Fireside offers monster salads, cut-to-order steaks

All-you-can-eat crab legs. What more do you need to know?

Fireside in Fairview Township hosts the special every Monday night for $24 per person, including two sides, but expect a crowd, said Olga Zarkadas, who manages the dining room.

Though seafood is a favorite, Fireside is also known for its steaks, cut to order.

And after sampling, I can understand why.

When I arrived at the restaurant on a recent Sunday night, pictures of Pierre's Cafe, circa 1960, lined the entranceway. Before Fireside opened in 2008, the restaurant was known as Pierre's.

The current owners have been in the restaurant business for more than 35 years, Zarkadas said, but this is their first restaurant in York County.

Inside is a bar to the left, tables to the right. When I requested a booth, the hostess led me up a few stairs to tables and booths.

The best part of the restaurant's interior? Fall decorations -- leaves, pumpkins, strands of white lights – against a backdrop of neutral, warm colors on the walls. A fireplace is also on this upper floor, with pendant lighting over each booth.

TVs were absent from the dining space, which this girl appreciated on NFL Sunday. Some easy listening music added to a relaxed atmosphere.

Many entrees on Fireside's menu are above Cheap Eats range -- the cheese tortellini and crab alfredo, which comes with a salad and garlic bread, is $19.95. The full rack of Fireside St. Louis ribs, served with two sides, is $18.90.

But you'll also find a selection of more than 30 sandwiches, wraps and salads well under $15.

All of the sandwiches and wraps come with coleslaw and chips (upgrade to French fries, onion rings or sweet potato fries for an extra $1.75). While the lemon pepper haddock sandwich ($8.25) and buffalo shrimp caesar wrap ($8) sounded tempting, I ordered the city steak salad ($10.95).

It might seem a little pricey for a salad, but it arrived as a full platter, complete with a steak knife fixed upright in the center (talk about dramatic effect).

The American salad blend was topped with cucumber and white onion slices, green pepper strips, crisp French fries, cheddar cheese, slices of portabello mushroom and the star of the dish – slices of steak. The flavoring of the meat (cooked to order) and mushroom was clearly more than salt and pepper. Zarkados said Fireside makes all of its own sauces.

While I couldn't finish the salad, I made sure to finish the steak.

Now that I know how appealing Fireside's red meat is, I might skip Monday's all-you-can-eat crab legs (I never thought I'd say that). You'll find me there Thursday, for the Butcher's Special -- New York strip steak with two sides for $13.

Fireside

Location: 115 Old York Road, Fairview Township

Cuisine: American

Jess' pick: City Steak Salad, $10.95

Parking: Lot

Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday

Price range: $3.25, soup of the day; $24, filet mignon

Alcohol: Yes

Smoking: No

Accepts: Cash and credit

Takeout: Yes

Kid's menu: Yes

Details: Call 717-695-2847