What can you say about Pete’s Cafe in New Cumberland? People love Pete’s. Why? For one, it’s fun. Approaching Pete’s Cafe, you feel welcome as soon as you see their bright fluorescent logo on the middle of the building. Parking may be a challenge, but driving around will help build up the appetite you’re going to need. Preferring the casualness of the cafe side of the restaurant (which differs highly in the atmosphere, although not in service, from the main dining room), we enter through the "401" larger door and proceed by the narrow bar to the cafe’s seating area. Wooden saloon-style booths fill the room, some seating just two, some seating four to six, and one seating up to twelve. Minor scratches and gashes on these booths are somewhat noticeable, clearly made by the friendly and skilled service staff, who must twist and turn nonstop to work this always-busy room. Ceiling fans whir quietly above, not competing with conversation. The Impressionism-inspired prints hanging on the walls seem an odd choice with this rustic scene, which makes one think they may be leftovers from the flower-papered walls that dominate the dining room.

Why do people love Pete’s? It’s their specials. Specials are listed on the huge blackboard at the far end of the cafe, taking up as much space as the twelve diners seated below it. The specials list, although quite manageable, continues on a sheet inside the menus. Black Bean Chili (Cup - $1.85, Bowl - $2.25), a regular special, should not be passed up. An appetizer Special of Steamed Mussels Bianco over Garlic Toast ($4.95) was absolutely heavenly. Tender mussels in a garlic, scallion and parsley induced broth were literally addictive. So simple a dish, yet so fine. The Steamed Mussels fra Diavola ($4.95), had the same tender mussels (some small, some medium, some large) served with spicy tomato sauce, although not quite as hot as its name, "the devil," implied it to be. Another Special appetizer, Shrimp Bayou ($3.95), topped and smothered with crushed black peppercorns, somewhat unmercifully, sent us all back to the mussels. Pass over the on-the-menu appetizer of Stuffed Mushrooms with Crabmeat & Brie ($4.95) as it comes with a topping of melted cheddar. The Brie and crabmeat mixture are better left alone, as delicate as those two flavors are, cheddar isn’t better in this case.

Why do people love Pete’s? Bread baked on premises. Three different mammoth rolls to share overfill a basket and are served warm with creamy, whipped sweet butter, which is especially perfect with their whole-wheat roll. Traditional dinner salads consist of crisp Romaine and iceberg lettuce with shaved red cabbage, sliced radishes, sliced carrots, and quartered cherry tomatoes. A number of the dressings are quite compatible with the salad, e.g., homemade blue cheese, pepper Parmesan, and fat-free raspberry.

Why do people love Pete’s? Check out the flavor, the size of the entrees, and the great prices. The menu offers nine seafood, six beef, five chicken, and two veal entrees, plus five "Italian Specialties" pasta and sandwiches. Eggplant Parmigiana ($7.95) consists of the thickest eggplant slices ever encountered with this dish, and a heavy fried breading or sauce does not mask the eggplant taste. The flavor of this favorite Italian-American vegetable dish comes through. A "to-go" bag is inevitable with the Eggplant Parmigiana. Just watch how many days in a row you eat it if you believe what a 14th century medical teacher told his students - "Eat eggplant for nine days straight and you will go mad." Luckily, in the 20th century, you’ll only go "mad" over the taste of the eggplant at Pete’s. The Eggplant Parmigiana is served with the foreseeable side of spaghetti with marinara sauce. The ricotta stuffed crepe Manicotti ($7.95) is delicate, the crepes are so tender and light they almost melt in your mouth. I could not help, however, to ponder over the redundancy of spaghetti as the cafe’s choice of a side for manicotti. The Chicken and Shrimp Forestiere ($12.95), a substantial, earthy dish "of the forest" stood its ground with whole chicken breasts, a noticeable amount of shrimp, mushrooms and bacon with Madeira wine served over rice. It is a perfect winter dish. The mussels ($8.95), again very tasty, are presented as an entree, steamed then sautéed with garlic, white wine, prosciutto, spinach and fresh tomato. Superb.

From the specials board, Broiled Fresh Salmon ($14.95) filet was served a top what seemed like a half pound of pasta with a pronounced Lemony Shrimp Sauce. A dish of Grilled Albacore Tuna ($13.95) with Carolina BBQ Sauce over basmati rice, was no less than 14-ounces of dense tuna that did not really need the southern coating. The accompanying crisp fried spinach, however, should be offered as a side with more special entrees, as its thirty second hot oil dunk left the spinach a bright shade of scarab green, warm and gossamer yet crunchy. Chicken Dijonnaise with Asparagus over pasta ($12.95), a quite creamy and delightful dish, was so lavished with its entitled ingredients it had one of our hearty male diners taking more than half of it home. Other Specials that may turn up at Pete’s include a 14-ounce Caribbean Delmonico Steak ($13.50) grilled with jerk seasonings and topped with spiced rum sauce; Fresh Broiled Mako ($13.95), with creamy shrimp sauce; and an almost always dressed up Strip Steak, choice of 12-ounce ($11.95) or 16-ounce ($13.50), that may be served with mushroom-burgundy sauce or with onions, mushrooms, and roasted garlic pepper. Rumor has it that emu may appear on the Special Board at certain times throughout the year. If in the mood for the bird that has the flavor of beef, call after 3:00 P.M. the day of your dinner, to see if it is offered.

Although most evening diners go for the dinners, Pete’s has a wide range of sandwiches that should not be considered typical "light fare." Take the popular Crab Cristo ($6.50), crabmeat and cheese baked between batter-dipped French bread. The first few bites put you in flavor kingdom, and as you go on, the richness never ceases to conquer its subjects. A traditional French Dip ($6.95), consisting of thin sliced roast beef on battered French bread with sautéed onions, mushrooms, melted Swiss and au jus for dipping, is piled magnanimously high. One of our dining companions that had the huge Grilled Chicken Sandwich ($4.95), which is served candid on garlic bread, prefered a few more condiments on the sandwich.

Why do people love Pete’s? Make room for dessert. Tempted though you may be by the Texas Sheet Cake (similar to a rich brownie) or a Lingonberry (tart, wild berry, similar to cranberry) Cheesecake, cast these aside and launch into the Apple Crispito with Caramel Sauce. Four homemade crepes, rolled up and deep fried then stuffed with warm, cinnamon laced apples, topped with what appears to be a quarter of a pound of vanilla ice cream, all laden with a provocative caramel sauce (cooked long enough to dispense its rich flavor) and whipped cream. What a warm, homey ending. A table of four could only eat half of the shared order, none-the-less a bargain for $3.50. The house coffee has a delightful touch of cinnamon and tastes great with a dessert like this.

Why do people love Pete’s? With its fun, friendly atmosphere, super specials, home baked bread, colossal servings, attractive prices, and great desserts, what’s not to love? By the way, make sure to make reservations, particularly on the weekends.