Let's start with the particulars:
Starter:
Herb Flavored Pork Sausages
Lump Crab Cocktail
Cream of Mushroom Soup -- full flavor and creamy, a bit salty but the flavors of the oyster and Shitake mushrooms won me over.
Venison Ragout - lean tenderloin, sliced and seasoned, pan-seared with Shitake mushrooms and Lingonberries finsihed in a Merlot sauce, spaetzle and apple red cabbage.
Ok now that that part is done with lets get down to really what makes this place special...the service. Plain and simple the wait staff and the owner are wonderful and engaging and really seem to enjoy what they are doing.
Our waiter came around frequently but never intruded. The owner swung by in his casual gear that made it look like he was ready to challenge anyone to a soccer match in the parking lot and made light of things.
I can't really see the owner in the same light as Jennifer from an earlier review (1/3/2009) as there was also a very young baby, easily under a year, and was crying, but the owner actually interacted with him to calm down. Who knows, maybe Jennifer's review helped.
I really just want to share that the food here was excellent. The venison ragout was a blend of heaven as the sweetness of the lingonberries added a wonderful contrast to the creaminess of the sauce. The venison was beyond tender and the portion size was perfect. I didn't leave anything behind and I felt just full enough but wasn't bursting and crying like a child on the way home.
I highly recommend this wonderful restaurant nicely tucked away in a strip mall.
Pros: Great staff, hearty but not too heavy food
Cons: I don't live in the area so I can't come back too often
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