With a new executive chef at the helm, the restaurant inside this Galena bed-and-breakfast is rising to a new level.
Diners who visit the fine-dining restaurant at Galena’s Goldmoor Inn enjoy the food so much that they wipe their plates clean.
“One time, there was a party of six in the private dining room,” says Slobo Radin, who co-owns the Goldmoor with his wife, Birgit. “One gentleman took his bread and sopped up all the gravy until there was nothing left on the plate.”
The intimate dining room has always been a staple of the Goldmoor experience, but with the addition of new Executive Chef Brandon Veitch, the dishes have been elevated to new levels at this lavish, castle-designed bed-and-breakfast.
“Brandon brings the creativity and the complexity of the dishes up one notch, and the food is really sophisticated,” Radin says. “When people sit down and go through the menu items, they often order one item to share so everyone at the table can taste the goodness of the food. It’s really amazing.”
Veitch joined the Goldmoor this March, replacing former Executive Chef Joshua Roberts. Veitch was hired with the help of a search firm.
“When our chefs get well-known in the area, people start knocking on our doors and hiring our chefs,” Radin says.
Veitch, whom Radin compares to a toolbox because of his range of skills and expertise, came to the Goldmoor after spending more than five years at The Peninsula Chicago.
“He produces his food in such an organized fashion,” Radin says. “I don’t really remember anyone who was so organized and doesn’t lose their composure under pressure. Temper plays a significant role when you are busy, and every restaurant has a moment where all the components come together to that pressure point, but Brandon can manage pressure. This fellow is really something else.”
Goldmoor’s menu is simple, yet complex. Veitch’s diverse background, which includes French and Italian cooking styles, bodes well for the ever-changing menu.
Speaking of which, the Goldmoor has unveiled its fall lineup, which has a hearty combination of dishes that warm the heart and feed the soul. The seasonal menu stands out with the help of locally grown ingredients that Veitch incorporates into each dish.
“That makes the menu unique,” Radin says. “Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, apples and cranberries are all part of the season, and people just love it. They literally lick their plates clean.”
This season, diners can enjoy Chilean Seabass served with rosemary marble potatoes, roasted parsnip, pickled squash and salmon roe. Handmade Squash Agnolotti has brown butter cream, butternut squash, chevre cheese, walnut and pomegranate.
If you’re looking for something lighter, check out the Kale and Brussels sprouts salad with pomegranate seed, green apple, gorgonzola cheese, candied walnut and apple-serrano dressing.
To make the experience even more special, diners are treated to breathtaking views of the Mississippi River. Fall colors and snow-covered trees add to a picturesque scene that keeps the conversation flowing through dinner.
“This is a gorgeous place,” Radin says. “It’s just a really beautiful place. You have to venture out and see how beautiful this place really is.”
The restaurant is open Thursday to Monday from 5-9 p.m. Reservations are encouraged by calling (815) 777-3925.