New Frontier Bison Carpaccio (pictured above)
Antrim 1844 Combines Fine Dining With Historic Surroundings
story and photography by Nikola Tzenov
The holiday season is a perfect time for a delicious fine dining experience, and The Smokehouse Restaurant at Antrim 1844 specializes in just that. Surrounded by its beautiful grounds in Taneytown, Antrim was built in 1844, and was established as a mid-19th-century agrarian working country estate. Ownership over the years only changed a few times, which included a 50-year period during which it was left abandoned.
Richard and Dorothy “Dort” Mollett were in their 30s when they purchased the estate in 1987. “There was no heat, plumbing, electric … nothing was functioning,” said Dort. They were passionate about restoration of beautiful historic homes, and at the time they began running a small bed and breakfast while living on the premises. Gradually, over the years, they restored the house, the overgrown grounds, the outbuildings, and added a kitchen where Richard also worked as the breakfast chef.
Eventually, the Molletts moved off the premises, and transitioned Antrim into the hotel that it is today, complete with a massive wine cellar, 40 rooms for guests across the 14 buildings on the grounds, and an exquisite fine dining restaurant in the back. The beautiful location also serves as a wedding venue.
Today Greg Watson manages the restaurant, while Inti Villalobos-Coady fills the role of executive chef. Watson and Villalobos-Coady say they work diligently to create unique dishes and wine pairings that change with the seasons and local ingredient offerings. When Carroll Magazine visited in early October, it was the perfect time of year for Villalobos-Coady’s unique dish featuring pumpkin risotto, buttered poached lobster, toasted pumpkin seeds, and roasted pumpkin.
“It’s the Pumpkin Spice Lobster. The name is a play on pumpkin spice latte” he said, describing his passion for creative recipes and fun names. The lobster is poached in a butter that’s infused with traditional pumpkin pie spices. At first that sounded like too much pumpkin, but it was subtle, complementing the juicy lobster nicely, and brought all the flavors in the dish together, rather than overpowering them. Watson suggested pairing this with a K Vintners Viognier — a crisp white wine with a light acidity and floral notes.
Another fall dish was the New Frontier Bison Carpaccio — seared bison tenderloin, straight from New Frontier Bison in Madison, Va., prepared with pink peppercorns, smoked egg yolk, and caramelized shallots. Watson paired this with a Luzon Monastrell from Spain — a bold red with refined tannins. The same wine is used to caramelize the shallots on the dish, helping to bridge the flavors together.
In preparation for the holiday season, Villalobos-Coady envisioned roasted chestnuts, hazelnuts and stone fruits. This led to his Chestnut Agnolotti — soft, tender pasta filled with chestnut purée, served with seared foie gras, onions, soubise, plums, and toasted hazelnuts. For this delicious and festive dish, Watson paired this with a Luzon Monastrell from Spain — a bold red with refined tannins. The same wine is used to caramelize the shallots on the dish, helping to bridge the flavors together.
In preparation for the holiday season, Villalobos-Coady envisioned roasted chestnuts, hazelnuts and stone fruits. This led to his Chestnut Agnolotti — soft, tender pasta filled with chestnut purée, served with seared foie gras, onions, soubise, plums, and toasted hazelnuts. For this delicious and festive dish, Watson paired a Chateau du Trignon Roussanne — a full-bodied white from France with strong notes of stone fruits to beautifully accentuate the plums.
Villalobos-Coady and Watson update the menu often, but they do have recurring favorites. Watson is particularly fond of Antrim’s signature dish: a steak filet which they offer all year round, with components and sides that change throughout the year.
The Smokehouse Restaurant only serves dinner, although guests staying at Antrim can enjoy a country breakfast and afternoon tea. Reservations are suggested, and parties of more than four will have to call to book. Learn more at Antrim1844.com.
