Place: Harrison's Wine Grill & Catering
Location: inside the Hilton Garden Inn at 1221 E. College Ave. in State College, PA
Appetizers:
- Parmesan Fried Baby Artichokes ($7.75) - Baby artichokes crusted in Parmesan and panko, then crispy fried. Served with lemon aioli.
- House Specialty Marinated Mushrooms ($7.75) - Their secret recipe, full of rich, umami flavors. They claim it is a must-try for mushroom lovers. These long-time Harrison's favorites are served chilled.
- Beef Tenderloin Crostini ($8.50) - Served with horseradish cream and cranberry relish.
Entree: Sancerre Poached Scallops ($29.75) - Scallops poached in white wine with garlic and shallots, served over creamy Parmesan grits and accompanied by roasted Brussels sprouts sauteed with local J&J Farm bacon.
Wine: Four half glasses in their wines around the world option. Nothing special as it was all standard stuff.
Cocktails: The first specialty cocktail I ordered was entirely too sweet, but the second one was good. It was an alcoholic coffee beverage served on ice.
If you noticed, I did not elaborate on any of the above like I normally do in my posts. This is because I am at a loss for words. The food was good, but not great. The wine was okay, but not great. The cocktails were decent, but not great. I expected the scallops to be amazing, but they were rather bland. The Parmesan flavor of the grits was barely there and the Brussels sprouts were okay. Overall, nothing really had any flavor.
I would say that this restaurant is pretty good as far as hotel restaurants are concerned, but there are many better options in State College. I do not think I will go back here for dinner, but I might try out their lunch menu at some point. Give this place a try and let me know what you think... Enjoy?
