AV

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  AV, you have really outdone yourselves.... Frances is a great host, and the waitstaff here is amazing... we felt so relaxed for my birthday, and couldn't be happier.
  The bartender was great, the cocktails here are TO DIE FOR and we had a great time at the bar before we sat down to dinner.  There was 7 of us, and we all ordered around the menu, but the sweet potato gnocchi was the best - I could have eaten that  for my meal!! Had the Halibut for my entree - perfectly cooked throughout - my husband had the duck, others had the scallops, filet, pork chop, and skate.... for dessert we had the panna cotta... AMAZING!! any foodie around the NEPA area needs to dine here at least once.... you won't be dissapointed... Thank you Francis for remembering us as well.. we love you!!!

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  Posted on 01.27.13 Becky S.

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  AV has made a tremendous contribution to the NEPA dining scene as it approaches its tenth anniversary. It has been a while since I've visited and a few things have changed. The important things have not.
  
  The mussels I mentioned in my last update are now on the menu. They're still the best mussels I've had to date and they were prepared exactly the same way I had them two years ago when they were a special. You'll want to use the broth for your bread and skip the olive oil... or just ask for extra bread. The sweet potato gnocchi is still a life-changing experience.
  
  The menu has been pared down somewhat (the pizzas, crostini and perhaps 1/3 of the appetizers and salads have fallen by the wayside) and the prices have gone up somewhat. Entrées now start at $18, but to be fair the lower priced ones (such as chicken Parmesan) have been eliminated and the prices have not increased by more than a few dollars... unless you can or want to get here before 6pm.
  
  Yes, AV offers the classic "early bird special" between 5 and 6pm in the form of a prix fixe menu. Yes, it's early, but it also allows diners to obtain three courses for just $20 - less than the price of most entrées on the regular menu. There is also an item on the prix fixe menu that is still available after 6pm - the skate wing. Our server conveyed all of this information to us rapidly and coherently despite our 7:30pm arrival time - essentially, getting the word out.
  
  I'd ignore the reviewer who insisted upon a substitution when opting for the prix fixe. It's not BK, it's AV.
  
  Some new cocktails have appeared on the drink menu, which happily and thankfully now features an expanded selection of beer. I decided to give the Cleopatra a shot, which includes the unusual Luxardo maraschino liqueur paired with pineapple. While I did enjoy it, it would not be my first choice on this list (that honor still goes to the Twentieth Century).
  
  The entrées my companions and I ordered (pork chop, duck and scallops) were a bit heavy handed with salt. The sides included with main dishes have become more varied - polenta fries or lentils would not have made an appearance more than a few years ago. The purple potatoes had a good run, but I suppose their charm would eventually wear off.

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  Posted on 01.26.13 Colin P.

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  Like others have mentioned, when you get to this place, you feel like you're driving up to the no-tell motel, but inside it is a very different story; very warm, inviting, modern and comfortable.  I found the staff to be incredibly accommodating, almost *too* accommodating because  I felt like my every move was being watched.  The moment I put down my fork, someone was there whisking away my plate.  I decided on the steak from the prie fix menu.  It came with green beans and potatoes.  I asked if they could replace the potatoes with extra green beans instead and was told no.  Seriously?   So I just asked for it without the potatoes.  Kind of a turn off that they couldn't throw a few extra string beans on my plate in their place, but I wasn't going to make a big stink about it.  My meat was overdone (I asked for medium well and it came out well done with no pink whatsoever), however I will say that whatever sauce they put on it, the demi glace, was delicious.  My husband enjoyed his mussels appetizer and scallops main course.  The wine was good too...a great selection.  Overall it was OK, but I've been to better places in the area and the string bean thing like I said just really turned me off to the place so we probably won't return.

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  Posted on 01.25.13 Cheryl C.

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  Try the sweet basil martini. I am not sure if its just seasonal but it is the best martini I have had to date while the menu is wonderful I am never let down with either app of the sweet potato gnocchi or the garbanzo bean pate.

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  Posted on 01.03.13 Jenis W.

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  Consistently the best food in the Scranton area.  Don't let the outside fool you, AV's food quality, menu diversity, and staff are second to none.  My only (minor) complaint is the dated decor.  I recommend a Caipirinhas and their risotto.  You won't be disappointed.

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  Posted on 11.01.12 Jason S.

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  This is an outstanding restaurant, particularly for the location.
  
