Summerhouse Grill

Moroccan Chicken. A Mediterranean Flatbread. Italian Panna Cotta. Imagine friends, if you will, a world where when you are planning where to eat with your friends- everyone can have the cuisine of their choice and sit at the same table.  Imagine now that it is all done to a T, and just to push the boundaries of your imagination to the LIMIT, envision each component of the meals being purchased from local farms!  Here's the best part, this place isn't a fairytale- it exists and it's a short drive from our bubbling metropolis of Scranton!

Summerhouse Grill in Montrose, PA features world cuisine being made from locally raised food- because as Kim, the owner explained to us, these are the best ingredients you can find.  With a menu that is always shifting and changing to allow for the availability of local seasonal ingredients, Chef Rob Bognar has all the markings of a true artist in the kitchen.  As Jean pointed out during our lovely meal, it is one thing to be adaptable and work with local ingredients as they become available but to take those ingredients and create such a variety of innovative and delicious regional cuisine demonstrates just how talented a Chef he is.

The food and the mission would be enough to really impress us, but it isn't the only thing this lovely hidden gem has going for it.  Our waitress Denise was knowledgeable and courteous, the high wooden ceilings and warm ambiance created the perfect environment, and Kim Glemboski, the owner, was so clearly passionate not only about the food and her business, but about the real mission- supporting local businesses, in this case, local farms.  She could tell us the back story of each local farm involved in this project, and provided us with contact information of the direct sources.  What a novel idea! When I exclaimed, "Oh- that goat cheese absolutely blew my mind- I could sit and eat a whole bowl of it" Kim immediately rattles off the link to their website, their names, and the story of how they were a Brooklyn couple that moved to Vermont to apprentice under a goat farmer before moving here to start their own creamery (Oh, don't worry links will be included)!  It is this sort of intimate knowledge, clear involvement, and obvious love for the purpose of this project that motivates and inspires the patrons and these bloggers.

Now, let's get to the main event- the food!

If we needed an indication that our experience at Summerhouse Grill was going to be a unique one, Denise's description of our drink selection clued us in- Spritzers made with vinegar, and sweetened with natural flavors like cranberry, raspberry and ginger root- a homemade lemonade iced tea mixer, lovingly called "The Montrose Mixer", and a maple syrup soda all found their way to our table and our bellies. Next came a sample of a smoked trout mousse- the consistency was our first indication that Chef Bognar does things a little bit differently- a flavorful mixture of creamy of tender smoked trout, cucumber and dill, served with warm pita bread.  Our girlfriend Jenna ordered the daily soup, a potato, asparagus puree with a lemon flavor that really helped the soup "pop" that we couldn't put our finger on.  We conjectured that perhaps it was zest, or pulp- but Kim explained to us that it was actually a chopped lemon preserved in a traditional Israeli technique (our introduction to World Cuisine #1).  We also ordered a strawberry goat cheese salad made with fresh local greens.  The strawberries were picked that morning and they were like a firecracker going off in our mouths! Packing more flavor in one little strawberry than a whole pint of supermarket-purchased berries, the difference was incredible.  It was on this salad that the aforementioned goat cheese appeared! Holy smokes, I would fight you for this goat cheese.  It was so smooth, creamy and delicious- and it blended perfectly with the greens, which were soft and fresh and lacked any of the grit that so often accompanies a greens mix.  Did you know that goats are a foraging animal- eating the bark and leaves of a variety of trees? They work together with one another by climbing on each others backs to pull the leaves low to the ground, allowing the others to chow down.  Kim observed this while visiting the goat farm that provided the cheese found on the salad.
  For dinner, Jean ordered the highly recommended Roasted Half Chicken Breast, served with grilled zucchini and out of this world, "blow your freakin' mind" potato gratin! The chicken had a unique, smoky flavor to it.  The flavor and texture of this chicken was so unlike that of mass produced, conveyor belt, factory line chicken.  Are we beating a dead chicken? Absolutely delicious.  Now- let's get down to a good old Irish girl's favorite sort of business.... Potato.  This Potato Gratin was perfectly, and I mean PERFECTLY, cooked and seasoned. The potato's were tender but not mushy, firm but not crunchy- thinly sliced and seasoned with the most amazing cheese- cream (might I add, BUTTER) sauce.  They really couldn't have done it any better- perfection.  Sinful? Oh yeah. Worth it? Absolutely.

Jenna ordered a Spring Flat Bread for her entree- Asparagus, basil, goat cheese ricotta, very light mozzarella, spinach, and thickly cut smoked bacon.  The sauce was lightly sweet and thin, but the toppings were clearly meant to be the main focus.  All of the flavors really blended well, and again- when produce is raised with the absence of pesticides, the vegetables take on a life all their own, and the flavors almost seem new.

After much internal turmoil, I ordered a Moroccan Chicken dish served with Israeli Couscous and sweet roasted carrots.  I have this complex where, no matter what I've ordered, I'm always envious of the dishes my friends order.  After tasting and falling deeply in love with the potatoes on Jean's plate, I knew that I was in danger of falling victim to my self-inflicted complex once more.  Needless fears, because Chef Bognar really knocked it out of the perpetual American ballpark with this dish.  This particular  dish was a stewed chicken, which created a delightfully tender texture.  The spices were sweet and vibrant, but not overwhelming- with each bite, a different flavor note appeared.  The couscous was prepared perfectly- light and fluffy and complemented by the sweetly roasted carrot.  I'm already daydreaming about my leftover lunch!

 The Summerhouse Grill even manages to get Scranton in on the local love- serving up our beloved Electric City Roasting Company's coffee with dessert.  The coffee cups are made by a local potter, and each is a unique work of art. Although we try to save room for dessert, a complete lack of control took over with this food, and so we decided to share one dessert this time around- Panna Cotta. Panna Cotta is a traditional Italian dessert that literally translates to "cooked cream".  For this dish, I must deter to my Italian co-pilot Jean. This dessert in particular had an outrageous texture to it- you could really tell that the cream used was so fresh- and it was lightly sweetened, which really allowed the natural flavors to shine.  Really well done.

Did you know that according to a study by PASA (The Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture) the average carrot that you purchase from a supermarket travels 1500 miles before reaching your plate? Imagine the loss of nutrients, flavor, freshness- and that doesn't even touch on the global impact- particularly crazy when you consider that you could be purchasing your produce from the direct source- your veggies could be picked in the morning and on your plate by dinner time! Kim pointed out, our basic human needs include water, food and shelter, in that order.   Our public perception of needs has become so skewed.  People will spend mega dollars on the newest flatscreen television or designer handbag because they need it, and simultaneously try to eat for the lowest cost possible.  A business like this does more than feed our bellies, it feeds our souls- it reinvigorates our spirit, and renews our outlook.

 The Summerhouse Grill really "walks the walk".  Not only are they following the model that they promote, but they encourage their patrons to get on board too.  Check out our link section to go their website, and be sure to check on the Ardith Mae Farmstead.