(not mine. not yet)
It was a Saturday night in downtown Lancaster. The block was abuzz with proms, Launch and a wedding. A friend selected Penn Square Grille as the gathering table to celebrate his 40th birthday with friends.
Having never been I checked out the website and chatted with some other Fig Lancaster food bloggers for suggestions, Eric Dishes and Food Love Lancaster. Both insisted on the skirt steak. Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s talk getting there.
Penn Square Grille is located on King and Queen with garage parking on Duke, just a block off the square. It’s tucked into the magnificent Marriott with fine dining at the Penn Square Grille and a bar menu in the Rendezvous Lounge.
While waiting for the birthday boy we ordered lounge drinks. The cocktail menu is seasonal with recipes contributed by the bar tenders. I was intrigued by the herbal concoctions and will say (sorry, Rendezvous) the best herbal libations I ever enjoyed were from FARMiCia, in Philly. I did enjoy the soft flavors in my cocktail. It was the lavender that seduced me and the herb garden that will bring me back.
The concept as, I gathered, is a locally sourced, seasonal and thus fluid menu. The entrees my blogger pals suggested were not to be found because the menu changes. When we sat, at the large table with generously sized, melt into them chairs, we were welcomed with an amuse-bouche of herbed goat and cream cheese, beet marmalade (TO DO) and fresh chips. Needless to say we left those dishes looking like a hot mess, we all enjoyed.
Here is the most popular dinner entree and a fun ring I picked up at the Indie Girl Art Fest from Magpie Francies … oh! and the bracelet (same fest) made by Designs by Danelle. These are all sea themed so I clicked a pic.
Dan and I shared the mac and cheese as a starter {duh, do you know me}. We loved it’s creamy, salty and hint of sweet texture and flavor. Rich. Very rich. It had a hint of heat too, which I enjoyed. Dan sampled the goat empanadas, another crowd favorite. The butcher block is a next time must… not just meat and cheese, it was pickled fiddle heads and fruit. The house specialty was the calamari and everyone, but me, raved. {only because I don’t eat meat and most fish}
There are vegetarian options and that’s the mood I was in. I enjoyed the Central Market Salad and Spring Gnocchi as an entree. It was gnocchi at it’s fluffy best, dissolve in your mouth puffs in a vegetable broth with fresh spring vegetables.
Needless to say, everyone was in heaven with the presentation of the scallops, perfectly seared and seasoned. The Lamb was enjoyed by the birthday boy with a portion large enough to take home. It could be we filled up on the first course and needed room for dessert that some folks carried out.
Dessert.
Well.
It’s hard to say what was more beautiful that night… a 4oth with friends, conversation, mac and cheese, vanilla lavender cocktails, the auntie anne’s pretzel, laughs, the chairs, beet marmalade or time out with dan… but it just might have been …
the arugula ice cream. maybe the mint? know it might have been the Wilber chocolate cake or berries with a golden laced dome …
You will need to go for yourself. We will be back to try something new off this seasonal menu.
Leave a Reply