Stone Creek

People always ask, "Do you have any place new"? We'll we do. Last night we went to Stone Creek, 9386 Montgomery Road, Montgomery,OH 45242-phone 513-489-1444. They are in their second week of operation in the Cincinnati Area. Stone Creek is one of approximately 5 restaurants operated by Cunningham Restaurants out of Indianapolis. All the others are in the Indianapolis area, although both of the owners are former Cincinnatian's.
The place is modern, cheerful and full of people enjoying themselves. We were surprised that they were full their second week and asking people w/o reservations to either wait in the bar or come back again, as they chose. We had made a reservation for 7:15PM, Saturday, and it was honored, as we were shown promptly to our table, upon arrival.
The service started out a little rocky. Our server, who said he had been doing this for 4 years, turned out to have spent most of his time as a bartender or helper. They were busy so it took him a few minutes to get to us. We ordered a bottle of wine, and thankfully he repeated the order as he had gotten it wrong. When the wine and glasses appeared he showed very little experience in serving the opening round.
The menu is quite extensive, and can be viewed on their website. It contains various meats, seafood, poultry and pasta presentations. Also an extensive group of Sandwiches and dinner salads. Both specials, last evening, were seafood. Prices range all over the map and you can spend as little or as much as you want. The specials were in the $25 to $30 range.
Marilyn and I chose to split the Iceberg Wedge, which the kitchen did for us into two large servings. Before the salads arrived a beautiful round loaf of warm white bread, with a crispy crust as placed on our table. Instead of Olive Oil, Stone Creek provides an excellent poured dip which I hesitate too describe, but only will say that it was delicious and your server can site the ingredients. Back to the salad; the lettuce was garnished with diced fresh tomato's, bacon bits, Danish Blue cheese and spring onions. The dressing was a tomato and oil based blend of herbs, spices, and a little sugar, in a fairly clear light dressing, it was a wonderful accompaniment. Our server told us early on that all things where made from fresh ingredients and that literally we could mix and match.
For my main course I had a roasted Sea Bass with a corn Salsa, fried Green tomato's and asparagus, which I had substituted for the mash potatoes, another of our party had the same dish with "angel hair" instead of potatoes. Marilyn had Orange Ruffy and was only able to down about half of her portion. Her fish came with mashed potatoes and green beans and had a light butter sauce over the fish which had been pan seared. She finished her meal with the usual "decaf"
I loved the salad but though my Bass had been slightly over cooked and was a little chewy. Marilyn's Ruffy was well prepared. The accompaniments were good, although the fried tomatoes had too much cheese flavor, for my taste, as it overwhelmed the tomato flavor.
The bill came, and there were four of us, in a mixed up accounting. the manager, Roy Stines, who had been very attentive, all evening, straitened it out and we left well satisfied. Dinner, for the two of us, including the split wine charge( $15/couple) came to $82 including tip and tax.
I am always bothered by Valet parking, with a mandatory charge, at a suburban restaurant and my advise is if this bothers you there is plenty of space in lots, across the street, where the businesses are not open in evening hours.
We will return and I feel the management who knows what they are doing, will iron out any beginning flaws.