SpringHouse: Upscale Dining near Lake Martin

We finally made it to SpringHouse.  I had been hearing about it for months and tried to go on earlier trips to Auburn. At last, when it was time for Steve’s 45th reunion from veterinary school (yes, you read that right. 45th.), I realized we’d be driving home on a Sunday morning.  Eureka!  Just in time for Sunday brunch at SpringHouse.  The occasion was everything I hoped it would be.  No wonder SpringHouse is on the list of “100 Best Brunch Restaurants in America for 2017.”  The food was wonderful, and of course, the surroundings are breathtaking.

I chose Spring Onion Dumplings (because I’m always eager to try new things), and Steve had Pancakes — which he declared were out-of-the-ordinary pancakes.  In fact, he raved about them.  My dumplings were surrounded by crabmeat, which added yet another layer of exquisiteness.  Really, really good.

Pancakes with Vermont maple syrup.

Spring Onion Dumplings with crabmeat.

A scoop of caramel popcorn ice cream.

After our meal, Daniel Goslin, Front of House Manager and Sommelier, graciously gave us a tour of the wine cellar and Well House and was good about answering my many questions.  His picture is on the About page of the SpringHouse website.  Thank you, Daniel.

Outside the Well House.

The grounds of SpringHouse and all of Russell Crossroads are well-planned and very aesthetically pleasing. A distinctive windmill is near the entrance and the first building on the right is Catherine’s Market.  Folks who live or visit Lake Martin are glad to have it for buying fresh ingredients and gourmet foods.

Distinctive windmill at the entrance to Russell Crossroads.

You will need to follow the road on a little farther before you come to SpringHouse.  When you see a beautiful, rustic building with lots of timber and stonework, you’ll know you’ve arrived.

View from the parking lot.

View from the upper porch.

View of the upstairs dining area and bar.

Chef Rob McDaniel is a cousin of a long-time Hartselle friend, Jane Ann Fields.  He grew up in Haleyville, and he doesn’t forget his Southern roots when he’s preparing great meals.  Those meals are SO great, in fact, that he has just been nominated for the FIFTH YEAR IN A ROW for a James Beard Foundation Award under Best Chef South.  He, along with fellow nominees David Bancroft of Acre in Auburn and Bill Briand of Fisher’s in Orange Beach, are bringing plenty of culinary recognition to the state of Alabama.

Maybe I’m becoming a foodie snob, but I love menus where I need to use a dictionary.  In recent weeks at SpringHouse, the following items were listed:

Braised Rabbit Pirlou — According to a description in FostersMarket.com — “A Charleston classic, pirlou (a.k.a. purloo or pilau) is an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink rice pilaf that is the lowcountry contribution to the family of rice dishes, including jambalaya and gumbo, hailing from the rice-growing regions of the Southeast.”

Over Roasted Gulf Cobia Pistou — According to FoodandWine.com — “Pistou is an olive oil—based basil sauce from the south of France that closely resembles Ligurian pesto.”

Hickory Grilled Beef Coulotte — A Coulotte is a cut of beef from the sirloin cap.

Crispy Duck Confit — According to Wikipedia — “Confit comes from the French word confire which means literally “to preserve,” a confit being any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period of time as a method of preservation.”

So, now you have my confession.  I had no clue what those 4 words meant, but I looked them up and will be better-educated when I encounter them in the future.

Here is my article published recently in Epicurean-Traveler.com if you’d like more information.  I do hope you will consider this wonderful restaurant whenever you are in the vicinity.  It’s even worth going out of your way.