"Where Olmsted County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Saturday, May 18th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 5:36:49, May 15th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Though I hated to see you reference Glenn Beck by name [Three Times ... [Read More]
- 11:42:07, May 10th 2013 - yenken - I feel very sorry for those who have commented do far, as when you stand fa ... [Read More]
- 12:10:25, Apr 26th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - Mr. "Cabtrom's" garbage-out[burst]--in response to Ms. Reisner's w ... [Read More]
- 9:51:50, Apr 24th 2013 - jeff pischke - To Jerry Grehl, the number to the fillmore county sheriffs office is 7 ... [Read More]
- 9:27:24, Apr 22nd 2013 - Cabtrom - Blah blah blah, garbage in garbage out! ... [Read More]
- 7:00:49, Apr 11th 2013 - Donald Pierce - Col. Stan Gudmundson hit most of the important nails squarly on the h ... [Read More]
- 12:44:54, Apr 4th 2013 - Frank Hawthorne - My compliments to Ms. Hammer for giving us well-crafted "Rachel Rea ... [Read More]
- 5:09:06, Apr 3rd 2013 - truthiness - I see this is dated April 1. That explains it! ... [Read More]
- 12:04:33, Apr 3rd 2013 - Frank W. Hawthorne - Say WHAT?!? Stan's American-Pie [In SKY] is Falling--Not Again? ... [Read More]
- 12:40:21, Mar 29th 2013 - Jacob - It's a shame that so few people care about making their voices heard. If we ... [Read More]
28
Should the Vikings be able to use the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium?
Real Bites
Mon, Jun 25th, 2012
Posted in Columnists
Posted in Columnists
Comments
By Jason Sethre
The Accidental Tourist
On a somewhat spontaneous Saturday, my wife and I contemplated where to celebrate two events: Father’s Day and her birthday.
She mentioned Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro, and I said, “We had better make a reservation.”
So, mid-afternoon I called to make a reservation for 5:30 p.m. for our family of four. The young lady who answered the phone surprised the heck out of me, in a good way. Upon making our reservation, she asked me if we were attending the show at the Commonweal Theatre.
My thoughts stumbled for a bit as a I replied, “Ahh, no, but thanks for asking.”
“Oh, sure, we just want to make sure we give our guests enough time for dinner so they can make it to the show on time,” she replied.
I was so impressed for many reasons. As a patron and board member of the Commonweal Theatre, I appreciated hearing that one of the local restaurants in Lanesboro was taking into consideration the possibility that one of their guests may also be a guest of the theatre. In addition, I thought that was a selfless approach to serving customers for the common good of all involved. In a way, this one little question demonstrates how businesses can connect the dots between each other for the mutual benefit of providing a memorable experience.
We all know that Lanesboro stands out from the crowd when it comes to tourism, but it’s not by accident. It takes some work, and I commend Riverside on the Root along with any others who partake in collaborative hosting.
When we arrived at Riverside on the Root, we were greeted and seated at a table outside by the walkway. We had a perfect view for taking in all the scenery. Across the street, we looked up at the lofty Brewster’s Red Hotel and observed a couple dining on a patio. They probably saw us, too!
I watched garden enthusiasts stop by the planters strategically placed in front of Riverside on the Root, showcasing a wide variety of flowers. As a matter of fact, I don’t think the same flowers could be found from one planter to the next. I overheard two women discussing the variety, talking about how that would look good at their home.
In the background of the outdoor dining experience was a magician preparing to put on a show that would start at 9:00 p.m. that night. Our children caught wind to the fact there would be a magician at the restaurant, and the begging began. “Are we going to get to see the magician?”
“No, Olivia and Landon, the show doesn’t start until after your bedtime,” I said.
I know that Riverside on the Root has regularly scheduled entertainment on the weekends, which can always be found at www.riversideontheroot.com.
OK, now I’ll get to the reason we came to this fine dining establishment.
I had the 10 ounce Prime Rib au Jus along with sides of garlic mashed potatoes and deliciously crisp vegetables.
One topic of conversation that comes up every time my wife and I talk about Riverside on the Root revolves around their Green Chili Ranch salad dressing. If you ever get a chance to taste test this dressing, you’ll be hooked for life. As a matter of fact, my wife has searched every grocery store in Southeastern Minnesota to no avail. I really think Riverside on the Root could have great success bottling and retailing that unique dressing near and far. Even if they start out selling it at the restaurant, I know of at least one frequent customer.
