The Wooden Nickel
Before making a visit to The Wooden Nickel in
Monroeville, I looked at their menu online and I
observed their prices. While the entrees looked to be
top shelf, the cost was somewhat more than this frugal
diner is accustomed to spending. “Is it a value?” I
asked myself, as I often do. In order to find out, it’s
off to The Wooden Nickel.
Located at 4006 Berger Lane, The Wooden Nickel has been
serving food in Monroeville for over 50 years. It has
recently undergone extensive remodeling under new
ownership. The restaurant is located within a few
hundred feet of busy William Penn Highway between
Monroeville Mall and The Miracle Mile Shopping Center.
Those few hundred feet make a big difference. Away from
the neon and noise, you feel like you have taken a step
back in time. The restaurant is a simple one-story
structure. It’s the original building that has stood
since it opened in the 1940s.
It wasn’t necessary to call for reservations for a
Thursday dinner at 5 o’clock. It wasn’t necessary, but
I did it. I wanted to make sure they were open and I
wanted to experience how they dealt with customers. A
simple call and I was set, dinner for four at 5 o’clock
awaited.
We arrived at the stroke of 5 and were greeted by a
friendly receptionist who informed us that it would just
be a few minutes until we could be seated. The delay
itself was of interest and occurred because a meeting
was taking place between management and staff. Most of
us take good service and good food for granted. But
after spending a few minutes listening to the pros
working to ensure that sure my dining experience would
be a memorable one, I am reminded that good restaurant
experiences don’t just happen by chance. As the meeting
drew to a conclusion, I heard nurturing words of
encouragement along with specific suggestions to insure
that diners would find their experience memorable.
By 5:10 we were escorted to our table. The main dining
room looked like it could hold 70 diners comfortably.
Soft light and soft music along with seasonal décor and
a gas log fireplace contributed to creating a relaxing,
comfortable atmosphere. (Note: I didn’t see a kids’
menu or a kid for that matter. While I’m sure everyone
is welcome, I doubt you’ll be given a coloring book or
crayons to keep the little ones amused.)
After having a few minutes to get comfortable in our new
surroundings our waitress arrived. An introduction, and
a few minutes of friendly small talk, mostly about the
restaurant’s recent rehab followed by the range of
offerings that awaited us, had us feeling comfortable
and ready to order.
The waitress suggested an appetizer and after we
selected our entrees the conversation turned to wine.
Her thoughts were that the best pairings of wine and
food could be achieved with several wines; my thought
was that I would be happy with one bottle of Pinot
Noir. She went on to give insights about our entrée
selections. I appreciated our server. She was
outgoing, well informed and friendly, and she took care
of all our needs without being obtrusive. She was
assisted by other restaurant personnel, so if anything
was needed, getting their attention was not a problem.
There are some advantages to dining on a Thursday. With
fewer patrons you can interact with the staff a little
easier. The chef and sous chef made their way to our
table after the entrees arrived to ask about the food.
They did it with confidence. We enjoyed the meal and
I’m sure they knew it as they approached our table.
As far as the food is concerned, let me be brief. It
was good, in fact, it was very good. From my first sip
of wine to the last morsel of cheesecake, it was all top
notch. I think we embarrassed the chef (in a good way)
with the comments we made about our entrees. The
Tropical Shrimp was referred to as a “sparkling
delight.” The plating of the Blackened Salmon was as
beautiful as it tasted, the savoriness and tenderness of
the Veal memorable, and the Sea Bass with artichokes and
capers a beautifully blended and tasty combination.
As we were leaving I saw our waitress taking care of a
group at a nearby table and noticed that she was more
reserved with them. I imagine she was skilled enough to
recognize diners that appreciated a more “serious”
waitress. Now that’s professionalism.
Could my visit to The Wooden Nickel have been any
better? Yes. I could have extended the experience by
starting the evening off with a visit to their
well-stocked bar. I could have been a little less
generous when it came to sharing the stuffed shrimp and
bruschetta appetizers and my dinner companions could
have picked up the check. But when all is said and
done, The Wooden Nickel has earned a spot on my list of
favorite upscale restaurants. I believe you’ll find The
Wooden Nickel to be a comfortable place where you will
receive a top shelf dining experience. The portions are
large enough that a few at our table got to take some of
their meal with them. While the bill came out to be
more than I’m used to spending at an event, all things
considered – it was a value I appreciated and look
forward to experiencing again.
To learn more, visit their website at
www.thewoodennickelrestaurant.com
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