Category: Featured Articles

If political discussions are making your family dinners a little too divisive, don’t worry—there’s more than one way to have a mealtime conversation! In today’s blog, we’re taking a look at five fun dinner conversation games that everyone can enjoy—no stress required.

20 Questions

In this classic guessing game, one player picks a noun—a person, place or thing—and keeps it a secret. The other players take turns asking a series of questions in order to narrow down what the object could be. No matter how mundane the object itself might be, the process of asking questions like “Did it exist in the 1500’s?” or “Is the object in the room right now?” is sure to garner lots of laughs.

2 Truths and a Lie

2 Truths and a Lie is all about deception for the sake of a laugh, or to better get to know the people seated at your table. Players can take turns declaring three statements about themselves, but only two of those statements should be true—the other players have to strategically decide which one was a falsehood. By the time you’re done playing, this game might just clue you in to some surprising truths about family and friends!

Separation Game

It’s been posited that any two people in the world can be linked to one another via six or less people, or connections. If you like this idea and have a knack for pop culture, you can play it by looking for links between your favorite celebrities. It might be easy to link together big names like Brad Pitt and Ben Stiller, for example, but the game gets tough when it comes to finding connections between lesser known stars.

Rhyme Time

The premise of this game is simple—speak in rhyme, all the time! As you try to have meaningful conversations with bigger, more meaningful words, your task becomes a bit harder.

Would You Rather…?

In this fun game, players take turns asking one each other to choose between gross, silly or downright ridiculous scenarios. While the main goal of the game is, of course, to laugh, questions lie “Would you rather have a dog-sized elephant or an elephant-sized dog?” make room for interesting conversation as players try to justify their choices.

Do you have a favorite conversation game? Share it with us below! These games may seem silly at times, but they are great tools for opening up the table to conversation—and isn’t that what dinner is all about?

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

Fun. Family. A bit of flair to mark the end of a workday. There’s no shortage of reasons to enjoy a midweek dinner out—but if you’re looking for one, we’ve got you covered! Take a look at our list below.

You want to celebrate

Whether it’s a birthday party or a big promotion, great things don’t always happen on the weekend—and that’s okay! You can turn a regular workday into something even more memorable by capping it off at your favorite local restaurant.

It’s all piling up

We all have those days when it all seems to pile up—whether it be messy dishes or deadlines at work—but that doesn’t mean you should forego a meal. A filling meal will provide you with the fuel you need to keep on going—and of course, once you’re done, there’s no cleanup required!

You want to spend smart

Did you know that enjoying a midweek meal with Stonewood can actually be an economical move in itself? Our Crafted Tuesdays, Wine Down Wednesdays and Three Olives Thursdays are all excellent opportunities to save on the food and drinks you love best.

Your next grocery trip is days away

If you’re a weekend shopper, your pantry might be looking a little sparse by the middle of the week. Don’t worry—we can take care of prep, ingredients and holding you over until your next trip to the grocery store!

It’s your only chance to catch up with an old friend

When old friends and loved ones come into town for work, they don’t always come at the most opportune times—but that doesn’t have to stop you from seeing them anyway! Meet up at your nearest Stonewood Grill & Tavern so that you can focus on great food and company in a vibrant, no-fuss atmosphere.

Don’t worry about tidying up your house or whipping up something special—leave that to us, and focus on catching up!

You’re searching for a stroke of inspiration

Even the best of us get stumped as we search for inspiration in our daily lives. If you’re struggling to think up your next big project, or need help with putting all the pieces together, we won’t pretend to have all the answers—but we will provide you with the creative flavors and lively atmosphere that’s known to cook up great ideas.

No matter your motivation, you can count on a dinner with Stonewood to make your week extra special.

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

Today’s dinner table might be characterized by the fusion of fresh ingredients, as well as a reliance on tech for finding recipes or snapping photos of picture-perfect plates. Of course, family meals weren’t always so modern! In today’s blog, we will be exploring the unique dinner trends that have pervaded (and faded) throughout America’s history.

Industrial changes

Today, dinner takes center stage—it’s typically the biggest and most complex meal of the day, when we kick back and relax after a long day. However, before the industrial revolution took over and changed our daily behaviors, an afternoon meal we would now probably call lunch was much more important. It was the meal for entertaining friends or enjoying something especially substantial—however, when patriarchs started working even longer days, less focus was placed on this afternoon meal, and more effort went into preparing an evening meal—today’s dinner—that would often serve as a “summing up” of the day’s events.

