The exterior of this restaurant doesn't look very inviting, but wow, you step into a fine dining establishment inside. There is a wide bar backed by a mirror for those looking to enjoy a nice cocktail, a large old hearth for those cold winter nights, and limited seating, so make reservations. We went on a Monday night and this place was still packed. It's rustic farmhouse decor inside, but then all the tables are custom made of thick granite with a live edge. What a neat look.
There's no kids menu but we felt that kids were welcome since they still had kids cups. We were invited to order for our 2 year old off of the casual fare menu which included a parmesan crust mac and cheese for $12. It was a huge portion and came with the vegetable of the day on the side.
The beer and wine selection was decent but the cocktails were excellent. I tried the wisdoms hue, which was a dry vodka cocktail with hints of grapefruit, rosemary, and sage. It was this gorgeous periwinkle color. So delicious I had to have 2.
The food doesn't come out immediately so you know the dishes are carefully prepared. We snacked on homemade harvest style bread with warmed butter. We had fried calamari for an appetizer, which was served with roasted corn and cherry tomatoes that themselves were bursting with flavor.
We ordered the chilled cucumber soup special, which was described as cucumber, coconut milk, and basil. It was a little bit of a surprise when it came out very, very spicy. Now, I love some heat in my food as do other members of my party, but we all agree it was up there. Not to mention that it wasn't part of the description or I might have passed. We didn't finish the soups. The waitress inquired with the chef who then revealed that there was just "a little jalapeno." Well, it was more than a little, and that would have been nice to know. At $9 per soup, no effort was made to make amends for this snafu.
For entrees, we ordered shrimp and scallops, the pork tenderloin, the duck breast, and a shrimp special served with homemade udon in a Thai curry sauce of coconut milk, yellow curry, and lemongrass. All entrees looked and tasted outstanding. The comments were that the pork tenderloin, cooked medium, tasted juicy like a steak. The shrimp special flavor was right on par with the best Thai restaurants. The shrimp and scallops were perfectly cooked and tender, served with a beurre blanc that was perfectly executed. The only dish that missed the mark was the duck. I ordered my duck medium rare, which is what I was told how the chef recommends it. As the waitress presented the dish, she said, "Now, that looks a little overcooked, so let me know if that isn't to your liking." Well, there is the second understatement of the evening. The duck was very small and was well done and tough to chew. She wasn't surprised that I sent it back. I have to ask that if the server could even tell a dish is not up to par, how can they not be embarrassed to serve this out of their kitchen? Are they banking on some customers paying $30+ for an entree and not complaining? Save yourselves the customer angst next time and just resolve to serve quality over quantity please. Well, at least the second try for the duck breast was delicious, crispy five spiced skin with tender and medium rare meat, and a much more reasonable sized breast. It was served over a soba noodle and arugula salad that had a bright citrusy dressing. However, no effort was made here, and no apology either.
I think overall, this place has the best food and drink in town. However, they are also one of the most expensive, rounding out at close to $150 per couple for dinner. They also miss the mark "a little" with their service, serving specials with inaccurate descriptions and overcooked duck breast knowing I would send it back. There is no kids menu despite family attractions being the main draw to town during the summertime, and this restaurant is 4 minutes from Story Land. It is worth a visit to try, taking in their service with a grain of salt. read more