Leaf Restaurant Celebrates One Year

It's a Tuesday night at the and the restaurant is stirring with activity.

As some patrons eat dinner, a group is preparing for the weekly poker game, a game filled with cards, drinks and cigars.

For Jeff Brown, of the business at 90 Mort Drive next to the Famous Smoke Shop, Poker Night is just one of the many planned activities he's hoping will jumpstart business once again now that the restaurant has been open for a year.

"Business has been up and down," Brown said. "The weekends tend to be the busiest."

Brown is hoping to make the weekdays just as busy. And that has to do with changing the perception of Leaf as a "house on the hill."

He said a recent survey indicated that people believe that Leaf is a "high-end, ultra-expensive" restaurant.

"We want to be approachable," he said.

With that in mind, Brown started serving a lunch buffet for $7.99 Monday through Wednesday. The buffet features everything from prime rib, fried chicken, pulled pork, salads, hoagies, spaghetti and meatballs and assorted cheeses and fruits.

Also Monday through Wednesday, he's setting up prix-fixe dinners for the local crowd with an entree, soup or salad and a dessert for $24.99.

There's even a loyalty program where patrons get a point for every $1 that can be redeemed for a $35 gift card when you reach 500 points.

Brown said that he buys products locally -- from meats in Lancaster to cheeses from Klein Farms in Forks.

Leaf's clientele comes from all over the Lehigh Valley. You'll see signs promoting the business along Route 33.

Besides Poker Night, Brown has Ladies Night on Thursdays and "Wine Down Wednesdays" where any bottle of wine is half price with an entree. He's even brought in a jeweler to showcase jewels for women.

"We try to make something of an event," Brown said.

Brown believes Leaf has a lot to offer: a great location that's close to major highways and a well-lit parking lot where you don't have to worry about parking meters.

There's seating outside for 30 people, an air-filtration system that keeps cigar smoke away from diners, 10 craft beers, a fine music system and comfortable seats in the lounge.

"It's possible that people forgot about us a little bit," Brown said. "In the beginning, we got a lot of press."

They shouldn't, he said.

"This place can be your neighborhood place in Northampton County," Brown said.