Many moons ago, 15 years-worth of moons perhaps, representatives of the Cunningham Restaurant Group gave insight to the success of Stone Creek Dining Company in Montgomery, and other locations of the small chain. Those folks told Dining Out back then that satisfaction of patrons was paramount. In the scheme of things, they felt little else mattered. Satisfying the dining public drove every other aspect of the enterprise, from quality to value to service, and to whatever else led to pleasing each and every patron.
Today, according to the website, that group operates five restaurants under the Stone Creek name. Four of them are Indiana-based, located in Greenwood, Noblesville, Plainfield, and Zionsville.
The classic salmon salad
About those Stone Creek locations, including the Montgomery eatery, the group says the following: “With a focus on innovative cuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere, each Stone Creek Dining Company offers a unique ambiance. Stone Creek is dedicated to creating memorable moments for our guests and being the restaurants of choice for unforgettable dining experiences of exceptional quality and value.”
That is a grand statement. It is a statement that rings true to anyone who has dined at the Montgomery location, I’m betting. While the “upscale” claim is validated simply by the look of the place, there is another, warmer, more engaging quality about Stone Creek that hits home with me. GMs over the years have told Dining Out of a community tie that is no coincidence. In exact words, one manager of yore said: “We are a neighborhood restaurant, so we want to make sure we take care of the people who live in this community. 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.”
So, whatever a patron wants is fine with them. To me, that sentence says volumes about the patron-centric mindset at Stone Creek. How many times have you been in a restaurant where your server drives a narrative designed to maximize the check? Fast-food joints are infamous for this annoying upsell tactic. But I’ve been in fine-dine places where the same strategy is at work. “Can I start you off with some appetizers?” Or “Would you like a side (dish) with that entrée?” Then “Anyone care for dessert or an after-dinner drink?” Innocent suggestions? Hardly. My experience at Stone Creek is that servers present the menu and allow me and those at my table to make our own decisions.
The triple dip appetizer
A recent trip to Stone Creek amplifies all of this. To set the scene, another couple, my wife, and I attended an afternoon sporting event (where my football Bearcats racked up yet another loss, that week to a team they should have beaten, in UC’s debut season in the Big XII conference). While at the game, we all had lunch-snack type eats and a beer or two. After the game, nobody was starving, but all were in the mood for something to take the edge off our appetites while rehashing the game. So, where to go? Consensus was that Stone Creek was on the way home, and even if the restaurant was full, unlikely at that late afternoon time, we could probably get a seat at the bar or one of the high-top tables in the bar. We could have a glass of wine and maybe the three-dip appetizer sampler we’ve enjoyed several times before. So, off we went.
Our surmise about snagging a table proved accurate, and we sat down to just what we wanted. We each ordered a glass of wine from the by-the-glass list. One of our group of four was hungrier than he realized, and had the salmon salad, which he shared, and all of us took from the triple dip appetizer board. The featured scoops on that 3-dip collection are Brussels sprouts au gratin, guacamole, and roasted garlic hummus. The scoopers include grilled flatbread and slices of French bread crostini. Delicious!
We four spent an hour and then some over our food and drink. Our server was attentive and engaging, but in no way pushy or suggestive, other than to ask if we had everything we needed. We did have everything we needed, along with a fine experience at a place that wants above all else to satisfy its patrons.
See you at Stone Creek Dining Company!