A return to conventionality…

Wartime was naturally a stressful time for the American family—so after the Second World War, people wanted to return to simple, predictable and conventional lives. A large part of this meant enjoying conflict-free family dinners, typically prepared with care and attention by women who were reassuming their roles at home. Casseroles and other family-friendly dinners pervaded throughout this time.

Of course, once in a while the family would gather around a marvel of the time—the TV set—with a premade TV dinner, heated up to perfection.

…and convenience

The TV dinner was steering Americans toward complete, convenient meals that needed only to be heated up to be enjoyed—but as the microwave made its way onto the scene, even simpler, quicker meals were possible. As more Americans brought these novel devices into their homes, especially throughout the eighties, microwaveable meals rose in popularity. Quick meals like Sloppy Joes also were prime picks for busy families.

Modern innovations

While there will always be room for classically simple dishes, social media (as well as recipes and food info available at the touch of a button) has paved the way for trendy, health-conscious consumers who want to know what’s on their plate.

Which dinnertime decade is your favorite—the simplicity of 1950s TV dinners, perhaps, or the convenience of an eighties Sloppy Joe? Be sure to let us know!

Of course, if you’re looking for a modern day dinner that blends together the best of innovative flavors and tried-and-true classics, look no further than Stonewood Grill &Tavern!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

At the heart of a great many dishes is a delectable sauce that brings together every flavor and texture on the plate. You already knew this—but did you know that the French considered five sauces to be so integral to the cuisine, that they designated these recipes as the all-important “mother sauces”?

Read on to learn more about these specials sauces—and how they’ve led to the creation of the modern, innovative dishes you love today!

A historical distinction

Who decided what five sauces should earn the honor of being “mother sauces”? While the idea has largely been accepted throughout French and international cuisine, it was all started by chefs Marie-Antoine Carême and Auguste Escoffier. Carême had set aside four major sauces, while Escoffier later replace one of the sauces with two more choices in the early 1900s, arriving at the five we know today—béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomate, and hollandaise.

Room to grow

Minus the famous hollandaise (which is made with butter and egg yolk), each of the mother sauces is made by combining ingredients such as tomatoes or stock with roux, a thickening agent. Thanks to their classically simple components, these sauces serve as the foundation for hundreds of variants to follow.

Still not familiar with these sauces? Think again—if you’ve ever prepared macaroni and cheese from scratch, then the flour, milk and butter you used before adding the cheese was technically a béchamel without you even realizing it!

Stonewood’s take on sauce

Even if you don’t find one of the mother sauces on a menu, it doesn’t mean their influence is missing! Take Stonewood’s comfort food classic, our Chicken Pot Pie, for example. We fill ours with a Suprême Sauce that’s traditionally made with a stock-based velouté sauce and textured even further with heavy cream.

We don’t want to imagine a dinner table without the inclusion of these famous sauces… or their modern day descendants. Share your favorite sauce with us below!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

In many households, family dinners are a rare treat—a special chance for family members to share their days, have a laugh and decompress together. If that’s the kind of quality time you crave, why spend one more minute of it behind a smartphone screen?

The advantages of smart technology and social media are innumerable—but when it comes to time around the table, nothing beats going tech-free and enjoying the company around you! In today’s blog, we will be looking at a few ways to do just that.

Make tech-free dinners a family policy

You might want a tech-free dinner—but unless you make that policy clear, your family might not be so quick to catch on! Let everyone know that you plan to turn dinner into a more personal, family-focused part of the day. You can put this policy to work in a fun way—for example, a novelty “phone jail” is an easy way to keep your family’s phones out of their laps for a set amount of time (you can pick one up at the store or craft one of your own!). The key isn’t to enforce a no-phone rule as a strict, punitive measure—it’s to shine a light on the role of phones in our everyday routine, and perhaps prove that we can all go a little longer without checking emails, texts or social media.

Lead by example

Phone use during dinnertime isn’t just a kids’ problem—many times, we get used to checking our phones for emails or messages from loved ones ourselves! Set a positive example by keeping your own phone off or out of reach. Those messages won’t be going anywhere, and you’ll be able to enjoy your meal in peace and relaxation with loved ones by your side.

