Recommended Dining In Philly Burbs

For awhile we've been wanting to bring you up to date on our dining adventures and now we finally have a chance.

Here's a roundup of some of our recent visits and assessments:

We've paid a few return visits to the beautiful Seasons 52 restaurant in Cherry Hill and we found it to be every bit as hospitable (and the food every bit as good) as when it first opened. That's a real compliment since eateries often open top-notch and then begin to miss the mark.

In Cherry Hill Season's 52 continues to deftly oversee the operation with a great deal of attentiveness and personal charm. We love just about everything on the menu at Seasons 52 (a menu that changes with the seasons) and the staff is uniformly first-rate. And since our very first visit to Seasons 52 at the Cherry Hill Mall (shortly after it opened) the restaurant has opened at nearby King of Prussia Mall.

Another fine eatery that we recently discovered is the Four Dogs Tavern at the Marshalton Inn in the cozy village of Marshalton near West Chester, Pa. The Marshalton Inn is the bigger deal here -- the white tablecloth, finer dining restaurant -- while the Four Dogs is just what the name says it is: an informal, friendly cafe. The menu at Four Dogs features fresh ingredients from nearby farms and establishments and every dish is carefully detailed. We recommend outdoor dining at the Four Dogs this autumn, if the weather permits. The setting amidst the rolling hills of beautiful Chester County is relaxing and rejuvenating and the food is great with reasonable prices to match.

Down near the Jersey shore we enjoyed a wonderful meal at Gourmet Italian Cuisine in Galloway. Gourmet is a huge establishment (bar, cafe, restaurant, banquet and event rooms) but it actually feels surprisingly cozy inside since it's broken up into smaller areas and features rich woods, copper, innovating lighting, appealing art work, comfortable seating and lots of windows. The main bar is spacious and the drinks are great. The menu is varied and is by no means limited to Italian fare. And, there are many very reasonably priced specials as well as full course meals. We highly recommend Gourmet!

Returning to Cherry Hill, we recently entertained friends at Lamberti's Tutti Toscani and once again enjoyed superb meals in a relaxing informal setting at moderate prices with outstanding, personal service. Tutti Toscani is the first and longest running location in the Lamberti Family of Restaurants and it's still one of the best. We've been returning year after year and we've never had a bad meal at this warm and inviting bistro.

Also in Cherry Hill, we've been enjoying the fine lunches and happy hours at Brio at Garden State Park. The cold, crispy Caesar salads at Brio are extraordinary and the roasted chicken sandwich is fresh and luscious. The happy hour is a big draw with a variety of drinks and hors'douvres at very popular prices. And, we've also been to Brio for dinner several times and have always had a great time.

Finally, we recommend The Bistro at Haddonfield (formerly the Corner Bistro) on Kings Highway and Tanner St. in the historic town of Haddonfield. The Bistro is a cross between a corner restaurant and a dinner. This place serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week and almost everything that you order is going to be fresh and tasty. On a nice day we like to sit outdoors under The Bistro's bright blue awnings. And here's a special secret: You won't find a better (or more reasonably priced) weekday breakfast anywhere!