Sharbot Lake Country Inn

Jeff Green | Jun 30, 2010

Frank and Sandra White have been working away quietly for years at their home on the Willis Armstrong Road for several years.

With their three daughters, the couple moved to the area from Mallorytown when Sandra took a transfer to the Sharbot Lake branch of RBC several years ago. Frank has been working on a number of building renovation projects since then, including renovations on their home and the construction of a 65’ by 130’ enclosed horse training facility, which is run by their daughter Jen.

Last month they took on a new challenge when they purchased the Sharbot Lake Country Inn. This sparked a whirlwind of activity for Frank and Sandra, as well as their daughter Jessica, along with their nephew Jody and his wife Ealeen Ward

The Sharbot Lake Country Inn has been a bedrock business in Sharbot Lake for many years, and the White family is striving to bring a new menu and new energy to that business while continuing to serve the needs of its existing client base.

It helps that the Whites are now established as a local family and that they like where they live.

“Sharbot Lake is a lot like Newfoundland, more so than any other place we’ve been in Ontario” said Sandra White, “the people are easy going, open. They tell you what they think.”

Although the purchase of the inn had been in the works since January, the sale was not finalised until early May, leaving only a week for Frank to make some changes to the look of the dining room before the Mother’s Day weekend.

The restaurant was closed for a few days after that, but since then it has been open seven days a week.

“It’s been quite a time,” Sandra White said one afternoon earlier this month as the staff were preparing for dinner amidst a photo shoot for a new website that will go online in the coming days. “We had to figure out where everything is; we had some equipment break downs and a lot more, but things are working into shape for the summer season,” she added.

One of the changes that has been made is the addition of sliding glass doors to create the possibility of closing off one wing of the dining room for private dinners and meetings without disrupting the public dining area.

Large, High Definition TVs have also been added to the pub, formerly Katie’s Pub, which has been re-opened on weekends this month. Frank has plans to re-model the pub later on, but the main focus of change has been the restaurant.

Chefs Jody and Ealeen have brought changes to the menu, as can be expected with new ownership, but they have also brought a commitment to making all the food on site from scratch.

Dinner dishes, such as the trout entrée, ($16.95) include parsnip puree, steamed herbed cubed potatoes, and baby vegetables, with a tart mayonnaise.

However, the biggest change might be on the regular family fare menu. The fish and chips are made with fresh fish and a beer batter that is made in house. The tartar sauce is derived from home made mayonnaise. The hamburgers are hand made.

Other menu items include a tuna melt, chicken pot pie, an all day breakfast. For dessert, there is apple pie, a lemon tart and crème brulée.

While the menu has some fine dining items that are common in fancy restaurants, in a very real way old-style family restaurant cooking is back in season at the Sharbot Lake Country Inn.

Efforts are also being made to source food locally, and Jody Ward has been working with Kim Perry at Local Family Farms among others to get beef, chicken, and even duck from local producers. In time, Jody hopes to increase the amount of local food on the menu.

Over the past month, the White family has been working diligently to get the Sharbot Lake Country Inn ready for the crucial June and July season; hiring and training staff, and trying to work out all of the details so the high quality food that is being prepared can be matched with excellent service.

Once the summer season is over, there are plans to greatly enhance the pub, creating a sports bar atmosphere with a pub menu that will differ from what is offered in the upstairs dining room.