Pub grub and more at The Birches

Hannawa Falls — There’s a little country bar and restaurant tucked away just off Route 56 in the hamlet of Hannawa Falls, a stone’s throw from Potsdam.

The Birches has been around for quite some time. New owners took over about a year ago, spruced the place up and updated the menu.

They put eye-catching signs out by the main road to direct you to the restaurant. Inside, cut birch trees line several of the walls, their branches trailing along the ceiling.

It’s a hometown place, and it had a surprising crowd on a Tuesday night — a group of ladies holding a candle party at several large tables, a young couple with a small baby in a car seat at a small table, a mom and dad and two teenage daughters enjoying a night out together.

And a bar crowd that looked like an episode right out of “Cheers.” Pete the prison guard. Dan who works at one of the local colleges. Bob the car dealer and his wife.

Owner Schyler Shea is the smiling face behind the bar. He’s also the owner of the commercial-sized barbecue smoker on wheels in the parking lot. Schyler knows his stuff when it comes to barbecue.

The menu is all-American pub grub: deep-fried finger food, burgers and pizzas, sandwiches and subs.

But look closely, and you’ll find some unexpected treats. There’s a Jamacian shrimp salad — jerk-spiced shrimp over mixed greens with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and cheese. A “fiery feta burger” with feta and hot pepper sauce. A smoked roast beef sandwich with cheese and horseradish.

There are two Mexican items available as appetizers — nachos grande or chicken quesadilla. We got the quesadilla.

There’s a reason it costs $10.95. It’s a meal in itself, chock-full of chunks of seasoned chicken, freshly sautéed mushrooms and peppers, jalapeños and cheese. We’re glad Shannon, our waitress, offered to cut it into four pieces for easy sharing. Generous portions of sour cream and commercial salsa accompanied.

Shannon has worked The Birches for quite some time, addressing many customers by their first names as she waited on their tables, adding to the folksy, down-home atmosphere.

The Birches has always served up a very good pizza. We ordered a medium with sausage, mushrooms and pepperoni ($14.50). There was no skimping on the toppings, or the cheese and sauce, for that matter. And we really enjoyed the crispy hand-formed crust with a light cornmeal dusting underneath.

Cajun chicken on a bun ($7.95) had great flavor. The chicken, two large chunks, was cooked a little more than we would have liked, making it a little tough, but the taste was all there thanks to the Cajun-spiced mayonnaise.

We paired it with a garden salad ($4.50) with mixed greens, lots of crunchy, fresh veggies and a good dressing on the side, served on a chilled plate.

Smoked roast beef sandwich was not available the night we were there, so I went for the steak tenderloin sandwich ($10.95). The meat was perfectly grilled and seasoned, and served on a bun with grilled onions, green bell peppers and cheese.

We were a little disappointed with the barbecue pulled pork ($7.95). The meat was tender and a generous portion, but there wasn’t a hint of smoke. And there was a peculiar “perfumy” aftertaste. Lackluster sums it up.

However, it was served on a great bun — not your ordinary off-the-shelf hamburger bun, by any means. And we chose two “add on” sides, both very good — coleslaw ($2.50) made in-house with shredded cabbage and carrots, mayo, vinegar and celery seed, and homemade baked beans ($3), slow-simmered with a deep, rich, smoky flavor.

Dinner for four came to $66.

The folks who went on the review with us are frequent eaters at The Birches. They usually go for the Friday night fish fry, which they say is always good and a local favorite.

Also, on most weekends, Schyler fires up his big barbecue machine and produces an excellent smoked prime rib. As the summer season gets closer and closer, he plans to have his smoker operating on a more regular basis.

You can contact Walter E. Siebel via e-mail: wsiebel@wdt.net.

The Birches

3 Birch Road

Hannawa Falls

265-9088

A little country bar and restaurant serving all-American pub grub and barbecue.

HOURS:

noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and Saturday

noon to 10 p.m. Friday

2 to 8 p.m. Sunday

RATING: 3/5 Forks