Hyeholde Review – Fine Dining in a Beautiful Castle

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Hyeholde Dazzles with Ambiance and Fine Dining

We recently visited Hyeholde to celebrate our anniversary, and were immediately wowed upon pulling into the property. Tucked in a residential area, the massive grounds are lush and offer a stunning setting for the impressive castle building.

The wonderment continued upon stepping inside the main dining area with its stone floors, white stone walls, tapestries, and fireplace. We were lucky enough to be seated on the second floor in a cozy little nook with a bird's-eye view of the main dining area.

We started with a few cocktails, the Cat's Pajamas (mezcal, chipotle honey, pear brandy, citrus) and the Figs of Wrath (rye, elderflower, fig preserve, lemon).

The Cat's Pajamas was smoky with a touch of sweetness from the honey and brandy, and the Figs of Wrath was likewise well-balanced with floral and citrus notes to balance the intensity of the whiskey. We also tried the White Lavender Negroni with gin, Lillet Blanc, gentian, and lavender. Lavender can risk being too potent or perfumed in drinks, but the balance here was spot on.

The menu at Hyeholde incorporates seasonal ingredients along with a few classic staple dishes. As we visited in spring, dishes featuring vegetables like asparagus, mushrooms, broccolini, rhubarb, and ramps graced the menu. But of course, classic entrees like steaks, lamb, and trout were still the focus.

For small plates, we tried the miso grilled mushrooms, the beef tartare, and the chicken liver pate.

The pate was unctuous, topped with a port gelee and served with grilled bread- it was savory and sweet in all the best ways. The grilled mushrooms were local and tossed with a miso dressing, and they were served with a roasted cauliflower puree, horseradish, tamari, and shallot and garlic chips. The contrast in textures between the creamy cauliflower and the chips was nice, and the punch of horseradish every few bites was nice. We weren't expecting this dish to be served intentionally cold, but once we got past that, we liked it.

Our favorite appetizer was the beef tartare with truffle dressing, truffle aioli, whipped foie gras, and a pickled quail egg. The beef was so tender and rich, and the flavor was enhanced by the intense truffle notes in the dressing and aioli. We loved the contrasting vinegary bite of the pickled egg and pickled biquinho peppers.

As we moved on to entrees, we ordered a few glasses of wine. The wine by the glass menu is limited to just a few white, red, and sparkling wines, mostly from California. The bottle list is also heavily Californian (specifically Napa and Sonoma), so if that's not your interest, you may want to stick to cocktails or consider bringing your own bottle (although note a pretty hefty corkage fee applies). As we aren't huge California wine drinkers, the wine list was honestly one of the only disappointing things about the meal.

For entrees, we tried the elk strip loin and the seafood tagliatelle. The elk dish came with a ramp potato hash, ramp aioli, long pepper demi-glace, pickled rhubarb, and a fried onion ring. The dish was everything you want from a steak dinner with rich, tender meat and comforting starchy sides.

We also had the seafood tagliatelle with a saffron beurre blanc, sundried tomato, black garlic, and fennel. Scallops and shrimp studded the dish (although we would have loved even more seafood and a greater variety of seafood) with its light and delicate sauce. Because the dish was so light, we thought it could have used a little more salt to enhance the flavors. But the pasta was cooked perfectly and the seafood was also juicy and tender.

The dessert menu was full of enticing options like a meyer lemon souffle cake and even their take on a strawberry pretzel salad, but we opted for the classic creme brulee (a guest favorite). Served with spoons coated in chocolate, this was a classic rendition with a sufficiently crispy and caramelized top layer and perfectly creamy interior.

All in all, we enjoyed the food and perhaps enjoyed the ambiance even more. The service was very personable and helpful- it felt like they were really taking the time to chat with each table about the special occasions they were celebrating (since nearly every table was!). As we were talking with our server at the end of the meal about the impressive building, he even gave us a little mini tour of the space, including a sneak peek into the kitchen, where they also have a chef's table space.

Hyeholde is truly a special place with an enchanting atmosphere, classic fine dining food using seasonal ingredients, and welcoming service. We're already working on rounding up a group of friends to return and try the chef's table experience!

Hyeholde is located at 1516 Coraopolis Heights Road in Moon Township.