Springfield Restaurant Group

The Springfield Grille in Mercer hosted a Murder Mystery Theater Dinner last Monday and we had a packed house!

Mystery’s Most Wanted came back for the second year in a row with I Loathe Lucy.  Lucy always comes up with hair-brained schemes and someone was sick and tired of it!  It was our job to figure out who the murderer was.

The evening started off with Seafood Bisque and the best Riesling I’ve ever tasted.  Willamette Valley Riesling tasted sweet and light and it paired well with the heavier bisque.  While we were eating our soup, we were instructed to find all the clues at the different tables.

The main course came quickly after that and was a fantastic Tenderloin Roulade which was accompanied by Yukon Gold smashed potatoes.  The tenderloin had a mushroom stuffing that was a little bit sweet, but went nicely with the meat.  The companion wine choice was Santa Ema Cabernet Sauvignon.

After this course, we got to see both acts from Mystery’s Most Wanted.  They are so funny and are great at what they do!  There was audience participation and they cracked jokes with everyone sitting at the tables.  Everyone was laughing and having a great time.  After we were presented with all the facts, we got our dessert course so we could mull over what we knew.  The dessert was a raspberry turnover and absolutely delicious.  So basically, I couldn’t concentrate until I had eaten every last bite!  The actors came out and let us ask them each questions, but apparently, we forgot to ask one of the most important questions……..which I will not say because I’m insistent that you go and see this show when it’s playing elsewhere if you didn’t make it to ours!

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In the end, they gave out certificates to the ones that got the murderer right, but there was one award that I wasn’t aware existed……The Bonehead Award.  Can you guess where this is going?  Yep, yours truly was the recipient of the Bonehead Award.   I’m definitely displaying that certificate at my house for all to see!

All in all, this was an amazingly fun night and it was great to have entertainment with our dinner.  I think we will have to bring back Mystery’s Most Wanted by popular demand, keep checking for updates!

Springfield Grille – Mercer Employee of the Month

Sandy Bonkowski

Each month, we celebrate one of our outstanding employees for going the extra mile! As you can see, Sandy is willing to do whatever we need to help out around the restaurant!

Sandy lives in Mercer and has a son that is 17 years old.

Years with the company: I lost count after 10.

Position: Server

Favorite food from the Springfield Grille:  Ahi Tuna

Favorite Celebrity:  Chelsea Handler

Celebrity Look-Alike:  Amy Poehler

Favorite TV Show:  Hoarders

Favorite Color:  Black

Favorite Winter Activity:  Dreaming about summer.

Favorite Sport:  Football

New Year’s Resolution:  I don’t believe in resolutions because I think you should be the same person you are in January as you are the rest of the year.

What is one thing you would want if you were stranded on a deserted island?  A man with his own canoe, that way he can leave whenever I want him to!

Do you have any Pets?  I have a wild Jack Russel named Flash and a Chinese Water Dragon.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?  I can already read minds, so I’m set!

Who inspires you the most and why?  Chelsea Handler because she is hilarious!

The Springfield Grille in Mars hosted another wonderful wine dinner this past Monday.  Patrick from Capital Wines and Spirits was back again to lead us all in a blind taste of all the wines.  Each wine was 90 points or above and you could definitely taste why!  I was the lucky girl that got to sit between Patrick and Springfield’s General Manager, Dave Benson.  I had all of my wine and food questions answered right away!

Michelle introducing Patrick to everyone.

Executive Chef, Sam Michael, prepared a wonderful menu for us and I was really excited to try everything.  He was assisted by Chef Matt Flanery, who worked at our Boardman location until he came to us in October when Sam started.

Executive Chef Sam Michael and Chef Matt Flanery

Patrick described the first wine as metallic and fruity and told us it was from Southern Australia.  That gave me absolutely no idea at first…..until I tasted it.  Being a Riesling girl, I knew right away what it was!  It wasn’t as fruity as what I was used to, but that clear crisp taste had me at the first sip.  The Thomas Hyland Riesling was paired up with a Mahi Mahi Ceviche, which had me a little nervous at first, but was once again proven that anything from the Springfield Grille is good.  If you’re like me and didn’t know what ceviche was until now, it’s a raw fish that is cooked strictly in citrus juices.  The fish still gets cooked, but not by heat.  The Mahi Mahi was cooked in a blend of Tequila, lime, blood orange, roasted jalapeno, and cilantro oil.  It was amazing!

