Dining Out Review: Stronghill Dining Company

Whether you're talking politics or grocery stores, you're bound to hear someone grumble that Richmond is scared of change. Bring up restaurants with fellow food lovers, and the grumbles grow louder.

From a culinary standpoint, I have done my fair share of complaining, often wishing our city's collective palate were more daring, celebrating those restaurateurs who do more than perpetuate sameness.

This fall, Stronghill Dining Company, a restaurant I once raved about for its "coolly aware mix of upscale cuisine and casual hipness," lowered its prices and added budget-friendly sandwiches to its menu. One would correctly assume I was thrilled.

That is, until a recent Thursday dinner, which I left grumbling, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

When Stronghill debuted near The Diamond two years ago, I considered it fantastically multi-dimensional, able to step outside the box, culinarily speaking, yet remain approachable to a variety of personalities.

Its menu consisted of creative yet deftly executed dishes, such as wild boar and grilled frog legs, served in an eccentrically polished atmosphere, a place where the tattooed set happily rubbed arms with those clad in jackets and chinos.

Back then, every dish left me eagerly awaiting the next time my wallet would let me savor another $25-plus entree, an indulgence I usually have to ration.

Unfortunately, during my recent dinner, I discovered that Stronghill's prices weren't the only thing that went down. So did the quality of its menu.

On the upside, the bar still serves a good drink. I highly recommend Stronghill's martinis, especially the Lemon Ginger-tini (Absolut Citron, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon and soda water, $10) or the Spicy Peanut Butter Cup (Catries Peanut Rum, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, Stoli Vanilla Vodka and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, $10) if you feel like getting girly.

On this particular night, we started with pulled pork bruschetta ($7) and a special of caramelized spaghetti squash topped with phyllo-wrapped goat cheese ($8).

The pork bruschetta was a surprise hit. Large, crispy-edged hunks of pork infused with a smoky essence sat atop fresh slices of baguette. Melted cheddar and red pepper aioli added tantalizing dimension.

But things went south from there. The mound of julienned spaghetti squash was encased in a brittle shell of cloying caramelized sugar. The goat cheese's tanginess was no match for such intense sweetness. As we tried to disengage the squash, the phyllo became soggy, leaving the dish a textureless mess.

The lower-priced entrees are still Southern-inspired, boasting such choices as buttermilk fried chicken with house-made sausage gravy ($15) and herb-marinated, grilled hangar steak topped with fried oysters ($18).

The house specialty, blackened shrimp gumbo ($18), looked excellent on paper but failed in execution. Despite being wonderfully seasoned and laced with crawfish, chicken and andouille sausage, the gumbo was tepid and, therefore, hard to enjoy.

Although the shrimp topping the dish were large, it seems the kitchen took the word "blackened" too literally. They were burned to a char, leaving a bitter aftertaste.

A special of beef medallions ($20) was cooked to a perfect medium rare and accented by a delightfully simple Dijon cream sauce. However, they were coated in so much black pepper, I couldn't taste the meat. Oddly, the side of nicely browned mac 'n' cheese lacked seasoning altogether, forcing me to reach for the salt.

Despite these disappointments, not all was lost, thanks to a tremendous chocolate bourbon pecan pie and the quietly aware service I have come to expect at Stronghill. Our server couldn't have been better, especially in recommending the lethal fudge-like pie amped up with quite a bit of liquor.

Perhaps Stronghill needs more time to adjust to its new menu. Perhaps sandwiches are a better bet, even though I don't usually want lunch fare at dinner. Regardless, I hope Stronghill finds a balance because I don't want my initial infatuation to end.