Dining
Rustic comfort food
UNIQUE. LOCAL. ORIGINAL.
The Falls Restaurant & Tavern offers tasty American food at reasonable prices. By He nr y Stark
T
he Falls Restaurant & Tavern on Route 96 is just south of the downtown shopping area of Trumansburg. It reminds me of a large pub near where I used to live in England with its wood ceiling beams and wall panels. The same family has been serving customers there since 1988 after the former establishments, The Shady Inn and The Adobe Inn, closed. There are four different and distinct dining areas each with walls dotted with an eclectic mix of posters, photos, and black-and-white wall boards displaying the daily menu offerings. Rustic would be an appropriate word to describe the atmosphere. It’s the epitome of relaxed, casual dining. I’ve always found the service friendly and efficient, and the prices are reasonable. During these difficult times, many restaurants are cutting back on hours, however, the Falls is one of the few area restaurants that serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The breakfast menu is comprehensive and features typical breakfast fare. The lunch menu is mostly sandwich oriented. I’ve tried a BLT and it was quite good. You can choose between white, whole wheat or rye bread and, surprisingly in the heart of winter, there were large slices of fresh bright red tomatoes. I often order a Reuben sandwich when reviewing because how a kitchen turns out this basic sandwich tells a lot about the establishment. The Falls Reuben is good. The melted cheese and slaw made for a mushy mess which was delightful although I would have expected, and appreciated, more corned beef. There was no mustard available and, at my request, the server brought a small paper ramekin of Dijon plus a jar of ordinary mustard. Crisp chips are served with all sandwiches and there is a charge of $2.75 for homemade slaw, macaroni salad or pickled beets. Dinner entrées were a bit disappointing. Once, I tried the pork loin with
homemade applesauce ($15.50). Pork loin is often delivered to restaurants preseasoned and this one had a nice flavor, whether or not it was seasoned inhouse. However the naked pork seemed cooked beyond a normal 140 degrees and was dry and difficult to chew. I thought the price of $15.50 was reasonable. At another dinner, I ordered smothered chicken ($18.95). The smothering consisted of baby spinach, artichoke hearts, red peppers and melted mozzarella cheese. These toppings were all pleasant and the chicken was seasoned nicely, however the chicken, too, was overcooked and not tender. There are about a half-dozen desserts, all homemade, mostly pies and all $5. Not all the desserts are available at every meal, however there usually is a sufficient amount to make a reasonable choice. A real value feature is that you can add a scoop of ice cream to top the pies for only one dollar. The rice pudding was made with long grain rice and didn’t have raisins or whipped cream which will please some diners. The peach crumb pie had large chunks of peaches in an oozing filling and a hard, chewy upper crust. I enjoyed it. Surprisingly, in a self-proclaimed “tavern,” all the beers, both at the bar and at tables, are in bottles — none are draft. There are about a dozen-and-a-half, ($4$5) international and domestic, including two from New York. In the Finger Lakes I was disappointed with the wine menu as there wasn’t a dry Riesling among the whites or a Pinot Noir available in the reds. Falls Restaurant & Tavern offers reliably predictable American food at reasonable prices in a comfortable rustic atmosphere.
Tidbit: The Falls has its own parking lot just off Route 96. 214 E Main St in Trumansburg. Open Tues- Sunday Closed Monday
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