Mahi Mahi Ceviche

The next wine was not so easy for me to decipher.  We were told that it had aromas of peach, apricot, and jasmine and that it tasted very crisp.  I tasted it, and while it was very citrusy and good, I couldn’t figure out what it was.  Patrick told us it was a Trivento by Amado Sur Torrontes.  It paired really well with the Avocado and Tomato salad that was prepared for us.  The salad was prepared with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette, fresh basil, and shaved parmesan along with the sweet tomatoes and ripe avocado.  I absolutely love avocado, so this was one of the dishes I was looking forward to!

Avocado and Tomato Salad

Our next blind taste was a red wine, and if you have been reading this blog, you know I’m the furthest thing from an expert on red wines.  Patrick said that this wine would have a peppery and floral taste.  It really did taste peppery and there was a hint of marshmallow along with other flavors.  It was a good wine, but really tasted much better when paired with the Spanish Braised Oxtail Soup.  The soup was absolutely delicious and the decision to put this with the wine was a great one!  The soup came with a side of polenta croutons that tasted great when put in the soup.  The soup contained smoked hot peppers, tomatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms and spices.

Oxtail Soup and Polenta Croutons

The fourth wine was another red wine and was from Chili and had a very strong, smoky flavor.  Patrick said we would be able to smell hints of leather.  That always amazes me; the smells that you decipher in a glass of wine can range from dirt and leather, to fruit and spices.  This wine ended up being a Marques De Casa Concha Carmenere and was paired with the tenderest Veal Wellington.  The pastry was so light and fluffy with the right amount of sweet to it.  There was a creamy risotto side and the wellington was topped with a red wine demi-glace that had been cooked since the day before.

Veal Wellington

We ended the evening with a Mas De Leda Tempranillo which paired perfectly with the Chipotle Chocolate Brownie.  The brownie was covered in a crème anglaise that had an almost marshmallow flavor.   It started off sweet and ended with a bit of spice in your mouth, it was a great taste to accompany the rich taste of the Tempranillo.

Chipotle Chocolate Brownie

Everyone really enjoyed their evening and was very complimentary to the chefs.  If you would like to come try a wine dinner out for yourself, keep checking our Facebook page for upcoming events and promos.  Our next wine dinner will be Wine and Dine Your Valentine on February 13^th and 14^th.  Make sure you call and reserve your seats today!

Hickory Bar and Grille Employee of the Month

Rob Simmons

Each month, we celebrate one of our outstanding employees for going the extra mile! Rob puts forth that extra effort each and every day he is here!

Rob is married and lives in Jefferson Twp.  He and his wife will be expecting their first child in late August!

Years with the company: 4

Position: Line Cook

Favorite food from the Hickory Bar and Grille:  Three Cheese Alfredo

Favorite Movie:  Old School

Favorite Celebrity:  Will Farrell

Favorite TV Show:  The League

Favorite Color:  Red

Favorite Winter Activity:  Sled Riding

Favorite Childhood Cartoon:  Woody Woodpecker

Favorite Sport:  Hockey

New Year’s Resolution:  To run more.

What is one thing you would want if you were stranded on a deserted island?  My bed

Do you have any Pets?  4 dogs; 3 are beagle/cocker spaniel mix and 1 is pure-blooded beagle.

If you could have any super power, what would it be?  Flying

Who inspires you the most and why?  My wife, for her strength, courage, and drive.

Alyssa Asti is a Prep Chef at the Springfield Grille in Boardman and has graciously given us her Chicken Tortilla soup recipe!  Eat and enjoy!

Springfield Grille – Boardman Employee of the Month

Sue Smith

Each month, we celebrate one of our outstanding employees for going the extra mile! Sue brightens everyone’s day when she’s around!

Sue lives in Poland, OH with her husband.  They have two sons, Jeff, who is a software developer for Schwebel’s and Thomas, who is the General Manager for the Springfield Grille in Mercer.

