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Dining at the Back Door Cafe in Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Rate it! Votes (1) | Comments (0) By Cheri Sicard Posted August 6th, 2007 FabulousFoods.com Recommends: Weird Pennsylvania (Weird), by Matt Lake, (2005, Sterling)	Weird Pennsylvania (Weird)

JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, USA -- Don't you just love restaurants that surprise you? I had a fabulous surprise dining experience  when we ventured into the Back Door Café in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. From the outside the unassuming little restaurant looked like any number of local East Coast taverns/grilles, but looks can be deceiving.

Judging from the crowded dining room at the Back Door Café, the good citizens of Johnstown have already discovered this culinary treasure hiding in their own back yard. Travelers, however, are likely to pass the place by, oblivious to the extraordinary dining experience waiting within those humble walls.

Husband and wife team Denise Thompson and Thomas Chulick have created a warm restaurant - the kind where everybody might know your name - which serves gourmet cuisine that rivals the finest of the latest trendy eateries in more cosmopolitan locations around the country. But this is Johnstown, so instead of tablespoon-sized portions, artfully arranged on a 14-inch plate, you get exquisite cuisine in down-home, East Coast portions And while not a "cheap" place to eat, the value for the quality is extraordinary compared to what you'd pay a big city place of this caliber. You'll also find a creative, varied and reasonably priced wine list to accompany the awesome cuisine.

Thomas and Denise ran a catering business before opening their restaurant in June of 2000. It was the constant urging of their regular customers that finally prompted them to take the leap of turning their dream of owning a restaurant into a reality.

Thomas runs the kitchen, creating new recipes and menus constantly. In fact the Back Door Café has no printed menu, as it changes so often. Diners can check out a large blackboard or consult their waiters to find out what inspired creations Thomas has come up with for that day. The dishes are flavored with lots of fresh herbs and made with homegrown ingredients from Thomas and Denise's own gardens.

Denise Thompson is as beautiful and charming as the interior design of the restaurant, which she created - simultaneously elegant and approachable. In addition to making all of the restaurant's desserts, Denise is there to meet and greet guests. Thomas can also be frequently seen leaving his post in the kitchen to wander the dining room, having friendly chats with customers. This is a friendly place. The outstanding food combined with the owners' vibrant personalities makes The Back Door Café a place where everyone feels warm, welcome and wonderful.

Denise and Thomas were kind enough to share some favorite recipes with us. If you can't get to Johnstown, these will let you have a little bit of the Back Door Café at home. If, on the other hand, you are anywhere remotely near Western Pennsylvania, this restaurant really merits going out of your way for.

The Back Door Café is located at 402 Chestnut St. in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. They are opened Tuesday through Saturday. The bar opens at 4PM and dinner starts at 5. Call 814-539-5084 for more information.

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