Donovan Roberts Witmer
Down Under
By Hannah Wigton
Colin and Julia Morrell are not the Susquehanna Valley’s typical restaurateurs.
This young, newly married couple, one part Australian and one part Lancaster-native, are the owners of Aussie and the Fox, a new, concept-driven restaurant in Lancaster that is inspired by their different heritages.
According to Colin, in Australia, many restaurants serve as cafés by day and wine or tapas bars by night. When the Morrells secured their space on West King Street, they recognized that it was the ideal location for an eatery that met both of those descriptions.
Coffee and small breakfast and lunch items, packaged to go, are served from a charming take-away window on the side of the restaurant. Called the “Tucker Box,” the Australian term for a lunch box, it is the perfect place to grab a cappuccino or a sandwich of the day. An expanded breakfast menu is served within the restaurant on Friday and Saturday mornings, as well as brunch on Sunday and lunch daily.
Inside, guests are greeted with a modern yet comfortable space, all designed by Julia, whose background is in interior design. “I wanted to explore scale, size, texture and pattern,” she says. “It has a bit of an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ feel.” The oversized, tufted booths in burnt orange and plum, as well as groupings of eclectic metallic frames hung on the walls, are a few of the details that speak to her vision. Customers can choose to cozy up in one of the window-lined nooks for intimate meals, or dine at a family-style farm table for larger gatherings.
For dinner, one can choose from a wide array of new American dishes, as well as Australian-inspired specialties. Take, for example, the Australian Pie, which is similar in appearance to the classic potpie, but filled with mashed, curried root vegetables and chicken. “Barbied” prawns are another Aussie favorite, served atop a stack of charred eggplant, pickled peppers and sweet potato and ricotta purée.
Co-executive chefs Daniella Ward and Matt Scalzo, who have experience from other beloved Lancaster restaurants, including Fenz and Ma(i)son, ensure that the menu includes a selection of dishes that highlight Lancaster’s signature flavors.
Crowd favorites from the restaurant’s menu of handcrafted cocktails include the Mr. Fox, made with organic vodka, cold-brewed coffee, honey syrup and lavender bitters, as well as the Sydney Sunset, made with rum, lemon juice, orange bitters and malbec.
Patrons will recognize this eatery by an endearing logo that represents the restaurant well: a kangaroo raising a wine glass, and a fox with a cane and pipe. “The Aussie [in our name] represents Australia, a very modern, yet playful and laid-back country,” Julia says. “The fox is Lancaster, a sophisticated and timeless city.” This restaurant’s mix of those two personalities creates a unique dining spot ideal for any occasion, any taste and any customer.
Aussie and the fox | 38 W. King St., Lancaster | www.aussieandthefox.com | 717-826-4040
French Connection
By Keely Childers Heany
Downtown Lancaster’s newest BYOB on the block, dubbed a “little French supper club,” fills the French connection that the Susquehanna Valley has been missing,
with a modern, global flair.
The owners of Citronnelle, couple Susan Louie and Rafael Perez, share a connection with food; in fact, they met over a dim sum dinner in New York City, where they moved from in 2007 to start their dream restaurant in Lancaster, which opened in July this year. “We noticed Lancaster didn’t have a French restaurant, and Rafael is French trained…” says Louie. “He has a full and interesting background.” She explains that you’ll find anything from sushi and Korean to German on the menu. “That’s why we call ourselves ‘modern French.’ It’s not just straight-up classic French. Moroccan food, for instance, has a French influence, so you’ll see some [of those] dishes on the menu.”
“The more modern French chefs,” says Perez, “let the food speak for itself.” Louie confirms, “We’ve had customers say they can taste the individual flavors, every herb.”
Though Perez left the Big Apple fashion industry, her eye for design does not go unnoticed in her new endeavor. Herman Miller Eames-inspired chairs are both as ergonomically comfy as they are stylish. In fact, she says, “customers are choosing them over the usually coveted booth seats.” The best seat in the house, according to Louie: the romantic corner table for two. Oversized portraits of produce line the walls, as does gold and red grass cloth, all adding interest. “I like to shoot [photographs] at different farmers’ markets,” says Louie.
She and Perez are clearly inspired by the local food scene with regional purveyors such as Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, Linden Dale Farms (goat milk cheeses), Seasons Olive Oil and Vinegar Taproom, Sweet Annie Produce and Sweet Stem Farm (artisanal meats) inspiring each seasonal menu.
“Food has to have a memory, like something I’ve tasted once before and I have to have again,” says Perez. And there are some dishes on his menu that are addicting customers already. Citronnelle, which means “lemongrass” in French, has a namesake soufflé with coconut crème anglaise that left Mayor Rick Gray saying the only regret he had was sharing it with his wife, recalls Louie, laughing. “The next time, they each ordered their own,” she adds.
Meanwhile, new menu items such as Moroccan harira soup with tomatoes and lentils, and Nicoise socca crepes with fall vegetables, capture the season. Staples like creamy crab croquettes, wild mushroom sous croute and classic frisée aux lardons salad remain on the menu for their popularity.
Go for yourself and taste why this little 33-seat French bistro is bustling.
Citronnelle | 110 W. Orange St., Lancaster | www.citronnellepa.com | 717-208-6697
The 2013 List:
This year's 50 Silver Spoon Award-winning restaurants including 2013's new and notable.
1. Accomac Inn
Known for its seasonal Susquehanna River views and elegant farm-to-table cuisine.
2. Andalusia
A tapas bar featuring authentic small plates from Spain and Morocco in downtown Carlisle.
