Comments (0) |

Elk Creek Vineyards Café: A feast for eyes

Vineyard setting turns slightly pedestrian lunch into a real treat

By Jacalyn Carfagno JCARFAGNO@HERALD-LEADER.COM

OWENTON -- As hunger called and stomachs turned on the twisty roads of Owen County, some grumbling arose in our car about who would want to drive all the way to Elk Creek Vineyards Café for a meal. When we came out of yet another sharp curve without a sign of the café, doubters wondered, where is it anyway?

All that changed when we made that final turn and came across the impressive form of the huge lodge that comprises the winery, the cafe, the tasting room and an art gallery. As we arrived on a clear winter day, the scene was breathtaking. The lodge, which would fit in at a tony Western ski resort, overlooks steep hillsides lined with vineyards. Were we really just an hour from Lexington?

There were no disappointments inside. The lodge takes advantage of its situation, with huge windows overlooking the vines and the remarkable landscape.

The café, really more of a deli, is a relaxed affair. You order at a window and then choose your table. The menu is fairly small and straightforward. It includes five salads ranging in price from $4.99 to $7.99 (all of which can be enhanced with grilled chicken breast or salmon for an additional $2.99) and a selection of seven sandwiches, ranging in price from $5.49 to $6.99. There's also a soup and sandwich of the day each day.

You can while away the wait until lunch is delivered to your table by enjoying the atmosphere, admiring the views, taking in the artwork on the second level or tasting wine.

I ordered the soup of the day, a vegetable beef, which was nice on a December day but hardly a standout. No one in our party chose a salad, but we did try a selection of the sandwiches, including the vegetarian offering, the Napa veggie combo. It was hard to go wrong with the colorful combination of feta cheese, olives, greens, cucumber, tomato, red onion and roasted red peppers. I tried what's called the Tuscan meat combo, a collection of Italian lunch meats with mozzarella and standard veggies (lettuce, tomato, pepperoncini, etc.). It was enjoyable but, again, not memorable, and I was thirsty all afternoon from the salt overload. Our party also tried the vineyard club, a tasty sandwich dominated by smoked turkey that also includes bacon, havarti cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayonnaise.

All of the sandwiches were generous servings but not so huge as to inspire guilt or gluttony. Elk Creek wines were available at lunch but, facing those windy roads on the return, we opted for bottled water and tea.

Lunch for four, without tip, was $38. It was a glorious day, so we took a short walk through the vineyards, past the pond and down to the amphitheater. The property also includes a hunting lodge, which was busy that day, and a separate lodgelike building housing a bed and breakfast.

So, was it worth the trip? Yes. The meal alone wouldn't draw me that far, but the winery is well worth the stop on a day of touring the area or a detour on a pretty day's trip to Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky.

ELK CREEK VINEYARDS CAFé

Address: 150 Ky. 330, Owenton. Hours: Seasonal hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Thu.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri., Sat. Phone: (502) 484-0005. Online: www.elkcreekvineyards.com. Other: Major credit cards accepted, handicapped accessible, some vegetarian options available.