With a new executive chef at the helm, the restaurant inside this Galena bed-and-breakfast is rising to a new level.
Diners who visit the fine-dining restaurant at Galena’s Goldmoor Inn enjoy the food so much, they literally wipe their plates clean.
“One time, there was a party of six in a private dining room,” says Slobo Radin, who co-owns the Goldmoor with his wife, Birgit. “One gentleman took his bread and sopped up all the gravy until there was nothing left on the plate. The dishwasher has nothing to do.”
The food has always been a staple of the Goldmoor experience, but with the addition of new Executive Chef Brandon Veitch, the dishes at the lavish Goldmoor, a historic bed-and-breakfast with a castle design, has been elevated to new levels.
“Brandon brings up the creativity and the complexity of the dishes up one notch and the food is really sophisticated,” Radin says. “When people sit down and go through the items, people will go through the menu and order one item, so everyone at the table can taste the goodness of the menu. It’s really amazing.”
Veitch joined the Goldmoor in March and replaced former Executive Chef Joshua Roberts. Veitch was hired with the help of a search firm.
“When our chefs get well-known in the area, people start knocking down our doors and hiring our chefs,” Radin says.
Veitch, who Radin compared to a toolbox because of his range of skills and expertise, came to the Goldmoor after spending more than five years at The Peninsula Chicago.
“He produces his food in such an organized fashion,” Radin says. “I don’t really remember anyone who was so organized, but doesn’t lose their composure under pressure. Temper plays a big role when you’re very busy and every restaurant has a moment where all the components come together to that pressure point, but he can manage his pressure. This fellow is really something else.”
Goldmoor’s menu is simple, yet complex, and Veitch’s diverse background, which includes French and Italian cooking styles, bolds well for the ever-changing menu.
Speaking of the menu, the Goldmoor has unveiled its winter lineup, which has a hearty combination of dishes that warms the heart and feeds the soul. The seasonal menu stands out with the help of locally-grown ingredients that are incorporated into the dishes.
“That makes the menu unique,” Radin says. “Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, apples and cranberries are all part of the season and people love it. They literally lick their plates clean.”
This season, diners can enjoy Chilean Seabass, with rosemary marble potato, roasted parsnip, pickled squash and salmon roe. Handmade Squash Agnolotti has brown butter cream, butternut squash, chevre cheese, walnut and pomegranate.
If you’re looking for something lighter, check out the Kale and Brussels sprouts salad, with pomegranate seed, green apple, gorgonzola cheese, candied walnut and apple-serrano dressing.
To make the dining experience better, diners are treated to breathtaking views of the Mississippi River. Fall colors and snow-covered trees add to this picturesque scene that’ll keep the conversation flowing through dinner.
“This is a gorgeous place,” Radin says. “It’s just a really beautiful place. You have to venture out and see how beautiful this place really us.”
The Goldmoor Inn’s restaurant is open Thursday to Monday from 5-9 p.m. Reservations are encouraged by calling (815) 777-3925.