Stoll’s Olde 109 is well known in rural Watertown. It carries a Watertown address, but actually falls in the nearby community of Lebanon, just a few country miles outside the city. In doing research for this blog piece, I visited their website to see their slogan is “Where Everyone is Local.” Without knowing that was their tagline, I was going to review it on the exact same basis. I truly felt as though we were entering the classic TV show, Cheers, when we walked in. A couple of us from my group had been there once or twice before, but that’s no reason for the staff to know us. Yet, they acted as though they did! Not only that, the patrons sure seemed to know each other (or acted as though they did).
The Food
Buckle up, because we were all over the place with our menu choices. Once seated, our server brought us a cold glass bottle of water for the table along with our menus.
After a long browse of the menu, my husband couldn’t resist ordering a starter of deep-fried pickles, served with ranch. They came out fast and were perfect. My son had a hard time sharing.
I decided on their Country Fried Chicken, honey-dipped four piece fried chicken served with a choice of potato and veggies. It also came with a side salad, which was served before the meal. For my potato, I chose steak fries. I was pleased with every part of this meal. The chicken was perfection, the fries were hot and crispy, and the vegetables were surprisingly a highlight. All too often, the veggies are there for “show,” and hardly contribute to the meal. Not at Stoll’s! Full of flavor and the texture was just right. The generous portion turned into another full meal the next day.
If there is brisket on the menu, my husband will probably choose it. That day was no different, and he ordered the Brisket Sandwich, house-smoked juicy beef brisket served with homemade BBQ sauce and 109 fries. I had to have a bite when I saw it. Yum! He was very pleased.
My oldest son is gluten free and does a great job of substituting wheat items, but Stoll’s makes it so easy! They have gluten-free pizza, gluten-free buns, and plenty of other gluten free meals on the menu. So impressive. We have traveled throughout the country and have spent full weeks not finding a gluten free item on a menu. It’s refreshing to see a rural restaurant taking care of this growing population of non-gluten eaters. On this particular day, he chose a the Stoll Burger, American and Swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo served with
homemade 109 fries. We had another happy diner.
My youngest son came with the goal of getting pizza. He chose a 14″ The Works, Italian sausage, pepperoni,
onion, mushroom, black olive and green pepper. This generously topped pizza was a hit, and he had a lot to take home and enjoy the next day.
The Atmosphere
The restaurant is surrounded by country land and fields. We wanted to sit by the window and take in the view. We were there for an early dinner, so there weren’t a lot of people when we got there, but staying with the “Cheer’s” theme, the bar area was full, and people chose tables next to the bar to chit chat with each other. I felt a little anti-social, but really enjoyed the serene countryside. The interior is casual, but still feels country chic.
Overall Experience
Our server was lovely, the food was lovely, the atmosphere was enjoyable, the ride through the country roads was calming. Are you getting the picture of this rural hot spot? I can’t wait to go back! In fact, I’ll probably take in one of their many events. Stoll’s brings in incredible music, caters to ATV and UTV riders, and has a seasonal monthly car show. I highly recommend you follow them on social media to stay in-the-know.
About the Author: Robin Kaufmann
