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Beechwood InnAccommodations
8313 West State Road 56
French Lick, Indiana
zip code 47432
phone (812)936-9012
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The Beechwood Inn has been reviewed 1 time, and has an average rating of 8.
Review by: Jason B.
Review date: March 6, 2008, 7:51 am
Rating: 8
Review:
While we didn't stay overnight at the Beechwood Inn Bed & Breakfast during our stay in the West Baden/French Lick area, we DID take the time to enjoy an intimate dinner at the Inn. We visited during what nearly every local/employee said is an off season for the area, because Beechwood was basically empty with the exception of one other couple. (Nearly everywhere we explored in the area was operating at 1/10th capacity or less.)
The Beechwood building is beautiful. It is just large enough to have presence, but not so large as to appear gaudy or imposing. I was told, the same person responsible for building the West Baden hotel in 1901, had Beechwood built to be his personal residence.
We were greeted by a very nice lady named Betty. She was both hostess and server. Throughout the meal she was very attentive, sincere and sweet. Betty’s sincerity stood out, especially in contrast to an earlier meal elsewhere, where the waitress wore an obviously glued on smile and permanent laugh that cried out “I hate you tourists!.”
The atmosphere is warm and cozy. At first it seemed dark and a little eerie (it looks like the very place Col. Mustard killed so and so with the candlestick.) However, after a few minutes your eyes adjust and the light from the fireplace illuminates old regional photographs, a little library collection and beautiful styling on both the wood walls and intricate ceiling.
The food choices were diverse enough for me, however my vegetarian girlfriend struggled to find something substantial enough to call a “meal” (as veggie types often do.) When we questioned Betty about possible vegetarian options not listed on the menu, she went to consult with the chef and came back with a delicious option. I don’t recall every detail of her plate but the gist was: roasted red peppers on a bed of something delicious, maybe some tasty carrots and asparagus. (Also, after we were told about and my lady had settled on the Red Pepper Vegetarian option, Betty let us know the chef also had a cheese ravioli option if we were interested in something with a little more weight to it.) However, if you partake in the HEAVENLY bread brought out early on and split an appetizer, you won’t need anything too heavy to feel as though you’ve had a full and balanced meal. More on the Olive Bread and Appetizer later.
Both of our entrees came a choice of sides which were pretty standard fare, rice variant, potato variant, vegetable variants, etc. The asparagus was very tasty. It is one of those foods that if done well, I really savor… Done poorly, gag-o-rama. Flavor was robust, texture firm but not tough, and it appeared to be grilled instead of steamed or thrown in with a vat of other veggies. I would rank it in the upper 15 percentile of my other asparagus experiences.
My other side dish was the fancily named garlic/roasted/whatever mashed potatoes. I know this isn’t a very bold or exciting choice, but neither were the alternatives! I figured it is tough to screw up mashed potatoes and I’d like to gamble on some potentially world class mashed taters. Well, I didn’t get my life changing mashed potatoes of the gods (and am still searching if you have any suggestions) but I wasn’t let down. If their quality was measured like annual income, I’d have to say they fall into the upper middle class category (with good credit and a house almost paid for.) However, they fall just a little short of top shelf, which I know the chef is capable of based on the other offerings.
In addition to the sides there were the standard issue house salads. Fresh, a great raspberry vinaigrette, and good diversity in the salad population. Nine times out of Ten, a house salad is just a house salad, all it has to do is not be rotten.
The entrée I settled on was the stuffed, roasted, chicken breast. I think it is the least or next to least expensive item on the menu at $16. (The options maxed out around $42 for the gigantor-steak type.) I was in the mood for bird and the chicken easily quenched that fire o’ hunger-desire. The breast was very tender, easy to cut and once in mouth, all but chews and swallows for you. The flavor of the chicken itself wasn’t exceptional, but I can’t think of the last time I had ANY commercially produced chicken that had flavor which stood out among the sea of gazillions of unhappy factory birds. The stuffing (ham/creamy cheesy variant?) was a nice punch of flavor adding a little needed variety. The real “star” of my entrée was the sauce covering it. Off the top of my head I can’t find the right words to describe it. It’s like meeting someone for the first time that is good looking (but not too good looking) funny (but not too funny) more masculine/feminine than you (but always downplays their advantage) that you’d meet at a work./holiday party or wedding reception that you really enjoy and could see long term friendship potential but you never see them again…Which is really for the best, because having someone around that’s so enjoyable, agreeable, and handsome only makes you look worse…It’s the guy that could steal your girlfriend but never would. That’s my analogy for the sauce… lame? Perhaps you should try the sauce!!! Or should I just come to your house and woo your mother and charm your wife?
We ordered the boring (and again safe) bread and spinach dip. The dip was exceptional in flavor, a little runny for my taste…but nothing out of the “acceptable spinach dip viscosity threshold.” The triangle shaped bread pieces circling the dip rocked my world. When served, the bread was hot, aromatic with a crispy crust and completely cooked, optimally soft core. There’s no chewing through some leathery crust to get to a sparse core…This whole thing, with the exception of the perfectly thick crust, is moist, heavenly bread. I have no idea what kind of bread it is, nothing special I presume…but it was served at the prefect time when both the bread and dip were fresh, hot, and full of flavor.
My lady friend’s “surprise star” of the night was the first item brought to the table, the olive bread. If you don’t like olives, you’ll still like this bread. It is bursting with flavor, holds up to the bruschetta easily and doesn’t fill you up while simultaneously calling you back for piece after piece after delectable piece. When people talk about the misery of living on “bread and water” it doesn’t seem that bad if your bread is this stuff!
In a nutshell: We both ate, olive bread, shared a great appetizer, enjoyed fresh salads, well prepared entrees all while enjoying a unique beautiful setting, being helped by wonderful employees. When the meal was over, the chef even came out to see how we liked it.
When comparing this $50 dinner (including tip, no alcohol) to dinner at our hotel’s signature fancy schmansee Northern Italian cuisine that came in at $110 (including tip + bottle of low end wine), there’s no contest. It’s true you’ll get more complex flavors and a more “mature” meal at the expensive place. However, one thing you don’t have to deal with at Beechwood is a pretentious waitress, six dollar water, and a surprising level of discomfort. I enjoyed the Beechwood experience more than any other place we ate over the course of four days. While the food may clock in around a 7 out of 10 compared to 9 out of 10 at the more expensive place, having a genuine staff, engaged chef, and a cozier dining environment really makes the difference.
I’ll be sure to stop by Beechwood for dinner next time I’m in the Paoli Peaks, West Baden, French Lick area of Indiana.
If their Bed and Breakfast is as enjoyable as their dining, it would be worth your while to book a night’s sleep there.
Overall, this is a great place with great service at a great value that’s left a positive impression well after the experience. A lasting positive impression, how rare is that these days?
Welcome to our Beechwood Inn detail page, the Beechwood Inn is located in French Lick. Please submit your Vacation Reviews of Beechwood Inn, French Lick. Address: 8313 West State Road 56.
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