CC: [email removed] Since the weather was so gorgeous yesterday, my husband and I thought we'd take a drive somewhere and have dinner. We consulted the Pittsburgh Magazine City Guide in the hope that some restaurants out of the area would be listed, and found several, mostly in the "North" section. Not being Pittsburghers, we had never been to Indiana, PA, so we decided to head for the Coventry Inn. The Pittsburgh Magazine listings are fairly cryptic, and I was somewhat skeptical about "British Pub Food," but decided to enjoy the drive and keep my expectations low. We were *very* pleasantly surprised. While I wouldn't describe the menu as "pub food" (although they did have pickled eggs), the setting, service, food, and price were all appealing. The owner, Charles Runyan, evidently sells and/or restores British sportcars, and is obviously a total Anglophile. He has reconstructed an entire building in Tudor style -- leaded windows, beamed ceiling, huge fireplace, custom made wooden tables and chairs. The space managed to be both cozy and spacious. Since we were driving (Indiana is about 50 miles from Highland Park), we weren't drinking. It looked like they had Harp, Bass, and Foster's on tap. They also stock a selection of single malt scotches. Not being wine drinkers, I can't comment on the selection other than to say it looked moderately priced. We started with the baked brie appetizer ($5.95), served with red current jelly and toasted slices of very tasty french bread. The brie was heated to just the right consistency. Dinners include choice of soup (New England Clam Chowder, Bean and Ham, French Onion) or a caeser salad or tossed salad. The list of salad dressings was too long to remember but included raspberry vinaigrette and sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. We chose the caesar, which I would have to call "caesar-style." The romaine could not have been fresher, but the dressing was a bit too creamy, slightly sweet, and with nary an anchovy in sight. My husband ordered the porterhouse steak ($16.95), which he said was one of the best steaks he has ever had (and I took him to Morton's for his birthday!). It was cooked exactly to his specifications. I had the roast tenderloin of pork with spicy apricot sauce ($13.95). It was definitely the best pork I have ever had in a restaurant. Cooked just right, juicy and flavorful. The sauce was absolutely delicious, and the spiciness prevented it from being cloyingly sweet as fruit sauces can sometimes be. Dinners also come with a choice of any or *all* of the side dishes offered (they adjust the portions according to how many you order). The choices last night were snow peas in herb butter (fresh but a bit too much butter for my taste), broccoli with hollandaise, baked potato, and roasted red potatoes in olive oil with peppers. These were terrific -- neither overcooked and mushy, nor undercooked and tasteless. Portions were generous. We were too full for dessert. The wait staff appear to be primarily IUP students -- cheerful, informed about the menu, attentive, and not intrusive. Other appetizers include mushrooms caps stuffed with crabmeat in white wine sauce ($6.95), mixed Mediterranean olives with french bread ($2.25), Coventry pate ($3.50), Coventry black bean dip with melted feta cheese, tortilla chips and home made salsa ($4.95) and others. Other entrees include NY strip steak ($13.95), prime rib with Yorkshire pudding ($15.95 and $13.95 depending on size), rack of lamb Persille ($17.95), cornish game hen with raspberry sauce ($13.95), sauteed chicken breast with artichoke hearts, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, and feta ($12.95), Maryland crab cakes ($14.95), jumbo shrimp and scallops with pesto cream sauce over fettucine ($14.95), pasta primavera ($9.95) and chicken curry with apples, scallions and raisins over rice ($10.95). In other words, something for everyone. Desserts include home made cheese cake with fresh fruit or melba sauce ($3.50), coconut custard pie, ice cream parfaits ($2.95), and yummy sounding ice creams, forzen yogurt, and sorbets ($1.95). An interesting thing about the Coventry Inn is that the owner solicited local support by selling "memberships;" each member has his or her name inscribed on a little brass plaque on the wall and receives a regular newsletter announcing tastings, menu changes, entertainment, etc. They are obviously very interested in customer feedback, and the newsletter states their commitment to making everything from scratch. Our dinners certainly bore out that commitment to quality. There were definitely a number of "regulars" eating there. The restaurant has been open since last August. If you are in the area or want to take a pleasant drive, I would definitely recommend it. The Coventry Inn is located at 11 N. 6th Street, right off the main drag (Philadelphia Street) in Indiana. Their telephone number is 463-0776. Jeanne
Pennsylvania