Add a dash of fun to dinnertime

When dinnertime is something special to look forward to, keeping off your phone is easier than you’d think!

That isn’t to say every meal needs to be a thrilling, high-octane attempt at entertainment—but a bit of fun or switching around of the routine never hurts. Have dinner in a new place, whether it be a picnic in your backyard or a meal out with family—of course, we here at Stonewood can help you with that! Dinner in a new environment prompts us to try new things and have fun getting to know our surroundings.

Encourage fun, thoughtful discussion

When the whole table is wrapped up in thoughtful discussion or enjoying a laugh a minute, it’s hard to even think about what’s happening on your phone. Encourage everyone to come to the table with something special they want to talk about—no matter the topic, this is a practice that gets everyone involved and thinking outside of the box. What more could you need?

We hope that these ideas help you achieve the kind of meaningful family dinner you’ve been looking for. We here at Stonewood Grill & Tavern can’t wait to help make your next family dinner a special one!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

It’s time to celebrate everyone’s favorite dinnertime staple—pasta! Whether it’s served as a side dish or as the star of the show, pasta is a constant favorite among kids and adults alike. As we celebrate National Pasta Month this October, we’re sharing a few fun facts about pasta.

At the end of today’s blog, you’ll know a little bit more about this culinary classic—and you might even discover a Stonewood pasta dinner worth enjoying in the process!

Pasta played a key role in several cultures’ earliest cuisines

Pasta may be delicious, but it’s not the most complex food to make—which is why it’s likely that different cultures developed pasta dishes independently and in their own time, rather than one culture having brought it to another (as is often suggested in the legend of Marco Polo, and how he brought pasta to Italy from his journeys in China).

The ancient Greeks and Romans, for example, both enjoyed variations of what we now consider very early pasta dishes. Roman poet Horace wrote about “lagana,” fried dough sheets, that might be a predecessor of traditional pasta. Meanwhile, wheat noodles were eaten regularly in Han Dynasty China.

It wasn’t always covered in sauce or toppings

Italian pasta is known for its rich sauces—but this wasn’t always the case. Before the tomato had even arrived in Europe from the Americas, pasta was consumed dry and with the fingers. When tomato sauce first appeared in the late 18^th century, utensils were finally used.

Pasta packs a surprising amount of protein

Pasta may be known as a key carbohydrate, but it’s also got its share of protein! The protein amounts increase when egg is used in the noodles, or, of course, when add-ins like meat and cheese are included.

When it comes to pasta descriptions, the answer’s in the name

Not sure what to expect from a new pasta dish? The answer can almost always be found in the name of the pasta itself. The classic spaghetti comes from the word for “little strings,” for example. Linguine (which you’ll find in our flavorful Shrimp Palermo) refers to “little tongues,” which mirror the flat, wide shape of this pasta; farfalle, on the other hand, means “butterflies” (but also closely resembles bowties!). It can be found in our Blackened Chicken Pasta, which features pasta and chicken tossed together in a delectable chardonnay cream.

You’ll find similarly meaningful descriptors in the name of pasta cooking methods. Al dente, for example, means “to the tooth”—it refers to pasta that is firm and, in the eyes of most pasta lovers, the most favorable way to cook pasta.

Pasta can vary across oceans

Be mindful of where you are when you order pasta, of course! Some types can vary from place to place. Vermicelli, for example, means “worms”; in the US, it refers to a pasta that’s thinner than spaghetti. In Italy, ordering vermicelli will result in a dish of noodles slightly thicker than spaghetti!

Pasta is a substantial part of international diets

When we say substantial, we mean it! As you might expect, the average Italian eats the most pasta, consuming more than 50 pounds’ worth every year. Pasta consumption across the Atlantic might be less, but it’s still noteworthy—the average North American eats about 15 pounds a year!

It first came to America via the English—not the Italians

While we have Italian influences to thank for our wealth of pasta dishes, pasta first arrived in America by way of the English (who, of course, learned of pasta from the Italians!). The English take on pasta included pasta that was cooked until it was very soft, then baked with a mix of cream and cheese. The Italian immigrants of the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries brought over pasta dishes packed to the brim with ingredients like hard cheeses, vegetables, and garlic.

