JEFF KORBELIK / GZO | Posted: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:00 pm
One of the first things chef Donovan Cornish did upon arriving at the Red Onion was fire up the restaurant’s wood-fired oven.
It just made sense.
“It was such a waste to not use it,” said Cornish, noting the oven had sat unused for more than three years.
Some diners may remember the Red Onion — the restaurant inside the Holiday Inn in the Haymarket — used to be the Green Mill, a corporate chain specializing in wood-fired pizzas.
The hotel ditched the chain (and the oven) to start the Red Onion in the fall of 2001.
Cornish, as it just so happens, knows a few things about wood-fired cooking. He did it at Wilderness Ridge, where he served as executive chef from December 2002 to November 2004.
He came over last spring to the Red Onion.
“One of the things I was adamant about was the quality of food,” said Troy Terwilliger, the hotel’s director of sales. “I didn’t think it was where it needed to be.
“I brought in Donovan, and the quality has increased substantially.”
A big reason is the oven. Wood-fired food has a distinct flavor. A good example of it is the Cornish-recommended shrimp fettuccine alfredo ($14.50).
It features jumbo shrimp, garlic, mozzarella and parmesan in a light cream over fettuccine baked in the stone oven, which is visible from the dining room. The oven gives the entree a tasty, smoky flavor.
Of course, the big draws are the pizzas. My companion and I sampled Cornish’s steak and cheese pie, one of five on his menu. The chef makes his own thin crusts , often hand-tossing the dough in full view of the dining room.
Our 10-inch pizza featured grilled steak, caramelized onions, sweet peppers, shredded jack and cheddar cheeses. It was garnished with parsley and brushed with olive oil.
Here’s the kicker: The pizza was only $5, making it one of the better deals in town.
“We’ve been trying to let people know how good the food is here, and that it’s reasonably priced,” Terwilliger said. “You’re not going to find $5 pizzas anywhere else.”
Or $9.95 prime rib. On Wednesday evenings, the Red Onion has a 12-ounce prime rib as its evening special. It comes with salad and potato.
The prime rib is one of the daily lunch and dinner specials that go along with Cornish’s small but functional menu. In addition to pizza and pasta, the menu features a handful of steaks — costing between $16 and $23 — and sandwiches that start at $7.
As for the atmosphere, there’s no avoiding the look and feel of the hotel. Still, the Red Onion is comfortable and attractive — especially the large mural on the back wall, which is an eye-catcher.
The restaurant gives diners another alternative among the busy Haymarket scene.
“All we ask is for people to come and try our food and form their own opinions,” Terwilliger said.
My guess is the wood-fired selections, especially the pizza, will be well received.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Dining out
Red Onion
141 N. Ninth St.
Atmosphere: Casual to upscale
Specialty: Wood-fired oven pizza, steaks, sandwiches
Payment: Cash, major credit cards; no checks
Hours: 6 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Phone: (402) 475-4844
Notes: On-street parking, alcohol, daily lunch and dinner specials