Amble Down to the Joseph Ambler Inn in North Wales, PA: A Perfect Escape from New York or Philadelphia

Many of us city folk tend to get stuck in our little gay bubbles. Absent a car and a decent parking space, it can be a challenge to cart our lazy butts anywhere past, say, Market Street. We found a great reason to get outta dodge. Borrow a friend's car (but make sure you ask...we forgot!) and head on out to lovely, lavish...North Wales? North Wales, PA, a suburb of Philly, plays host to the Joseph Ambler Inn - a 12-acre oasis of beauty sitting just a few quick minutes from the PA Turnpike. To top things off, the best part about taking the 45-minute trek is that you can stay over!

So, my beau and I took the trek up. We were greeted very warmly and discovered that the Joseph Ambler has several gay employees. Chef Meg Votta (one of the gays!) hopped back down to the Philly region after spending 18 years cooking for various upscale restaurants in New York City. She escaped the hustle-bustle of the city to relax in a place that offered her the opportunity to shine. Owners Richard & Allison Allman opened the Inn 24 years ago and have consistently added to the property - even moving entire historical buildings to the grounds! Votta found this breathtaking atmosphere the perfect place to realize her new vision.
We quickly checked into our room - a spacious, cozy corner room complete with a fireplace and jacuzzi. What more could we ask for? We were starving, so off we went to the dining room.

Starting with wine, and not exactly being schooled sommeliers, our attentive waiter made a few suggestions, and we settled upon a 2004 Coppola Merlot. The wine list at the Joseph Ambler is most impressive, as they have a sommelier on staff. We love wine!

For starters, I ordered the jumbo shrimp cocktail with tequila lime cocktail sauce ($12), a perfect mix of salty, sweet and sour with my favorite shellfish. My man ordered the lobster and lump crab cake ($13), also to die for with a saffron cream ragout.