Carversville Inn

Population of Carversville: 147.  I am willing to venture if I were to sit at the charming seven-seat bar at the Carversville Inn for a week I would meet at least half of them. Perhaps on a Thursday, when the loyal regulars gather. Or Tuesday, when the 60-seat casual fine dining restaurant becomes more of a bistro with a weekly burger feature.

Chef and owner Will Mathais says there’s a way of life in Carversville and that you have to get lost to find it.  While that might be true, after a couple of visits I can attest that you don’t have to live there to embrace it.

At the main intersection of Aquetong and Fleecydale lies the Inn.  Built in 1813, it evolved through the years eventuating in a lovely three-room restaurant and tavern.  It was originally a Lenape gathering place, then a stagecoach stop, ice cream parlor, and general store.

The walls are covered with sketches of Carversville from years gone by.  The rooms are distinguished with antiquated pumpkin pine floors, miniature lamps, and fresh flowers on clothed tables.  The highlight is the fireplace in the back dining room.

 Mathais, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, one of the top cooking schools in America, has owned and operated this Bucks County gem with his wife Denie for the last two decades.

On my first visit, as I sat in the tavern, I smiled to myself as I overheard the three regulars next to me discussing the town’s next art fest. One of the gents took a forkful of his zarzuela and said “Wow.”  I was excited.  My pending smoked duck breast and brie couldn’t come soon enough.  The brie was encased in puff pastry and served atop dried blueberry compote.  It was appropriate for a starter, but fulfilling enough to be a main course at lunch as well.

Although I tend to steer clear of salads in the winter, next I went the way of the watercress and endive served with Roquefort cheese, apples and spicy pecans tossed in apple cider vinaigrette.  An Urban 2008 Riesling with a little honey on the nose was a nice complement.

I would then get to taste the dish that had my neighbor so excited. The provenance of the dish is the Catalonia region of Spain.  Named for the theatre behind the Spanish parliament in Madrid, where a mixture of music, dance and comedy entertained.  It also means a colorful mixture of everything and anything.  Mathais’ mixture included fleshy mussels, shrimp, squid and mahi mahi in a flavorful tomato saffron broth.

I’m still thinking about the French onion soup, enriched with dash of sherry, topped with your choice of cheese, though gruyere is considered most traditional.  I’ve always enjoyed French onion, but last year after trying it in my own kitchen, I gained a new appreciation.  Deglazing onions requires much patience.  Mathais’ version was crock-full of slow cooked caramelized onions.  A nice depth of flavor, and cheese cascading over the sides of the crock will please all caseophiles.

I couldn’t have been happier to be a guest in the height of oyster season.  Every day they feature the mollusks on the half shell. The Maine Wellfleets were full, plump and may be ordered three different ways: Chinese style with sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger and garlic;french mignonette with cracked pepper, shallots and sherry; or Japanese ponzu featuring dashi, lemon juice, and rice vinegar. The mignonette preparation was the best of the bivalves, but full disclosure will reveal my cracked black pepper bias is responsible for deeming it such.

People have been linking oysters with turning on the love light for thousands of years.  I hate to be the bubble burster, but the Food and Drug Administration has always refuted the claim. We can always pretend we don’t know and have the placebo effect work its magic.

The escargot was creamy, divine and decadent in a Dijon mustard garlic butter sauce at a very reasonable $7.50. Given that my dining partner was trying the French delicacy for the first time, I think it was a wonderful representation of the dish.  They were prepared as should be in Western culture; removed from the shell, cooked, and replaced in the shell, then served with house-made puff pastry atop in a plate with shell-sized depressions.

I’m admiring this work of art when the voice of Frankie Valli fills the room.
“You’re just too good to be true.
Can’t take my eyes off you.”
I start singing to my snails, but I am certain the couple next to us enjoyed the song in each other’s company. After all, ZAGAT has rated it one of the most romantic restaurants in the area.

Some dishes switch up daily, like the Chef’s whim chicken and varying preparations of house made fettuccini.  During my visit it was olive oil, garlic and white wine with chicken, mussels and pancetta, tarragon and toothsome mushrooms.  I always enjoy seeing tarragon in the company of mushrooms. Although he changes the menu seasonally, he will have some mainstays like the roasted rack of lamb with a hearty rosemary cabernet sauce.

Chef Mathais is kind.  His mild-mannered way spreads to the dining room where none of the dishes assault the pallet; delicate flavors abound. 

It was time to ride the sweet street.  The honey crisp apple crisp with some apricots and cherries snuck in topped with cinnamon ice cream was a must even for my calorie conscience companion.  Homemade ice creams are fitting given the inn’s aforementioned history as an ice cream parlor.

Bourbon raisin bread pudding was also made in-house.  It’s light on the hooch but heavy on the satisfaction.  The English favorite is served with whipped cream, kiwi and a square of peppermint bark that surprisingly had a rich dark chocolate on the flip side. 

My evening was pleasantly pervaded with a few of my favorite things.  I could adapt Julie Andrews words, and trade in raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens for tarragon, cinnamon, house-made fettuccini and champagne.

At the curve of Aquetong Road lies an Inn that will carve a way into your heart, local or not.  If you haven’t made that Valentine’s reservation yet, call 215-297-0900.

Story by Suzanne Woods