Sunday Afternoon in Marietta Ohio and Dinner in West Virginia

Once we finished our tour of "The Castle" in Marietta Ohio, we still had some time that allowed us to drive around town and take in the sights.  We focused on historic homes and churches...before we decided that it was time to find somewhere to have a Sunday dinner.

This is the First Presbyterian Church of Marietta.  It was first organized in 1865 as the Fourth Street Presbyterian Church...with a total of 53 members.  The congregation's first church home was a one-room brick building that was completed in just 3 months in 1866.  A 23 foot extension with 3 more rooms and a tower was added in 1886.  

As the church continued to grow, the congregation purchased an adjoining lot.  Construction of the current sanctuary began in 1896 and it was completed in 1897.  At that point the church was renamed as the First Presbyterian.  Addition construction over the years have continued to expand the church.

This is the Rufus R. Dawes house.  It was built in 1869 by former Civil War Brigadier General Rufus Dawes and his wife Mary (Gates) Dawes.  Rufus had led the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, a regiment in the famed "Iron Brigade" in more that 20 major battles in the War.  These battles included Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Petersburg and others.  Later in his life Rufus served as a member of Congress from Ohio.

One of Rufus and Mary's sons, Bemen Gates Dawes served as a Member of Congress in the early 1900s.  This was also the boyhood home of another son, Charles G. Dawes.  Charles was a Trustee of Marietta College, an Ambassador to England, the author of the WWI German reparations plan, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and served as Vice President of the United States under President Calvin Coolidge.

This Greek Revival brick home on Fifth Street in Marietta was built by Dr. Josiah Dexter Cotton in 1853.  It was built with gallery porches on each side to give it a palatial southern feeling and in my opinion it is a warm and eye-catching structure.  A graduate of Marietta College in 1842, Cotton studied medicine with his father and he practiced medicine in the city for many years.  Dr. Josiah Cotton also served 3 years as a surgeon with the 92nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry in the American Civil War.  His brother John Jr. had married into a family that was sympathetic with the Confederate cause...bringing familial conflict to the fore.

Dr. Josiah Cotton and his wife had 8 children.  The family supported abolition and equal education for women.  Family life in the household was reported to be very happy indeed.  Dr. Cotton is reputed to continue to have a difficult time leaving the house.  When new owners moved in and began renovations, a man knocked on the door and asked to see the place.  They offered to escort him through the house...but he declined, stating "No thank you, I am very familiar with this house".  He then is alleged to have disappeared.

This is St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Marietta. It began as the German Religious Society in 1838, with its purpose being to serve new German Protestant immigrants that has that were arriving in the area in increasing numbers. In 1839 - 1840, the congregation was organized and it was chartered as the First German Evangelical Church. The group built this sanctuary at the corner of Fifth and Scammel Streets in 1849.
This German Evangelical "Kirche" is Marietta's second oldest church. It was renamed St. Paul's Evangelical Church in 1872. Sermons...and the official church language...was changed to English in 1909.

Now the home of Marietta College's Alpha Xi Delta sorority, this home was built for W.P. Skinner in 1855. Despite having been built by Skinner, today it is known at the George White House. White, an 'oilman', was apparently successful with his oil related investments and he purchased this home in 1908. He was a graduate of Princeton University and he'd mined for gold in the Yukon before coming to Marietta to drill for oil.
White served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1905 to 1908, then the United States House of Representatives from 1911 to 1915, then again from 1917 to 1919. He served as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee for 2 years beginning in 1920. In 1931 he was elected as the 52nd Governor of Ohio, serving until 1935.
You may have noted that Marietta Ohio is laden with much history and many historical personages. Its partially due to the fact that back in the early days, rivers were the highways, the best way to get from one area to another. Secondly, due to its location the city was founded in 1788. It was the first permanent American settlement in the USA's newly established Northwest Territory...which was created in 1787.
Time for dinner!!!

As I searched for a likely venue for our evening repast, I noted that one of the most popular and well rated restaurants in the area was just across the Ohio River bridge in downtown Williamstown West Virginia.

As luck would have it, the restaurant was located almost right next to an railway depot.  It was built in 1889 by the old Ohio River Company Railway, which became part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad system.  An active rail line is still in operation right down 2nd Street behind the depot...

