By OMNI VORE
Our target was 3.5 miles beyond Berkeley Springs, W.Va., on W.Va. 9. The twisting, winding, up-and-down road opened at the summit upon a stunning view of the Potomac River, farmland, mountains, the town of Little Cacapon, the Eastern Continental Divide and, there in the distance, Pennsylvania.
There we found the stone building of Panorama at the Peak, the restaurant which welcomes those who venture into these hills.
Our reservation was for 4 p.m, the earliest possible. We were greeted by name and led to a table with a view. The placecard was embellished with our name in calligraphy. The hostess lit the candle and introduced our waitress. We slowed down, took a deep breath and relaxed. This was a very promising beginning.
The main dining room walls were covered with mirrors of different sizes and shapes. Artificial peonies and lilacs were draped about. Purple balls hung on purple ribbons in large windows protected by awnings. A stand selling local craft items was in the corner — photographs, knitted goods, pottery. Women vocalists sang softly in the background, “I go out walking out in the moonlight after midnight.” Wooden captain’s chairs surrounded tables set with black cloth napkins, black placemats and a flowering stem of willow.
Then we overheard discussion about a broken furnace and realized that we were, indeed, cold. So we were led to an inner dining room and sat between the well-stocked bar and the fireplace. We were warm and cozy now.
The room was an old tavern, Niner’s Lounge, built by Paul and Ed Niner in 1929. The room was made of wood with beamed ceiling. Woodwork showed the solid craft traditions of the past. There was a wooden frame around the mirror over the bar, a wooden swinging door into the kitchen, a cleverly designed wooden wine glass rack. Most impressive was a wood sun display over the fireplace which had 17 varieties of wood native to this land at the time this room was built.
In front of the fire a chess board and needlepointed backgammon board sat ready for players. The booths were extremely comfortable, made with people in mind. Walls were decorated with beautiful pottery plates.
Our attentive waitress, Lori, brought coffee and waited for our order. Perhaps, because it was spring, lamb leapt to the foreground of the menu. Just two weeks ago, the owner had hosted a lamb tasting and had chosen a local lamb provider. Everyone was pleased with their certified-humane, certified naturally grown lambs from Border Springs Farm in Patrick Springs, Va. I chose shepherd’s pie and my companion, the Professor, chose the appetizer of lamb meatballs.
The meatballs were delicious. Five were served with a feta-dill dipping sauce. They were firm, meaty, seasoned just right and served hot. A nasturtium and parsley spring decorated the plate.
The traditional shepherd’s pie was served very hot and was just plain delicious. The mashed potatoes were real, laced with bits of scallions and covered with a grilled-cheese crust. The ground lamb meat was cooked with portobello mushroom slices, carrot pennies and slivers of onions. The food was served in a white terrine on a white doily on a white plate.
Meanwhile, the Professor was quietly devouring his French dip roast beef and Provolone on toasted rustic tavern bread. He dipped the sandwich in the beefy juice and the creamy horseradish. The rosemary-roasted organic potatoes disappeared before I even knew he had them. He was a happy man. But he added, “I need a steak knife. This bread is so crusty and chewy.”
Our favorite foods were turning out to be so well prepared here, that we trusted that the crème brûlée would also be outstanding. Sure enough, it was served with a dab of whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Made with “rare breed eggs” and most likely, cream, it tasted like silk. It shimmered with light, a pale sweet yellow with a crunchy glaze of caramelized sugar on top. It was divine. We split it and ate in silence with something like reverence.
Our hostess, restaurant owner Patti Miller, visited often and once sat down to talk. We learned that we all had lived in upstate New York at the same time. Life in those parts had made us passionate conservationists, for pollution was extreme there and had caused havoc. Out of that experience, we three, each in our own way, had dedicated our life to caring for the earth. We could see that the impetus for this restaurant came from Miller’s heart.
Toward the end of our meal, a very demanding patron arrived. We eavesdropped, listening to his lengthy negotiations concerning his drink and his food. After eating, he sat back and growled to his companions, “This place could have five stars if it were in New York.” He’s right.
Panorama at the Peak
5 stars (out of 5)
Ambiance — 5 stars
Service — 5 stars
Food — 5 stars
Value — 5 stars
Address: W.Va. 9, West Virginia Scenic Overlook, Berkeley Springs, W.Va.
Phone: 304-258-0050; reservations strongly suggested
Hours: Noon to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday (brunch is served until 4 p.m.). Easter Sunday only: Brunch only served all day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Style: Contemporary traditional food
Web: www.panoramaatthepeak.com
