Down Home Cookin’ Done Well
The Buttersburg is one of those places that Debbie and I
have been to many times over the years but too often forget to visit more regularly, perhaps because it
specializes in comfort foods that Debbie is quite accomplished at in making for
our at-home dinners.
Sometime you just need a night out though and the
Buttersburg is a local gem, I only wish we had a similar restaurant in
Finksburg. The folks that live in Union Bridge and nearby New Windsor are lucky
to have the daily convenience of this restaurant which is locally owned and
operated hands-on by hosts Frank Tunzi and Jim Rowe .
No matter how homey some franchise restaurants try to make
their image they can’t compete with places like the Buttersburg. In fact, I
swear some of the “down-home cookin” style franchised restaurants I have eaten
in don’t have a stove in their kitchen. These cookie-cutter places put up a
huge American Flag, use Early American - looking furnishings, hang quaint local
pictures on the walls and then prepare their pre-pared foods in a battery of
microwave ovens.
We were met at the door by Jim and he ushered us to a table.
Our server quickly gave us menus and explained the night’s special. Those specials
are pretty special at this restaurant as I will explain momentarily.
One thing that makes this place special for us is that they
allow you to bring your own bottle of wine. I don’t think a lot of diners at the Buttersburg
do the BYOB thing but it is great for those of us winos who enjoy wine with almost
every meal – and here you can do it without the inflated cost of “restaurant
priced wine” which is often double or triple the retail cost at a wine
merchant.
Neither of my parents thought much of wine except when they would go
to Maria’s 300 in Little Italy where they would order a very inexpensive bottle
of the house made, chianti-like, red wine. I have often thought of my Irish
Grandfather as a teetotaler but he did insist on a very small glass of Mogen
David or Manischewitz fruit wine with his meal (the old ads proclaimed, “Man-O-Manischewitz!”).
On seeing that we brought our own wine, our waitress immediately offered us a
wine opener and glasses (Carroll County Wine Festival glasses!)
Me, I can always find a wine to compliment a pizza, hamburgers or even hot dogs.
I have to admit that I had fried chicken on my brain when I
announced to Debbie that she was going to have a night off from the galley; however,
one of the night’s special was soft crabs. Ok, so I talked Debbie into getting
the Fried Chicken so I could get my favoritest food in the world (I knew I’d
get at least a chicken wing off her plate). But first I had to try a cup of the
home-made chicken corn soup. It was terrific with huge hunks of chicken, loads
of corn and carrots in a great broth. My entrée came with two sides but I only
cared for one. Without my suggesting it, the waitress offered me a side-salad.
That was certainly unnecessary but appreciated.
My soft crab platter came out hot with two whale sized
softies that were lightly battered, fried to perfection and accompanied by a
large side of fresh, kitchen-cut fried potatoes. A little mustard on my crabs and I was off to
Maryland Seafood Heaven.
Debbie’s fried chicken was done to perfection. In a world of
franchise restaurant and grocery store prepared fried chicken, what stands out
as the real deal is what you will find in Union Bridge.
Now about those specials. Until last evening I did not know
the Buttersburg Inn had regular “special” days. Where else in this or any
neighboring County are you going to find Fried Rabbit (every 4th
weekend), Liver & Onions night (Tuesdays), Prime Rib (every weekend),
Stuffed Pork Chops (Friday nights) and on every third weekend of the month a
real treat for culinary adventurous types, Hog Maws. Yep, you heard it here
first. I hope that last special doesn’t create a rush on the Inn from all you stuffed
Hog Maw lovers.
By the way, the standard of standards for comfort food is at
The Buttersburg too, open faced hot
roast beef sandwiches with fries, all smothered in gravy. While I don’t know if it is
available every weekend I do know they have some weekend nights when they cook up a
mess of turkeys and have a real traditional meal complete with stuffing and cranberry
sauce.
As if the entrees aren’t good enough, The Buttersburg is famous for the
cakes and pies they bake right there. I really didn’t have room for desert and
seldom do but Debbie always leaves room for a chocolate sundae. At the Inn, her sundae was laced
with fresh brownie. The Hummingbird Cake was recommended and the Three Fruit
Rhubarb Pie sounded awful good; maybe I’ll give one of them a go next time we
are out that way. All of the fresh baked desserts are listed on a chalk board
at the back of the dining room.
The Buttersburg Inn captures the essence of Carroll County.
It is an unpretentious setting for good food. They don’t make restaurants like
this anymore, they just make franchise joints that try to capture their folksy style
with “chefs” who don’t know how to cook an egg much less stuff a pork chop that
didn’t come off the food service truck that way.
Be sure to tell Frank and Jim that the Hungry Man sent you.