New French Steakhouse at Mirbeau Inn & Spa
07/01/2010 - Skaneateles, NY
Skaneateles, NY – July 1, 2010 – On June 11, Mirbeau Inn & Spa introduced an exciting culinary treat to New York’s Finger Lakes region with the opening of a new French Steakhouse concept. The French Steakhouse at Mirbeau showcases the talents of husband-and-wife culinary team Stephen and Allyson Landon, who serve as executive chef and pastry chef, respectively. It also marks the couple’s return to the picturesque resort town of Skaneateles, one of the Finger Lakes’ most sought-after settings, following their successful operation of the award-winning Persimmons Bistro & Tea Room in South Carolina.
“We are thrilled to be back in the Finger Lakes, both for the opportunity to be a part of the inspiring Mirbeau Inn & Spa and for the chance to enjoy and use the exceptional farm products available in this rich region,” said Chef Stephen who, along with his wife, is a passionate supporter of the farm-to-table concept.
The French Steakhouse at Mirbeau will showcase local Finger Lakes produce, meats, cheeses and other fresh farm products in a farm-to-table menu infused in the French Country style. The menu will feature in-house dry-aged beef, fresh seafood flown in daily, French Country-style comfort food, and house-made breads and desserts (including ice creams and sorbets) fresh from Mirbeau’s own bakery. Tableside presentations of many menu items, including a traditional Caesar salad, filleting of a whole fish, carving of a Cowboy-style steak for two and wine decanting, will underscore the restaurant’s sense of fun and romance.
Starters on the menu include a unique selection of fresh oysters, house-made charcuterie, and artisanal cheeses served with Mirbeau’s own delicious jams and marmalades. Entrees focus on fine dry-aged steaks and fresh seafood, as well as spa-inspired plates created especially for the health-conscious guests of Mirbeau’s world-class Spa. Featured on the Steakhouse Menu are select cuts of dry-aged New York beef – including the ultra prime American Wagyu “Kobe” beef and a selection of “cuts for two” – presented tableside in the French style, along with a selection of fresh Daily Catch seafood options. Classic, French-inspired sauces are featured, and traditional steakhouse sides derived from the French Countryside tradition round out the new menu.
A highlight of the Spa Inspired Plates is a whole fish cooked in “crazy water” with tomatoes, olives, potatoes, fresh herbs, wine and olive oil, and filleted tableside. Also on the menu are several “Chef’s Creations” featuring Chef Stephen’s twists on French comfort foods, including a maple leaf duck breast over cassoulet baked beans, pork marinated in molasses, and a braised lamb shank with mashed potatoes and fried onions.
For desserts, Chef Allyson has created a tempting array of sweet delights. Highlights include a warm stone fruit cobbler served with honey buttermilk thyme ice cream, a daily Parisian soufflé, and a mood-altering chocolate peanut butter bombe.
In addition to their restaurant careers, the Landons have co-produced a television show called Gourmet Thyme to promote local farming. They have also contributed to numerous cookbooks, including Ruth and Skitch Henderson’s Seasons in the Country. A graduate of Culinary Institute of America, Chef Stephen honed his craft under the tutelage of world-renowned chefs such as Jacques Pepin, Guiliano Bugiali, Perla Meyers, and Madeleine Kamman.
The French Steakhouse at Mirbeau Inn & Spa is open seven days from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and Mirbeau’s Wine Bar Bistro serves nightly until 9:30 p.m. For more information or to make a reservation, please call (877) MIRBEAU or visit www.mirbeau.com.
About Mirbeau
The 34-room Mirbeau Inn & Spa is an intimate, year-round retreat for rejuvenation and romance, offering gracious hospitality, award-winning cuisine, and world-class spa treatments in the heart of New York’s Finger Lakes wine region. Steeped in elegant French country style, Mirbeau is tucked into 12 acres of Monet-inspired gardens, surrounded by spruce forests, rolling hills, crystal clear lakes and more than 100 wineries. Mirbeau Inn & Spa is the only Forbes Four-Star Award winner for hotel, spa and restaurant in New York State, and a AAA Four-Diamond winner. It is also distinguished by the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, Top Ten Spas in the World in the categories of romance, yoga and cuisine in Spa Finder’s Annual Readers’ Choice Awards, and Top Five Spas for Couples in the World in back-to-back years of Spa Magazine’s Silver Sage Readers’ Choice Favorites. For more information, call 877-MIRBEAU or visit www.mirbeau.com.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Melissa Pogue/Briana McGovern
Middleton & Gendron, Inc.
(212) 284-9937 / (212) 284-9940
mpogue@mg-pr.com / bmcgovern@mg-pr.com
Contact: Melissa Pogue/Briana McGovern, Middleton & Gendron, Inc.


