Latrobe native enchants diners at Ivy Cafe in Ligonier
If it's autumn in Western Pennsylvania and you're looking for fantastic foliage, chances are you might end up in historic Ligonier. If you're lucky, there might be a table available at the Ivy Cafe.
Housed in the snug, historic two-story brick Manor Building at the eastern edge of the town's business district, the restaurant is the love child of chefs Anthony Hruska and his wife, Lisa Contessa-Hruska. The couple bought the Ivy Cafe a year ago, two years after they left Florida to return to Anthony's Western Pennsylvania roots.
Anthony grew up in Saltsburg and Latrobe. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a biology degree, but knew his heart was in the kitchen. He honed his culinary skills on the job at the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., and Norman's in Coral Gables, Fla. More recently, from 2005 through 2007, he was executive chef at the Indiana Country Club.
Lisa, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, worked at New York's Gramercy Tavern and Pacific Time in Miami Beach, among other restaurants.
With the purchase of the restaurant last fall, they went from working for others to a family affair. Anthony runs the kitchen. Lisa handles desserts, ordering and catering and occasionally steps in to wait or bus tables. On Friday and Saturday evenings, the extended family kicks in when Anthony's father, Steve, takes over duties as maitre d'.
Last spring, Clay Smith joined the family operation as sommelier and manager. He oversees a small but eclectic selection of wine, as well as local craft beers.
The Hruskas have become boosters of the local arts scene. Most recently, they have begun hosting mid-week poetry readings upstairs. And their intimate dining rooms -- one upstairs, the other on the ground floor -- feature a rotating gallery of local art.
But the works on the walls can't compete with the art on the plates that our server delivered on two trips to the Ivy Cafe.
Antipasto Bruschetta ($8) is eye catching and palate pleasing. Two slices of garlic bread heaped with fresh heirloom tomatoes with a hint of basil, stacked one on the other and accented with an artful drizzle of balsamic reduction and aglio e olio. Several slices of hard cheese, black olives and crackers round out this plate. It could stand alone as an excellent lunch or as a light supper when paired with a glass of wine.
Blue Cheese Won Tons ($7) pair an unexpected crunch with a filling of melted cheese -- again, set off by the artful drizzle. And Thai Shrimp ($8), wrapped in a pastry crust, accented by a fresh, spicy relish, was a different take on a familiar appetizer.
Anthony says the Salsa Sisters from Latrobe provide all the cafe's tomatoes -- including the incredible bruschetta heirlooms -- while the Little Hollow Garden, another local produce farm, provides greens.
"We like to use produce from farmers we know and see, not just something that's coming off a truck in a box," Lisa says.
Late this summer, for instance, Anthony altered the House Salad ($4), wrapping it in a slender ribbon of the region's abundant zucchini. Other popular salads include Romaine & Strawberry Salad ($10), with lime-mint dressing and crushed macadamia nuts, and Poached Pear Salad ($10), a plate that includes mixed greens, pecans, blue cheese, port-poached pears, dried cranberries and port vinaigrette.
This week, the Ivy Cafe will debut its fall menu. Anthony Hruska says he's planning to add a pork dish, soaked in bourbon or apple cider. It likely will be served with some type of chutney or maybe baby apples as a garnish. He also is looking forward to adding a chicken chop served over corn chowder.
"It's a hearty dish, a plate of food rather than a soup," he says.
We enjoyed his Paella Risotto ($20). The mixture of seared shrimp and scallops coupled with steamed mussels, pulled chicken, chorizo and snap peas with risotto met our expectations and then some. The Crab Crusted Sea Bass ($24) was a little dry for this delicate fish.
Hruska says he hand-cuts all of his steaks, and the New York Strip ($20), a center cut, seemed to live up to that kind of attention. Topped with crispy leaks and a cabernet sauce, the steak was cooked to medium-rare perfection and surrounded by baked baby potatoes with a crisp skin.
Veal Milanese ($21), a large serving of seared cutlets, was tender and featured a mild but pleasant mix of herbs in the breading. Add in a large serving of saffron risotto, and this becomes the ultimate upscale comfort food.
While the servings are generous, it's wise to leave room for dessert.
The Flourless Chocolate Souffle Cake ($8) -- a gluten-free dessert for those who can't indulge -- almost sparked a battle at our table when my "who cares for dessert" companion discovered the joy of this light cake served warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and a raspberry drizzle.
Or, take the time to feast on Lisa's special take on Strawberry Napoleon ($7), a sky-high rendition of a classic dessert with a twist.
Ticket restaurant reviewers visit restaurants anonymously. They pay in full for all food, wines and services. Interviews are done only after meals and services have been appraised.
Additional Information:
Ivy Cafe
Cuisine: Contemporary American
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. Sundays
Entree price range: $16-$24
Notes: Reservations suggested; major credit cards accepted
Location: 201 E. Main St., Ligonier
Details: 724-995-1050