Years with the company: 1 year and 1 month

Position: Private Dining Coordinator and Hostess

Favorite food from the Springfield Grille:  Grilled chicken salad with buffalo sauce and portobello mushrooms

Favorite Movie:  Con Air with Nicholas Cage

Favorite Color:  Emerald Green

Favorite Celebrity:  George Clooney

Favorite TV Show:  Criminal Minds

What is one thing you would want if you were stranded on a deserted island?  My hair dryer, my shampoo, my make-up, and clean clothes

Do you have any Pets?  Several dogs and 1 cat, but my golden retriever, Alex, is my favorite!

If you could have any super power, what would it be?  To end all the fighting and bring peace everywhere.

Who inspires you the most and why?  My son Thomas because he works so hard and takes great pride in his restaurant and employees.

The Springfield Grille was full of inspiration the other night when they combined their wine dinner with an artisan show.  There were seven different artisans that came to show off their talents.

The different artisans that were at the dinner were, Wendell August Forge, Horchler Photography, The Pottery Dome, Eli Blasko, Josh Emory, Kelly’s Korks, and Jthn. Moran Woodworks.  Valentyna Horchler from Horchler Photography, Kelly Boyd from Kelly’s Korks, and Eli Blasko are all employees of the Springfield Grille.  Even though we are all aware of our employee’s abilities, it was nice to let others have that opportunity as well.  They all brought different pieces of their work and there was even a silent auction.  It was a fun twist on the wine dinner and I loved looking at all the great stuff they brought.

To go along with the art gala theme, Executive Chef, Eric Shaw made an amazing and creative meal for all of us!  You could tell that every inch of this dinner was carefully themed and thought out and made the dinner more enjoyable.

Tom Smith, General Manager, introduced himself and got us started on the first wine, which of course was my favorite because it was a Riesling.  The Clean Slate Riesling had a clean fresh taste and paired great with Eric’s first course.  Crostinis and Goat Cheese were presented with a painter’s palette of dips, glaces, and purees.  It was served with an actual paintbrush and you could see that everyone had a great time using that to “paint” different flavors on their crostinis.  The dips were tomato, basil, balsamic, hazelnut, blueberry, horseradish, and mustard and you could combine all the different flavors to get different tastes.  Surprisingly, I loved how the horseradish tasted mixed with blueberry; it was so good!

The second course was a break away from the traditional salad and the presentation was gorgeous!  We had geometric fruit with a coconut balsamic reduction.  Each plate had a kiwi cut into a cube shape, a watermelon sphere, and a piece of starfruit in a pyramid shape.  With the addition of the blue sea salt and colors from the fruit and coconut reduction, the presentation of this plate was so colorful and appealing!   The wine pairing was a Tiziano Pinot Grigio and is also the name of a 16^th century painter named Tiziano Vericella.  What did I tell you?  Every detail of this dinner was completely thought out!

Our next course was Monkfish en Papillote with lemon artichoke compound butter and spinach.  Do you know what a monkfish looks like?  If not, definitely Google it and you’ll see why I was nervous about this next dish.  I was told that monkfish was “the poor man’s lobster” so I decided it was worth a try and it was delicious!  Everything was wrapped in a wax paper pouch and steamed together which made all the flavors combine with one another.  Eric described this dish as representing the depth and layers of art because there were so many layers of flavor within this dish. The pairing was Angeline Pinot Noir and was a dark plum color with a bit of a peppery taste.

The fourth course was chosen to represent the wild and exotic aspects of art and was another dish that was outside my comfort zone.  Wild boar chops were served with a peppercorn and blueberry demi-glace and had a side of whipped parsnips.  This dish was phenomenal!  It tasted like a cross between steak and pork and was really juicy and tender.  The rich flavor of the Clayhouse cabernet paired nicely with the boar chops.

In art, you must master the art of illusion, and that’s exactly what this dessert did.  At first sight, I thought we were getting a plate of sushi, but was shocked when I bit into it.  There were Cabernet soaked apples made to look like ginger, a wasabi pea was actually mint flavored icing, and the sushi itself was full of sweet coconut, chocolate, and raspberries.  We were given chopsticks and a side of chocolate dipping sauce and everyone enjoyed trying to eat with the chopsticks.  This was paired with Artezin Zinfandel and brought out the chocolate and raspberry flavors of the dessert.

