Lancaster Physician Winter 2018 - 39

winter 2018

Horse Inn

Located on Fulton Street, the Horse Inn, as
described on their website, is indeed a bit "off
the beaten path." John had been there before,
but we still needed to use GPS to direct us,
as the area is not one that we typically travel
through. We also happened to go out during
some snow showers, which made the travel
a bit tentative but put us in a festive mood.
We found the building easily. There was
fairly ample parking half a block away in a
dedicated lot. A colorful mural on the wall
of the neighboring building hinted at the
1920s theme that awaited us. As we entered
the building, we were greeted by another
mural, this one of a cowboy, that helped set
the ambiance for the evening. As we walked up
the stairs to the main entryway, we wondered
whether there was any handicap access. (My
google search revealed that the building was
deemed historic in 1974, meaning they don't
have to make such accommodations, but they
are considering building some sort of lift.)
A small bar to the right awaited us at the top
of the stairs. Christmas decorations adorned
the bar, and there was a chalk drawing of a
scene from "A Christmas Story" at the side
of the bar, which was very detailed and well
done. We walked ahead toward the back of the
entry room and were greeted by the hostess.
We were informed it would be a 20-minute
wait. It was a busy place for early Friday night
(about 5:30 p.m.)-even with inclement
weather! We decided to have a drink at the
entryway bar. Our bartender, Mike, greeted us
in a jovial manner. They do not have draught
beer at this bar, but Mike went to the bar
inside the restaurant to grab me a St. Boniface
IPA (unfortunately, they did not have Wacker
on tap that night, though Mike reassured us
they usually do). John ordered his traditional
martini, stirred not shaken, with olives, which
Mike made to John's satisfaction. My wife was

relieved to learn they have diet Coke (she is
not a Pepsi fan). The wait was a little longer
than 20 minutes, but we were enjoying the
atmosphere of the bar and each other's company, so we didn't mind. The hostess came to
get us when our table was ready.
We were seated at a table in one of the
several "stalls" at the side of the dining area.
The "stall" was complete with what looked like
a hayloft above and a feeding trough on the
wall for a horse-a unique décor that added
to the enjoyment of the evening.
The service was a bit slow, but given the
busyness of the place, we were not surprised.
Our waitress was cheerful and informative,
giving us some of the history of the building.
We learned it was a genuine speakeasy during
prohibition, which we found fascinating. We
also noted her attention to detail as she noticed
one of the small candles at the table was out
and needed to be relit.
We sampled the Horse Fries and Wings
(chicken wings) for our appetizers. We found
the fries absolutely delicious and leaving us
wanting more. Despite the rich, creamy garlic
sauce, they retained their crispiness. The wings
were a bit spicy, which I loved but the wives
found a bit too strong.
John ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which
was served with a mildly spicy sausage sauce.
The grits were creamy, offering a delightful
alternative to pasta or rice. The suggested
pairing with Pinot Noir rounded out the
experience nicely. John plans to have this dish
on "stand-by" for future visits.
John's wife, Marianne, sampled the Horse
Inn Burger, which was made with several types
of ground beef, including aged beef. She paired
it with a stout beer. She loved it, although she

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PHYSICIAN

thought a different beer, served colder, would
have been a better pairing.
My wife, April, had the infamous Tips 'N
Toast and was not disappointed. It does not
come with sides, so she ordered the Brown
Buttered Cauliflower and the Roasted Potatoes.
She enjoyed it all. She even took home a doggie
bag and enjoyed the rest the next day for lunch.
I decided to try the Buttermilk Chicken.
With sides of collard greens and cornbread,
and served in a white sauce, I found the dish
tasty and filling.
Despite a very filling and satisfying meal,
we had a little room left to try some dessert.
We sampled the homemade ice cream and
buttermilk pie. The flavor and texture of the
ice cream reminded us of the roadside dairies
of Lancaster County, yum! The buttermilk
pie, with a consistency similar to cheesecake,
was great.
April and I thoroughly enjoyed our first
experience with the Horse Inn and are planning
on making it a regular dining out spot in the
coming year. We look forward to trying out the
other dishes on the menu, though we will likely
repeat previous selections, too, given how delicious
they were. We will probably try to go at off-peak
times, as the restaurant is clearly a very popular
place (and we understand why!).

Horse Inn

540 East Fulton St., Lancaster
(717) 392-5528
www.horseinnlancaster.com
http://www.horseinnlancaster.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Lancaster Physician Winter 2018