In 1906 the railroad moved the entire depot to its current location right at the Williamstown end of the bridge over the river to Marietta.  As of 1957, the depot saw the last of its passenger service but it was still used for freight.  Eventually even the freight activity stopped and the depot sat unused for a time.  The Williamstown Area Development Corporation bought the depot in 1990 and spent $362,000 in renovations.  Since then the structure has served as a visitors center and an ice cream parlor. (Hence that pink paint?) Other than the one end of the building apparently being occupied by the Williamstown Area Historical Society, the building appeared to be vacant.

This was what the railyard at Williamstown looked like back in the days of steam locomotives and when coal was king in this area of the USA.  To view a video of a modern day coal train passing down Williamstown's Second Street behind the depot, you can go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FphchOti3tc.  Also shown in the video...that old depot, sporting much a more appealing maroon/burgundy and yellow coat of paint.

This is da Vinci's...for Fine Italian Dining...and it is next to the old depot.  In 1978, Jim and Marilyn Pettit bought an old gas station and turned it into a pizza shop.  They opened for business in 1980, with 13 tables, serving pizza and subs.  Today this restaurant has grown to the point where it can seat 650 guests and it includes a covered patio.  

From the outside appearance of de Vinci's, we would have never expected the old-time decor exhibited throughout the interior of the restaurant!  We waited for our table in the room shown in the second photo.  There was plenty of eye candy for us to check out...

This dining area is one of many at da Vinci's and it's similar to the one we ate our dinner in.  The Pettit's had started out with one small dining room and a salad bar and in 2024 there are many dining rooms or dining areas in this restaurant.

I will admit that we didn't thoroughly sample da Vinci's menu.  If it were an hour from our home I'd have many more food items to tell you about because we would have been back for seconds and thirds by now.  This was Laurie's 'entree', a big bowl of French Onion Soup. ($8.00) I'm not into onions or onion soup but Laurie is and she raved about just how good her soup was!

I did note a couple of rather unusual and imaginative appetizers on the menu...items that I'd never seen before.  The first one was the Spinach Artichoke Wontons...wontons with a creamy filling of spinach, served with homemade ranch dressing for dipping.  The second unusual option almost blew my mind.  It was the Mini German Pizza...fresh baked pizza crust topped with da Vinci's signature horseradish sauce, tender corned beef, sauerkraut and mozzarella cheese.

This was my entree...although I did share a slice with Laurie.  Is this a great looking Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza or not... It was only excellent!  The best pizza I've had in a long time...

If one were to fully explore da Vinci's menu, it would take quite a few visits.  They offer 6 different salads, subs and sandwiches, steaks, 16 pasta dishes, the pizza plus calzones and a number of sides or 'add-ons' plus no less than 12 dessert options!

The current owner of da Vinci's Restaurant, Chris Bender, had been with the restaurant almost from its beginning.  She started as a server, rose to manager...and then she eventually purchased the restaurant from the Pettit family.  Chris had initially taken the job as server just to help pay her way through college...a nice story with a happy ending indeed.

da Vinci's Restaurant is located at 215 Highland Avenue in Williamstown West Virginia.  The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday but its open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday.  Phone: 304-375-3633.  Website: https://www.villadavinci.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!  

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A "Castle" Tour in Marietta Ohio

Back to our October road trip through Tennessee, Kentucky and on into southern Ohio... We stayed in Marietta Ohio for two nights...and giving the timing the second day was a Sunday.  Sundays can be challenging starting in October as many attractions reduce their hours of operation or just close for the season.  In addition, shopping opportunities except for the chain stores tend to be more limited and some restaurants also close or reduce their hours.

So...I needed an attraction that would be interesting and would keep us busy for a while...

This is "The Castle", an historic home in Marietta that was built back in 1855, based on the Gothic Revival style.  The property itself is historic as it was leased as early as 1808 by a potter and his family, making it one of the earliest pottery manufacturing sites in what was then referred to as the Northwest Territory.  Since 1994 this eye-catching home has served as a museum.

This property occupies two lots or building sites.  Nathaniel Clark and his wife Lydia Sackett, with at least 5 children, occupied these lots...with a residence and the pottery business.  As per one article, the pottery produced milk pans, jugs and jars.  Archaeological excavations have documented that Clark's operation produced both red earthenware and salt-glazed stoneware.

