Paul Wesley
cock 'n Bull
by Frank D. Quattrone
How pleasant to see the charming lanes of Peddler’s Village teeming again with smiling faces, mostly unmasked, as we approached the Cock ’n Bull. Starting at 4 o’clock on this cool Saturday in mid-May, we were doubly heartened to see a host of patrons streaming into and out of the village’s venerable flagship restaurant—a family graduation party, young couples relaxing after a hearty stroll, elder neighbors enjoying another meal at their beloved dining spot.
Full of surprises, the Cock ’n Bull proved once again why its popularity is virtually undiminished on the cusp of its sixtieth anniversary. Established in 1962 by Peddler’s Village founder Earl Hart Jamison, the restaurant has retained its Old World country charm while infusing the menu with innovation, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Longtime patrons can still enjoy Cock ’n Bull classics like the Thanksgiving-themed Turkey Plate (with all the trimmings) and Chicken Pot Pie, served in its puff pastry crust with garden vegetables in a creamy velouté, along with popular new items like Tuscan Linguini served with crisp pancetta, sweet peas and corn in a roasted garlic aglio e olio sauce, and Pan-Grilled Bronzino.
At the helm for the past nearly three years is dynamic Executive Chef Dean Hurt, inspired as much by his mother’s roots in North Carolina as his studies at the culinary school at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. He assures me that “the food on the menu is what I’d serve at home.” That includes Buttermilk Fried Chicken drizzled with bourbon honey syrup and served with corn bread, and Shrimp & Grits dished up with a polenta griddle cake in a Creole sauce.
The chef also enjoys creating the restaurant’s vaunted seasonal specials. With strawberries at center stage through early summer, we tried an appetizer portion of the excellent Shredded Pork Carnitas Tacos, complemented by a strawberry salsa and spiced up nicely with tiny bits of roasted poblano.
We appreciated this recommendation by General Manager Matt Bender, who has been in the restaurant business ever since he soured on the microchip industry several years ago. Since then, he’s run a restaurant/bar near Philadelphia International Airport; owned and operated a popular gastropub in Portland, Oregon, at the outset of the city’s culinary revival; and eventually returned to this area to marry his high school sweetheart and start a family. And now he enjoys working with the village’s director of restaurants, Evan Chizik, along with Chef Hurt and the front and kitchen staffs of the family-friendly restaurant.
Our entrees were exceptional, even better than we remembered from past visits. Eve enjoyed one of the “Cock ’n Bull Classics”—Short Rib Burgundy, marinated for twenty-four hours with fresh carrots, mushrooms, and sweet onions served in a traditional sourdough bread bowl. Matt Bender said that part of the menu revamp was the reintroduction of the bread bowl. Our server, the youthful, amiable, attentive Randi Lindsey—a mainstay at the restaurant for thirty-five years (she didn’t look a day over forty!)—said that guests have loved this dish for generations. “People remember the good old days,” she said, and bring their children and grandchildren to enjoy the menu and atmosphere.
And that includes those popular seasonal specials. Chef Hurt, who manages adjacent Hart’s Tavern, Peddler’s Pub, the banquet facility, and outdoor dining in addition to the Cock ’n Bull, provided a preview of this summer’s specials, which he described as “a summer block party.” Expect menu treats like Summer Melon & Arugula Salad, Dry Rub Baby Back Ribs, Cornmeal Crusted Catfish (see? Another Southern touch), and candy apples for dessert.
The meal’s highlight (for me) was the chef’s latest creation, Voodoo Noodles, already the menu’s “top-seller.” Perhaps a variation on Jambalaya, it’s a generous plate laden with succulent seared scallops, sweet bell peppers, and diced bits of zesty andouille sausage served in a blistered tomato-garlic sauce over linguini pasta. Otherworldly! Don’t miss it.
The chef says, “I like to keep it simple, flavorful, and good. Less is more. I want our guests to experience such a great meal that they’ll want to come back again and again, not just once a year. And we keep it affordable for families.”
Matt Bender also lends his expertise as a sommelier, recommending an excellent rosé from Provence to complement my entrée and a hearty cab-merlot from Washington state to complement Eve’s Short Rib.
Renowned for its special events, on hiatus through much of the pandemic, the Cock ’n Bull is slowly rounding back into form. Christine Triantos, director of marketing and communications for the Village, invites guests to the Red, White and Blue Barbecue Bash on July 4; the resumption of traditional festivals this August, starting with the Peach Festival and Sidewalk Sale; Comedy Under the Stars on select Friday nights; and two very special “theatrical” events.
“Murder at the Moulin,” a murder mystery outdoor theater, takes place on Saturday evenings from June 26 through August 28, and “Murder in the Jazz Age,” an outdoor murder mystery walking tour appropriate for all ages, takes place every Friday and Saturday through August 29.
No question about it: With its seamless ability to interface between stability and change, the Cock ’n Bull remains a key community dining and entertainment center.
The Cock ’n Bull Restaurant is located in Peddler’s Village, Routes 202 & 263, Lahaska, PA 18931; 215-794-4010; www.peddlersvillage.com/ portfolio-items/cock-n-bull-restaurant/. 0pen Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Full-service outdoor dining, takeout, banquet services available. Check website for Murder Mystery Dinner Theater and other special events.