  My wife and I needed to find a place for my mother-in-law's birthday dinner; requirements were:
  
  1. Something 'different' than is typical for the area.
  
  but
  
  2.  Something that has a couple of standbys for the less adventurous palates in the family.
  
  AV successfully fulfilled both.  The menu ranged from a rosemary chicken and veal parm on the simple end, to duck breast with blueberry sausage and creminis and branzino with pancetta and purple potato puree on the more adventurous end.  
  
  The quality of all entrees and appetizers was equal to what you'd expect in a good restaurant in a much larger market.  Duck, scallops, veal, branzino were all great as entrees, and the sweet potato gnocchi and stuffed shrooms were a good first impression.
  
  Cost was about what you'd expect - entrees were between $18 and $28 - cheaper than you'd find for a comparable restaurant in a larger market.  I noticed they also had a prix fixe menu for $20 if you showed up before 6pm.
  
  The bar area is quite nice - stainless steal bar with an obviously knowledgeable bartender who wields a mean muddler and pours 'em stiff.
  
  And nary will you find a greater gap between quality of decor when you compare the outside to the inside.  Pulling into the Rodeway Inn parking lot, I had my phone out, ready to make emergency reservations somewhere else, but two steps in the door, the suited up staff, dim lights, and sleek bar took me down from threat level red.  This is not a place you would drive by and think, "Wow, I need to go there," but you should go there . . . and if you bring an extra ten bucks, you can probably get an hour at the Rodeway, too.

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  Posted on 07.12.12 MATTHEW E.

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  The food is good but the ambiance is lacking.

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  Posted on 07.05.12 Andrew C.

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  This areas best kept secret. The closest thing to fine dining in a very relaxing atmosphere. Innovative menu and they have prix fixe from 5 to 6 pm.

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  Posted on 07.01.12 Cheyne W.

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  I'm not really sure why everyone thinks this is such a great restaurant.  I've dined at AV a couple time and nothing I ate or drank make me crave this establishment.  
  
  My wife and I met Friends at AV for a midweek meal.  We were a bit early, so, of course we headed to the bar.  My wife had a dirty goose (hehehe) martini and I had a Hendricks martini with a twist.  My drink was great and the bar tender was a cool guy.  
  
  When our Friends arrived, we went to the dining room for our meal.  For apps we split the crab cake and something else..... shit, I forgot, it must have been great!  Anyway, the crab cake was not well made.  
  
  For dinner I ordered pasta bolognese. It was one of the specials.  The bolognese sauce was basically red sauce with ground beef... Yeah, kind of like a cafeteria dish. It lacked the robustness and flavorful taste I was expecting for a sauce that should have pop!  However, the pasta was homemade and very good.  
  
  The dry chocolate cake for dessert didn't do it for any of us at the table.  
  
  Now, for all my fellow Scranton peps, please don't call this place a "trendy" NYC style restaurant..  They have a tacky drop ceiling and it looks like they bought the furniture from a bankrupted hotel which served a free continental breakfast...  Wait am I on to something...  I almost forgot, the fast pasted elevator music was a bit much with the back ground of an empty dining room.  Try "Pretty Lights" if you want to go that way.
  
  I'm not sure why I gave a three star rating.. I guess I like Hendrick's Gin...

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  Posted on 02.23.12 Tim W.

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  I had the most delicious think cut pork chop cooked perfect medium. Service is fantastic, fast, courteous & knowledgeable. It's located inside roadway inn, don't let that turn you off to this place. This restaurant is truly one of our hidden gems in NEPA.

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  Posted on 06.07.11 cliff k.

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  So, it's a Wednesday night in Moosic. Mr. Wonderful and I have been to every sushi joint in the area and we really want something delicious. He scans a few reviews and we decide on AV.  As we pull into the parking lot, we both have second thoughts. The place looks like it's attached to the NoTell Motel and we can only imagine the deadful meal we are about share. Imagine our surprise (come on, really imagine it) as we walk into a very intimate and romantic restaurant.  It's midweek in Moosic so the main room was half full and we were quickly shown to our table. We start out sharing an appetizer of sweet potato gnocchi and a couple of Caipirinhas, which Mr. Wonderful informs me are the National Cocktail of Brazil. The drinks are cold and refreshing. The gnocchi was served in an herb sauce with walnuts and shredded pork. It would be a very filling starter for one person, but it was perfect for sharing. Our server brought some bread topped with a tapenade of some sort and we each received a hunk of plain bread, which was a bit hard on the outside. Mr. W ordered the skate with mashed potatoes and a cold salad of what looked like collard greens. He deemed it all delicious with the skate being perfectly cooked.  I had the scallops in a citrus sauce. Six large scallops sweet and crispy on the outside and meltingly tender inside. This came with a mashed  rutabaga and another vegetable, it was a month ago and my root veggie memory is not so good, but I want to say, "beets".  Whatever it was, it was delicious. Neither one of us are big on desserts, so we had another cocktail to finish out the meal.  We both agreed that this is THE hidden gem of Moosic. Plenty of parking, attentive service in a romantic setting and a delectable meal. I now consider this to be "our place" and hope to dine here the next time we are in the area.

