Temperance House
We will always have a soft spot in our hearts for the Temperance House. After all, that’s the place we took Bob’s parents to tell them that we were getting married … several decades ago. At the time, it was one of the few destination restaurants in lower Bucks County: a 17th century tavern with weathered charm and an upscale (for the seventies) menu. Fast forward to 2012, and some of the weathered charm remains—including a wall mural in the main dining room that pays homage to Newtown’s most famous native son, the artist Edward Hicks. Over the years, the Inn has been through multiple rounds of renovations to allow it to accommodate larger parties and live music on weekends. Colonial atmosphere has ceded ground to modern functionalism. Fortunately, the people who crowded the dining room on a recent Saturday didn’t seem to notice. They were too busy enjoying the food.
There’s a youth movement afoot in restaurants across our region. A new generation of chefs has moved into many long established kitchens, bringing fresh ideas, novel ingredients and a lighter, less doctrinaire approach to classic “white tablecloth” cuisine. Exhibit A: The Temperance House’s executive chef, Derrick Fields. Derrick is a homegrown talent who studied the Culinary Arts at the Art Institute of Philadelphia, and honed his skills in a series of corporate kitchens before landing at the Temperance House in 2010. As you scan the Temperance House menu, you’ll find a list of familiar choices, but read the subtext and Derrick’s signature, which relies heavily on Asian influences, becomes readily apparent.
The Starter selections include Coconut Shrimp, served over piquant kimchee rice; Cheese Steak Spring Rolls, where the wrapper is actually thin cut, hand rolled steak; and Pork Wonton topped with crispy Asian slaw. The chef offers a delicious diversion from standard crostini toppings by pairing medallions of melt-in-your-mouth tender Black Angus filet with toasted baguettes, and topping them with a mild horseradish dressing. But you can still choose to enjoy the classic Italian treat: Bruschetta Duet comes with two toppings: chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic and and mozzarella, and earthy marinated mushrooms with Boursin cheese. Homemade seasonal soups complement the menu, such as the delicious chowder-style butternut squash and parsnip soup we sampled during our fall visit. The broth was fresh and light, scented with thyme and overflowing with tender veggies and pieces of tender seafood ¬including crawfish, baby shrimp, crabmeat and bay scallops. Unusual and marvelous.
The Temperance House entrée menu tips its hat to the region’s popular steakhouses by offering 6 and 9-ounce filets, New York strip and Delmonico steaks, as well as Porterhouse lamb chops. Each cut includes your choice of potato and rings in at $28 or less (one exception – the 9 ounce filet for $33) making a steak dinner at the Temperance House an affordable indulgence compared to the brand-name city restaurants. If you want to spurge—on calories, as well as cash—you can top your steak with a crab cake (+$10) 6-ounce lobster tail (+$13), blue cheese, béarnaise sauce and more.
Seafood lovers will appreciate the seared Bay Scallops served over a crab risotto, flavored with buttery Comte cheese and white wine and brightened with a drizzle of orange buerre blanc. The “Guinness” Ribs are equally enticing: a full rack of slow roasted spare ribs sauced with a tangy Guinness-based barbecue sauce and served with fries and cole slaw. A boneless Chicken Breast stuffed with buffalo mozzarella, baby spinach and salty prosciutto is perfectly paired with sun-dried tomato risotto.
For dessert, Chef Derrick offers a variety of sweet treats from his own kitchen, like Crème Brulee and homemade Bread Pudding, plus specialty “imports” like cupcakes from Felix’s Caketeria, Newtown’s award-winning artisan bakery, and scrumptious carrot cheese cake from Junior’s Most Fabulous Cheesecakes and Desserts in Brooklyn.
A few final notes: The Temperance House’s list of seasonal cocktails is one of the most imaginative we’ve seen. Where else can you order a Fig Sidecar made with Remy Martin 1738 Accord Royal Cognac, or a Berry Bellini with raspberry vodka or Mulled Apple Cider kicked up with Calvados? Loved them all.
The restaurant’s attractive Tavern room serves a slightly pared down menu that features more casual fare like Carne Asada and Cheese Steak Spring Rolls, Pork Crostini and Brie en Croute, along with most of the most popular dishes from the main dining room. Prices across the board are moderate, especially when you consider the quality of the food.
Finally, extra kudos to the Temperance House staff for friendliness and efficiency. From the front of the house to the back of the kitchen, everyone seems truly happy to be working there. And that, in itself, makes every dinner a special occasion.
The Temperance House is located at Five South State Street, Newtown, PA; 215.860.9975; www.temperancehouse.com. Lunch: Tues.–Sat. 11a.m.–3:00pm, Sun. 12–3 p.m. Dinner: Sun., Tues–Thurs 4-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat., 4–10 p.m. Tavern open to midnight, Sun.–Thurs., 2 a.m. Fri.–Sat. Live music Wed.–Sat. Reservations accepted. All credit cards.