A hidden gem, Phoenix eatery features standout salad bar
By Julie McMahon
R F H’s Hide-a-way Restaurant
1058 County Route 57, Phoenix, NY, 13135
315-695-2709 | http://rfhshideaway.com
Specials daily on Facebook page: www.facebook.com/p/RFHs-Hideaway
Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Tucked away in a motel in Phoenix, R F H’s Hide-A-Way Restaurant excels at service and is notable for having one of the only salad bars around.
Walk inside this cozy snowmobile joint, and you’ll be greeted by a big U-shaped bar, large enough to fit at least 20 people. It was full on a Friday night in February, with delicious smells emanating from the kitchen. A welcoming hostess let us know it would be about a 20-minute wait.
We snagged a place to stand by the bar, inside this humble but warm place, and observed the two full, large banquet rooms that function as dining rooms. Our wait ended up only being about 10 or 15 minutes.
Seated, we started with a lemon drop martini ($10.40) and Sam Adams Cold Snap beer ($5.20). The martini was sweet and sour, balanced with neither flavor overwhelming, and a lovely sugar rim. The Cold Snap was good, light and crisp, with no funkiness in the tap lines but instead a smooth sip.
Knowing this place offered an endless soup and salad bar, hard to find anymore, we had to ensure our orders included this. The salad bar was included with an entrée and cost an additional $6.20 when added to a sandwich.
Once up at the bar, we found the typical fare expected, an iceberg lettuce base with all the fixings: tomatoes, onions, peppers, olives, banana peppers, croutons, cheese, pickles, pepperoncini.
The vegetables were all crisp and fresh, looked appealing and the bar itself was constantly being attended to by servers. There were lots of dressings to choose from, but we opted for blue cheese and Italian. They were good versions of the classic dressings.
The bar also offered coleslaw and macaroni salad. We tried the coleslaw and it was very good, lightly dressed, with crisp cabbage, and slightly sweet. I could have eaten a lot of this if I’d had more room! We also passed on endless clam chowder — though it looked good and was getting refreshed regularly by staff.
Our salads did not disappoint. Everything tasted as good as it looked on the bar.
For an appetizer, we ordered the bacon wrapped scallops ($19.75), on special for Valentine’s Day weekend. It was worth noting that the bacon was crispy and thoroughly cooked with no fatty edges, but also not burnt or overcooked either. The scallops were large and poked out of the bacon. We were served an ample number for an appetizer, maybe six or seven.
The scallops came out with both a chipotle dipping sauce and a horseradish sauce. Both were good: the horseradish was tangy; the chipotle had a subtle spice. They helped cut the fatness and saltiness of the bacon, but I found the scallop and bacon themselves to be flavorful enough that they didn’t necessarily need a sauce. With or without dipping, it was a tasty way to start the meal.
As we waited for our entrees, we took in the space: an unassuming place with basic décor, blue tables and chairs with a black and burgundy backdrop for the walls and light decorations. Soft ’80s and ’90s music played in the background.
The restaurant is very clean and well taken care of. We could imagine this would be a good spot to rent out for events.
The staff was attentive and in addition to tending the salad bar, stayed on top of clearing off tables to make room for more customers. Our server Katie was busy but extremely friendly and always seemed to show up just at the right time to ask if we needed anything.
As our entrees arrived we were pleasantly surprised by the size of them.
A 12-ounce prime rib ($31.19) looked more like 14 or 16 ounces. We didn’t feel cheated. It was also fatty in all the right places, not grisly or tough, but buttery and smooth. The steak was served with an au jus that had a meaty, beefy flavor, a nice addition but unnecessary for an already flavorful steak, that was well seasoned and cooked to the appropriate temp, as ordered, with a perfect pink in the middle.
The baked potato we opted for on the side was good, crispy on the outside and thoroughly cooked in the middle, served with whipped butter and sour cream.
The Sante Fe chicken sandwich ($17.67), our other entrée, was tasty as well. It was rich, with a moderate heat from the chipotle sauce generously dousing the sandwich. The sauce tasted homemade, a nice touch. The sandwich was nicely cooked, with tender chicken, crispy bacon, pepperjack that added a kick and frizzled onions. Each bite had a good smoky taste and lots of texture.
The onion rings ($1.55 upcharge) that we ordered on the side were great, served at the perfect temperature so the coating didn’t fall off the onion with every bite. They had a good flavor and the right amount of saltiness.
We ended with the red velvet cheesecake ($8.31) for dessert. This was nice, a balance of actual red velvet cake pieces inside vanilla cheesecake, with a chocolate crust. I expected it to be heavier, but it had a lightness and deliciousness to each bite.
The large portions were notable. Our final bill came to $108.29. The environment would be perfect for large groups and families but was also nice for a couple’s date.
We had a satisfying meal and good service, and could tell this is a popular bar and dinner spot — rightfully so. We’d come back.
