When I first heard that one of our favorite Southern Utah restaurants, Andelin's Gable House, had moved from its delightful but undoubtedly cramped location in a historic home to more spacious quarters up the street, I experienced a twinge of anxiety. Certainly the popularity of this carefully crafted and attended-to restaurant was the reason for the move. But would it retain its quaint and culinary correct charm?
That was over five years ago and St. George had not been a stopping point on our gastronomic journeys until last weekend. Of course, we had to revisit the Gable House.Its new location certainly offers more room and at least on the exterior considerably less charm than the old. Two menus are also offered; one ala carte for less formal dining on the main floor and the second, fixed price at $22.95, in the lower for the stately dinners that established its original reputation.
The dining area for the five-course dinners is quiet and plush. Pewter platters grace the tables, spread throughout the room. Reminiscent of a colonial manor, the decor is accentuated by heavy wrought-iron chairs, tapestries and bookshelves that most likely would have caused Ben Franklin to do some serious browsing. The original charm is nicely replicated.
Sadly, two of the three dinner choices we sampled lacked the attention to detail that we remembered from previous visits. (We were hesitant to order the chicken tettrazini if only because neither our waitress nor host could pronounce it without getting tongue-tied).
The creamy cheese and broccoli soup was bland and the cheese incompletely blended into the thick broth. Stringy bits clung to our spoons and chins as we ate. The warm yeast rolls were buttery but slightly underdone.
The salad course, a blend of mixed greens, cold bay shrimp, chopped egg and cherry tomato, mixed table side with a creamy vinaigrette, needed a bit more bite but was adequate. The sherbet course to cleanse our palates was more than ample.
The generous serving of prime rib was a tender medium rare; the pan-fried trout filet was served with a side of pesto, a little on the watery side and slightly bitter. The sauteed vegetable medley was more steamed than stir-fried, resulting in a mushy texture. The large baked potatoes were good as were the orange rolls that came with the entree course.
Even the desserts, Andlin specialties, were ordinary. The large serving of custard was not the creamy texture it should have been; the chocolate raspberry cake was moist but not sweet. Other selections include mud pie, pralines and cream pie, and German chocolate pie.
While the setting was better than expected, the quality we had known from prior years seems to have slipped into the average range. And considering the $22.95 price, hardly average, Andelin's might want to revitalize its earlier beginnings.
Rating: * * 1/2
Andelin's Gable House, 290 E. St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah. 673-6796. Open Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Accepts major credit cards and check with guarantee card. Reservations recommended for the five-course dinner.