The Penn Square Grille, Lancaster, Pa.
The Penn Square Grille and Rendezvous Lounge this week is pleased to present its new summer menu. With some exciting new changes, the focus continues to be a prominent use of local, sustainable products.
Local ingredients take center stage in all four new appetizers, which include goat empanadas prepared with Linden Dale braised goat, Linden Dale artisinal goat cheese, truffle oil, and housemade cranberry chutney.
“Morroco, Spain, South American countries, and Puerto Rico all prepare goat, a low fat protein similar to pork with a slight lamb-like flavor,” said Penn Square Grille’s Chef Bob Rothfus.
The asparagus salad is also new to the summer menu, combining grilled asparagus with a poached egg topped with a lemon-infused olive oil, aged balsamic, and Prima Donna Gouda cheese.
New seasonal entrees include oven-roasted halibut with fire roasted local Good Harvest succotash, fried okra with a roasted garlic aioli, and a roasted corn reduction sauce. The new salmon entrée is encrusted with Long’s horseradish, a local component presented frequently at the Penn Square Grille.
“Our guests tend to find our food very approachable — it’s a comfortable menu, somewhat lighter on the starches with lots of local inspiration and a sophisticated side,” said Rothfus. “We remember our friendly culture and our heritage but make sure the dishes are fresh and elegant,” he said.
Rothfus takes full advantage of the French methods in which he was trained but with less butter and heavy sauces on the meats and more infused oils, flavorful pesto, and fresh chimichurri made from herbs, shallots and olive oil.
“Growing up, my grandfather had a fresh vegetable stand at Lancaster Central Market for almost 50 years and also provided direct delivery of fresh oysters, so this abundance of fresh product right in our back yard is what I grew up with and is how I see the menu itself,” Rothfus explained. “I can remember eating raw mushrooms right at his stand at market from about age 9 — that was normal to me.”
There are many local business connections to the new menu as well. The items that aren’t sourced directly from local farms are sourced from local food suppliers who themselves source locally under the direction of the restaurant. Ettline Foods, Kegel’s produce, and a Leola-based produce auction are all local suppliers sourcing locally whenever possible.
“Whether it’s from the farm to the table or from a local supplier to the table, we make sure it’s local whenever possible,” said Rothfus.
Another tempting local item that will be added to the menu very soon is an Auntie Anne’s pretzel loaf served right at the table. Lancaster-based Auntie Anne’s has created the pretzel loaf specifically for the Penn Square Grille.
About Chef Robert Rothfus
Chef Rothfus, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, N.Y., resides in Millersville, Lancaster County. Rothfus is responsible for overseeing menu development and food preparation for the 92-seat Penn Square Grille and adjacent lounge. With a decade of experience in the food service industry, Rothfus previously worked as executive chef at The Cove Fishery and Grill in Lancaster. His specialties include American and International Cuisine, butchering, charcuterie, seafood, menu planning, banquet planning, sugar arts, ice sculpting, wines and cheese. Chesapeake Life Magazine featured Rothfus in its “Top Five Up and Comers” several years ago. Rothfus also was featured in Washington Post, Wine Spectator, Southern Living, and Lancaster Magazine just to name a few.
About the Penn Square Grille and Rendezvous Lounge
Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner as one of Lancaster’s newest restaurants, the Penn Square Grille and Rendezvous Lounge affords the celebration of connections — to a region through its offering of fresh local bounty, to a city via remarkable presence on Penn Square and to a treasured past with the reemergence of vitality at this landmark setting. The comfortable and elegant experience is set amidst the energetic charm of the Downtown. Both bar and restaurant are designed to take full advantage of their noteworthy presence on historic Penn Square and reflect the elegance of the boldly reused Beaux-Arts façade of the former Watt & Shand department store. Glorious floor-to-ceiling windows, high ceilings, and distinctive décor provide a counterpoint of contemporary flair to the surrounding history. The 92-seat restaurant provides an additional 12-seat private dining room just adjacent to the expansive, 54-seat Rendezvous Lounge. The warm, carefully illuminated interior conveys refined style and comfort with polished dark wood millwork, custom designed banquettes and gracious seating.
More information about the restaurant, located at 2 East King Street, Lancaster, Pa., is available at www.pennsquaregrille.com. To make a reservation or book a dining event, call 717-207-4033.
About the Lancaster County Convention Center and Marriott at Penn Square
The restaurant is part of the uniquely integrated Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square facility. The Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square is owned by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster and leased to Penn Square Partners, the private company that holds the Marriott franchise. The Lancaster County Convention Center is a publicly owned entity under the direction of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority. The Penn Square Grille and Rendezvous Lounge is operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the nation’s largest independent hotel management company. For more information about Interstate Hotels & Resorts, visit the company’s web site at www.ihrco.com.