New dishes came out of the cultural “melting pot”

Of course, while the Italian dishes were much more diverse in terms of ingredients, they didn’t feature meat as frequently as Americanized Italian dishes do today. This is because meat was available more freely in America, and could thus be incorporated into pasta dishes with ease.

With time, new ingredients were added into pasta dishes—and the very material the pasta was made with changed from time to time as well! Modern cooking methods make it easier than ever for chefs to add unique flavors to traditional recipes—our Short Ribs with Butternut Squash Ravioli, for example, features ravioli (a timelessly delicious stuffed pasta) that brings out the rich, nutty taste of butternut squash.

Which of these pasta facts surprised you the most? Let us know below! We look forward to serving you and your family the very best in pasta taste and texture.

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

This September, we’re focusing on a sometimes overlooked (but consistently delicious) culinary staple—the potato!

Few foods are as dependable—or as delicious. While we may take its versatility for granted, the potato serves as the backbone of many a favorite dish, including comfort food classics like mashed potatoes or crunchy French fries alongside your favorite burger.

This National Potato Month, we’re taking a closer look at America’s favorite tuber.

A powerful piece of produce

We all love the familiar flavor of potatoes in just about any form—but did you know that potatoes pack lots of powerful nutrients as well? They include vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin C, fiber and much more–so much that some have even dubbed the potato a superfood of its own!

So every time you pair a healthy side of potatoes with your favorite protein, you can be sure that your dish will be as nutritionally rich as it is packed with flavor.

Stonewood picks

Dining out tonight? Here at Stonewood, we include several different types of potato sides on our menu—because they pair well with some of our favorite entrees! Try some of the following combinations for a guaranteed delicious meal:

• Filet Mignon with Baked Potato: Our closely-trimmed Filet Mignon is tender, juicy and delicious all on its own—but pair it with a tasty baked potato, and you’ll have a hearty complement to an already memorable meal.
• Grilled Rosemary & Garlic Lamb Chops with Herb Scented Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes: Our flavorful Lamb Chops pair well with our Herb Scented Buttermilk Whipped Potatoes, set apart by their subtle flavoring and their light, fluffy texture.

Try it at home

Are you looking for ways to incorporate potatoes into your next meal? Some especially tasty ideas include chopping them up and adding them to your next hearty stew, or cutting them thin and sautéing them on your cooktop for a lighter take on traditional fries.

We hope that today’s blog has inspired your next culinary creation—whether you try a new dish at home, or dine out with us here at Stonewood, we’re sure it will be a meal you love!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

From rich, aromatic marinades to the simple savory profile of steaks and seafood, we here at Stonewood Grill & Tavern pride ourselves in the array of flavors we deliver—but we also know that behind every great dish, is an equally amazing mix of textures.

We’re devoting today’s blog to texture—why it matters, and how we incorporate it into your favorite meals. Take a look below to learn more!

Texture helps you get to know your food

The texture of your food is one of the biggest identifiers of what that food truly is—in other words, spaghetti wouldn’t be spaghetti if it came in liquid form, and ice cream in chip form just wouldn’t be the same! We get to know these textures from early on, and count on them every meal thereafter to tell us, in part, what it is we’re eating.

Texture also tells us the quality of our food, in many cases. You can tell a high-quality steak from a less desirable one, for example, by simply cutting in and chewing a piece. Everyone also has their preferences when it comes to pasta (whether it’s more tender or more firm and al dente) or pizza, which some love to load with unique toppings while others prefer a simple layer of sauce and cheese.

It makes dining exciting

Practicality aside, a variety of textures on your plate simply makes dining more exciting! A satisfying crunch or smooth, luxurious creaminess adds a new dimension to your meal.

How we use our favorite textures

Here at Stonewood, we’re fans of texture—and work hard to incorporate it in exciting, delicious ways on every plate. Here are a few such examples:

• Emerald Bay Crab Cakes: This dish offers a scrumptious seafood flavor that incorporates layers of textures, from a crispy outer shell to a delectably moist center. We pair ours with light, refreshing field greens so you can enjoy an added crunch with your meal.
• Grilled Garlic Bread: While not an entrée of its own, our Grilled Garlic Bread is a twist on the traditional dinner side. It’s surprisingly crunchier thanks to the grilling method, but just as full of that garlicy flavor you’ve grown to love.
• Ribeye Steak: Our Ribeye Steak is aged to perfection and is produced with quality in mind—so it’s only natural that a tender, juicy texture is the result!