The evening was so fun, it was hard to go home!  Everyone really enjoyed the artisans and the wonderful meal.  Our next wine dinner will be a Murder Mystery Theater and in the past has filled up fast!  Call for your reservations and keep checking our Facebook page for more details.

The last couple of months we have been making blog posts about all these fun wine dinners that the Springfield Grilles have been having, but maybe you’re not a wine drinker and you want to join in on all the fun.  Have no fear, the Iron Bridge Inn is serving beer!

Last Tuesday, the Iron Bridge Inn had a beer taste dinner and it was so much fun!  Executive Chef, Bryce Stanford, planned a wonderful line-up of dishes that paired well with all of the beer we tasted.  De Anna, Cassie, Amanda, and Nicole were the servers extraordinaire that night!  They made sure that everyone’s glasses were filled, the food was good, and that everyone was having a great time.  Dave made sure to come around and tell everyone about the beers and was really upbeat and friendly!

We could smell the first course before it even made it’s debut on our table; it smelled so good!  Our plates were placed on the table and we were presented with the most tender baby back BBQ ribs which were smothered in homemade cranberry BBQ sauce.  There were big plump cranberries swimming in the BBQ sauce and it gave it a very original taste.  The ribs were also served with apple nut cornbread and topped with fried cinnamon plantain crisps.  The pairing of Fireside Nut Brown Ale with this course was a great choice.  The nuttiness of the beer combined with the sweetness of the dish made for tasty combo!

Next was the K9 Flying Dog Winter Ale paired with the Oven Roasted Beet Salad.  The salad consisted of red and golden beets oven roasted and served over spring mix with Belgian endive, mandarin oranges, spiced walnuts, and sweet potato crisps.  The dressing was a basil extra virgin olive oil and peach white vinegar from the Enchanted Olive.  It was amazing!  I love salads and Bryce always does an excellent job of making them stand out in a meal.

The third course was New Orleans BBQ shrimp over gumbo risotto with asparagus spears and grilled tomato petals.  Every part of this course was mouth-watering!  The gumbo risotto was an interesting twist on regular risotto and really added a lot to this dish.  It was just the right amount of spice to go with the shrimp.  The pairing was Winter Solstice Ale and ended up being my favorite beer of the evening.  It had a really great cinnamon flavor and tasted great with the spiciness of the shrimp dish.

The fourth beer to come to the table was a Sam Adams Winter Lager which had a nice smooth flavor.  It was paired with char seasoned grilled lamb and red potato skewers served over saffron cauliflower mash with tavern pepper sauce.  I have never tasted better lamb than what we had at the Iron Bridge that night!  It was so tender and the red potatoes cooked right on the skewer with the lamb gave them a great char grilled taste.  I absolutely loved the mashed cauliflower.  My husband, who repels vegetables on sight, kept raving about the “mashed potatoes” and when he was finished, I told him that it was mashed cauliflower.  The surprised look on his face was priceless!

The last course of the evening was the Cappuccino Car Bomb Tiramisu.  I can honestly say, it was the best tasting dessert I had ever had.  This dessert had Jamison spiked coffee lady fingers which were layered with chocolate stout mascarpone cheese and topped with Baileys whipped cream.  Is your mouth watering yet?  It was such a deliciously light dessert which made the pairing of the Brooklyn Chocolate Stout so genius.  The beer was strong, too strong for me, but I was instructed to take a big bite of chocolate before I had a drink and I must say, it tasted so much better.  Again, the light flavor of the dessert to the dark strong flavor of the beer really paired well.

It was a great night with awesome food and wonderful company!  Everyone had a great time and all the empty plates were proof that the food was delicious!  Keep checking the Iron Bridge Inn’s Facebook page for upcoming events and promotions; you will not want to miss the next dinner!

Where can you take a wine tasting tour around the world in two or three hours?  Why the Springfield Grille of course!  The Springfield Grille in Boardman hosted a winter wine tasting on January 16^th and as usual, the dinner was a success!

When you walked into the private dining room, there was a nice cozy ambiance with the lights down low and the candles flickering.  I was ready to try some great winter comfort foods as well as some new wines I’ve never had before.

