The building has some cool history:

The inn, then called Stockton's Inn, opened in 1839. Col. Aaron Stockton built the original red brick structure with imposing white pillars and double porches as a private residence in 1816 or 1819. The actual date is unknown because the original documents were burned in a fire and both dates are listed in subsequent accounts of the house.The building later served as an inn along a stagecoach route and a Civil War hospital before it was purchased by a nearby aluminum plant that added a wing to accommodate the increasing number of guests who visited the facility. The inn's occupancy is not quite as high as it was in the days when the aluminum plant generated a steady stream of guests, but the owners still update the rooms, two or three each year. In the past several years, Hill has overseen improvements including the removal of carpet and installation of hardwood floors and carpet, new wallpaper and paint in the common areas and the installation of WiFi throughout most of the inn.

The restaurant, done up in mint green and pink, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with traditional country fare dominating the options: filet mignon, pork chops, grilled lemon pepper tilapia, crab cakes, pasta and prime rib.

First, I was served one of the restaurant's famous made-from-scratch yeast rolls. Slathered with a dab of butter, these rolls are melt-in-your-mouth good. They're made daily by a household recipe that I would love to have.

For me entree, I went with the crab cakes. The housemade, lightly seasoned and deep fried cakes were tasty. I do know they were homemade, though, because my teeth came crunching down on a hard piece of shell. Ouch.

While these were good, I've had better. A little bit more moist, a bit more seasoning, and a bit larger portions would kick this up a notch for me.

The scalloped potatoes on the side were decent, if not a tad bland, and the veggies were beautiful and added a lovely color and crunch to the dish.

I was also given the option of a tartar, cocktail sauce and dill sauce. I opted for all three. The dill sauce was pretty good, though I wish there was a remoulade of sorts.

Overall, it's really a lovely place with some pretty good food. And, you can't beat the view. A good time.



Grade: B