This article is brought to you by our friends at Beaver County Auto.
You know what I could go for again? Quality Time and Carry Out’s white cake with fruit that I had at the Beaver Cake Walk,” repeated my sister, for days after the event. After the week of brainwashing, I had to go try out this place for myself.
Quality Time and Carry Out sits on the main drag of New Brighton, brightly painted, with handwritten specials on a chalkboard outside. Inside is open and airy, with a wall of games and toys, which immediately had my toddler’s attention. Marion Schwartz, owner and chef, welcomed us from inside the large window peering into the restaurant’s kitchen. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. When asked about the restaurant decor, she explained, “We wanted to create a family environment with a home cooked menu and an atmosphere that (is) surrounded with games and books. We even have a few chalk board tables. We want when someone says let’s go get some quality time it means just a little more then just food.” Starting to see the vision that Marian and her New Brighton native, boyfriend and partner, Langdon McComas were painting, I asked where the inspiration for the name came from. Marian explained, “We came up with the name Quality Time because it’s so hard to actually get quality time with your family or even friends.”
The menu is packed with options ranging from delicious salads to speciality Mac and cheeses. Marian explained, “I based the menu off of comfort foods and family favorites. I also get excited when I can use as much local fresh fruits and veggies from farmers markets.” As the diner, the options are unlimited, “My favorite thing is that I have the freedom to make my customers anything they want on or off the menu. As long as we have the stuff to make it.”
After a waging an internal battle over the Fiesta Chicken Salad or the Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese, I opted for the salad and was not disappointed. Served on a bed of crisp greens, piled high with shredded chicken, homemade black bean and corn salsa, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. Aside from a stray tomato, which my daughter happily finished, the salad was soon a thing of the past. When asked I asked Marian about her favorites, she shared, “My favorite thing to make is new recipes. I love playing around with new food ideas or ingredients. However, my favorite thing to eat is probably a tie between salads and desserts!” I can honestly say that the Fiesta Chicken Salad was easily my new favorite.
Having worked in different restaurants in various roles since she was 17, she fell in love with the career, but she explained, “It wasn’t until I became a mother that I started teaching myself how to cook and that’s where the dream started.” Quality Time and Carry Out is more then just a place for Marian to share her love of food, “I know from my own experience it’s a struggle to make time for all the people in our lives that matter to us. But food does have a way to bring people together.”