3. Annie Bailey's
Upscale Irish and internationally inspired fare in a casual, cozy pub atmosphere.
4. The Belvedere Inn
Elegant yet upbeat downtown Lancaster fave. Go for the grilled Caesar, stay for the nightlife.
5. Blue Heron
York's source for authentic French fare.
6. Bricco
Mediterranean flavors interpreted through Pennsylvania produce in the heart of downtown Harrisburg.
7. Cafe Fresco
Hip, day or night spot on on Harrisburg’s Restaurant Row specializing in Asian flavors.
8. Cameron Estate Inn
Take a pastoral getaway to a Mount Joy B&B and restaurant with fireside dining.
9. Carr's
Regional tastes in an art-inspired setting in the heart of downtown Lancaster’s Central Market District.
10. Char's Tracy Mansion
An old favorite in a new location, perched on the bank of the Susquehanna River.
11. Checkers Bistro
A Lancaster favorite in a new chic warehouse location in the Champion Forge Center on Harrisburg Pike. Known for its stellar service and creative specials.
12. Circular
A recent rennovation makes this Hershey tradition with upscale service and fare worth revisiting.
13. Cork & Cap
Casual chic dining in a former cork and bottle cap factory on Lancaster’s historic east side.
14. Devon Seafood Grille
Hip modern dining in the heart of Hershey featuring fresh-everyday seafood.
15. Fenz
Fashionably chic, refined comfort food and classics in downtown Lancaster.
16. The Garlic Poet
Get farm-fresh and inventive gastropub fare at this new New Cumberland fave.
17. General Sutter Inn
The cornerstone of downtown Lititz with lodging and fine dining in a beautiful sunroom setting.
18. Gibraltar
Mediterranean meets urban Lancaster at this regional favorite for seafood.
19. The Golden Sheaf
Harrisburg's luxurious pampering experience from service to palate.
20. The Greenfield Restaurant & Bar
A 1780-era farmhouse turned fancy, a Lancaster favorite for lunch, brunch, dinner, jazz and fine wines.
21. Harvest
Rustic elegance on the grounds of the historic Hotel Hershey featuring farm-fresh fare.
22. Home 231
Farm-to-table inspired dishes and creative cocktails in midtown Harrisburg.
23. Hunger-n-thirst
Lancaster's hot spot for craft beer and provisions.
24. The Inn at Herr Ridge
A preserved gem of battlefield history in Gettysburg featuring locally-sourced creative cuisine and an award-winning wine list.
25. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Freshly brewed beer and upscale pub fare on Lancaster’s College Row.
26. Ironwoods Restaurant
Fresh seafood and American regional cuisine just off the greens at York’s Heritage Hills Golf Resort.
27. Jethro's
A West Lancaster neighborhood hidden gem featuring American bistro-style cuisine in a casual setting.
28. John J. Jeffries
Seasonal, sustainable upscale fare in a contemporary former tobacco warehouse in the Lancaster Arts Hotel.
29. The Left Bank
The pioneer of contemporary fine dining in downtown York, always a regional favorite before and after shows at the Strand.
30. Lily's on Main
Dine Art Deco style above the historic Ephrata Main Theatre.
31. The Log Cabin
A scenic drive complete with covered “kissing bridge” just five miles north of Lancaster to an 1800-era log cabin offering fine dining classics.
32. Ma(i)son
An urber-farm-fresh BYOB on downtown Lancaster’s Gallery Row.
33. Mangia Qui and suba tapas bar
Upscale Italian, Spanish and Brazilian influenced dishes just steps from the Capitol, yet a world away.
34. One Lincoln
History meets modern day at this recently updated fine dining spot on the square of historic Gettysburg.
35. Penn Square Grille
Fresh, contemporary locally inspired dining in the heart of downtown at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.
36. Porch
Fine dining upstairs, casual bar fare downstairs. Either way, worth the country drive through Lebanon County.
37. Pour
A hip haunt on Lancaster’s Gallery Row with seasonal plates and an extensive wine and beer list.
38. The Pressroom
Known for its jazz and cozy big booths, on Lancaster’s beautiful Steinman Park.
39. Sidney
Modern American, French-influenced fine dining in a historic East Berlin tavern, which also offers casual fare and live entertainment.
40. Sidney Willoughby Run
An offshoot of Sidney’s original location, presenting flavorful dishes of fresh, local ingredients at the former Gettysburg Country Club.
41. Stock's on Second
Harrisburg’s pioneering gathering place on Restaurant Row, still a local favorite.
42. Stockyard Inn
Lancaster’s legendary steakhouse on the former site of historic cattle stockyards.
43. TÉ
A journey of refined Italian cuisine located at the Inn at Leola Village in Lancaster County.
44. Trattoria Fratelli
A regional destination for Italian cuisine tucked away in a Lebabon County neighborhood.
45. Trattoria Piatto
A staple of the downtown Carlisle community featuring authentic Italian fare made with fresh local ingredients.
46. Trevi 5
Simple Italian specialties served at The Hotel Hershey.
47. Victor's
A York neighborhood favorite known for its craft beers and bocce ball league, as well as Italian-inspired fare.
48. York Blue Moon
Bistro dining in downtown York with an enclosed courtyard and rotating art gallery.
NEW AND NOTABLE 49. Aussie and the Fox A new West King Street hangout brings an Australian-American inspired menu to Lancaster. 50. Citronnelle A new modern French BYOB in downtown Lancaster serving seasonal ingredients with global flare. *Restaurants listed in alphabetical order and are in no order of ranking
By Keely Childers Heany and Hannah Wigton
