Restaurant Review: The Golden Pheasant Inn, 5 Emphatic Yums

By Mark McNease

Restaurant reviews are based on a 5 Yum scale, 5 meaning put it on your must list, 1 meaning avoid at all costs. 

The Golden Pheasant Inn
763 River Road (Route 32)
Erwinna, PA 18920
(610) 294 9595
Website: goldenpheasant.com
Spend Meter: $$$$+
Service: Excellent

Another Sunday, another outstanding meal. I don’t expect them all to be this good, but when you go to the Golden Pheasant Inn you can count on the standards being high. Located in Erwina, PA, just about twenty minutes from our home in rural New Jersey, the Golden Pheasant is a nearby taste of excellence. My husband Frank and I rode there with our friends and neighbors Phil and Jim. We were going out with them regularly before the pandemic put a stop to life as we knew it. Now that restrictions are being lifted, spring has arrived, and we’re all vaccinated, it was time for another delightful dinner out, this time indoors.

The Golden Pheasant Inn has been around since 1857, and offers luxurious accommodations in a historic setting, both in addition to, and aside from, a locally renowned restaurant. You can read about the Inn and its history on their extensive About Page.

Frank and I had been to the restaurant several times, most recently last fall when we sat outside and the effects of Covid-19 on restaurants and businesses were acute. While that has not fully passed, it was very nice to sit in their indoor dining room, spaced-out tables and all. Our server was outstanding, as was everything she brought to the table (with one or two criticisms you’ll find in the descriptions).

The menu offers a wine list, dinner menu, specialty cocktails, and their less expensive brasserie menu.

Frank and Jim started with six each of their Prince Edward Island oysters, followed with the Salad Lyonnaise consisting of frisée, crispy potatoes, bacon lardons, Dijon vinaigrette, and a poached egg. While I didn’t order the salad, I tasted it and would recommend it as especially delicious.

I began the meal with an item listed under appetizers as a tarte flambee, which was an Alsatian flatbread with fromage blanc, caramelized onion and local mushrooms. It was enough for the table, by the way, so don’t just order it for yourself. To round it off, Phil had their classic shrimp cocktail.

Jim and Frank (they ordered the same things) moved on to the steak frites from the brasserie menu, presenting a flat iron steak, red wine sauce, caramelized shallots and mushrooms (with the frites, of course!).

I had the salade niçoise, and Phil had the duck confit with Lyonnaise potatoes and frisée salad. These resulted in the only two criticisms I have: Phil, who knows his duck confit, said it was too fatty. And for me, the salade niçoise was a little too cold, or at least the potatoes and tuna were. It’s been awhile since I ordered this anywhere, but I recall enjoying it more with a contrast of warm potatoes and at least room temperature tuna (it’s seared, so I’m not sure why it had no warmth).

For dessert, two of us had their homemade ice cream with caramel sauce. Frank ordered their Belgian chocolate velvet tarte to take home, and Jim went with just espresso.

This is probably a special occasion restaurant, particularly given the prices (remember the brasserie menu if you want to save some money), but what more special occasion is there at the moment than starting to live some kind of normal, post-lockdown life? It was well worth it, and a definite addition to your must-go list.

Mark McNease is the author of ten novels, two short story collections and miscellaneous fiction. He’s the founder and editor of LGBTSr.com, “where age is embraced and life is celebrated.” He was the co-creator of the Emmy and Telly winning children’s program Into the Outdoors, and he currently co-hosts the The Twist Podcast.