: Yes