In the three short years since its opening, The Colonial has emerged as a pioneer in the restaurant-pub trend occurring in Downtown Binghamton. It’s undoubtedly a hotspot, as my 6:15 p.m. arrival saw crowds of people outside the restaurant waiting for a table. Inside The Colonial, there was audible buzz about the upcoming Tuesday-night trivia event. The Colonial has certainly become an epicenter for Binghamton bar culture, but is the title warranted? My meal there yielded several answers, but before I jump to conclusions, I will start by describing the appetizers.

One of the most impressive aspects of The Colonial’s menu is its attention to vegetarian diets. Within the appetizer selection, there were multiple meat alternatives, including salads and a tempting French onion soup that could satisfy anyone looking to keep up their regimented diet, all without sacrificing the restaurant experience. For my appetizer course, I eagerly selected the tofu wings with “bang bang” sauce, the hottest sauce The Colonial has to offer. Although the wings provided a fun, spicy kick, they did not leaving me floored from the heat as I might’ve hoped, leaving a high ceiling for The Colonial to step up its spice game. However, the crispness of each tofu bite was undeniably delicious, making the appetizer a great first round for the evening.

For my entree, I ordered one of the most adventurous creations I have ever seen on a Restaurant Week menu: the PB and J Burger. The Colonial presents a burger with brie and bacon, sandwiched between glazed buns of peanut butter and jelly. As someone who will often indulge in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for a mid-afternoon snack, my curiosity was piqued to see how the combination translated to something as substantive as a burger.

The PB and J Burger was ultimately a unique culinary experience, as the sweet flavors of peanut butter and jelly did tastefully contrast the salty patty. Although I would not forecast this as the next groundbreaking culinary fusion, it is a fun and unique item on The Colonial’s menu. The brie was also a valuable compliment, as it helped provided further richness and depth to the overall creation.

For a side to my burger, I had cajun-seasoned fries. The cajun seasoning satiated my desire for some added flavor to the fries. However, most of the seasoning was concentrated toward the top, with only a select number of fries being coated. The Colonial compensated for this by providing a very generous serving of fries, as I was unable to clear my plate by dessert’s arrival.

Last, I had a peanut butter and chocolate milkshake, one of two dessert items offered on the Restaurant Week menu. The serving size for the shake was rather small, but it still had the delicious trademark blend of flavors that one could find in a candy-shop staple: the chocolate peanut butter cup.

The Colonial has captured the faithful patronage of Binghamton residents and Downtown enthusiasts. If you seek to experience the spot yourself, plan ahead and call in for a reservation or go during an off-hour. The busy influx can sometimes stretch the staff thin, but The Colonial still offers some of the most accommodating and inventive food on Court Street.