Last summer, I took a spontaneous trip to Historic Zoar Village.
A detour off the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail led to the village’s downtown, where I explored antique shops, a German-style bakery with a walk-up window and the beautiful Zoar Garden.
I remember peeking through the window of Donnie’s Tavern — a sports bar on the main drag through the historic village — and thinking it would be a fun place to eat, just because of the location.
It took me six months, but I finally went back for dinner at Donnie’s. I expected run-of-the-mill bar food and was pleasantly surprised at how sophisticated (and delicious) the menu was. I can’t recommend a visit to Zoar and a meal at Donnie’s Tavern enough.
Donnie’s Tavern opened in 2019 and prides itself on using locally sourced ingredients from farms in Stark and Tuscarawas counties. The menu includes entrees such as beer-battered Ohio walleye, pierogies from The Pierogi Lady and handmade pasta.
I picked a salad, which is not usually a choice I’d make at a sports bar, but the description was so appealing it stuck out to me. The sweet potato salad ($10.63) has roasted, candied sweet potatoes; crumbles of goat cheese; dried cranberries; candied bacon; candied almond; and spinach and kale. It’s served with a roasted shallot honey dressing that’s as thick as applesauce and full of flavor. Every component of the salad was fresh and so tasty.
My favorite bite of the night, though, was the giant pretzel with Ohio beer cheese and apricot honey mustard ($10.63) that we got as an appetizer. The dark, baked pretzel was the size of a small pizza and was chewy on the outside and soft on the inside. The beer cheese had a good tang to it, and the mustard was sweet, so it was easier to eat in larger quantities.
My fiancé, Ryan, ordered the farmhouse burger ($11.63), a sandwich packed with white cheddar, candied bacon, a fried egg and maple mustard (on top of the burger). I barely caught a glimpse of it before he devoured it. Ryan has ordered similar burgers for other reviews we’ve done in the past year, and he said this one was better than the rest.
As a side, we got the Tavern Mac and Cheese ($2.63), and it was the only dish of the night that left something to be desired. I try macaroni and cheese for most restaurant reviews, and the cheesier the pasta is, the happier I am. This macaroni and cheese had a subtle cheese sauce but was more like a buttered noodle.
Aside from the food, I also was a big fan of the ambiance at Donnie’s Tavern. It’s not fancy inside, and the room with a bar is kind of tiny, but it had a welcoming family feel that made being there fun.
More: Dan Kane's 10 favorite restaurant discoveries from 2020
More: A winning spot in Zoar for light lunch, baked goods and coffee
Donnie’s Tavern, at 162 Main Street in Zoar, is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Reservations and takeout are available by calling 330-874-7097.
Donnie's Tavern: 4.2/5 stars
Taste: 4/5 stars. Almost everything we had was excellent.
Service: 5/5 stars. The staff was prompt and friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.
Concept: 4/5 stars. Locally sourced food (and sports bars) aren’t anything new, but it’s definitely meeting a need in Zoar.
Ambiance: 4/5 stars. I’m removing one star for the fact that it’s not really decorated inside, but it’s got a good vibe regardless.
Pricing: 4/5 stars. I had a tiny bit of sticker shock when I looked at the menu prices but knowing food is locally sourced helps explain that.
April 19, 2021 at 05:30PM
https://ift.tt/3txtVCk
Sophisticated, delicious menu at Donnie’s Tavern - Canton Repository
https://ift.tt/2WinW4G
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Sophisticated, delicious menu at Donnie’s Tavern - Canton Repository"
Post a Comment