Local Flavor: Corkscrew Saloon in Medina serves up elegance in historic Victorian mansion
Maybe it's just me, but I'm growing weary of what I call the Chipotle décor of most restaurants these days.
Sleek tables, simple metal chairs and stainless steel everything seems to be the norm when dining out lately.
It's refreshing to dine in a place that's rooted in authenticity.
I dare to say there may be no place in northern Ohio that is more special and outside of the ordinary than the Corkscrew Saloon nestled just west of Medina's Historic Town Square along state Route 18.
This restaurant and bar is located inside the historic Burnham House. And to call this a house is an understatement. This home is a grand Victorian mansion.
A history lesson
Built in the 1850s, it is said to be the second-oldest building in Medina, and that's saying a lot considering the community is rich with a large number of historic structures.
Nelson T. Burnham was a wealthy farmer who moved to Medina from Connecticut and took up clock making.
His clock-like attention to detail is evident in the stunning architecture of this home he built for his wife, Emily, and their eight children. Each room in the mansion had its own fireplace.
The family moved on, but the mansion took on a new life as a restaurant.
It was home to the Homestead in the 1950s, Great-Expectations in the 1970s and Penny's Poorhouse in the 1990.
The latter restaurant incarnation was owned and operated by late Four Lads singer Corrado "Connie" Codarini, who would hold court and charm guests.
The Corkscrew Saloon opened in 2008 and has kept many architectural details intact.
This may all seem like a lot of words spent talking about history in an article that's supposed to be all about food.
But this is the point of why a place like the Corkscrew Saloon is so special.
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It is that sense of history and place that makes you want to take a picture on your phone long before the dinner plate arrives your table.
And believe me, you will want to take a photo of the food too, because, just like the mansion, it is pretty special.
It was fitting that on our visit, just like the Burnhams, we had a pretty crowded table — more than just my wife, Jennifer, and me — for dinner. Two of our five Webbheads joined us for dinner.
Our two teenage boys were unmotivated to visit a historic mansion for dinner. Now if it were home to a Chipotle, that may have been a different story.
The food
We were a bit concerned whether my vegan and vegetarian daughters would be able to find something on the menu. Our worries were unfounded.
We started with a round of drinks. As I continued my quest of ordering different versions of mules, I ordered the Saloon's pomegranate version. It certainly did not disappoint. The others sampled the beer menu of familiar and not-so-familiar craft brews.
The dinner menu created by executive chef Ryan Marino offered choices for both carnivores and plant lovers.
I decided to order the perch dinner ($24) that came with three pieces of fish, fries and coleslaw. The fish had a nice taste and didn't have too much breading. The coleslaw had a little kick to it but in a good way.
Jennifer ordered the pierogis ($10,50) from the appetizer menu. It was more than enough to satisfy her appetite.
Our daughter Teagan ordered the BLT Pizza ($12) from the appetizer menu for her entrée. The kitchen staff was kind enough to make it sans the bacon.
Our daughter Tessa ordered a vegan version of the gnocchi ($25) that came with a house salad.
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We had a lot to celebrate this particular night as I had just finished defending my master's project at Kent State University and Tessa, who will be graduating in a week or so with a master's from Ohio State, had passed a licensing exam earlier in the day.
And I couldn't imagine a more memorable setting to count our blessings than inside of the home lovingly built some 170 years ago.
I could picture countless others before us who had broken bread inside the walls of the historic mansion, marking their own family milestones.
It is cool to be a part of that rich history.
And yummy too.
Craig Webb, who did not order an Italian sub or Reuben because they were not on the menu, can be reached at cwebb@thebeaconjournal.com.
Details
What: The Corkscrew Saloon
Hours: Dinner hours Tuesday through Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Special notes: Dress is business casual, and reservations are suggested
For more: Visit thecorkscrewsaloon.com/ or call 330-725-0220
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Historic Medina Victorian mansion is home to the Corkscrew Saloon
