Golden Rye Grille Small-town GOODNESS

NEW MIDDLETOWN

Sometimes a small town has that restaurant where everybody gathers for down home cooking just like momma used to make.

In New Middletown, that restaurant is the Golden Rye Grille.

Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., Golden Rye Grille serves breakfast and lunch dishes that are delicious, affordable and made from scratch.

“Most people know that because our food is made from scratch the wait is sometimes a little longer,” said owner Brad Stacy. “Sometimes as long as 25 minutes, but we don’t want to sacrifice quality just for faster food.”

The customers seem to understand and appreciate this motto. During my recent visit to Golden Rye Grille, the place was packed, with barely an empty parking spot in the lot.

After I sat down and started sampling entrees, I soon understood the reason for the hustle and bustle. The food is simply great!

First let me boast about the breakfast.

The signature pancakes, or Stacks of Jacks ($4.29), are fluffy on the inside and perfectly crisp and golden-brown on the outside. Served with sweet cream butter, maple syrup and a side of bacon, this dish really satisfies.

But don’t get too full on the pancakes because you have to try an omelet. I sampled the Western Omelet ($7.29), which was prepared to perfection with diced ham, peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese.

One of the restaurant’s most popular breakfast dishes is the Biscuits and Sausage Gravy ($4.29). Two warm, fluffy biscuits are smothered in a spicy, creamy sausage gravy that far surpasses any I’ve ever tasted — this is true comfort food at its best!

The next best thing to breakfast at Golden Rye Grille is lunch.

The Bacon Ranch Chicken Wrap ($7.99) features crunchy chicken and lettuce mingled with tangy ranch, tomatoes and cheese, all bundled in a warm, soft wrap. I liked this entree so much I will gladly make a special trip to New Middletown just to enjoy it again. The wrap was served with a side of potato soup that was just the right blend of creamy potatoes, petite tender carrots, crumbly bacon and a dollop of cheddar cheese.

The restaurant is known for its wonderful homemade soups ($2.79 per cup, $4.29 per bowl) and offers a variety of soups including Mushroom, Chicken and Rice, Potato, Vegetable Beef, Tomato and Chili. Soups vary by the day of the week.

Golden Rye Grille is also known for its first-rate burgers. I sampled the Classic Cheeseburger ($7.89). This all-beef burger is chargrilled to perfection and topped with lettuce, cheese and tomato.

Other popular lunch entrees include the signature BLT ($5.99) and the Smothered Chicken Sandwich ($7.89).

Chef and manager Matt Lavelle takes pride in his cooking, and it shows.

“I wanted to be a chef ever since I was a kid and hung out at the restaurant where my mom worked,” he said. “I love to prepare food for people and to know they’re enjoying it. Our food is made from scratch, good quality, home cooking, and it’s why we’ve gained a reputation as a great place to eat. We are a small town but people will drive here from out of town just for a meal. That’s a really good feeling.”

Golden Rye Grille opened six and a half years ago and is named after the Wire Welsh Whiskey Distillery that produced Golden Rye Whiskey before prohibition. The establishment is located on part of the original distillery property, and antique whiskey bottles grace a display case just inside the restaurant’s front door.

Stacy, an entrepreneur, had never owned a restaurant prior to opening Golden Rye Grille. He said he designed the establishment with the community in mind.

“I wanted to create a place where people could appreciate their hometown heritage while enjoying something good to eat,” he said. “We have a mural here in the restaurant that is a collage of 75 photos relating to the history of the town and we have artifacts from the distillery on display as well as Petersburg Creamery, which was another prominent business in Springfield Township. We hope that our children and grandchildren will enjoy learning about pieces of their history over a good meal.”

Aside from keeping cherished hometown history alive, Stacy said he also aims to boost the local economy. Whenever possible he buys fresh produce, eggs and other foods from local farmers, and during the construction of the restaurant he relied on local workers as much as possible.

The restaurant closes during Canfield Fair week and also during the second week of February so employees can spend time with their families.

“We want all of our patrons to enjoy a small town, homey feeling when they eat here,” Stacy said.