|
JEWEL OF THE
ISLE
|
| Island
House Restaurant on Kelley's Island worth the
Trip
by
Chef John E. Clark
|
The
Island House Restaurant & Martini Bar
131 Division St.
Kelley's Island
Access via Miller Boat Line in Marblehead, Ohio
Open after Labor Day
Thu-Sun: 4-10 p.m.
Closed for the season Oct. 31
Attire is casual
419-746-2800
The house at 131 Division St. is a large,
Italianate-styled building that stands tribute to
builder and long-time occupant Henry Trieschman.
Trieschman, a German immigrant from Hesse, came to
the United States with his wife and brother in the
1860s and settled for a short period in Sandusky.
They later moved to Kelley's Island, and in 1876,
built the home and started a butcher business
fattening their own livestock on a 35-acre plot.
During
the latter part of the 20th century, Trieschman
converted the house into a restaurant, The Island
House, without spoiling its beautiful architectural
integrity.
The Island House served Kelley's Island residents
and visitors great meals and memories for years, and
that hasn’t changed with the landmark’s new
owners. In the spring, Terry and Beth Kranyak of
Detroit realized their long-time dream of owning the
house. The Kranyaks own another island business, the
Sun and Surf Bed & Breakfast. After purchasing
the restaurant, they redecorated the dining rooms
and bar, then updated the kitchen into a more modern
and elegant facility. Each one of the three dining
rooms is a different color scheme of brilliant and
alive colors, accented with modern free-form
lighting and window treatments. The bar area and
main entrance areas are focal points in the interior
design. The entrance is a warm and inviting area
offering overstuffed couches and chairs for patrons
to feel at home as they wait for an available table.
The martini bar is a sunken room off the main
entrance area that is a modernistic three-sided bar
with some of the most unique drinks to be found
anywhere.
But more importantly, the Island House offers a
variety of cutting-edge culinary pleasures from Chef
Matt Kilbane, a graduate of the Culinary Institute
of Pennsylvania, and Chef Dan VanKannel. Both
Kilbane and VanKannel were raised in the
west-Cleveland area. The chefs learned about the
restaurant from an old high school friend, Molly
Christofferson, a niece of the Kranyaks who works
the front of the house. Other family members also
work at the restaurant. Terry and Beth’s daughter,
Meghan, is a bartender and Beth’s mother,
Caroline, is a host.
The menu includes cold and hot appetizers. The
smoked salmon pinwheels ($9) are a creamy mixture of
cream cheese, capers and onions wrapped around
thin-sliced smoked Atlantic salmon. The curry
chicken salad ($7) is stuffed into two halves of
fresh avocado, and was a great combination of hot
and cool. Hot selections include grilled banana
peppers with a signature chorizo stuffing that are
baked with a rich red sauce and provolone cheese
($6). Another innovative appetizer is the Prince
Edward Island mussels sautéed with peppers, olives,
aged balsamic and a secret seasoning ($7).
The entrees are wonderful culinary creations, and
have interesting ingredients including Ohio-raised
Piedmontese beef filet ($29), which is hormone and
antibiotic-free. Other high-quality ingredients are
free-range chicken, fresh seafood and locally grown
potatoes. These ingredients and the talents of both
chefs are transformed into artfully presented
offerings such as the maple-glazed Atlantic salmon
($19) served with a choice of sides, including a
special sweet potato mash with sweet corn and
onions. A wide selection of pasta dishes, including
black bean Alfredo with fire roasted chicken breast
and chorizo with peppers, onions, corn and tomatoes
over rotini ($11), compliment the menu.
An evening of dining at the Island House Restaurant
and Martini Bar would not be quite complete without
one of the dessert creations. My favorite is the
butterscotch crème brulee ($7) served with a rich
cup of fresh brewed coffee.
A trip to the Island House includes a ferryboat ride
from Marblehead, but the dining experience is worth
the effort.
We’d love to hear your
opinion on this restaurant. Send comments to sathanas@toledocitypaper.com |
|
|
|
"ISLAND HOUSE RESTAURANT" 
