Chalet In The Valley Restaurant — Restaurant in Dover

For our monthly excursion around the state, my wife and I decided to go to Amish country and shop. We picked up cheese and a few other quaint sundries. She had seen a place online that wasn't the standard fare (Der Dutchman is ok, but they serve the same thing every visit), so we decided to hunt it down. Chalet of the Valley was that place.

Upon entry, we were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. Our server, Amy, came right over and took our drink and app order. We decided to try the Fondue for Two. This was in no way a mistake...at all.

When the fondue arrived, I speared a piece of bread and gave it a roll in the cheese. It was warm and stretchy and made us laugh. I popped the cheesy cube in my mouth....and time stopped. I hadn't even begun chewing before the flavor stopped me in my tracks. Swiss, wine and butter assailed my senses. I wanted to hug the server. Amazing doesn't even begin to cover the smooth, sweet, buttery and cheesy flavor of this fondue. We ate it slowly, along side dinner.

I ordered the Jaeger Schnitzel and my wife ordered the Kase Schnitzel, we both got the Rosti potato pancake as a side. I had broccoli and hollandaise and she had onion strings as her second. The food arrived piping hot and fragrant. The first bite again floored me. The veal was meltingly tender and the sauce was strong, bright and paired well against the fried meat. A lemon wedge comes along side to help cut the richness. If you like red wine sauces, you will NOT be let down by this dish.

The rosti is pan-fried and covered with Guggisberg swiss cheese (that is made RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET). If I had a single thing to cast as a negative, the potatoes could have been cooked just a bit longer. There were a couple, very small bites that still had some raw crunch. The sharpness of the swiss easily redirected my mind to the overall deliciousness of the dish.

I'm not usually a dessert guy. I'd rather have a great meal than worry about the sweets that really don't appeal to me at that point in time. With the outstanding flavors I had just experienced, I had to try their Apple Streusel. It was a good decision, indeed.

When the streusel arrived, it was warm and fragrant with apples and vanilla. When my fork touched it, the pastry on top crackled and shattered. The apples were cooked through and still had a nice firmness. I rounded up some of the vanilla sauce and took the first bite. It made Mom's Apple Pie cry. The pastry layers were separate and crispy. The vanilla sauce was creamy and thick. It clung to each bite and brought a burst of happiness with each bit of the pie.

This was the best experience I have had in a restaurant in at least 10 years. It was the best "out food" I have had in nearly the same time period. With tip, the bill was $88. It was truly worth every penny. I can't recommend this place any stronger than 5 stars. If I was able, I would.

The decor was warm and interesting. The alpine look was new to me. The servers were dressed in Swiss garb that fit right in. They were all friendly and always had a smile for you.

Go here...go here...go here. You will not be...

I am giving the place 5 stars because I have been coming here for many years, ever since my parents took me there when I was young I have loved the place. The first time I was there I remember 2 young workers outside chasing a goat that had gotten loose, it was hilarious and memorable. I have been going there ever since anytime I am in town. Chef Jeff has always been wonderful to my family as we go through the Sunday buffet line. We really enjoyed the restaurant when Ursula was managing the dining room. But this year it seems as though they have a new manager. Friday my family and I took a trip to Amish Country and ate at The Chalet as we typically enjoy doing. Our service and food was just as amazing as it always is. But unfortunately we were close to a situation that happened in the dining room with who I assume is a new manager. The waitress that was close to us was serving a table that had ordered the All You Can Eat fish lunch. The couple was attempting to share between the two of them one order of the All You can eat fish. The waitress attempted to explain that this could not be done. When the waitress walked away I could hear the couple talking about how they knew this could not be done and that they should not be making a fuss about it. But right after admitting this to themselves they complained about the issue more. The new manager got involved and actually cursed the waitress out right there in the dining room. A couple of minutes later when we had left our table, we attempted to explain to the manager what we had witnessed the couple saying and how they were attempting to get a free meal. The manager lady looked at me and stated "please do not concern yourself with the matters in our restaurant with our staff. The situation is over with and I will be seeing to it that it is handled internally". Ummmm if she is referring to handling the waitress internally, from what we saw the waitress handled herself just fine, it was the manager that became unprofessional and cursing her staff in the dining room. We love coming to the Chalet but it is going to take a little while for us to forget how this lady treated her waitress in front...

Coffee ONLY review:

I have passed by here many times on the way to work. There is a sign out front that says "European Coffee Experience." This piqued my interest, and made me want to stop to try the coffee.

Today, I finally stopped in, excited to get a cappuccino.

The hostess asked me if she could help me, and I responded with my wish to purchase one of my favorite coffee beverages. She asked me if I wanted any flavoring in it, which I thought odd.

A standard cappuccino is made with 1/3 espresso, 1/3 (or less) steamed milk, and 1/3 (or more) frothed milk. No flavoring is needed, because the emphasis is on the quality of the drink itself.

To my dismay, she walked over to a machine that could well be likened to something that you would find in a grubby gas station , pressed a button marked "cappuccino," and out came a mixture of milk, espresso, and foam.

I was shocked beyond words, but since the drink was already made, I thought I should pay for it.

The barista/hostess didn't know how to run the cash register, and walked away to find a manager to check me out. (Inwardly, I wanted to run away without paying at this point)

When she made it over to take my card, I mentioned that the sign said "European Coffee Experience" and that I was startled by the gas station cappuccino machine. She laughed and said, "Yes, its just an espresso concentrate, but it's really good for what it is." I bit my tongue and walked out.

The "cappuccino," served in a white Styrofoam cup, tasted like I knew it would; prepackaged, bland, and altogether NOT "European Coffee Experience."

Still, I would like to go sometime and eat here. I hope the cuisine is not as good as...