Visitors begin their adventure at the Carriage House.  Built ca 1888, it houses ticket sales for the tour, a small gift shop and a small number of artifacts.  One of these artifacts is this Rockaway Coupe Carriage, built ca 1880s.  Typically these four-wheel carriages are relatively light and low slung.  They feature a fixed top and open sides, that may be covered by waterproof curtains.  There is a heavier version that is more enclosed.  

There is some debate regarding the name of these carriages.  It may be derived from the town of Rockaway New Jersey, where carriages were originally made.  According to other sources, these carriages were built in Jamaica/Queens and they were called the Rockaway because they were used to shuttle passengers between Jamaica and the Atlantic Ocean beaches of Long Island's Rockaway Peninsula.

The decor in the entry hallway to the Castle immediately strikes visitors as being a bit unusual or quirky.  The checkered floor and that big mural depicting the home in a much earlier period set the tone for most of the remainder of the home.  Much of the decor and architectural embellishments stem from the efforts of the last private owners of the property.  

The Castle was the home of some of the town's most prominent and influential citizens.  The original builder/homeowner was Melvin C. Clarke.  He was a prominent attorney and abolitionist.  The home cost $10,000 to build in 1855...about $363,000 in todays dollars.  If that seems like a low number in today's dollars, consider that back in the day homes had little or no plumbing and no electrical to install.

This is Judy...she was our knowledgeable and friendly guide who led us on our exploration of The Castle.  I also believe that she is a member of The Castle's Board of Directors.

The original builder of The Castle, Melvin C. Clarke, was a direct descendent of immigrants who came to North America on the Mayflower... He taught school before becoming an attorney and he was Marietta's first city solicitor.  However Clarke didn't own the home for very long, selling it to John Newton in 1858.  

In 1861 Melvin Clarke organized the 36th Ohio Volunteer Infantry and he received a commission as a Lt. Colonel.  In September of 1862, Colonel Clarke was killed in the battle at Antietam.

This fireplace with its tile surround and contrasting hearth...accented by a lot of wood trim and that antique wallpaper...provides a real central point of focus. 

By the time John Newton purchased The Castle in 1858, he'd suffered through more loss than most people endure in a lifetime.  His entire family, 28 year old wife Susan and all 3 sons died from 'inflammation of the lungs' before September of 1852.  Only John and an adopted daughter named Margaret survived.  Her father was in prison for killing her mother...  

John remarried again in October of 1853, this time to another 28 year old named Sally.  They had one son who died in 1855.  Sally followed their son to the grave in September of that year.  They were buried beside John's first wife and four children.

This photo shows the entrance to The Castle's library.  Note the extensive Victorian era fretwork at the top and the right side of the doorway.

Continuing with John Newton's life, in July of 1858, right after he bought The Castle, John married for the third time, this time his wife Jane, was a widow.  

John was a man of wealth and The Castle would have a site of important entertainment and business functions.  John operated a very successful bucket factory.  During the Civil War he was appointed to the county Military Committee of Five, who were responsible for recruiting soldiers and collecting supplies needed by the army.  In September of 1862, the 7th Ohio Cavalry was organized in Marietta and they named themselves "Newton's Guards" in John Newton's honor.  

Then in December of 1862, John's third wife, Jane, died suddenly of 'apoplexy'.  He proved that he wasn't a 'quitter', when in September of 1865 he married his fourth and final wife, Helen, who was another widow.  Helen was 20 years his junior and she did outlive him... His adopted daughter lived until ca 1920.

After the Civil War John Newton became a financier and banker.  He also became involved in the discovery of oil locally...obtaining a lease on a piece of property near Cow Run in Ohio.  The well he was alleged to have drilled yielded 50 barrels a day.  Newton was active in many local groups and even served as a member of Marietta's City Council.   John died at The Castle in July 1886.  Helen was 20 years his junior and she did outlive him... His adopted daughter Margaret lived until ca 1920.

Okay...This isn't a normal item that one would focus on when touring an historic home and it obviously doesn't date back to the 1800s.  However, I had never seen a pill-style toilet tank before so I had to take a picture.  While wall-mounted tanks aren't very rare, this round shape is unusual.  I found a ca 1926 Eljer Pill Toilet Tank (only the tank) for sale on eBay with an asking price of $1,795.00.  Then I found a complete set priced at $2,495.00.  

