Ernie's Lakeland Cafe

You have probably driven by Ernie’s Lakeland Café on State Fair Blvd. on your way to attend one of the many events at the NYS Fairgrounds. I am sure you are going to make it a point to stop by after reading this review.
Lori and I arrived on a Thursday evening around 6 p.m. You can’t miss the large white and green sign above the building. It not only tells you it’s Ernie’s Lakeland Café, but it also lets you know that Ernie is in the real-estate business. I have to admit this is the first time I have ever seen this as a combo and it works for Ernie!
The exterior of the building is brick, with French doors that welcome you into the restaurant. Parking here is never an issue. They can accommodate a large crowd and quite often do. Once the new addition is completed in mid-March, they may need to add additional parking.
The inside of this restaurant is very quaint. There are a lot of natural woods, and pretty lamps at each booth. It felt cozy, like a well kept home.
Our waitress tonight was Natalie. She was efficient and helpful with giving us guidance on making our dinner choices. I decided on one of the daily specials, Old Bay Broiled Scallops for $12.99, and Lori decided on the Chopped Steak with mushrooms, onions and gravy for $8.50. Both of our meals included the salad/soup bar.
The salad bar wasn’t huge, but there were many delightful choices, including fresh iceberg lettuce with all the normal salad fixings, fresh fruit, cottage cheese, marinated mushrooms, applesauce, tomato cucumber salad, potato salad, macaroni salad, and a homemade chicken pasta soup. We loaded up our plates and made our way back to our table. I had the homemade Thousand Island dressing on my salad and Lori went for the creamy ranch dressing. We sampled some of the creamy potato salad, which was delicious, but our favorite was the tomato cucumber salad. Diced fresh tomatoes with crunchy seedless cucumbers and sliced red onion dressed in red wine vinaigrette. We both had to get seconds this was so good!
Even though Ernie’s is so close to the NY State Fairgrounds, don’t expect to see it open during the two weeks of the fair. The restaurant closes during the NY State Fair because Ernie says it is the perfect time to take a vacation. Most fair-goers plan on eating at the fair, so it’s a slower time for the restaurant.
After Natalie removed our salad plates she promptly replaced them with our oversized dinner plates. We couldn’t wait to dig in. My plate was filled with broiled, breaded scallops, served over crisp roasted potatoes with a slice of lemon on the side. You could taste the wine, butter and old bay seasoning (which is one of my favorite seasonings to use when I cook at home). I couldn’t finish this plate even on one of my hungriest days! The portions here are huge.
Lori’s chopped steak was smothered in sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions with an ample amount of savory brown gravy. Her steak was cooked perfectly. Lori had a side order of French fries, and I had a side of steamed broccoli and carrots.
As full as I was I really wanted Lori to split a dessert with me and she didn’t let me down. We decided on strawberry shortcake.
I found out Ernie’s takes reservations for call-ahead seating. I always recommend making reservations.
Are you planning your next large get together and don’t have time to do the cooking? If so, let Ernie know as he also offers catering. There is a catering menu available at the restaurant. Make sure you grab one on your way out, or Ernie can help you with any questions you may have on the catering options. The one I plan on using is the Grill ‘N’ Go. The grill is brought on-site, and it includes one hour of grilling the meats and four hours of serving. Even the paper products are included!
Our strawberry shortcake was awesome! Can I tell you that the fresh baked biscuit was like a pillow of warm air and it was swimming in a sweet macerated strawberry mixture topped with whipped cream? This was the perfect ending to an incredible meal.
Check this place out often. They have some tempting daily specials you won’t want to miss. Like prime rib on Wednesdays for $10.99, or Tuesdays are all you can eat pasta including soup and salad bar for $7.99.
Look for Ernie’s Lakeland to be open for breakfast Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in March.

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