Gourmet Food Hides in the Hocking Hills (Review)
by Dave Shaut
Visitors walking through the doorway of The Lodge in Hide-A-Way Hills are greeted by a fantastic panoramic view of the Hocking Hills through the restaurant's glass door-and-windowed eastern wall. The restaurant was established about 30 years ago, at the same time as the private community surrounding it.
The large dining room offers a relaxed, casual atmosphere perfect for an evening dinner. The pine tables and chairs continue through the dining room into a small bar and lounge area. When the weather cooperates, diners can enjoy the fare from the deck overlooking the Hocking Hills. The deck is open from mid-May to October.
The Lodge features some of the area's best food and one of its only microbreweries. The menu changes every three weeks, or whenever the chefs decide to try something new. Guests can begin their meal with either of the restaurant's signature appetizers—crab cakes or a jumbo shrimp cocktail—before ordering from the ever-varying menu.
Some recently featured entrées have included Seafood Fettucine (fresh fish, shrimp and scallops in a hearty tomato based sauce enhanced with saffron, capers and kalamata olives tossed with fettucine noodles; garnished with sweet lump crabmeat), Focaccia Pizza (focaccia dough topped with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, sliced roma tomatoes, and sprinkled parmesan and provolone cheeses) and Shanghai Chicken (tender smoked chicken breast sautéed in sesame oil, sherry, soy and oyster sauce tossed with mushrooms, water chestnuts, snow peas, red bell peppers and bean sprouts served over Chinese noodles).
The menu lists wines or beers that complement the entrées. This is helpful, as the restaurant boasts a well-rounded wine list along with the Rushcreek Pale Ale or Rushcreek Lager, brewed on the premises. The Lodge in Hide-A-Way Hills also hosts special events, such as deck parties and wine tastings in the fall.
For those who are in the mood for casual dining with a beautiful view, The Lodge in Hide-A-Way Hills certainly fits the bill.
The Lodge is located at 1 Lodge Lane, off State Route 1, Hide-A-Way Hills, Ohio. It is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations calls (740) 569-4195.
[ Home | Staff | Subscribe | What's New | Articles ]