I was happy to see that I was sitting with Gabe, the wine rep from Purple Feet Distributing.  They provided some wonderful choices for our tasting pleasure that night!  Between Gabe and John, the local “Wine Guy,” I was able to get answers to all of my questions.  Tamela, Jenn, and Anna were all on their game that night, too.  They were all so accommodating and helped make the night fun!  Do you need more wine?  No problem!  You want a vegetarian option?  Sure thing!  This is what makes the events feel more like a fun family get-together than just a regular dinner.

BJ Sulka and Jon Chalky prepared the meal and it truly was an amazing dinner.  The first course was Miso shrimp with fresh papaya salsa.  This was the dish I was most excited about.  I love shrimp and I love fruit salsas.  The sauce they used on the shrimp was sweet with just a little bit of spice and it paired beautifully with the Cantaluna Sauvignon Blanc.  This was a Chilean wine and had a great refreshing taste with fruity undertones.

The second stop on our world tour was France.  This course was a grilled marinated long stem artichoke with fresh baked crostinis.  The French wine, Coquille D’oc Blanc was a blended wine that consisted of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat, and Viognier.  The wine tasted great alone, but I was surprised at the difference in how it tasted with the artichoke.  The artichoke was marinated in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, thyme, garlic, and shallots with the addition of some orange zest that BJ decided would go great with the wine.  Good call, BJ!  This is one of the many great reasons to come to a wine dinner.  All the work of pairing a great wine with a meal is done for you and you learn so much about the importance of making good choices with your wine pairings.

Our third course was a delicious roasted beef Ragu and Brucco pasta dish.  This was paired with Noster Priorat Blend, a Spanish wine.  I’m not really what you would call a pasta girl, but I ate every bit of this dish and probably could have had more!  This is now one of my top favorites for a winter-time meal.  The wine went really well with the pasta because it was a full-bodied red wine and had a lot of the darker fruit flavors like plums and figs.  Gabe told us that this wine scored 93 from Wine Spectator.  If you’re not familiar with this rating, it means that the wine is “Outstanding:  a wine of superior character and style” (Wine Spectator 2011).  You can also check out their website for more information on their rating scale at www.winespectator.com.

Next on the menu was a cranberry and corn bread stuffed porkloin with truffle wild mushroom mashed potatoes.  This dish was so good and the mashed potatoes were my favorite part of the whole meal!  The wine comes from California and was Robin K Pinot Noir.  Robin K is named after the winemaker’s wife, Robin.  The wine seemed to bring out the sweeter flavors of the cranberries in the stuffing and had a smooth, bold flavor.

The dessert left me speechless, which is a rarity.  It was a banana filled chocolate crepe with vanilla bean ice cream and it literally had comfort food written all over it.  The wine pairing was from Argentina and was a Mi Terruno Reserve Cabernet.  This wine was made by a female winemaker and that is actually quite rare.  It had a nutty flavor and paired very nicely with all the flavors in the dessert.  If you like strong robust wine, you would love this selection.

Once again, the staff at the Springfield Grille gave everyone an amazing evening!  The Springfield Grille in Boardman will be having two wine dinners in February; one on the 14^th and then on the 21^st and they usually do one almost every month.  If you are interested in coming call for reservations:  (330) 726 – 0895.

Keep checking our Facebook pages for upcoming events and promotions at all seven of our restaurants in the Springfield Restaurant Group.

Iron Bridge Inn Employee of the Month

Aaron Robert Churchill

Each month, we celebrate one of our outstanding employees for going the extra mile! Aaron has only been with us a short time, but has proved he is a dedicated employee!

Aaron lives in Slippery Rock with his wife, Alicia and his 14 month old daughter, Lillian.

Years with the company: 4 months

Position: Line Cook

Favorite food from the Iron Bridge Inn:  Depends on what I’m in the mood for.

Favorite Winter Activity:  Music, reading, and yoga.

Favorite Movie:  Clockwork Orange

Favorite Color:  Orange

Favorite Celebrity:  Anthony Bourdain

Celebrity Look-Alike:  Steve Buscemi

Favorite TV Show:  Arrested Development

Favorite Childhood Cartoon:  He-Man

What is one thing you would want if you were stranded on a deserted island?  Help

If you could have any super power, what would it be?  Laser beam finger tips.

Who inspires you the most and why?  My wife and daughter, because I love them.