Those who think that going to Heartland Brewery is only for the drinker of beer is wrong. The food there is pretty decent: not your fine dining experience for sure, or a place where I would go all the time, but good enough for a nice casual dinner, where American staples meet international dishes, on the menu, but also on the plate. They have few locations across the city, opened (and closed) since 1995. One of the locations is conveniently located in Times Square, on one side of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. I admit that it feels more like a place to go before grabbing a bus, considering the number of restaurants in Hell's Kitchen.

You enter from the noisy bar, before discovering, in the back, the large dining room. There, we tried quite few of their dishes:

One of my favorite item is the Buffalo chicken Spring roll: that is a nice re-interpretation of a classic Asian dish, married with an all American specialty, Buffalo chicken.

It was served with a blue cheese sauce that had lumps of blue cheese, and a Buffalo sauce that had a nice heat.

Continuing with Buffalo chicken, they also have a delicious Buffalo chicken salad, where, again, the heat of the Buffalo sauce, coupled with the lumps of blue cheese, gave to this dish a divine taste.

We also tried the Southern fried dill pickles, where I enjoyed tasting the sweet and sour flavor after biting in this deliciously crispy shell.

Then, was the homemade chickpea and red pepper hummus, that was a bit inconsistent: good the first time, not good the second time, having an off taste.

Next was the spinach, pear and goat cheese salad, that, although small, is a nice healthier appetizer choice:

The last appetizer I tried at Heartland Brewery was the crab cakes: they were pretty decent, with not too much breading.

For the entrées, I could not not try the burger, made with a 100% black angus blend prepared by Pat La Frieda. 

I asked for cheddar as well as caramelized onions. With the tater tots, it brought this burger to $18 (with the tater tots), that is pricey. Don't get me wrong: it was a delicious burger, but you can get an even better one for the same price or lower at Umami Burger or Burger Joint, if not 5 Napkin Burger. 

I should also mention the tater tots (additional $2). They were more like croquettes, being made with bacon and cheddar. I was definitely surprised to see only 6 on the plate... They were ok, being crunchy on the outside, but a bit undercooked on the inside for my taste.

The last entrée we tried was the sesame seared tuna, that was quite good, the fish being fresh and tasty and the sesame crust delicious. 

It was served with vegetables and rice, with a delicious sesame citrus sauce.

Overall, our meals at Heartland Brewery were good. For sure, there are so many restaurants in New York and in the close by area that is Hell's Kitchen, that it will not be first my place of choice. I should mention their large selection of beers, served by the pint or half pint. 

Enjoy (I did)!

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