Once again, I found myself looking for a nice restaurant that is well-priced and relatively close to Colgate. So I went on the internet and searched for restaurants in the towns surrounding Hamilton. I came upon a place in Sherburne that got rave reviews from everyone who took the time to post on the website. One reviewer reported that this is the location she uses for catering all her personal events, and she visits every time she is in the mood for a nice dining experience. This sounds like the perfect place! So my friend and I jumped in my car and headed down 12B to Lewis Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge (93 N. Main St, Sherburne). Do not worry, you will be hard pressed to miss the numerous neon signs to your left indicating that you have arrived at Lewis’s.

Unsure of where exactly to go, we walked in and were greeted by a respectively crowded bar, also adorned with neon signs. The bartender led us to the dining room that was located in the back of the facility. We quickly realized that we were the youngest people in the restaurant by at least ten years, and that is being generous. However, as I have been informed many times, this is a good sign. Once we were seated, I took the time to observe our surroundings. The walls appeared to be made of wood, but were probably vinyl. The chestnut-colored walling accented the dark-maroon table cloths that were themselves ac­cented by paper placemats highlighting the local businesses.

The waiter gave us the menu that was filled with numerous Italian inspired options, but also included burgers and sandwiches. The sheet of specials further complicated our decision as we struggled to choose among the array of seafood, pasta, chicken and veal entrees. I personally was in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary, and disputed between ordering the Greek scallops dish and the portobello scallops. Despite including the same main ingredient, the two meals were very different. The first dish was made with a garlic and olive oil sauce over angel hair pasta, olives, crushed tomatoes and feta cheese. The second, which I ended up ordering, was prepared with grilled scallops over lingui­ni, crushed tomatoes, huge slices of portobello mushrooms, bacon and melted provolone cheese. The extremely large portions and reasonable price of $16.95 explains the popularity of the restaurant. I am pretty sure I failed to complete even half of my meal. The vegetables were fresh and nicely accented the light white wine sauce. Though I would have pre­ferred a stronger seasoned dish, I am confident I made the right choice.

My fellow dinner attendee ordered the grilled artichoke and rigatoni entrée. A flavorful sausage and sun-dried tomato in­fused red sauce accompanied the rigatoni. My friend thor­oughly enjoyed the meal and acknowledged it is hard to go wrong with sausage. She was also unable to finish even half of the dish. However, her one complaint was that the sausage was not drained well enough, which led to a more oily sauce than necessary.

This flaw was quickly overcome by the fried ice cream we shared for des­sert. Under the mountain of whipped cream, chocolate sauce and two cherries was a ball of vanilla ice cream coated in a crunchy, sweet, cinnamon-flavored shell. My friend and I had been pa­tiently waiting for this heav­enly treat since we saw the neon sign advertising fried ice cream when we pulled into the parking lot. The dessert was more than fantastic and will not fail to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth.

Overall, we had a very enjoyable meal. The staff was extremely friendly and the large portions of food were also enjoyable. Lewis Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge was definitely a fun experience and well worth the ten-minute drive down 12B. Although the re­views online and my pre-existing conceptions of a cocktail lounge led me astray as to my expectations in terms of the atmosphere, I still had a pleasant meal. If you are looking for a more casual and affordable Italian meal, definitely head over to Lewis Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge.