5 /5 Janelle Insogna: We went to the Stegmaier two nights ago and we were blown away by the entire experience. The food, the atmosphere, the staff, and beverages each merit 10/10 on their own. In prior years, the Stegmaier had been open as a private event venue, but 6 weeks ago they opened a restaurant.
When we approached the beautiful mansion, we were greeted by someone offering complimentary valet. As we were walking up the wide steps to the entrance of this grand home, we began to feel that this may be a special night. Once inside, our host greeted us and took us to our table. The home is restored to its period opulence. We sat in the solarium, which has a stained glass window ceiling. It is a breathtaking room to dine in and we were told that there is only one of two rooms like this in the world.
Our waitress, Flora, was wonderful. She was well versed in the menu and was able to make great wine pairing suggestions. I find that sometimes at other fancy restaurants, there can be a stuffiness from waitstaff, but that was not the case here. Flora was extremely professional, yet we felt like we were ordering from an old friend. I mean this in the best way.
We started with bread service for $6 per person and we were not disappointed. You are brought an olive oil dipping sauce and a honey & mustard, whipped butter concoction that is to die for. Your bread butler (yes, you heard right, you have a bread butler) brings you a variety of 3 different, freshly baked breads that are served warm, directly from the oven. Your bread butler returns throughout the meal to tempt you with more warm bread. The biggest problem with the bread service is that you might eat so much bread that you wont have room for all of the other delicious possibilities that await you.
The menu is small, but is very well thought through. There is variety and something for everyone. Entrees include pasta, steaks, chicken, seafood and vegan dish. The menu isnt overly complicated or gimmicky. At the same time, we found that every dish was beautifully presented, executed perfectly, and that each dish had that special tweak to make the dish stand out as something extraordinary.
Dishes ranged from excellent to the sublime. In the sublime category, we would put the gnocchi appetizer, the goat cheese pistachio tart, Chilean sea bass, lemon lavender creme brulee, and key lime dessert special plus every cocktail we tried. As my entree, I was in the mood for something lighter and I chose the braised vegan lentil dish with carrots, which was delicious. Many restaurants avoid or throw a vegan option on a menu as an afterthought with no creativity or imagination, but this was not the case at the Stegmaier. If I had one criticism, it would be for a little bit less lentils and for another vegetable to be added to the dish or as a side.
We paid about $110 per person + tip, which included 2 cocktails, bread service (yes, you want to do this), an appetizer, entree, and dessert. Although a pricier option in this area, this meal rivaled some of the best dining experiences we have had in the world and it would have been considered a bargain if dining in a large city.
The night ended with a tour of the mansion and nightcap at their beautiful bar. I had their "box of chocolates" drink. Delicious! Angela was a great bartender. They have a small casual bar menu which includes a burger that the bartenders raved about. I definitely will be coming back to try that burger. We even met the gracious owners, John and Melissa and the head chef, Jared.
It was a special touch to have our car waiting out front when we walked outside, with our packaged leftovers already in our car.
This is a place for a special occasion, but it is so wonderful you will just want to make an excuse to celebrate with friends or loved ones on a regular Thursday night, just like we did. It is amazing to me that this place is only opened for 6 weeks, but operating flawlessly like it had been open for years. Make a reservation soon before it is too hard to get one. We cant wait to go back!
