New eatery from Revival Kitchen owners features PA comfort food, ‘approachable, fun’ menu

After finding a place in the heart of central Pennsylvania foodies when Revival Kitchen opened in 2015, Quintin Wicks and Liz Hoffner launched their second restaurant in Reedsville last month.

Pass the Dutchie channels the region’s Amish heritage and serves up classic Pennsylvania comfort food, with just a touch of approachable elevation. It’s a much more casual eatery compared to Revival Kitchen, with the latter’s upscale tasting menus. Still, Wicks and Hoffner assure that Pass the Dutchie adheres to many of the same standards and upholds many of the same qualities that their customer base has come to appreciate and expect, such as the use of locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and a careful attention to detail.

Longtime fans may even notice a few throwback menu items.

“There are a few [Pass the Dutchie] menu items that we opened with, at the original Revival Kitchen, that people loved and we brought back. The quality of ingredients and the quality of preparation is [up to] Revival standards, but the menu itself, the price and the accessibility are much friendlier, especially for local clientele who might not want to [order] a hundred-dollar tasting menu,” said Hoffner.

The menu includes small plates with options like cast iron macaroni and cheese with a pretzel crumble or Reuben-inspired deviled eggs; salads; soups; and main courses like chicken and waffles, pork schnitzel, pierogies and short rib pot roast.

“We were trying to come up with more comfortable, approachable foods — no scary names, no need to Google what an ingredient is,” Wicks said of the menu’s creation. “You’ll see a lot of pretzels on the menu, smoked gouda, which is popular locally. ... We’re working with a local butcher for sausages and cuts of meat. With Pass the Dutchie, we also continue to incorporate local produce [from Amish farmers].”

While Pass the Dutchie is a brand-new venture, the undertaking has almost brought Hoffner and Wicks full circle. It’s the same location where Revival Kitchen got its start in 2015, at 6 N. Main St. in Reedsville, before it relocated to 64 S. Main St. When considering the new restaurant, remaining in Reedsville was important to the two founders.

“We wanted to make sure that the revitalization and revival of Reedsville continued,” Hoffner said. “We wanted to see something continue in that space that was cared for. ... We enjoyed our time [at 6 N. Main St.] when we were there before, but now we more so understand what an integral part of the community it is, being on that corner, having the lights on, having people travel to Reedsville and spend money locally.”

While Pass the Dutchie has only been open for a few weeks thus far, Wicks and Hoffner said that community response seems positive. Crowd favorites on the menu include the chicken and waffles, with its fermented hot sauce served on the side, crafted from peppers that Wicks grew in the Revival Kitchen garden. The sticky toffee pudding cake with butter pecan ice cream, a throwback favorite from the original Revival Kitchen menu, is also a crowd-pleaser, as is a regional classic — stewed tomatoes and macaroni and cheese.

“Pass the Dutchie is a chance for me to have a little bit of fun and make some more approachable, fun food instead of these really labor-intensive [menu items],” Wicks said. “We’re still keeping the same quality [as Revival Kitchen], but it’s much simpler.”

Pass the Dutchie is open Wednesday-Saturday from 5-9 p.m. Reservations are only available for parties of more than eight. View the full menu at www.passthedutchiepa.com.