The second-floor restaurant looked cool, and it was. Stalls lined two walls, tack hung here and there, and every time the door opened, a blast of winter made me think I had been exiled to the barn. We ate in our coats; I don't remember the food.
It took me five years to go back. Thankfully it was summer. But other things had also changed: a new owner and chef, a second entrance off Fulton Street, a cute back bar, a table with shuffleboard, and live music two or three nights a week.
The food was excellent—simple, hearty and delicious. “Horse Inn used to have Dipco quality food at Pressroom prices,” said one neighborhood patron. Now it defies expectations with nearly every order.
Let’s start with drinks. In the weeks around the Kentucky Derby you can order a mint julep that comes out in a metal mug with a forest of mint leaves pushing up through the ice. If you happen to show up on October 21, 2015, you'll find a Flux Capacitor waiting. And in the winter Ben will make you a rye Holtwood that will knock your socks off—without offending your tongue in the slightest.
As far as eating, where should I start? The burrata is lovely. Order extra crostini. The fries are lovely. Bring extra friends. The cheeseburger is cooked to order—hey!—and will remind you why you’re still eating beef.
Horse Inn is the first place I understood why people eat wings. The meat is ample, steaming and tender under crisp skin. The orange sauce is just hot enough to tingle your lips, and the dipping sauce is rich with soothing blue cheese.
Banh Mi is stuffed with succulent chicken meat and topped with house kimchi that is genuinely spicy. Shrimp and Grits are not as peppery as some restaurants serve, but there is nothing wrong with the temperature of the shrimp or the consistency of the grits. The Dutchie is a whimsical remake of local pork and sauerkraut. The hanger steak eats like tenderloin.
Chef Matt Russell and co-owner Starla Russell preserved the tips and toast that the Horse Inn used to be famous for. Now this Lancaster mainstay seems to be becoming famous for...everything else.
http://horseinnlancaster.com/menus/food/