This is the primary bathroom at The Castle. Like many parts of the home, the decor has a number of 'unusual' features...not easily fitting into one era or another.  Part of the variances stem from the influences of the families who lived here...with a significant quirky impact initiated by the last family that lived here. 

Edward White Nye published the Marietta Gazette Newspaper for several years.  He was also involved in banking, accounting (bookkeeping) and oil speculation.  He purchased The Castle from John Newton's estate in January1887.  He didn't live in the house for long, dying in town after 'a hearty dinner' in town in March of 1888.  Edward White left the home to his only daughter, Lucy Nye Davis.  His widow, Hannah Nye, lived in The Castle with her daughter and son-in-law until Hannah died in 1900.

The Castle's dining room is colorful and feels like a cross between Victorian and Eastlake design.  The woodwork, doors and the trim are outstanding.  Love that fireplace too...

Lucy Holmes (Nye) Davis was born in 1849 and, after inheriting The Castle, she cared for her mother and family for the rest of her life.  She married Theodore Davis in 1872.  He'd come to Marietta to work for the railroad, then served as the 'City Engineer' for 2 terms, was elected to the State Senate and then served as the President Pro Tem of that body.

As for Lucy herself, she was a prominent social leader among the wives of the Republican Party of Ohio, was involved in missionary work, and she was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  Lucy died 12 days after breaking a hip at The Castle in November of 1931.  She had just celebrated her 82nd birthday.

This is the parlor, aka the sitting room, at The Castle.  Colorful and very Victorian in nature, it features yet another striking fireplace.  We must remember that other than small cast iron heating stoves, most of the large rooms in a home during the early days were warmed by fireplaces.

Jessie Nye Davis, daughter of Theodore and Lucy (Nye) Davis was born in 1874.  When her mother Lucy inherited The Castle, it became the home for Jesse and her sister Grace throughout their childhood.  In 1896, Jessie married John Lindsay of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.  The wedding reception was held at The Castle...and Jessie lived for a time in Pittsburgh.  She returned to Marietta in 1905 after a divorce.  

Grace had moved on with her life elsewhere, so Jessie lived alone in The Castle with a housekeeper and, in her later years with her little dog, Suzy.  Jessie spent most of her time in the small library with the big doors closed.  Visitors were made to wait in the sitting room while Jessie listened through the doors and decided whether or not to receive the guests.  Jesse (Nye) Lindsay died at The Castle in February of 1974, 5 days before her 100th birthday.  Jessie's heirs, the 2 daughters of her sister Grace, sold off the house and most of the furnishings.

This is the kitchen area of the house...or rather the 'newer' kitchen area of the house.  The stove, with 6 'eyes, a hot water reservoir and a warming 'closet', was built by the A.T. Nye and Son Co., a major Marietta based stove and range manufacturer from the late 1800s and early 1900s.  A.T. Nye was Edward White Nye's brother.  Note the wooden door at the right of that impressive stove.  It isn't a dumbwaiter but neither Laurie or myself can remember what it was used for.  

I came across this photo of the A.T. Nye and Son Manufacturing plant on the Internet.  This was not a small operation!  The plant was located at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers.  In addition to cooking stoves, the company built heating stoves (like for a parlor), kettle pots, Dutch ovens and more.  In this interesting old photo, there is snow on the ground, folks out on the frozen river and there is a paddlewheel riverboat frozen against the shore.

The Nye family was everywhere around the turn of the 20th Century.  A business directory listed the manufacturing plant, 2 different attorney offices with the family name and the Nye Hardware Store.

So, continuing with The Castle's story, who was responsible for saving The Castle, albeit with a number of 'unusual' decorative features and alterations?  

The answer is that a pair of siblings, Leslie Stewart Bosley and his sister Bertlyn Bosley saved the home...with Leslie adding his own quirky touches throughout The Castle. 

Leslie graduated from Marietta High School and then spent 2 years at Marietta College before transferring to Duke University.  Later, he attended both Harvard and Yale, receiving a Master of Fine Arts degree from the latter school.  Over the following years, Leslie moved to New York City and wrote for theater and radio plays, then advertising copy and some early television programs.  He also did considerable work for both the Guggenheim and Ford Foundations.  Leslie retired and moved back to Marietta in 1972.

