When people learn that I review restaurants in the greater Ithaca area, the question I’m most often asked is, “What’s your favorite restaurant?” I never respond because it’s a quick way to make one restaurateur friend and dozens of enemies. However, the more important reasons are it would be journalistically unethical, and I don’t really have a favorite as there are so many ethnicities, ambiences, price levels and locations. On the other hand, if anyone asks me, “Where would you go to get a good hamburger?” I usually recommend the Ithaca Ale House as being in my “top five” for having a variety of perfectly cooked, innovative, reasonably priced burgers. Including their weekly burger special, they offer a half- dozen and they’re all good.
I recently had the “Ale House Burger” ($17) because I like blue cheese and bacon. It came rare, as I ordered it, open faced on a large hunk of focaccia. There were two slices of fresh lettuce, two beautiful tomato slices, and four pickle chips on one half, with a plump burger, blue cheese, smothered onions and two crisscrossed bacon slices on the other. It’s served on a platter with tasty Ffrench fFries.
The Ale House only offers one soup and it’s a winner: “6 Onion Ssoup” ($7). The broth is full of flavor and texture and loaded with smothered onions and large pieces of crusted bread acting as croutons. It’s covered with melted provolone and Swiss cheese and topped with a fried onion ring. Although listed in the “Smaller Plates” section, it’s quite a substantial portion.
I once ordered the “Chicken Wings” ($18) from the “Smaller Plates” part of the menu. I think the cooks serve portions based on weight, trying to max up with about one pound. That day, I received five large drumettes and two wingettes. They were covered in a relatively light breaded crust and came with a few fresh carrot and celery sticks with a choice of blue cheese or ranch dip. I chose the blue cheese and was glad I did, as it had bits of cheese incorporated. If you order the wings, you’ll have a choice of about a half- dozen sauces. I want to warn you that “garbage” sauce is a bit hot and I prefer any of the milder ones. Incidentally, the wings were more expensive than four of the “Larger Plate” offerings and could easily serve as a satisfying lunch.
In the “Larger Plates” section of the menu, I’ve tried the “Sweater Weather Sandwich” ($15). It has a myriad of ingredients, including smoked mozzarella, kale bits, roasted pepper relish, garlic aioli, and bacon-onion marmalade. It came on toasted bread with the crusts removed and, because of the creamy nature of the ingredients, was a bit mushy. The bread, too, was just a tad greasy, but overall, I did like the sandwich.
Another important category of entreées is “Hand Stretched Pizzas” and the ones I’ve tried are terrific. The crusts are thin and I enjoy eating the edges. “Artichoke hHeart” ($16) came with bits of fire- grilled artichoke hearts and red peppers with concentric rings of baby spinach. The pizza was covered with a very mild garlic cream. I can also recommend the “Garlic Shrimp Pie” ($17), which came with about two dozen baby shrimp strewn across the top along with bits of basil.
I think of the food offerings at tThe Ale House, as mostly comfort food, and I tend to prefer beer with comfort food and wine with more upscale offerings. Appropriately, the beer selection here is large and varied. There are a dozen and a half drafught and another two dozen in cans and bottles ranging from $4.50 to $142. If you like beer, I think the selection here is fun to work with. The wine menu, on the other hand, is not as extraordinary. For example, since there are only seven whites on offer, and living in the Finger Lakes, I would have liked to see a dry Rriesling instead of one of the three cChardonnays. The reds are fine although a bit unbalanced with half of the eight offerings being cCabernet sSauvignons. Glass prices range from $9–-$12 and bottles from $30 to $125.
I have always enjoyed the food at tThe Ale House and find it a fun place to eat. I’ll look forward to eating here many more times in the near future.
TID BIT: In case you haven’t heard, the Ale House recently moved from “Rrestaurant rRow” on Aurora Street to near the corner of State and Aurora Streets. This incarnation is about double the size, although, as with many restaurants these days, the menu offerings have been reduced. I think of the interior as minimalist industrial with track and pendant lighting. It’s comfortable, quieter, and offers more privacy.
Ithaca Ale House
301 East State Streett, Suite 1
ithacaalehouse.com or 607-256-7977
Mon, Weds. Thurs 11-11; Fri. Sat 11-1 a.m.; Sun. noon-10 p.m.