Early spring in northeast Ohio isn’t conducive to doing much of anything besides curling up with a good book by the fire. But we ventured out on a cold and foggy Sunday morning to try lunch at Horizons Restaurant in the Lodge & Conference Center at Geneva State Park .
The lodge is located on Ohio 534 where it meets Lake Rd. in Geneva-on-the-Lake. It opened last May, the first state park lodge to be built in more than 13 years. The lodge is beautiful and built on a grand scale like many state park lodges I’ve seen, yet different in that it seems to impose on the landscape rather than blend with it.
The park encompasses 698 acres featuring 1.6 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, but you could have fooled us. It was so foggy we couldn’t even see where land ended and lake began.
So we turned our attention to eating - one of the few other activities suited for the weather. As soon as we passed under the faux grape arbor at the entrance to the large, octagonal-shaped restaurant, my dining partner knew what he would order.
At just $13, the brunch is a food lover’s dream. Make-your-own waffles, made-to-order omelets and quesadillas, pancakes, rolls and other breads, fresh fruit, prime rib, a dessert bar and more were spread on tables draped in green and white linen. Served Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. , it would be a great place to take a client in town over the weekend after an early round of golf.
I knew I’d overeat if I ordered the brunch, so I requested a lunch menu. Made up mostly of salads and sandwiches ($5-$8) with a couple of pasta dishes ($15-$16) thrown in for balance, I settled easily on an appetizer.
Touted as “Horizons’ Signature Item,” the popcorn walleye ($8) is bite-size chunks of fish, crisply breaded and deep-fried - not bad dipped in spicy pistola sauce (kind of a ranch dip with a little zing). The other appetizer was smoked salmon quesadilla with Boursin cheese, a cream cheese flavored with garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and chives ($7).
I asked our server John for help in choosing an entree. He polled his fellow servers and came back with suggestions for the chicken almond salad sandwich or the BBQ pulled pork.
The salad sandwich, with chicken breast, toasted almonds, grapes and chive mayonnaise on grilled sourdough, wasn’t what I had in mind that day. I lived in the South just long enough to miss Southern cooking if I don’t have it every now and then. So I chose the perfectly seasoned, Carolina-style pulled pork sandwich ($8). I removed the rather soggy bottom half of the bun and ate it open-faced.
The sandwich came with French fries and pineapple fries. This unusual side of hot pineapple strips covered in crispy breading was surprisingly good.
My companion was definitely satisfied with his choice. He saw me raise my eyebrows when he returned from his fourth trip. “I really haven’t eaten all that much,” he defended himself. I thought he might stab me with his fork when I reached for a second bite of his delicious raspberry cream-filled French toast.
Other lunch entrees include a Reuben, Philly cheese steak, Caesar and Cobb salads and a California club wrap with turkey, bacon, tomato and avocado. Chili and three-onion soup are also served.
We cast a few glances toward the floor-to-ceiling windows hoping to catch a glimpse of the lake, but the fog was thicker than the three-onion soup. John assured us he has personally seen beautiful sunsets and that diners usually have a great view of the lake. When the weather is nice, alfresco dining is available.
Just off the main dining room is Vintage, a wine tasting room featuring Ohio wines and daily wine tastings from 3 to 5 p.m. The lounge opens daily at 11 a.m.
Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts Inc. owns and operates the lodge. The company runs Deer Creek Resort and Conference Center in Ohio as well as Yosemite , Sequoia, Yellowstone and Grand Canyon national parks.
Jacob Kuhn, the lodge’s sous chef and interim chef de cuisine, worked at Niagara Falls State Park , another company property, before being transferred to Geneva . His favorite entree is the cornmeal-crusted walleye sandwich.
“It comes right from Lake Erie ,” Kuhn said. “People like it because it’s a local item and that’s what they’re looking for when they come here.”
He has plans for a seasonal menu system for both lunch and dinner.
“The menu has been the same since we opened,” he said. “We’re still testing out what works, what sells.”
He plans to make many of the restaurant’s salad dressings from scratch, as well as some of its desserts. Two of his ideas made my mouth water - strawberry rhubarb cobbler and a peach shortcake. A piece of one of those desserts and a desire to see the view is enough to make me want to return soon.
For Horizons reservations, call (440) 466-7100, Ext. 3123.
Laura Freeman reviews restaurants regularly for the Lake County Business Journal. |
