At the risk of putting my age out there front and center, I remember Harrisburg of the 50’s and 60’s fondly. As a little girl, my mother, my aunt and I made many regular trips downtown to shop in every woman’s store we could manage in the course of an afternoon. In fact, Harrisburg was at the center of almost everything we did; from eating out, to going to the movies, to joining my father in his many art activities.
My father was a long time employee of the Patriot News and every day he walked under the “subway” on Market Street to head downtown for lunch. His favorite place was “The Esquire Bar and Grille,” a pub that was part of the old Penn Harris Hotel. It was a gathering spot like the “Cheers” bar in Boston and was known for having what many regarded the best burgers in town.
Shopping trips to the city often involved lunch which, for me, was the most eagerly awaited part of the day. Two places stand out in my mind. One was Davenport’s Cafeteria, a bustling and crowded eatery on Market Street. In typical cafeteria fashion, food was chosen from a long line of items and placed on a tray. At the end of the line was dessert. Ignoring the coconut cream and shoo-fly pies, I always picked the same thing: red Jell-O in a sundae glass topped with whipped cream. (My mother made Jell-O, too, but usually when I was sick. And it never had whipped cream!) While it was an immensely popular lunch spot, Davenport’s was also a place where late-night party goers would congregate for a very early morning breakfast, not something little girls got to do.
Sometimes lunch was at Pomeroy’s Tea Room. Pomeroy’s was one of two large department stores downtown, the other being Bowman’s. The Tea Room was located in the mezzanine section of the store, an open area that allowed a view of the shoppers below. They made what I thought were the best grilled cheese sandwiches I had ever tasted, rich with butter and gooey cheese oozing from the sides. (Also better than my mother’s.)
A special treat occurred when my father picked us up after a day of shopping and took us for dinner at another popular spot in the Penn Harris Hotel, called La Rue d’ Ville. This little restaurant was fashioned after an outdoor Parisian Café. It had wrought iron tables and flickering gas lights on frescoed walls. As with lunch at our other favorite Harrisburg haunts, I always ordered the same thing: Baby lamb chops, creamy whipped potatoes, peas and mint jelly. The lamb chops had paper mutton tops attached to the rib bones that looked like miniature chefs hats. To this day, this remains one of my favorite meals and I break from my usual Italian bill of fare to make it often.
Remembering La Rue d’Ville
- Choose the best baby lamb chops you can find. Good lamb can often be found at the supermarket but local lamb sold at farmers’ markets is best. You can use either loin or rib chops. The latter are cut from the “rack” and are harder to find. Allow two per person.
- Rub the chops with some olive oil and a little chopped garlic and sea salt. Place them under the broiler or grill for just a few minutes on each side. The meat should have a nice crust to it, but still be pink and juicy.
- Cook a bag of frozen petite peas according to package directions. When cooked, set aside in a separate bowl. In the same pot, sauté about a cup of sliced scallions in olive oil or butter. When softened and golden in color, return the peas to the pot and toss gently. Then add a few handfuls of finely shredded Boston or Bibb lettuce until it is wilted. (This is wonderful.)
- Don’t forget the mashed potatoes: Whip boiled potatoes with a hand-held mixer and add lots of butter and cream or evaporated milk.
- Serve with mint jelly (if you like it) and a good red wine.
I often think of the “old days” in downtown Harrisburg and the many wonderful experiences I shared with my Mom and Dad. The Penn Harris Hotel fell victim to the wrecking ball in the 1970’s to make way for Strawberry Square. But I never pass the corner of Third and Walnut without seeing my Dad lifting a glass of beer with his friends at the best burger place in town.
