Dish bistro (Charles Town)

We recently heard about a new restaurant in Charles Town, WV (about 10 miles away from Shepherdstown) that specializes in local foods, similar to Stone Soup Bistro here on German Street. We don't generally go anywhere for dinner other than right here in town, but a new restaurant gives us a good excuse to venture out a little. We were not disappointed in our meal at Dish, at 213 W. Washington Street across from Needful Things. It's easy to miss the sign but there's a large awning across the front. It was pouring rain when we arrived but the decor is warm and cozy so we settled right in.

There is a full bar and we started with a beer for Jim and a glass of wine for me. I ended up with two glasses after the first one that arrived was not what I ordered, one of my favorites - a Dr. Loosen reisling. We each had a cup of soup to start. Mushroom and turkey/rice were the specials and we had one of each. My mushroom soup was creamy with nice hearty chunks of mushroom and nice seasoning; Jim enjoyed his as well. Perfect to warm up with! Our dining companions had fried pumpkin ravioli and a crab cake starter - both shared around the table. The crab cake was appropriately crabby and had an interesting curry sauce.

Dinner for me was hangar steak with herbed fries and braised kale; Jim had the cannelloni with mushroom ragout. The fries were out of this world - crispy, salty and herby. The kale was buttery. The hangar steak on its own was a little underseasoned but the chimichurri sauce on the plate added a nice flavor. Jim's pasta was also tasty - the portions were large enough that we each took some leftovers home. Too full for dessert, but our friends had the trio of chocolate and enjoyed it very much, especially the chocolate coconut ice cream.

Prices are reasonable with entrees in the $15 to $25 range. Dish's phone number is (304) 728-8464 and they are closed on Mondays.

Jeanne & Jim at the
Thomas Shepherd Inn B&B in Shepherdstown, WV

More Holiday Events in Shepherdstown

In past years, Christmas in Shepherdtown events have been scheduled mostly for the first two weekends after Thanksgiving. In 2009, a few brave organizations have extended the holiday activities to the next weekend, December 12th and 13th. Here are those events, with contact information so that you can make arrangements to partake in them. We still have some space available at the Inn for that weekend.

Dec. 11 - 15 - Shepherdstown artist Diana Suttenfield exhibit at the Entler Hotel Gallery on the corner of German and Princess Streets. Vintage postcard sets with artwork by Ms. Suttenfield are for sale at the Thomas Shepherd Inn.

Dec. 12, 13 & 14 - A Christmas Carol performed by the Full Circle Theater Company in their new space at 113 S. Princess Street (walking distance from the Inn). Tickets are $15 for adults; please call 304-268-7798 for reservations and information.

Dec. 13 - Christmas Tea to benefit the Men's Club restoration and maintenance of the War Memorial Building on German Street beside the library. Vintage ornaments, gingerbread houses and memorabilia from Shepherdstown homes will be featured in centerpieces and displays on the second florr during the tea, 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at the Sweet Shop or at the door; please call Mary Stanley at 304-876-1856 for more information.

In addition, the Holiday Marketplace with gifts, greens and food will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on both Saturday, Dec. 13th and Saturday, Dec. 20th. The perfect place for last-minute shopping - no need to go to the mall!

Jeanne & Jim at the
Thomas Shepherd Inn B&B in Shepherdstown, WV

Recipe - Farmstand Apple Soup on Inn Cuisine

Way back in April, I wrote a little blog item about my favorite food blogs. Since then, I have discovered some new ways, and learned how to use Google Reader so I can keep track of the new postings. I have also been asked to contribute to Inn Cuisine (www.inncuisine.com) as a member of guest writers from B&Bs for a special series called Wednesday Innsider, featuring guest innkeeper stories and recipes weekly in the tradition of newsprint's Wednesday Food sections. My first contribution, and the article that kicks off the series, is out today. The included recipe is for Farmstand Apple Soup, a recipe handed down from a former owner of the Inn and served during the cooler months as our fruit starter course. If you like recipes from bed and breakfast inns, please check out Inn Cuisine - it's well-written with lots of useful tips and info for you!


Jeanne & Jim at the
Thomas Shepherd Inn B&B in Shepherdstown, WV