I have a confession to make: large menus with lots of choices scare me. I find them overwhelming and they usually foreshadow mediocre food. No restaurant can possibly make decent tacos, home-style meatloaf, spaghetti, omelets and pancakes. It is just not possible. 

Imagine my horror when I walked in to Strawberry Fields and their behemoth menu was placed in front of me. All of these choices! A place that specializes in pancakes, burgers, Italian food and strawberry dishes cannot do them all well. 

Let's just say I was pleasantly surprised with Strawberry Fields. 

As the name indicates, the decor and menu have been inspired by the Beatles. Pictures, albums, and other memorabilia hang on the walls. The menu has sections like, "I wanna hold your hash," and "Please Please Me Burgers." Strawberry Fields also refers to strawberries being all over the menu, so there is a literal connection as well.

It is obvious that a lot of thought and care went into this menu. There is quite literally something for everyone and even a few things I haven't seen on a menu anywhere else.

Strawberry soup is one such item. There's nothing complex about the soup: strawberries, sugar, and heavy cream blended until smooth. Think melted strawberry ice cream, but less sweet. A light and fruity soup that is perfect for waking up your palette before the main course.  

One of the house dressings is a tangy strawberry vinaigrette. It takes a little getting used to, but this dressing grows on you.  

Before jumping to the main course, take a detour to the appetizers and order a platter of potato nachos: Thick-cut sliced potatoes topped with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and served with sour cream and ranch dressing. Potatoes have a crisp exterior and a creamy interior. The melted cheese and chewy bacon bits are perfect potato play pals.  

Off the Please Please Me Burger section of the menu, Mean Mr. Mustard's burger is a classic bacon cheeseburger with grilled onions. Hand-formed beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, expertly cooked thick cut bacon, and sugary grilled onions, there's nothing wrong with this burger. Moist and juicy burger with lots of cheese and high quality bacon, you can't deny the simple pleasure of this burger.

From burgers we move to Italian—gnocchi to be precise. Gnocchi are pillowy potato dumplings that are dense and filling. A bowl of gnocchi is a stick-to-your-bones, or rather stomach, kind of meal. It's perfect for a cold winter's eve.  

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the gnocchi at Strawberry Fields. The meat sauce was obviously made in-house with its herbaceous sweetness and pleasantly bitter finish. I added two handmade meatballs that were an excellent compliment to the hearty dish. One portion was enough for me to eat lunch and have leftovers for at least one meal following.

Aside from the strawberry soup and vinaigrette, there a number of other items on the menu containing strawberries. Strawberry-almond pancakes are an intriguing blend of nutty and tart. The pancakes are fluffy and airy, much different than the flat discs some places serve.

Strawberry shortcake is, of course, one of the signature desserts. Pound cake is made in-house and is layered with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and strawberries. Oddly, this was probably the most disappointing part of the meal. Strawberries tasted out of season, the pound cake was dry, and the ice cream was overly sweet. Just not a good way to finish the meal.

Strawberry shortcake aside, everything else was good or better. Strawberry Fields is that rare place that serves all kinds of food and does it well. Whether you are hungry for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, burgers, pancakes, or Italian, this is your place.