Crunchy, smooth, crispy, creamy—no matter the texture, you’re sure to find it here at Stonewood Grill & Tavern, worked meticulously into your meal in an effort to produce the very best dining experience. We look forward to serving you soon!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

Practicing a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to mean foregoing flavor—in fact, here at Stonewood, we’ve put a special effort toward crafting dishes that are sure to please all needs and palates! Today, we will be looking at seven delicious Stonewood dishes that can be ordered gluten-free.

Buffalo Shrimp

Our Buffalo Shrimp delivers that famous Buffalo flavor on crisp, lightly-seasoned shrimp. Topped with blue cheese aioli, our Buffalo Shrimp may be a starter—but you’ll want to come back for seconds anyway!

Ribeye Steak

Our Ribeye Steak is a classically delicious dish, aged to perfection for your enjoyment. Pair it with a gluten-free side such as our flavorful Rice Pilaf, and you will have a hearty meal worth remembering.

Steak Salad

Looking for a light, refreshing way to enjoy our steak? We’ll put it into a salad for you! Our Steak Salad uses our famous oak-grilled steak in combination with fresh field greens, blackened walnuts, portabella mushrooms and even more tasty ingredients.

Pork Chops

We combine our center-cut, boneless pork chops with a flavorful blend of spices, soy, honey and our citrus-infused olive oil for a meal experience that cannot be paralleled.

Rainbow Trout

Looking to add a bit of color to your plate? There’s no better way to do it than with our signature Rainbow Trout! We oak grill our trout to perfection with herb butter and, of course, our flavorful house seasoning to bring out the fish’s natural flavors.

Grilled Rosemary & Garlic Lamb Chops

Our Grilled Rosemary & Garlic Lamb Chops are sure to please with their kick of flavor and incredible tender texture. We pair ours with a satisfying side of herb-scented buttermilk whipped potatoes, asparagus and a cabernet demi-glace.

Shrimp & Scallops

There are few pairings more delicious than shrimp and scallops—two classic seafood staples on one plate. Ours come with freshly steamed broccoli and our famous rice pilaf, two sides you can enjoy with ease on a gluten-free diet.

Which of these tasty gluten-free options do you plan to order during your next meal with us? Let us know! We’ll be sure to serve up a special meal you and your family will love.

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!

 

 

The summer months may be winding down, but your enjoyment of tasty (and nutritious!) seafood doesn’t have to! When combined with a well-balanced diet, seafood dishes can offer an exceptional amount of health benefits to you and your family.

In today’s blog, we will be looking at some of the biggest benefits of incorporating fish into your diet—as well as a few ways you can enjoy it, either at home or here with us at Stonewood!

A dish rich in protein and “good” fats

Protein serves as a key source of fuel for the body—so it only makes sense that you want to enjoy the nutrient at every meal. Fish provides that protein, letting your body fuel up and recharge for whatever might come your way.

In addition to packing a protein-filled punch, fish comes with the added benefit of providing your body with “good” fats—omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are beneficial to the body, and can provide a number of healthy perks, including…

• Reduced inflammation of tissue
• Maintained cardiovascular health
• Improved mental health

While so many of us simply eat seafood because we love the flavor, it’s nice to know that there are health benefits behind popular culinary creations!

How to enjoy

With an enormous variety of types to try and cooking methods to perfect, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy fish and incorporate it into your diet. With Labor Day coming up, for example, you might find this to be the perfect time to fire up the grill and enjoy grilled salmon, tuna or another dish. If you dine in with us here at Stonewood, you will be able to enjoy select dishes such as…

• Cedar Plank Roasted Salmon, topped with a flavorful apricot mustard jalapeno glaze
• Rainbow Trout, oak-grilled to perfection
• Our Chef’s Fresh Catch of the Day, a guaranteed-delicious dish packed with flavor

We hope that today’s blog helps you find tasty ways to add seafood to your diet. With so many ways to prepare fish (and plenty of delicious options right here at Stonewood), we know that the hardest part of the process will be deciding on what dish to start with!

Make tonight extraordinary! Each of our 12 Stonewood locations has its own unique community flair—but they all commit to the same excellence in fine ingredients and kitchen expertise.  Find a Location and be sure to Sign Up for our E-Club for news and special offers!