Old Colonial Inn in Kentland, IN

A few months back, I noticed a Facebook friend's post about a restaurant she'd gone to. I love historic restaurants and restaurants that are housed in historic buildings. The place she was at looked like it definitely had that historic vibe and I kept it in mind. When my husband's birthday came around last month (the week before Christmas), I looked up the place and put dinner on the calendar. Then the blizzard conditions changed our plans. 

Once we got past Christmas, we decided to try again. We made the drive (90 minutes on a Friday night at rush hour) for our reservation. Our destination was Kentland, Indiana to the Old Colonial Inn. It sits on the square of this county seat across from the Newton County Courthouse. The restaurant is housed in an 1894 that later became a fine dining restaurant. The current owners took over in 2012, spending a couple years renovating before re-opening in 2014. They did a wonderful job.

Our meal was one of the best of the year. The fine dining establishment had all the classics on the menu and it was hard to decide. We started with fresh bread while we perused the cocktail menu. My husband got an Old Fashioned made with Maker's Mark that was barrel aged on-site for 21 days - uncommon and . For appetizers, he got clam strips and I got a classic shrimp cocktail. 

Our entrees came with a soup or salad. He had a lobster bisque that was very good. I had a salad with house-made bleu cheese dressing. My English cut prime rib was delicious, but the filet mignon that my husband ordered was magnificent - it totally melted in your mouth.

We ended with a slice of Tuxedo Cake, which was a layered chocolate cake with a vanilla mouse filling and a fudgy frosting. It was so decadent and a perfect way to end the night.

Although it was a bit of a drive, the atmosphere and food made for a wonderful dining experience that was worth the drive. I'd totally recommend it for a special occasion even if it's a bit of a trek.