Benton, Pennsylvania's Central Hotel: Animal Heads & Frosty Mugs

Nestled at the foothills of a mountainous Pennsylvania State Gamelands reserve near Columbia County's Benton is a quaint hunting and fishing village named Central. Located in the middle of nowhere, there are cabins and campgrounds which get so populated during peak seasons that it takes four restaurants to feed the hungry mouths of the outdoorsmen. There is the Jamison City Hotel, The Brass Pelican, a deli that I never caught the name of and then the Central Hotel, our dining choice of the evening.

When we moved to this rural area near Rickett's Glen State Park, we were surprised to find so many dining choices along Fishing Creek, in an otherwise uncivilized area. I couldn't help but fall in love with this cute little village, Central-- so rather than drive the other way into Wilkes-Barre for dinner at a chain restaurant, I often like to head into no-man's land.

As we pulled into the parking lot of the three-story Central Hotel, we easily found a spot. This made me happy because it most likely meant we beat the dinner crowd. We walked along the rather larger front porch, which creaked as we made our way past the two large porch swings to the front door.

Upon entering the dimly lit Central Hotel, patrons find they are entering a treasure trove of taxidermy. There isn't a space on the wall where there is not a beautifully preserved wild animal. Deer, turkey, fish, raccoon, skunk, bear and a giant buffalo are just some of the game adorning the wall of the hunter's haven.
The two of us were seated at a table for four (so we'd have plenty of room) near the window. I was a little peeved because I get cold easily, and there was an air-conditioner in the window. The hostess gave us our menus and walked away. We were both pretty thirsty, and wished she had taken our drink order before leaving. The waitress returned with a younger girl in town- she must have been in training. We ordered two Miller Lites.

As we waited for our drinks, I gazed around. From the dining area, I could see that the bar on the other side of the restaurant was filling up. The bartender was responsible for pouring our beers, so I could tell it may be a little bit longer before our thirst was quenched. When the waitress brought our Miller Lites, we began to salivate seeing they arrived in frosty mugs. We each took a big gulp of the liquid gold. However, what was most appealing about our beverage of choice turned out to be the worst part of the dinner. Being a nice summer evening, the icy mugs began to melt. The condensation began to drown my placement. It looked like I spilled my beer all over the table. Yep. Dave and I had to dine in a puddle.

In between sopping up the condensation, we were able to look over the menu. The cover of the menu had an early-day picture of the hotel, which has been around for over a century. There was a nice selection of appetizers, including a cheese and bologna platter and then the usual fried foods. We chose the mozzarella sticks for $5.95. When it came to the entrées, the Central Hotel was known for its ribs, so that is what Dave chose ($17.95). After looking over selections from a sandwich, poultry, seafood and pasta sections, I opted for the Delmonico steak ($15.95). Although just coming off a vegetarian diet, I felt rather guilty ordering meat and eating the flesh while dozens of dead animals were staring at me. It just felt eerie.

For our meal accompaniments, we both chose the baked potato and I opted for the soup, Dave, the salad. Then, before dinner we decided we'd better order refills. We apologized for the mess on the table, and the waitress said she knew it wasn't our fault. I asked for some coasters. Like the first time we ordered, it took a little while for the beer to get to our table. It took until our appetizers were also served. This time, even with the coasters, our puddle grew.

The mozzarella sticks were perfect- crunchy on the outside, and oozing with cheese on the inside. The marinara was just right as well. Then, more food arrived- we ordered more Miller Lites as well, hoping the timing would be better. My broccoli cheddar soup was wonderful with big chunks of the green veggie and a smooth cheddary broth, however there was a lot to be desired for the salad. The dressing was runny, Dave said. And the ranch dressing was usually his favorite part of the salad. I had dined at this establishment once before and ordered fettuccini Alfredo, which was also a little on the runny side. Dave and I wondered if the kitchen staff watered down these ingredients to make them last longer. Along with the soup and salad, we were also given a basket of rolls, crackers and those sesame bread sticks. I had one roll, but didn't want to fill up too much before my steak arrived.

When our meal arrived, the young girl in training aided our waitress with the plates. The full rack of ribs looked pleasing, and Dave seemed quite happy with them. I have a thing about meat on the bone, so I declined his offer for a bite, although (very unladylike) I did dip my finger in the barbeque sauce- sweet and tangy. I wanted the Filet Mingon, but I opted for the cheaper Delmonico. The steak was huge! Then I realized most of it was gristle and fat. I remembered while I usually get the filet. After I cut all the unnecessary trimmings off and got to the meat, I did enjoy the steak. However, there was something missing. It was kind of bland. At a lot of steakhouses, the steaks are grilled with lots of seasonings, but this one just tasted like it was taken from the package and to the burner. With a little help from A-1, I finished the whole thing, minus a little portion I gave to Dave. He agreed that it needed some pizzazz.

The service was friendly, but not as attentive as we'd hoped given the place was not jammed. Since there was an extra trainee on the floor, you'd think she could have done some of the running. But, despite slow service and a very wet table the dinner at the Central Hotel was enjoyable. The atmosphere is unique and the food is decent. It's certainly worth the drive for the novelty of the dining environment. Unless you are a card-carrying member of PETA. And, perhaps order a bottle of beer, rather than by the frosty mug.