By Susan Hahn
HQ 45 | AUTUMN 2002
When you walk into the Blackhawk Grille in historic downtown Barboursville, chances are Chef and Owner Ian Patrick will greet you when you come through the door because his number one priority is providing his customers with the best dining experience.
“Service is the number one thing,” Ian says. “They teach you that in culinary school from day one. If you don’t have good service, you aren’t going to have a successful restaurant.”
Ian took over the management of the Blackhawk Grille in June 2001. It was pretty much a turnkey operation, including staff.
“I think I am real lucky to have the people I have,” Ian says. “I didn’t have to hire anyone. I ask a lot of my staff and they deliver.”
The original structure that houses the upscale Blackhawk Grille was built nearly a century ago. Local businessman John Hankins bought the property at 646 Central Avenue in the late 1970s and renovated it with architectural gems – many were diamonds in the rough when he acquired them, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere in the restaurant that reflects the area’s history. Consequently the Blackhawk is a feast for the eyes as well as for the appetite.
“I wanted a menu that didn’t need a dictionary in the back,” Ian says. “I added a lot of fresh seafood to the menu, and you always have your steak eaters so we provide the best quality steaks.”
While the menu is constantly evolving, customer favorites such as peach and corn bread stuffed chicken breasts with five onion cream, crab stuffed sole fillet with lobster cream, Maryland crab-cakes with stone mustard sauce, and crème brulee stay on the menu.
The Blackhawk wine list is constantly being revised, too. Part of the change is because the vintages evolve and vendors offer new wines, but mostly it is Ian’s enthusiasm for wine that fuels the changes. When Ian started out at the Blackhawk, he had an inventory of 25 bottles of wine. Currently his inventory includes approximately 500 bottles.
“I take great pride in my wine list,” Ian says. In addition to the variety of wines on the list, he has his “heavy hitters” hanging out at the bar.
“You can always walk by the bar and choose a bottle that isn’t on the wine list,” Ian says. “There is always going to be something there that you will like. I like to travel, check out new things and get new ideas. I spent the first week this year in Charleston, S.C. and I got a lot of new menu ideas, new wine ideas and presentation and service ideas.”
The Blackhawk excels in the variety of wines it offers as well as the presentation of its wines.
“I offer a lot of our wines by the glass,” Ian says. “I bounce around a little when I order wine in restaurants, starting out with one, then I go to something different. I also have moved into selling wine by the half-bottles. I offer 10 different types of wine by the half-bottle.”
Ian refers to his wine decanters as unbelievable pieces of equipment.
“The decanters are great for presentation, especially for a twosome,” Ian says. “After the initial glasses of wine are served, the remaining wine is poured into the decanter. It helps the wine breathe, spreading out the surface area.”
He believes that attention to detail enhances the dining experience, including wine pricing.
“I’ve eaten in restaurants where they are charging $65 to $70 for a bottle of wine that I could have bought for $20,” Ian says. “I believe that people aren’t going to enjoy their meal as much when they are paying an unbelievable price for wine. It takes away from the overall experience.”
“I’ve always loved food,” Ian says. He started cooking at Guyan Country Club when he was 17 years old, and he continued to work there while he studied marketing at Marshall University. When Executive Chef Michael Harper arrived at Guyan, he took a liking to Ian and talked him into going to culinary school at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, S.C.
Ian returned to Guyan after completing the program. When Harper became executive chef at Brewbaker’s, Ian went with him. When Harper left the area, Ian became the chef of Brewbaker’s, and then River and Rail Company. From there he went to Chili Willi’s, then became the sous chef at the Embassy Suites in Charleston before moving back to Huntington to start his own catering business. When he had the opportunity to take over the Blackhawk, it was one more step in realizing his goals.
“This building fits what I do perfectly because so many people want to do private dining for meetings,” Ian says. “You can break up the whole restaurant into different rooms to accommodate various groups. Also, the catering business is expanding. People can cater functions here or off-site. I am building repeat business at the Blackhawk and growing the restaurant into a long-standing stable of the Barboursville area.”
Ian’s Restaurant Group, Inc. includes the Blackhawk Grille and Ian’s Gourmet Catering. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. To make reservations, call (304) 736-9494.
Recipe |
| Crab Stuffed Sole Filet with Lobster Cream |
| Crab Stuffing Ingredients: |
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, diced
1 hot medium sauce pan
1/2 cup hot olive oil
2 lbs. shelled lump crab meat
2 whole eggs
2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
|
| Dice all vegetables to consistent 1/8 inch squares. Saute vegetables until translucent in medium sauce pan with hot olive oil. Transfer sauteed vegetables into a medium size mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients to mixing bowl and fold together carefully with a mixing spoon. Allow stuffing to set overnight to achieve consistency. |
| Lobster Cream Ingredients: |
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup lobster essence
1 tbsp paprika
1/4 cup sherry wine
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp water
|
| Combine first six ingredients into medium sauce pan on medium heat. Make a slurry with corn starch and water in a small bowl. When the cream mixture boils, stir in the slurry to thicken the cream. Finally, stuff three ounces of crab stuffing into the center of a four ounce sole filet or flounder. Set the stuffed sole filets in a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and place the sole in the middle of a large dinner plate and adorn with the lobster cream. Garnish the finished plate with baby vegetables and Yukon Gold potatoes. |
