Berks Countians have long been dining at the Black Horse Restaurant and Tavern in Denver, just 10 minutes away from Shillington, near the borders of Berks and Lancaster counties. The establishment offers all the usual favorites — filet mignon, fine wines, an intimate atmosphere — but with CIA-trained Chef Ben Ash on deck in the kitchen, the whole menu has taken a unique turn toward the gourmet and fanciful. And you don’t have to wear your pearls or necktie (unless you want to). The Black Horse is literally “where fine food meets casual comfort.”
Need proof of the zeitgeist? It’s everywhere, starting with an impressive martini menu in addition to a full list of cocktails, wine and beer. The Ruby Red Martini is crisp, citrusy and refreshing; it’s concocted with Absolut Ruby Red, sour mix, cranberry juice and a tart twist of fresh lime.
Two Types of Menus
Also, there are two menus — a more traditional dinner list and a vegetarian and restricted diet menu which specifies clearly which dishes are gluten-free, ovo-lacto, vegan, etc. Clearly, care and attention entered into the creation of these offerings.
Asparagus Fries make a surprisingly delicious appetizer. Tender tips and spears receive a touch of tempura batter and are accompanied by a soft and tangy whole grain mustard sauce for dipping. “People ask for Asparagus Fries all the time,” says Tara, who is the restaurant’s manager and Ben’s wife. “In fact, they order them as they walk in the door,” she laughs.
Another tantalizing starter is the mouthwateringly beautiful Roasted Tomato-Pepper Bisque with Bleu Cheese Croutons. It’s just the ticket for a cold winter night. Other options include Prince Edward Island Mussels and Risotto Fritters.
The invention named Cheddar and Bacon Tater Tots is too good to be true. These tots (definitely a bit larger than average tots) are so light they’re almost airy, allowing the potato flavor to burst forth with every bite. If you wish, go ahead and try them dipped in a smooth horseradish aioli.
For a salad, try the incomparable Warm Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese, set next to a mini salad of arugula, onion shavings, crunchy apple slivers and candied walnuts bathed in a homemade vinaigrette with citrus tones.
Prized Meals at Every Price Point
This specialty salad epitomizes the sort of daring, utterly new American approach the Black Horse has in store, from delicious start to flourishing finish. For entrees, diners are given free rein to build their own 8-ounce burger at a very comfortable price point ($10), or they can choose to indulge in a New York Strip Steak or Pork Tenderloin.
The Meatloaf wins a blue ribbon. Built with three types of meat — finely ground-and-bound pork, beef and veal — and flavored with just the right hints of heat in its chipotle glaze, this entrée is an elegant version of your mom’s best, cut about 1.5 ½inches thick and lying on an altar of fat Texas toast. Each forkful seems to just get better and better, thoroughly enjoyable in presentation and memorable in taste. You’ll be ordering this dish again and again. Cheddar cheese mashed potatoes are, of course, the perfect complement, but don’t think they’re only a sidekick to the meatloaf’s splendor. So deceptively simple looking, it’s impossible to tell where the potato begins or where the cheese stops. The preparation is deeply satisfying.
Equally luscious is a completely different entree called Roasted Chicken Mac ’n Cheese. This creation is served in an enormous bowl filled with cheese-covered penne pasta, bite-sized and juicy white meat chicken pieces, ample bits of savory bacon, sliced mushrooms and shaved Romano cheese. Oh, and a roasted garlic Béchamel sauce. It’s rich, rich, rich. Consider ordering two (or more) extra forks for this, because when others see it, they will want some. And there’s plenty to be had. When the Black Horse tried to take this entrée off the menu just to mix up the offerings a bit, patrons rebelled, exclaiming, “Bring it back!” And so this dish stays on in the stable.
Other offerings to check out: Crab Cakes, Pan-seared Salmon, any fish in season, and the super-healthy Vegan Quinoa and risotto dishes. A side that stole this writer’s heart was the Cornbread, which is adorably presented in a small cast-iron skillet, hot from the oven, and directly delivers a classically corny taste with a sweet and saucy coating on top.
Speaking of sweet, and speaking of adorable… The Classic Crème Brulee is a true treat. So cute with the horse-shaped sugar cookie standing in a corral of ultra-creamy custard, topped by a baked, caramelized glaze as shiny as a skating rink; it’s got that amazing burnt taste which perfectly counterbalances its exquisite sweetness.
by Marian Frances Wolbers | photos by HEIDI REUTER