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  Posted on 05.01.11 Jill K.

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  I'm a young professional who often travels for business, and I commonly will use Yelp in unfamiliar places to find good places for dinner.  All of the previous ratings had me determined to visit this restaurant, and I was pleasantly suprised by my dining experience, which aligned closely to what's been said so far.  
  
  The entrees range from 11-25 dollars with most options in the mid-teens.  Appetizers range in selection (sausage, gnocchi, stuffed mushrooms, etc.) and run about 10, and salads are 8-10 as well.  I had the skate (a special that night) and the sweet potatoe gnocchi for an appetizer.  Both were delicious and I would order again.  I will say that while the quality of the food was very good, they definitely use a lot of emulsified butter in the presentation of their dishes. The bread and EVO was not the highlight of the experience, but if that's the worst dish they can likely blame it on the local baker.
  
  As for the ambience, the place was definitely going for chic and I would say accomplished the feel as much as any hidden restaurant in North Central PA could.  The server and hostess were very friendly--at one point they brought me a sample of the toast and bean pureed appetizer (I wouldn't recommend it, but it wasn't my taste)... I think that because I was alone they originally thought I was a food critic.  Oh and their bottled beer selection is really good, too!

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  Posted on 03.01.11 Ninja C.

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  Nice atmosphere. Tremendous service. Really good food at very reasonable prices. Pretty good beer menu. Would recommend this place to anyone that enjoys good food.

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  Posted on 02.13.11 Kyle E.

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  Really enjoy the restaurant. As others have mentioned, the outside is just borderline scary, but the inside is excellent.
  
  I had the filet and really enjoyed it. It was close to a Ruth Chris / Chop House quality, but is extremely reasonably priced, especially for the high quality of the food.
  
  Bar is also nice, we had a few drinks post dinner. Very warm atmosphere and the wait staff was excellent.

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  Posted on 12.21.10 justin m.

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  Wow, this is a hidden gem.  I'd like to give it a few extra stars.  I'd have never found it if not for the reviews on Yelp.  I'm just passing through this town and did not expect to find something so nice in Scranton-area.
  
  The service was extremely professional.  Our server, who was a vegetarian, was happy to point me in the direction of vegetarian dishes or make accommodations to the menu for me.
  
  My partner and I both started with the special, after they brought us an amuse bouche of garbanzo puree bruschetta.  The special was an arugula salad with black mission figs and shaved parmesan, and prosciutto or not, depending on if you eat meat.  The vinaigrette was very subtle but just about perfect.
  
  Next, I had mushroom risotto with white truffle oil.  This was the first time I had risotto because I usually assume it is made with an animal broth, but the server assured me it was vegetarian.  I think it had red peppers, garlic, onions, lots of mushrooms, and the truffle oil.  It was decorated with a little parsley.
  
  My partner had a huge pork chop with chive butter, frites, and spinach.  The spinach was really good.  I almost thought I tasted sea vegetable in it too, but I think it just had shallot and white wine, and a generous dose of salt.  I don't know if the french fries were made on premise or not, they looked pretty normal.  They tasted really good--crispy, but soft and buttery on the inside.  I can't comment on the pork chop.
  
  I was about to stop there, but then they mentioned a panna cotta with basil sorbet and pineapple.  I really like basil, so I said, yes, please.  It was really good.  Again, the server assured me that it was made with a plant-based gelatin.  It was creamy and silky and very tasty.
  
  I guess I can't comment on too much else.  I had coffee which came with sugar cubes and fresh cream.  Even though we had a primary server, the service was really a group effort and that made it feel really special.  
  
  That's about it.  If you are ever passing through Moosic, PA, you should go here and be very surprised!  I should add that this is probably better than any restaurant I've been to recently in the Baltimore or D.C. area.

