Front of White Stone Bistro: what used to be the entrance to Rich Fountain's general store
I knew I would like White Stone Bistro from the moment I spoke to chef/owner Regina Lorenz on the phone. I sensed from her voice that the restaurant would be a warm and hospitable place, and when Gordy and I arrived in the town of Rich Fountain (an hour?s drive south of Columbia) on a bitterly cold night and entered the coat room of the tiny bistro, my instinct about it was confirmed. Regina?s husband, Bob, took our coats and ushered us into the dining room where just four tables?two large and two small--filled the space. The restaurant is housed in what used to be the wine cellar of an old general store. Its low ceiling, warm wood, and stone walls make for a cozy atmosphere, which is only improved by the kindness of the proprietors. Regina cooked, Bob took our orders, and Tracy, Regina?s daughter, split her time between the kitchen and the dining room. All three came around to talk with us at various points during the meal.
In my mind, the intimacy and simplicity of the restaurant?s operation is one of its greatest charms. Guests must call ahead for reservations because the seating is limited and the restaurant is only open on Friday and Saturday nights. The menu also shares in this scaled-down approach. The dinner selections change weekly, dependent on the availability of fresh ingredients, and consist of two appetizers, four main dishes, and two desserts. (The restaurant also offers a good wine and beer list.)
When we visited, we chose crostini with herb-crusted ch?vre from Goatsbeard Farm as our appetizer?although I was also quite tempted by the other offering, ravioli that Bob makes by hand. We considered our next course while nibbling on the crostini. Each entr?e comes with warm homemade bread, the sides of the week, and a salad course. Surprisingly, among the meal?s highlights were the salad dressings?also made in-house. Gordy ordered his favorite, blue cheese; Regina?s is particularly rich and flavorful, made from a Goatsbeard Farm blue. On Bob?s suggestion, I ordered the celery seed dressing, which has a lighter, slightly sweet flavor and is absolutely delicious.
Herbed goat cheese with crostini
Our main courses, whose accompanying sides were roasted potatoes and green beans, were simple but well-prepared. I had the saut?ed shrimp, and Gordy had the Kansas City strip steak. Meats, we learned, are Regina?s specialty; while my shrimp were very good, Gordy?s steak was a dream: juicy and tender with just the right amount of flavorful crust seared into it.
It must have been my state of after-dinner bliss--and most of a bottle of good red wine--that induced me, despite the fact that I was quite full, to order both the rich, chocolate ganache cake and the carrot cake for dessert. Both cakes were dense and moist and delicious, and despite our fullness, both somehow disappeared from their plates. Along with the dessert, Bob brought us complementary glasses of sherry and homemade limoncello--and a small bowl of Regina?s homemade granola, just so we could taste it.
When Regina asked how we had heard of White Stone, I was surprised that she clearly remembered my friends who had recommended the restaurant to us?not only their names, but also where they lived and what they did for work. After dinner, she addressed Gordy and I by name, gave us big hugs and told us to come back. I left White Stone Bistro feeling fuller than I?d been in a long time. I don?t mean only that my belly was full, but also that I was filled with a sense of well-being, a feeling that usually comes upon me only after a restful time spent with family or very dear friends.
For more information about White Stone Bistro, you can visit their website here: http://whitestonebistro.com/
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