In May 2015, the city of Lebanon landed a sure spot in Food Heaven. That’s when the Foundry Craft Grillery opened its tall doors for American dining above the downtown Historic Lebanon Farmers Market, where Executive Chef Dwayne Spencer mans the wood fire.
Whether aiming for a memorable business meal, an elegant full-course dinner, or a lively night at the bar, count on the Foundry for more than a gorgeously classy, cool, high-ceilinged, refurbished-factory atmosphere. Count on an amazing meal.
All the food is freshly made in a scratch kitchen — all house sauces, all the marvelous, deeply varied inventions, with a suitably seasonal flair, created by a very gifted chef and his team. Manager Cole Martin attentively keeps everything rolling along, while Angela Shirk-Martin tends to events. The restaurant sprawls across the entire third floor with varied, well-designed eating spaces, featuring two separate rooms for corporate dinners, retreats, weddings, and other private gatherings. The Worrilow Room is window-lined, with an open, airy ceiling; it seats larger groups (up to 110), while the interior Steitz Room (part of the Old Courthouse where the famed Blue-Eyed Six gang were tried) seats 10 to 24 people in a posh boardroom setting.
Heartwarming Scent of an Open Fire
As you walk into the restaurant, you’ll see and inhale the scents emanating from multi-leveled, gourmet-fancy, wood-fire grills that characterize much of the cooking (you can taste the fire in almost everything) and — delightful to behold — you can directly watch the cooks at work. That dining area features both booths and open tables.
There is a specialty pizza oven as well, just off the main dining area, where you can literally observe your own pizza baking to perfection. In that section is a beautifully carved wooden bar with seating at tables both high and low, with space for live-music events.
Consider starting off dinner with a flight of four unique draft beers (try the Arcadia Hopmouth or perhaps the citrusy New Belgium Hop Kitchen Juicy Mandarina) or a glass of wine such as the house Salmon Creek Chardonnay, one of many selections from a deeply developed wine list. There are numerous creative specialty cocktails as well. (Jalapeno Lemonade, anyone?)
From the list of Small Plates, you’ll find carefully crafted appetizers that can serve as meals, depending on your preference. Soups are created daily, served with homemade herbed dinner rolls and delicately flavored butter. The Wood Fire Grilled Caesar is a winner as is or with an added protein of your choice. A White Truffle Chicken Liver Pate packs a delicate punch, served with port wine-soaked cherries, balsamic syrup and flatbread crackers.
The Foundry Wedge Salad is deceptively simple in appearance but stunningly complex in flavor and texture: it’s got smoky, bite-size tomatoes grilled lightly atop silky, crunchy butter lettuce leaves, plus herbed croutons, soft red onion strips, tangy blue cheese, and a house dressing that should be illegal — it’s that delicious.
Wood Fire Grilled Wings are cooked on an open flame — with flavor choices like Root Beer BBQ, Ghost Pepper Sauce, and Sweet Thai Glaze -— and are radically tastier and healthier than wings dropped in hot oil. A must-try.
So is the pizza. If everyone at the table is ordering different entrees, make sure you order at least one Wood Fire Pizza to share as a starter. The Forge Your Own option is a clear winner with its thin crust, charred edges, melted cheeses, luscious toppings (e.g., roasted red peppers, caramelized red onions, pepperoni, and more), and — a personal favorite — the Foundry Rose Sauce, which is a combination of Chef’s Tomato Sauce and Roasted Garlic Crema. Also on deck: White Pizza, Prosciutto and Fig Pizza, and the totally astonishing departure called Brick Oven Surf & Turf, with grilled filet, rock shrimp, asparagus, baby arugula, lemon zest, herbed pesto and smoked mozzarella.
Char-Fabulous Platters
Hands down, the Wood Fire Blue Marlin, line-caught from Hawaii, is one of the best surf meals served anywhere, ever. Like a swordfish in its meatiness but firm-tender to taste and chew, this mild-flavored fish is chargrilled and served in a magical mixture of gently aromatic herbs, capers, and a hint of Dijon, with a whole half of grilled lemon for drizzling; it melds lusciously with hot, juicy tomatoes, green beans and Yukon potato wedges. An outstanding creation.
Steak lovers can revel in the mouthwatering Angus Reserve Aged NY Strip, in 12- or 16-ounce portions. Unbelievably distinctive and deliciously memorable is the Marinated Grilled Filet Mignon, with its edges all crispy dark, its tender beefiness enhanced by choices of a coolly sophisticated Cabernet Butter or Chef’s own Foundry Steak Sauce, nice ’n savory. What a feast.
By Marian Frances Wolbers | Photos by Heidi Reuter
