An artful taste

The Inn on the Creek's strength is its romantic getaway theme, "but we're always looking to expand," said manager Justin Norman. Chef Cody Dunne's tomato basil cream soup was named "best vegetarian soup" in this year's Art & Soup competition. A signature entree is his apple-citrus braised pork Porterhouse, served with roasted walnut mushroom risotto. Another favorite is a pairing of tournedos of beef with lobster. The pasta is house-made, and the restaurant has a line of packaged food products, such as low-carb pasta and creamy potato soup.

While the above-mentioned restaurants are upscale fine dining, Genulies in Heber boasts "homemade goodness at its best." The restaurant was named for the partnership of its owners, Genene Cluff and Julie Holmes.

"Everything is homemade," said Holmes. They make their own foccacia and beer bread, and a Midway woman named Lita Mae Johnson bakes the Swiss bread — a rich egg-batter bread that's braided on top. They've been open three years; before that, the women owned a small deli for two years.

"We started the deli as a way to have a health department-approved kitchen for a catering business," said Holmes. "But it was the restaurant that ended up taking off the most."

After putting in long hours to get the business off the ground, they recently hired Genene's daughter-in-law, Wendy Cluff, as manager.

"It's a lot of work to get to the point where you can start bringing in other people," Holmes said. "Genene and I just about did ourselves in."

Lunches are casual, with soup and specialty sandwiches. Holmes is especially proud of the Reuben sandwich made with marbled rye bread. "A lady came in who said she has a Reuben sandwich wherever she goes, and ours was better than the Carnegie Deli."

Dinner is Wednesday through Saturday evenings. A changing menu often includes prime rib, chicken fried steak, rosemary chicken breast and shrimp scampi Alfredo. For the Artful Taste event, they plan to offer a three-course meal with at least two entree choices for $25.

"I'm excited about it," Holmes says of the event. "Once people come here, they keep coming back."

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E-mail: vphillips@desnews.com