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  Posted on 07.30.10 Carrielaura p.

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  Wow.  Just, wow.  I found this hidden gem thanks to Yelp!  Seriously, the outer decor makes you doubt your choice to dine there, but keep walking and be quiet, and your tastebuds will thank you for reserving your judgement until you've tasted their luscious morsels.
  
  My boyfriend and I had the sweet potato gnocchi for an appetizer, which was his favorite part of the whole meal.  They were so delicious- light, but decadent, made with pork and a delicious sauce.  We ordered the hangar steak special, which came in a shallot cream sauce, with purple mashed potatoes (delicious) and broccoli with sauteed mushrooms.  Boyfriend had a really yummy pork chop with spinach, which was the best spinach we've ever had.  The dessert was delish too, a Godiva souffle with homemade vanilla ice cream.
  
  Come hungry, this place is so delicious and the service is excellent.

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  Posted on 07.09.10 Dee S.

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  If one doesn't include the outside of the restaurant in their review, then I don't see much to fault here. I would go as far as to say that the outside of the place even adds to its charm. It's just such a surprise to walk in. My wife hadn't heard of it and she's a bit of a food snob, so was about to kill me when she saw the "romantic" place I was taking her on one of our few nights out w/o the kids was attached to a Rodeway Inn. The look on her face as we went from seedy motel parking lot to high-class restaurant was priceless.
  
  The prices are low relative to the food quality. This is a place that could exist in Manhattan and charge at least double. The service was great for us and I was disappointed to see VR's review, I hope they give it another chance and have a better experience. The restaurant is very nice and the bar is stunning. If I was a drinker and lived nearby I would definitely spend a lot of time here.
  
  Excellent bread to go with the dinner and the sweet potato gnocchi was amazing. It was very tender, so not an gnocchi for somebody who likes a thicker, tougher version, but I loved it. I can't remember the exact salad we ordered, but I remember enjoying it alot. For our entree we got the Monkfish special and it was perfectly made, truly...I'm an obnoxiousness food splitter (like to try everything!) and they were very cool about separating everything for else and not making us feel the least bit uncomfortable about it.
  
  It's a been a while since I actually ate here and will try to update this review w/a little more detail on the food after my next visit, but all in all and excellent place and well worth a visit.

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  Posted on 03.25.10 John L.

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  Superb service, extensive and reasonably priced wine & microbrews....try Brooklyns' "Local 2". Attentive staff were key to experience, food was exquisite and tempo perfect. Family and kid friendly, superb food  truly a homely atmosphere. Hand written bill and complementary amuse bouche were unexpected. Road Warrior approved.

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  Posted on 12.17.09 Ronan W.

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  So driving up this is incerdibly creepy.  Why, because it's behind a Roadway Inn/  BUT you walk in and you feel like you are in a NYC restaturant.  Amazing ambiance, great service in the beginning.  We ordered The olive bruschetto and the stuffed mushrooms.  GREAT.  For a hole in the wall great WINE list.  Dinner was Monkfish (the special) and veal stuffed chicken breast.   Fish was GREAT.  Chicken was so over cooked that I did not eat it.  But the veggies that accompanied were amazing.  Service trailed off at this point.  Granted we had 8pm reservations.  But you should treat your 5 pm clients the same as you treat your 8pm clients.  Desert was good, not great but good.  Presentation was wonderful, congrats to the chefs, it was service that killed it.  i went to get my coat as I left. that they checked, and I was pointed int he direction where I could get iut myself and then she went back to her gossip.

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  Posted on 03.01.09 Veronica J.

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  One of the best restaurants in Scranton, hands down.  The outside decor of the restaurant could use some work, b/c it really belies the elegance of AV.  The food was original and fresh, and the service was superb.  I am a consultant that travels all over the country, and I was working in Scranton for 4 months.  AV was THE best restaurant I experienced in Scranton/Moosic.  A definite hidden gem.

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  Posted on 09.25.08 Cheyne M.

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  I have been here once.  Met the chef on a plane.  I like it.  food was good.  Atmosphere was nice too.  Had a nice bar and I will get back soon.  My family has been a few times and says its still aok.  About price.  I know its not cheap but if you want good food you dont get fast food.  If you want good food you may have to pay for it.  Its worth the money and the environment.  go here,  buy your mom a nice meal and enjoy.

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  Posted on 02.13.08 Tony B.

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