When the frost is on the pumpkin, the Stonersville Hotel delivers a warm and cozy welcome to discerning diners seeking excellent cuisine in a truly comfortable atmosphere. With its heavy wooden tables lit by individual oil lamps and its history dating back to before the Revolutionary War — starting as The Compass in 1733 — the Hotel and bar is open year-round featuring a broad menu created from a distinct collection of recipes.
From their classic, downhome Shepherd’s Pie to an elegant 8-ounce Filet with a Wild Mushroom au Jus, Chefs Karin and Irvin Heinly aim to please, not only with quality preparations, but with portion sizes, too. “Our motto is ‘If you go home hungry, it’s not our fault,'” Karin laughs.
To start, welcome Stonersville’s Fresh Bruschetta appetizer into your life, especially if you’re thinking, “I love bruschetta, but how different could this be?” Try it. It is several notches above your average bruschetta: made with crispy, crunchy garlic bread wedges that are toasted then drizzled with a sweet-tart, gleaming dark balsamic glaze and topped with cheese shavings. The piquant tomatoes come in a bowl for easy scooping, mixed together with fresh-chopped parsley, finely diced purple onions, basil and other herbs which mingle yet allow individual flavor bursts with each bite. No wonder this app is so popular.
Inspired by the same rough-style batter used to make Cape Cod-style fried clams, the restaurant’s New England Chowder House Onion Rings are thin-sliced and delightfully crumbly, delicious on their own or when dipped in a creamy, tannish-pink horseradish sauce.
Equally appealing is the Hot Artichoke Dip, served with tortilla chips, or the Hot Crab Dip on toasted baguette chips.
Soup offerings include a Baked Tomato and Mushroom specialty topped with provolone or a deeply beefy, totally traditional Classic French Onion Soup with croutons, served in a crock with baked cheese melted all over and spilling down the sides.
Stonersville’s the kind of place where you can happily just peel back that cheese and pop it into your mouth. No pretenses here.
The salad menu is extensive, and each can easily serve as a full meal. In late fall, consider the Grilled Salmon Filet Salad (that’s 8 ounces of salmon in leafy greens tossed with honey dijon vinaigrette) or a Chicken Harvest Salad with tart apples, cranberries, toasted almonds and onions in a House Apple Vinaigrette.
The western side of our illustrious Commonwealth is celebrated with the Pittsburgh Salad; that’s a salad dominated by 8 ounces of sirloin, malt vinegar fries and a chunky homemade Bleu Cheese dressing.
Thankful Turkey Burger
Stonersville Hotel offers a taste of Thanksgiving all year long with a fanciful burger topped with cheddar, a mouthwateringly herb-flavored stuffing, and fat slices of tangy cranberry sauce. The shiny brioche bun is the perfect bread tying the treat together. For a change of pace, add some cottage fries for their robust baked-potato flavor.
Steak, imaginative burgers, wraps and flatbread pizzas (including the intriguingly citrus-y Lemon Pizza with lemon slices, smoked mozzarella, and oregano — just try it) are but a few of the numerous entree options. Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan comes with the pasta du jour, garlic bread and soup or salad. There’s also Shrimp and Crab in a Pesto Cream Sauce with pasta for diners who adore an elegant approach to seafood.
The Fish & Chips, a house specialty, pays homage to luscious haddock. “This is a real favorite with a lot of our customers,” says Chef Karin, who not only stays true to the recipes she uses, but always gives credit where credit is due: “This one comes from a 101-year-old woman from Boston!”
The delicate fresh haddock flavor is enhanced by a beer-battered dip and expert frying; it arrives plated in large, whole, shiny, fist-sized pieces, surrounded by a bed of crispy French fried potatoes — great with malt vinegar or just ketchup. And oh, that cole slaw! It’s utterly creamy, very delicately seasoned. Bunches of tiny grapes add a country wine touch to the whole experience.
Secret Ingredients
Stonersville’s Shepherd’s Pie feels like it belongs in this space, this old hotel setting. You can imagine it being served here for generations, although not this specific version developed by the chefs. “There are definitely some secret ingredients in here,” smiles Karin confidentially. It’s best to just order this dish and have a guess. The medley of corn, carrots and peas enmeshed with savory beef serve as the ground below a cloud of soft mashed potatoes and gravy. A tantalizing aroma emerges as you push back the spuds and reveal the treasures beneath.
This month, the specialty dessert of the season is a Harvest Sundae, setting a buttery Navaho fry bread, chewy and doughy, at the base, which is draped with sautéed raisins and Granny Smith apples, a little brown sugar, and sweet cream topping punctuated by flecks of cinnamon. With coffee, it’s a most satisfying ending.
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By Marian Frances Wolbers | Photos by Heidi Reuter
