Out of the Fire Cafe: a vibrant menu and fine dining await in the Laurel Highlands
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Joshua Fryer, chef of Out of the Fire Cafe in Donegal. -
Grilled watermelon salad.
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Out of the Fire Cafe hides in plain sight, in a countrified strip mall off Route 31, in the heart of the Laurel Highlands. The lodge-style building is full of natural charm, such as the tree-stump benches on a wooden porch, large vases of flowers and oversized cutlery that dangles from the ceiling just outside the open kitchen. The sprawling dining room and smaller outdoor patio emphasize a stunning view of the ridge. But tables cut off from the windows are also worth occupying for the food alone, which successfully combines summer farm stand flavors with a fine dining sensibility.
It's a lovely surprise, but a better plan. These days, those who stumble across the restaurant may well leave disappointed. Positive word of mouth has brought so much business that walk-ins should expect to wait several hours, and host staff were worked off their feet attempting to squeeze in yet another table of hopeful diners.
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3782 State Route 31 #200
Donegal
www.outofthefirecafe.com
1-724-593-4200
- Hours: Lunch, Sunday-Saturday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; dinner, Sunday-Thursday 5-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5-10 p.m.
- Basics: An upscale restaurant well matched to the rustic splendor of the Laurel Highlands. American fine dining with an unusual emphasis on fruits and vegetables, flavorful additions to more traditional dishes.
- Prices: Appetizers, $10-$13; soup and salad, $5-$12; entrees, $19-$31; sandwiches and burgers, $7-$11; sides, $5-$7; desserts, $4-$7.
- Summary: Wheelchair accessible; credit cards accepted; reservations strongly recommended; BYOB, corkage, $2 per person.
- Noise level: Loud.
Jeff Fryer opened the restaurant four years ago as a 30-seat sandwich shop. But as it developed and expanded, he often turned to his son Joshua Fryer, an experienced chef in New Jersey, for advice. The younger Mr. Fryer signed on in 2009, first traveling back and forth from New Jersey as a consultant, than joining as full partner and moving with this family to the region. The Fryers hope to expand once more this winter, and to add a second kitchen for catering.
First Published August 11, 2011 12:00 am
