From Community News • Back Mountain, Dallas, PA

Really Cooking Café and Supper Club – their mission is in their name
By: Back Mountain Community News Correspondent, Sandy Peoples

DALLAS, Pa.—By way of Florida and New York City, Really Cooking Café owners, George Creel and Gregory Allen have come to the Back Mountain to bring us a taste of big city dining, but not big prices. The dining experience they have created has been so well received that after only a year in business, they are already expanding and almost doubling the size of the place. And on July 26 they celebrated with a grand reopening to unveil the additional improvements that have made to their establishment.

So what’s different about the café? “We’ve tried to create a casual atmosphere with a contemporary feel where people can come and relax,” said George Creel. “The décor has a New York City supper club feeling to it which is special without being formal, but it’s comfortable and people enjoy coming here to interact with their neighbors.”

Before the expansion, interaction was very easy to do between tables, as the tables were very close together. Now the seating for 70 with much more room in between the tables. The original space encompassed about 1,100 square feet. The café has taken over the space once occupied by DeRemer Realty, and they have added another 1,000 square feet.

Why did they decide to bring their style of dining to the Back Mountain? “We did a demographic study of the area,” said Gregory Allen, “and looked at the growth in progress both residentially and commercially. We found this great location, suitable space at the time with an eye for expansion, and the rent was affordable. So far, our decision has been a good one. The residents have supported our efforts here. We are very pleased about it and appreciate their patronage.”

The team of George Creel and Gregory Allen, with their individual skills, has worked out well. Gregory supervises the kitchen to make sure that all of his “from scratch” recipes are produced with quality ingredients. And don’t be surprised when he emerges from the kitchen and sits down at the piano to play your favorite songs.

George manages the office and employ aspects of the business and remains in the dining area most of the day to ensure that each diner experiences the quality of customer service that they deserve. They employ 25 area residents now and plan to expand to 35 in the near future due to the expansion. But George quick to point out that “we are a small business, and we both wear several hats for whatever the situation calls for.”

“We want to become more than just a place to eat,” said George. “We want to become a place where people can come and have a dining experience. We have applied for a liquor license should hear about that sometime in September. We want to be that place where people can escape the traffic on 309 and come in to celebrate the events in their lives.”

As they look to the future, George and Gregory want to bring some entertainment, cabaret-style, and continue some of the traditions they have already established such as Fabulous Thanksgiving dinner and New Year’s Eve celebration to remember.

“One of our goals,” said Gregory, “has been for diners to want to stay here in the Back Mountain and for diners from other areas as well. We know they will find that our menu is not the same as others. We make all of our desserts right on the premises, our specials being peach cobber, crescent bread pudding and chocolate peanut butter sin cake.”

“We also want to give back to the community which has been so good to us,” said George and Gregory. “We have used all local contractors and suppliers to do original renovations here and expansions. We also purchase most of our food from local venders. And we have begun to look for areas where we can help out in other ways.”

To date they have made monetary donations or donation gifts certificates to the Back Mountain Memorial Library, the Camp Cadet Program, College Misericordia and more, and are looking forward to donating gift certificates in November to a service club raffle, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dallas, which will benefit the Back Mountain Food Pantry just in time for Thanksgiving.

Really Cooking Café and Supper Club will be participating in the upcoming sidewalk sale during the Dallas Festival in September. If you haven’t been to the café as yet, that would be a very good time to experience what they have to offer. They are located at 31 Tunkhannock Highway, Rt. 309 in Dallas.

The Really (Good) Cooking Café, as some people call it, is open Monday through Saturday beginning at 11:00 a.m. On Monday through Thursday, they seat guests until9:00 p.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, they offer seating until 10:00 p.m. On Sunday they serve brunch from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.