Historic Ligonier Tavern a Laurel Highlands landmark
Editor's note: This article was modified Thursday, Aug. 4, 2005, to correctly identify Lynn Barefoot.
No day trip to Ligonier in the Laurel Highlands would be complete without a stop at the Ligonier Tavern. In fact, eating there might be such a pleasure that you might have to stay overnight to allow time to visit nearby historic sites.
The restaurant -- in the original residence of William J. Potts, the town's first mayor -- is historic in itself. Built in the late 1890s, it was the first home in Ligonier to have indoor plumbing. By the late 1920s, it had been sold to another family and transformed into the Lincoln Hotel and Restaurant for weekend visitors.
In 1976, Wally and Rita Krieger, with their six children, purchased the Victorian building and continued as avid restaurateurs. One of their children, Heidi McKay, and her husband, Peter, took over in 1983, and have turned the Italian landmark into a showplace.
"We've made a lot of changes," says Peter McKay. "The only part that was being used was the downstairs (first floor) and the back room. We opened up the second and third floors and made a number of additions."
There is a charming second-floor balcony facing Main Street for outdoor dining and a backyard deck featuring live entertainment. Upper floors house theme banquet rooms for wedding receptions, anniversaries and other special occasions. Trompe l'oeil artwork can be seen throughout.
McKay describes the cuisine and atmosphere of Ligonier Tavern as fun, unique and affordable. It's a place where tourists can enjoy cocktails or dessert after a day of shopping or exploring Ft. Ligonier; where parents can laugh with the kids over meatloaf, potpie and spaghetti; and where starry-eyed couples can murmur romantic nothings while awaiting blackened boneless breast of duck or poached salmon with a creamy dill sauce.
Everything at the restaurant is made from scratch, including breads such as marble rye, tomato basil, ciabatta and Italian sourdough. There's even oven-fresh white bread for the kids.
"We try to keep the menu as fresh as the ingredients," says McKay. The cuisine has an Italian influence, with an emphasis on fresh fish and seafood.
Ligonier Tavern recently hired executive chef Lynn Barefoot to head the kitchen. "He can cook with the best of them," says McKay. Barefoot is a culinary graduate of the James Rumsey Technical Institute in Martinsburg, W.Va., and is known for his soups.
The dessert recipes were developed -- and previously made -- by Heidi McKay; foremost is the Loyalhanna Cheesecake, a three-layer dessert with an Oreo crust layered with pecans and almonds and glazed with a silky chocolate ganache. Heidi McKay has trained staff member Janet Matson to take over dessert duties while she stays home with her youngest child, who is 2, says her husband. The other McKay children -- 14, 17 and 19 -- work at the restaurant.
Peter McKay says he has customers from as far as Washington, D.C., and Hershey who stop by for a bite once or twice a year. The chef will pack patrons a picnic meal to go, if they'd like, or locals can take advantage of a home-meal replacement program called Takers. Takers features dinners that serve four, piping hot in 20 minutes, as well as boxed sandwiches and salads. They are served on a walk-in or phone-ahead basis.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Executive chef Lynn Barefoot of the Ligonier Tavern says that Chicken Tetrazzini is said to have been created for opera star Luisa Tetrazzini. He uses easy-to-eat penne pasta in this dish instead of the traditional spaghetti to streamline preparation and cooking time. There is no baking involved.
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) butter
- 6 ounces skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium-size button mushrooms, sliced
- Pinch of fresh thyme leaves
- Pinch of salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) dry sherry
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) chicken stock
- 3 ounces heavy whipping cream, more if needed
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil leaves, divided
- 4 ounces cooked penne pasta
Heat a saute pan briefly over high heat and add the butter. When the butter is melted, add the chicken strips and saute, tossing, until the chicken turns opaque, for several minutes. Add the garlic and toss, sauteing for about 1 minute. This will caramelize the garlic and keep it from burning.
Add the mushrooms and saute for a few more minutes. Season with the thyme, salt and a pinch of black pepper; combine.
Add the sherry to the pan and deglaze, stirring. Let reduce until syrupy, then add the chicken stock. Let come to a simmer, then add 3 ounces whipping cream. Add most of the Parmesan cheese and some of the fresh basil. Bring to a simmer and let reduce until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
If the sauce breaks, add 2 more tablespoons cream and stir -- the sauce will come together.
Add the penne; stir to coat and heat thoroughly. Turn the mixture into a shallow plate and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and fresh basil shreds. Grate black pepper over the top.
Makes 1 generous serving.
Additional Information:
Details
Ligonier Tavern, 137 West Main Street, Ligonier, Westmoreland County, is open from noon to 8 p.m. Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Details: 724-238-7788, www.ligoniertavern.com
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