The return of an H.A. Winston restaurant to Bryn Mawr confirms the adage that "the more things change, the more they stay the same."
Herb Spivak's original Winston opened in Bryn Mawr in the early 1970s and quickly became a popular place for good soups and "gourmet" hamburgers. In 1986 it gave way to Seafood Grill, also owned by Spivak, but in February the restaurant reverted to its original formula, albeit somewhat updated to reflect contemporary interest in light dining.
Manager Vince Waugh says the new Winston is an informal neighborhood place where light, reasonably priced casual dining attracts young families and local
college students, as well as middle-age and older people who dine out several times a week and don't want to spend a lot of money.
Winston succeeds quite well on all counts. The circus-looking menu has good range - traditional hamburgers, several pasta dishes (including spaghetti with Thai chicken) and grilled steaks, chicken and seafood. Responding to current trends, great emphasis is given to smoked meats with tangy barbecue dipping sauces. In short, Winston has something for everyone.
A small crock of tasty homemade chili ($2.95) thick with ground beef, kidney beans, sweet onions and green pepper and rich in cayenne flavors, was topped with melted cheese. "World famous" baked onion soup ($2.50) may be an overly fanciful menu description, but this was, indeed, a tasty broth full of bread rusks and sauteed onions beneath a thick layer of melted provolone, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
Two heavy, moist corn muffins and a half-loaf of fresh Italian sesame bread came with dinner, although homemade biscuits promised on the menu never arrived.
From the smokehouse, a rack of falling-off-the-bone-tender baby back ribs ($9.95, $12.95 for a slightly larger portion) were nicely charcoaled, accompanied by a tasty barbecue sauce. The ribs came with hearty baked beans and spicy country coleslaw.
From the pasta offerings, shrimp and broccoli ($8.95) was somewhat dull, although for the price I guess you can't expect Le Bec-Fin. The dish included five medium-size shrimp and a handful of chopped broccoli, all sauteed in oil and butter and served on linguine in butter and white wine, although with no hint of the Parmesan and fresh basil listed on the menu.
