The Main course 9-6
Gimaro Seafood & Steakhouse
Rating: 
The Gimaro brothers, Chris and Joe, bought out the franchise about six months ago. Most of the Bennigan’s chain has ceased to exist due to bankruptcy.
The brothers decided they could make the restaurant sing under their management and a revamped menu.
They retained the Bennigan’s décor (only the sign has changed), much of the waitstaff and the menu. But one big difference is their presence — and the personal rapport you will experience with Chris and Joe — in their several dining areas or at the large central 24-seat bar.
While it looks and feels like a chain restaurant, it is not. We met Chris when he came out to greet us and quickly knew that this was one very nice guy.
We can also say the same about our excellent server, who was very flexible with various special requests, made good menu suggestions and had a good sense of humor.
On our midweek evening visit, our dinner started with two house salads that are included with all entrées. The salads’ mixed greens, chopped tomatoes and onions, carrot shavings, Jack cheese and black olives were all fresh. Though they looked rather small at first glance, in reality a lot was packed into the serving bowls.
Usually, we go for at least one appetizer, but sensing that we were not that hungry, we skipped this course, but certainly the lineup of starters was varied and commendable. Nor did we partake of one of the 20 beers on draft, or pick a wine from the moderate-size, but interesting wine list.
My seafood-loving L.D.C. (Lovely Dining Companion) was drawn to the grilled seafood platter ($16.49), which combined a filet of nicely grilled salmon, Cajun shrimp and a crab cake, which was magnificent.
The salmon was slightly more well done than she prefers, but as to the crab cake, she said, “…it was the best part, and I’m not really a crab cake lover.”
I went for a build-your-own combination plate where one can choose two entrées from seven items for $16.99. The eight-ounce grilled sirloin steak was not the most tender, but had great grilled beef taste, especially when coated with the delicious bourbon sauce which came, along with drawn butter and ketchup, in small dipping bowls.
My second entrée item, a half pound of steamed snow crab claws, which when dipped in the real drawn butter was superb. It was as good as the crab cake.
Other mix ‘n’ match choices were grilled salmon, grilled shrimp skewers and a half rack of ribs.
Sides, which were all worthwhile, were good cole slaw, super French fries, roast vegetables and steamed broccoli.
A dessert of cheesecake, with a desultory sprinkling of strawberry sauce ($5), was so-so. Perhaps we missed out by not trying the more interesting “apple sizzler,” vanilla ice cream on an oatmeal cookie topped with cinnamon apples, raisins, whipped cream and caramel syrup.
Gimaro shares a parking lot with a Comfort Inn about a mile past the Montgomeryville shopping strip, but it can easily be missed while driving.
The friendly service, fun atmosphere, and some good food combine for an overall rating: mmm 1/2 (out of 5 m’s)
To contact Mitch Davis, you can e-mail him at: MdavisMainCourse@aol.com
Gimaro Seafood & Steakhouse Location: 680 Bethlehem Pike, Montgomeryville Phone Number: 215-412-7777 Cuisine: American Ambience: Similar to a chain grill and bar Hours: Sunday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Bar: Friday and Saturday until 1 a.m.; Sunday to Thursday until 11 p.m. Prices: Appetizers, soups: $4 to $11; Entrées: $9 to $28; Build-your-own two entree combo: $16.99 Alcoholic Beverages: Full-service bar Web site: www.gimaro.com