Bertlyn graduated from Marietta High School, the Western College for Women (Miami University) and then she attended Simmons College where she took courses in pre-med and nutrition before interning at Johns Hopkins University in Dietetics.  Subsequently she went on to earn both a Masters Degree and Doctorate from Columbia University. Bertlyn's career involved travel and she served as the first nutritional director for the State of North Carolina.  Later she worked with the U.S. Public Health Service, the Department of the Interior (with various Native American groups).  Next was her work for the Pan American Health Organization...setting up nutritional programs and university curricula for Central and South American countries.  Finally, she worked as a consultant for the University of Public Health in Puerto Rico...retiring and moving back to Marietta in 1979.

This is the old kitchen complete with the fireplace that was used for cooking before iron stoves took over the job.  This is a simple and utilitarian room...much like one might expect in a home from the mid-1800s where the homeowner would have had servants taking care of cooking and much more.

Neither Stewart nor Bertlyn ever lived in The Castle.  The renovations stretched over almost 2 decades.  Bertlyn developed Parkinson's Disease and became wheelchair bound.  She died in January of 1989 at the age of 82 and Stewart passed on just 2 years later in 1991.  Neither of the siblings had any children and both left investment funds to assure the future maintenance and operation of The Castle as an educational museum.  Both are buried just a block away from The Castle in Mound Cemetery next to their parents.

Our visit and tour of the Castle was both entertaining and informative.  It was well worth the price of admission!  The Castle Museum is located at 418 Fourth Street in Marietta Ohio.  Phone: 740-373-4180.  Admission is $10.00 for adults and $9.50 for seniors.  Active military are free and military families are half price.  10% discounts are available for members of AAA and AARP.  To learn more, just go to https://mariettacastle.org/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A Passing and a Birthday Dinner in Webster Groves Missouri...

The second part of our Thanksgiving family road trip was our three night stay in the St. Louis Missouri area.  The goal was to visit with a variety of Laurie's family members including sisters Glenda and her husband Ken, Karole and her husband Bob and of course, Bonnie and her husband Bill.

On a very sad note, we also visited with a number of Laurie's cousins...at a hospice care facility.

Cousin Johnny Templeton had been fighting cancer for quite a long time and he'd recently been admitted to hospice care.  His wife Rose, his brother Alan, his best friend, his children, our little group of 6 and a number of other family members paid him a visit on 12/3/24.  He passed on 12/4/24.  Rest in Peace Johnny... He would have been 82 on 12/16/24.

While in St. Louis, we celebrated Laurie's birthday.  Although it was a couple of days before her actual big day, we were headed home before then.  Bonnie and Bill had selected an upscale restaurant in Webster Grove Missouri for Laurie's birthday bash.  The timing was right for both Laurie and I as we both were a bit under the weather.  When we got home we determined that we both had bronchitis.  Just lovely...

This is Madrina.  The restaurant offers a 'modern take' on classic mid-century Italian-American dining, providing handcrafted cuisine in a casual atmosphere.  The menu is contemporary but its inspired by traditional recipes.

The atmosphere at Madrina can best be described as a contemporary throw-back version of an older Italian steak house straight from the Frank Sinatra/Rat Pack era.  Dark wood, burgundy leather banquettes, relatively low lighting, etc., all part of the restaurant's 'feel'.  FYI, Madrina translates to "Godmother" in Enlish. 

A thoughtful server volunteered to take this photo of our little birthday group.  From the left, Bill, Bonnie, the birthday girl Laurie and yours truly.

While I'd heard of beer 'flights' and wine 'flights' and even moonshine 'flights', I'd never heard of martini flights.  The first grouping was coffee and chocolate orientated "Espresso Flight" and it's a standard item at Madrina. ($20.00) The second grouping is Madrina's "Holiday Flight" and it included peppermint, latte, etc. ($25.00) We all shared portions of this adult martini extravaganza experience.

Our primary server actually was the sommelier or professional wine steward at Madrina.  She was probably frustrated in that we didn't consume a couple bottles of her finest wines.  Laurie gave her a little satisfaction when she described a type of wine that she liked.  Then Alisha showed her the bottle of wine she believed fit the description, provided a taste, and then filled Laurie's wineglass.  This was Farro Falanghina Campi Campi Flegrei. ($13.00 glass) Laurie really enjoyed her wine...

