Restaurants can be remarkable places. Some more than others figure out how to do the business and creative ends of dining in ways that simply please patrons over and over again. One of those places is Stone Creek Dining Company in Montgomery. The restaurant prides itself on being a cross between a fine-dine destination and a neighborhood eatery. And it does so seamlessly.
“We are a neighborhood restaurant, so we want to make sure we take care of the people who live in this community,” said Tom Cunningham more than a decade ago in his role as managing partner. “So, if they want to come in and have a bowl of soup and a glass of wine, we are here to provide that; whatever they want is fine with us,” he continued.
In fact, there are several items on the menu that cause one to lean in the direction Cunningham suggested. One is the “classic” salmon salad. “It’s the number one selling dish in our restaurant,” management claimed. “It’s dressed with our garden herb dressing — sour cream and cream cheese-based — but we add a whole host of herbs to it to give (the dressing) an herbaceous, delicious taste and one that complements the salad greens perfectly.”
The #1 selling classic salmon salad
He said it’s not unusual for a couple to drop in and have salmon salads and wine and that’s it. Or a burger, or a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich or an appetizer sampler, all of which we’ll get to in a bit. The point is, elegant entrée or simple sandwich is available for Jewish diners-out at Stone Creek.
Let’s look closer. The classic salmon salad is scrumptious! As a salmon-lover, I appreciate salmon prepared by someone who knows how. One might think that a professional kitchen would be able to easily turn out a good piece of salmon. But grilled salmon done to perfection is more of a challenge than it would appear. Grilled yes, but not to the point of sapping all the juiciness out of the flesh. So, grill it quickly to crust the outside, then heat it in the oven just long enough and not a second longer, and serve promptly. Mine was perfect! And the salad, made up of romaine lettuce, bruschetta tomatoes, red onion, capers and parmesan cheese with hard-cooked egg garnish is simply delightful. Put a chilled pinot grigio next to it and the diner has a wonderful, healthful meal.
A classic burger with fries
Then there are the burger and the Italian beef sandwich, perhaps standard menu items of the corner pub/eatery/drop-in spot, but rare choices in fine-dine establishments. First the burger: “We have our specialty blend (of ground beef),” the GM stated.
He went on to explain that because the ground beef is proprietary and its process is highly controlled, the result is a product that can be cooked to medium rare with no worries. Plus, the flavor is enhanced by Stone Creek’s proprietary spice blend that is added at the time of grilling. The burger (hold the cheese) is taken through the garden — lettuce, tomato, red onion and mayo, and served on a brioche bun, nestled in among French fries, or sweet potato fries if you want.
The Chicago beef sandwich is a wonderful beef-eater’s delight, and if you have not had one, you’re in for a treat. It’s a French dip sandwich without the pedigree or the dipping au jus, to my way of thinking. This sandwich is so Chicago, having been around the Windy City since the gangster 1930s at least. It features thinly sliced seasoned roast beef piled into a slightly crusted hoagie roll. The beef is warmed in au jus, much like the dipping au jus for French dip sandwiches. The importance of this prep method is that the beef carries some of the jus with it when the beef is placed into the slit of the roll. The hinge of the roll typically becomes soggy with the jus, which in this case is a good thing. To further the style of Chicago, Stone Creek garnishes the sandwich with a giardiniera as is done in Chi-Town. If you have not had an Italian beef sandwich Chicago-style, be prepared to go through at least two napkins. They can be messy, but fun to eat, and I’m betting you’ll love the flavor.
The triple dip appetizer
Also, at Stone Creek, we had the triple dip appetizer board, served with grilled French bread crostini and grilled flatbread strips. The dips on the board are unusual, and oh my, is each delicious. First there is guacamole, rich and chunky, and simply scrumptious on the flatbread strips. Being an avocado fan makes this appetizer a real treat for me. Then there is the roasted garlic hummus, which is smooth in texture and delicious. And lastly, the Brussels sprout au gratin, which is a cheesy warm dip with a delightful flavor profile. Prediction: when the triple dip ramekins are empty, you’ll wish they weren’t.
See you at Stone Creek Dining Company!
