Food For Thought: Gearo’s

Looking for a casual evening out?  Why not try Gearo’s in Bustleton, located at 1913 Welsh Rd. Open seven days a week, this laid back eatery is great for relaxing either for lunch or dinner.

When its first location closed after 41 years of service, Gearo’s worked hard to make the second location on Welsh Road as warm and inviting as possible.  There is usually plenty of parking, and street parking is usually readily available if needed as well.  The dishes offered are very ordinary and while they are tasty, there is not much to write home about.

The staff was very friendly and it didn’t take long for us to get a table.  Service was good and our food arrived on time and warm.  The  broiled seafood combination was a nice surprise, containing shrimp, scallops, flounder and a crab cake.  The seafood tasted fresh and well prepared, with a heavy butter sauce and cocktail sauce on the side for dipping.

I was very happy with the crab cakes, since they actually contained crab meat and were not all just breading.  Many places when preparing crab cakes forget the first part of that dish – the crab, but that was not the case here at Gearo’s.  The flounder seemed very fresh and the scallops were big sea scallops, not the usual bay scallops that other places offer.

For a great starter dish, try the jalapeno poppers if your taste buds need waking up.  Light jalapenos with cream cheese and horseradish sauce on the side make a great starter for your meal.  Most of the appetizers offered were very ordinary and appeared to all be prepared well.

Gearo’s was clean and tidy from the plates to the tables and even the bathrooms.  Even while we were eating you could see the staff working hard to keep the area clean and neat.  Gearo’s is a family style restaurant suitable for children and adults.  You are never rushed to leave your table, even though your food arrives in a very timely fashion.

If you are looking for a quiet neighborhood eatery to relax and unwind in, Gearo’s is the place for you.  I had an overall nice evening out with friendly service and good food in a clean restaurant.  No reservation needed, but if you are looking for a Friday or Saturday evening you may want to call ahead just to be safe.

Food For Thought is a NEast restaurant review column written by Donna Ward that runs every other Thursday on NEastPhilly.com. See all of Donna’s reviews here. Read other NEastPhilly columns here.

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