Ksey
It should come as no surprise that Chef Russell Lebkuecher, the owner of Kasey’s on the Delaware — like his celebrated ancestor Dr. Benjamin Rush, physician, author, humanitarian, educator, and signer of the Declaration of Independence — is a modern-day Renaissance Man. Salesman, musician, chef, restaurateur, and consummate family man, Russell has done just about everything. And somehow, this paragon of experimentation and hard work has maintained his sense of humor and dedication to excellence.
It’s all on display at Kasey’s, Russell’s charming little restaurant on River Road within steps of the scenic Delaware. Even on a day when the restaurant was ostensibly closed, we found Kasey’s bustling. Carloads of guests kept pulling into the parking area, many of whom are regular patrons. Drawn by the inspired comfort food and the more than reasonable prices — dinner entrées range from Chicken Fingers served with Brew City Fries & Coleslaw ($8.75) to Land and Sea, a 12-ounce Delmonico Steak and Lump Crab Cake served with two vegetables, for just $19.95 — they’ve found a genuinely appealing family restaurant right in their midst. And they love “Cash Night,” an alternate Tuesday or Thursday evening when soup, entrée, and dessert are available for $10 cash!
Speaking of “paragon,” that’s the name of the successful catering operation founded by Russell several years ago and now run by his son, Russell Lebkuecher Jr., and his daughter, Kasey Lynn Moyer. Yep — you guessed it — his new restaurant, opened a little more than two years ago, is named after her. Paragon Catering (610-748-7041) has been providing top-flight full service for weddings, business meetings, picnics, and parties of every kind and size, from here to Bethlehem and the Poconos. From specialty food menus to entertainment, Paragon does it all.
Also noteworthy at Kasey’s on the Delaware is the presence of Russell’s wife Kim, who serves up breakfast every morning starting at 7:00. Guests can order anything from Kasey’s legendary Homemade Creamed Chipped Beef served over toast with a side of home fries, to Russell’s award-winning Chili Burrito, a chili and cheese omelet wrapped in a tortilla shell, topped with Pico de Gallo, sour cream and cilantro.
Russell says that his staff has been amazingly loyal, many having served at his various restaurants (including Kasey Lynn’s in Hellertown) and with Paragon Catering, for literally decades. Interestingly enough, the owner of Bucks Bounty, a restaurant previously located at the site of Kasey’s (from 1990 to 2014), a genial, courtly Dutchman named John VanderLinden, still works at Kasey’s several nights a week! As they say, they just can’t stay away.
John, who came to America from Rotterdam in 1961, hand-painted Kasey’s striking mural on the eatery’s pitched ceiling. He said that he and his brother, Peter, “made like Michelangelo, painting on our backs,” to create the colorful Native American motif of long-horned bucks butting heads that guests still rave about. In fact, Bucks Bounty won an award in 1996 as the best-designed restaurant in Bucks County.
It’s in this setting that guests enjoy their repasts. Eve and I started our meal with sumptuous bowls of Manhattan Clam Chowder, generously chocked with hearty potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and clams in a tangy tomato broth. Russell said it’s his father’s recipe. The elder Lebkuecher, who cooked for his service mates in the Air Force and later served as a chef at the Union League, has passed on more than just his passion for cooking to his resourceful son. He often told Russell that the two greatest things in the world are food and music, and that one should never take shortcuts. So Russell pours his all into Kasey’s, and his loyal regulars have responded in kind, as have guests, including state troopers and policemen, who come from as far away as King of Prussia, Allentown, and Philadelphia, to enjoy Russell’s culinary creations.
On the late afternoon of our visit, as the restaurant was just rousing to life, Russell treated us to a few tunes on Kasey’s hundred-year-old piano (a remnant of John VanderLinden’s proprietorship), sounding amazingly like Louis Armstrong in his stirring rendition of “Wonderful World.” Patrons can enjoy live music cabaret on weekends, although Russell will more than likely be tuning up the pots and pans in the kitchen.
Our dinner consisted of the two separate components of Kasey’s Land and Sea. Eve said her Delmonico steak, broiled to perfection, was the best she’s had in years, and I had to agree that my Lump Crab Cake, with virtually no filler and no need for a knife, was the best I’ve tasted in years. Our desserts — homemade peach and apple pie a la mode — were also spectacular. Russell complimented “the unbelievable baked goods” created by Ginny Weaver, his 80-year-old pastry maven.
Kasey’s on the Delaware is truly a find, a hidden gem. Don’t miss it!
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Kasey’s on the Delaware is located at 991 River Road, Upper Black Eddy, PA 18972; 484-305-1310; www.facebook.com/Kaseys-On-The-Delaware/. Open daily 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. Paragon Catering: 610-748-7041. Available for private parties. Live cabaret weekends. Reservations recommended weekends.