As is our norm when dining with Bill and Bonnie, we went a bit overboard with the appetizers.  This was the Beef Carpaccio, very rare chilled beef with arugula, frisee, capers and fresh parmesan. ($22.00) It came with the little toasted slices of baguette.  It was good, but I would have preferred it with lemon, a little olive oil as well as a bit of salt and pepper.

FYI... Carpaccio was invented by Giuseppe Cipriani, founder of Harry's Bar in Venice Italy.  He originally prepared it for a local Countess who's doctor had recommended that she eat raw meat.  The dish was named after Vittore Carpaccio, a Venetian painter known for the characteristic red and white tones of his work.

Our next appetizer was a real winner with the whole table.  This is Madrina's Whipped Ricotta, smooth ricotta cheese, drizzled with local honey and sprinkled with eatable blossoms and served with two types of warm grilled bread. ($14.00) The only problem was that it was very filling and we practically licked the serving plate clean...

As has been noted many times before, Bill loves seafood!  We all like it but it's a passion with Bill.  So our third appetizer was Mussels Alla Crema...Gulf of Maine mussels in a garlic cream sauce and served with warm toasted bread for dipping. ($18.00) There were a lot of mussels...all good...and we all agreed that the garlic cream sauce was just about the best shellfish sauce we'd ever had.

At this point, we were getting full...but we still had salads and our entrees coming up!  Three Mayfair Salads were served.  They included Little Gem lettuce, Pecorino, prosciutto, croutons and Mayfair dressing. ($12.00 each) 

Fortunately, the service at Madrina is slow paced allowing diners to enjoy their various courses and beverages...as well as providing time for chatting.  This also allowed up to pace our food intake!

I was the outlier who veered off course, choosing an alternative salad.  This is Madrina's House on the Hill Salad.  It features iceberg greens, tomatoes, red onion, artichokes, mozzarella and a creamy vinaigrette dressing. ($11.00) It was a satisfying break from our appetizers.  I left the onions off the salad.

Now onto the entrees... While a number of steaks were available, only one of us wandered onto the "Secondi" or meat portion of the menu.  Among the steaks are a 16 oz. prime ribeye as well as Bistecca Florenina, a three-finger-thick porterhouse steak that comes with 2 side dishes and up to 3 sauces.

I wanted to try something different...something other than the norm for me in an Italian themed restaurant.  So I ordered the Spaghetti Chitarra Carbonara, with crispy guanciale, creamy eggs, pecorino and black pepper. ($25.00) Sadly, my entree was too sweet tasting and salty for my liking.  It turns out that guanciale is Italian salt-cured meat prepared from pork jowls or cheeks.  You can't win them all!  I should have ordered the Shrimp Capellini.  

Laurie loves veal and despite a number of other tempting possibilities, she ordered Madrian's Veal Parmigiano, with crispy veal, pomodoro sauce and fresh mozzarella. ($40.00) It was good but she had expected thinner more, tender slices of veal.  The 'crispy' designation might have been a forewarning.  I ate a bite of it and I agreed that it was OK but not great.

Bill once again did his 'seafood thing'.  For his entree, he went for the Shrimp Capellini, roasted shrimp with artichokes and a mustard creme sauce over capellini noodles. ($33.00) He also chose the Roasted Mushrooms, shown just above his shrimp, as a side dish. ($12.00) Not only did this entree look appealing, but he really enjoyed it too!  He did share some tasty roasted mushrooms with Bonnie and Laurie...

Bonnie ordered the most intriguing listing on the 'primi' portion of the menu.  Her giant Raviolo was stuffed with ricotta, mascarpone, Ozark forest mushrooms and duck egg and it was slathered in a rich hazelnut butter sauce. ($24.00) With the mushrooms, it wasn't for me but everyone else tried it and they raved about it...just how rich and fantastic it tasted.

The atmosphere at Madrina is outstanding and our service was fitting given the setting.  Opinions on the food ranged from amazing to OK, but let's face it, it's often a matter of choice and personal tastes.  Given the prices for this upscale restaurant, to us it falls into that 'special occasion' type of dining venue.  One upside for Bonnie and Bill was that they were able to take home a portion of everyone's entree!

Madrina Restaurant is located at 101 West Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves Missouri.  Phone: 314-963-1976.  Madrina is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 PM until 9 PM and they stay open on Friday and Saturday until 10 PM.  Website: https://madrinastl.com.    

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by to help celebrate Laurie's birthday!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave