We saved you a bite: Chocolate Avenue Grill (Lebanon Valley Food Critics)

Editor’s Note: Last year, Michael and Nicole Borrell began reviewing Lebanon Valley’s restaurants and eating attractions as the Lebanon Valley Food Critics. Since then, the couple has aimed to offer unbiased reviews of the eating and drinking establishments the Lebanon Valley has to offer. LebTown is pleased to be partnering with LVFC to share these reviews with our readers. Bon appétit!

The critic crew was out on a date night. We were sans the little critic and we had tickets to the Imagine Dragons concert over at the stadium in Hershey. So, this means tonight will be dinner in Hershey.

As we started to head over, we discussed dining possibilities. We decided to brave the traffic (and there was lots of traffic) downtown and stop by The Chocolate Avenue Grill.

Located along Chocolate Ave. in Hershey, this standalone restaurant offers modern fare with some ethnic flare. They do have an online menu which we utilized to be prepared once we arrived.

One of the critics has been told by a coworker this is a place to try and even recommended a specific dish. For our meal tonight we chose the Short Rib Tacos ($14) and Black and Bleu Burger ($16.75). Both came with fries.

The short rib tacos came with cocoa, ancho, and espresso rubber short ribs with Korean BBQ, napa cabbage, Pico de Gallo, Mexican crema and cotija cheese. I added a squeeze of lime to each taco. The seasoning and tenderness of the short rib stood out. That flavor with the cotija cheese and lime made for an enjoyable bite.

The black and bleu burger came with Cajun spice, melted bleu cheese, creole mustard, lettuce, charred tomato, and red onion relish. In the first bite, the flavor was overpowered by the mustard. After we removed most of it off the sandwich, we were able to enjoy the black and the bleu of this fresh patty creation.

Our take: The Chocolate Avenue Grill has a modern feel and gives the vibe as it’s the place to be. With outdoor seating, an inside dining room and a bar area, there is plenty of room at this place. The menu has great variety and a fresh take on some standard staples. On a busy night like this, service was great and ticket times were quick.

We give this place .

If you have a restaurant you would like us to visit or review, whether a place you like or are nervous to try, please message us on Facebook or email lvfoodcritics@outlook.com and let us know. We thank everyone for the recommendations and the kind words we have received.