The Story Inn for the Win

Take couple who enjoys eating, traveling and sharing their stories, and it’s not long before a blog is sure to follow. Well, that’s not true. We’ve talked about doing this for about five years, and now we’re finally getting around to actually writing it.

So, here’s a “he said/she said” account of our most recent adventure.

What She Said with Pat

Okay, so I’m a still little gun shy about taking the lead on choosing vacation destinations after the 2009 booking of a bed and breakfast in Jackson, Mississippi … It sounded great. Touted as, “The first governor of Mississipi’ residence” with promises of freshly baked blueberry muffins and a brass bed. And jazz clubs close by. Well, that didn’t turn out so well … we ended up staying in a Holiday Inn Express and were grateful.

So, upon exploring options for the significant other’s birthday celebration, thoughts turned to a safe Brown County/Monroe County ‘staycation” that included a stop at Oliver Winery, The Fourwinds Resort, the Edinburg Outlet Mall and a trip back in time to Story, Indiana.

If you’ve not been to Story, well, you should go. The coffee mugs say it best: “One Inconvenient Location since 1851.” The tiny hamlet was once a bustling town that never quite recovered after the Great Depression. As the marketing literature recounts, “It’s fate was sealed when the Army Corps of Engineers flooded the area for Lake Monroe,” effectively shutting down any easy route from Bloomington to Story. A winding road leads to a place rarely seen in 2014. Don’t come here if you want WiFi, or “three-plus bars” on your cellphone. Do come here if you need to get away for a bit and want to enjoy Hoosier hospitality the way it was meant to be —slow, relaxed, sweet and simple.

Dining at the Story Inn

Sigh. What can I say? This place is a one-of-a-kind gem located in the foothills of the Brown County National Park. But I’d happily match the food with any “big city chef” who wanted the challenge.

Dinner Entrees

Despite wanting the Sea Scallops (which Lee pointed out were surely not locally sourced), I chose the Pork Chop and was NOT disappointed. The chili glaze took this Indiana staple to another level and the sides – cheese grits and green beans – were perfection. Sometimes I choose my entre based on the sides – I know, its weird, and has not always proven a great way to dine – but in this case the sides rocked as much as the pork chop rolled.

And desert: a no brainer for me – One Bread Pudding, Two Spoons.

Holy moly, so dense and delicious with the pecan, caramel sauce on top … heaven in an oversized ramekin. Admittedly, I’m the one with the “sweet fang” in this duo, and it was delish. And, I note, fairly equally shared, which means it met the approval of the “non-desert eater.”

Lee for the “He Said”

When Pat suggested this place I had no idea what to expect (and there’s that incident in Jackson, Mississippi). The drive into town was twilight zone-ish … nothing, nothing and then buildings that looked like 1860s. Pleasantly surprised. We were guided to our accommodations for the evening…no modern amentiies ... no wifi, no tv, no radio … no shower. Yes dudes, you’re takin a bath … literally.

While Pat was changing, I had the opportunity to test out the new camera and there seemed to be 1000 shots just from the front porch … flowers, a fence row, antique lightposts, a beautiful old barn across the street, a rusted old water pump, the dog that had been following us since we arrived and neighing horses.

A short walk from “Doc Story House on the Bluff” down the hill to the General Store/restaurant and garden. More photo opps followed.

Surprised to see three occupied tables, quickly shown to our table for two amongst a treasure trove of antiques, aka what grandma had in her cupboard including a brownie camera and an old victrola.

Our enthusiastic and welcoming server Katherine was eager to share the house specialties and educate us on her two-month history with The Story Inn. “I love that every customer really is here to enjoy the experience of both the food and The Story Inn,” she said. AKA they are a bit older and less likely to gulp down a meal and bolt to the nearest music spot … because there’s not one here. It’s you. And the slow pace of Story, Indiana.

Meal specifics: Appetizers, several great choices, but we opted for Indiana cheeses and local meats to accompany our bottle of ___ wine. (Pat’s choice after reading “Rick’s choice” … and we both chose wisely.”)

Dinner: Lamb. I love it. I’ve loved it since I was 3, and my English grandma fixed lamb at least once a month. So, seeing a lamb chop on the menu … well, it was an easy choice. Since I’ve had lamb, I loved ranging from “medium” to “well-done” I left it to the chef. A tender yet flavorful chop was delivered a little south of medium and the topping of a delicate mint sauce was a subtle compliment without steeling the show. Admittedly, I’m a guy who struggles to eat a meal without some form of potato, yet the herb couscous was fluffy, light and deliciously flavored with herbs. The sweetness of the snap peas was the perfect compliment to the savory, meatiness of the chop.

Back to Pat: What to Know if You Go:

Do yourself a solid and book a reservation for an overnight and dinner. According to the website, packages start at $200. https://storyinn.com/

The menu changes seasonally — our visit was in the spring, so the menu including delicious lamb and a killer pork chop are on the menu. The bread pudding is not, but they’ve got Rustic Lemon Bars served with Prosecco ice cream and topped with a buzz ball that would be MY choice.

Also BRUNCH from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Sundays

We can’t wait to get back!