We saved you a bite: Porch Restaurant & Pub (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 holidays are over and it’s felt like forever since we have been out to a new-to-us spot for a dinner review. As the critic crew was conferring, we went back into the suggestions from our followers. Even though it’s been awhile, we keep those suggestions. Tonight we listened to Jodi, Earl and Elton, amongst others, and traveled over to Jackson Township.

The Porch Restaurant & Pub is a standalone restaurant located at the intersection of Tulpehocken and Millardsville Road. They feature a pub downstairs in the large, converted house as well as a quiet dining room upstairs. Reservations are required for upstairs, but the pub accepts both reservations and walk-ins.

For tonight’s meal we got a bowl of New England clam chowder ($7), bourbon chicken ($24), and the burger du this weekend ($15), with an add-on of onion rings ($3).

The clam chowder was the soup du and came loaded with clams. We got some fresh pepper on top from our waiter. It was made with a thinner cream and savory. A wonderful start to our meal, even the little critic liked it.

The bourbon chicken is breast sautéed with shallot, garlic, mushrooms, sun dried tomatoes, and Kentucky bourbon, and topped with mozzarella and cheddar cheese and served over scalloped potatoes and a side of green beans. This meal is presented well and showcases the flavors you’re about to consume. The addition of the sun dried tomatoes added both a texture and flavor contrast that was enjoyable to our palate. This dish was a plate scrapper for this critic.

The burger special came topped with raclette cheese, tender roasted pork belly, and a dollop of Dijon & cornichon sauce. Lately I have become a big fan of pork belly. If I hear it on the menu, I’m getting it. So, this dish was a must get. The pork belly was fresh and was a hearty bite. The Dijon was strong in the sauce and the vinegar of the cornichon was almost overpowering. This is a flavor combination you will rarely find in the Valley, and we hope to see more of it.

Our take: The Porch offers an upscale feel on the menu with dishes that are consistent staples. They also have some good weekend “du” options. If you want a quiet meal, reserve a spot upstairs. If you want to enjoy a relaxed meal in the small tavern style pub, head on over. The food quality on the entrées is almost top notch. They also have brunch on the second Sunday of the month.

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.