While I can barely recall what Amanda, Olivia and Landon had for dinner that night, I know we shared a masterful dessert fit for a family. This platter of moist brownies smothered in ice cream, whipped cream, caramel and chocolate syrups, and topped with a couple cherries, really makes me wish that it were socially acceptable to always eat dessert first – before the main course. Mothers seem to frown up that, though.
And, upon completing our meal, we visited with some friends also celebrating special occasions such as Father’s Day. I have to say that Mike and Julie Charlebois, owners of Riverside on the Root, know how to host a gathering for groups of any size.
There’s a lot of work that goes into coordinating the presentation of a fine dining experience. The food is superb! I think I’ve said that before. But, what adds to the experience is the ambiance, which can’t be easily duplicated. Riverside on the Root has a niche.
The Accidental Tourist
On a somewhat spontaneous Saturday, my wife and I contemplated where to celebrate two events: Father’s Day and her birthday.
She mentioned Riverside on the Root in Lanesboro, and I said, “We had better make a reservation.”
So, mid-afternoon I called to make a reservation for 5:30 p.m. for our family of four. The young lady who answered the phone surprised the heck out of me, in a good way. Upon making our reservation, she asked me if we were attending the show at the Commonweal Theatre.
My thoughts stumbled for a bit as a I replied, “Ahh, no, but thanks for asking.”
“Oh, sure, we just want to make sure we give our guests enough time for dinner so they can make it to the show on time,” she replied.
I was so impressed for many reasons. As a patron and board member of the Commonweal Theatre, I appreciated hearing that one of the local restaurants in Lanesboro was taking into consideration the possibility that one of their guests may also be a guest of the theatre. In addition, I thought that was a selfless approach to serving customers for the common good of all involved. In a way, this one little question demonstrates how businesses can connect the dots between each other for the mutual benefit of providing a memorable experience.
We all know that Lanesboro stands out from the crowd when it comes to tourism, but it’s not by accident. It takes some work, and I commend Riverside on the Root along with any others who partake in collaborative hosting.
When we arrived at Riverside on the Root, we were greeted and seated at a table outside by the walkway. We had a perfect view for taking in all the scenery. Across the street, we looked up at the lofty Brewster’s Red Hotel and observed a couple dining on a patio. They probably saw us, too!
I watched garden enthusiasts stop by the planters strategically placed in front of Riverside on the Root, showcasing a wide variety of flowers. As a matter of fact, I don’t think the same flowers could be found from one planter to the next. I overheard two women discussing the variety, talking about how that would look good at their home.
In the background of the outdoor dining experience was a magician preparing to put on a show that would start at 9:00 p.m. that night. Our children caught wind to the fact there would be a magician at the restaurant, and the begging began. “Are we going to get to see the magician?”
“No, Olivia and Landon, the show doesn’t start until after your bedtime,” I said.
I know that Riverside on the Root has regularly scheduled entertainment on the weekends, which can always be found at www.riversideontheroot.com.
OK, now I’ll get to the reason we came to this fine dining establishment.
I had the 10 ounce Prime Rib au Jus along with sides of garlic mashed potatoes and deliciously crisp vegetables.
One topic of conversation that comes up every time my wife and I talk about Riverside on the Root revolves around their Green Chili Ranch salad dressing. If you ever get a chance to taste test this dressing, you’ll be hooked for life. As a matter of fact, my wife has searched every grocery store in Southeastern Minnesota to no avail. I really think Riverside on the Root could have great success bottling and retailing that unique dressing near and far. Even if they start out selling it at the restaurant, I know of at least one frequent customer.
While I can barely recall what Amanda, Olivia and Landon had for dinner that night, I know we shared a masterful dessert fit for a family. This platter of moist brownies smothered in ice cream, whipped cream, caramel and chocolate syrups, and topped with a couple cherries, really makes me wish that it were socially acceptable to always eat dessert first – before the main course. Mothers seem to frown up that, though.
And, upon completing our meal, we visited with some friends also celebrating special occasions such as Father’s Day. I have to say that Mike and Julie Charlebois, owners of Riverside on the Root, know how to host a gathering for groups of any size.
There’s a lot of work that goes into coordinating the presentation of a fine dining experience. The food is superb! I think I’ve said that before. But, what adds to the experience is the ambiance, which can’t be easily duplicated. Riverside on the Root has a niche.
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