Owners, chef serve up vision

The staff at Fireside at Partridge Berry Inn, which opens today, wants to retain an Old World feel while serving classic dishes with a twist.

"It is more eclectic American cuisine," Executive Chef Shawn V. Vendetti said. "Now, we're featuring fresh seafood and hand-cut steaks that are USDA prime grade."

One holdover from the former Partridge Berry Inn is a fondue. Mr. Vendetti's version is an appetizer of crispy artichokes and cheese.

Bruce C. and Lynn M. Strough, Watertown, bought the Partridge Berry Inn in January from Watertown Savings Bank. Mr. Strough owns Pala Wood Services Co., 22566 Patterson Road, and Strough Custom Homes, 22201 Route 11.

Their vision was to bring back the restaurant's former glory and make a comfortable dining and banquet venue with exceptional food.

Crews of a dozen or so people worked for five or six months to completely renovate the inside and outside of the building, Mr. Strough said.

The walls, floor, ceiling, roof, heating and cooling system, windows and doors all were replaced.

"We kept the fireplaces and the beams," Mr. Strough said. "The center is an entirely new building."

The floor plan is basically the same, but the little rooms are gone and some of the walls were taken out. The ceiling and rooms are brighter, and the restaurant now features a private room with the chef's table and a separate dressing room and bathroom for brides off the banquet hall.

The restaurant and lounge will hold nearly 200, while the banquet room will fit another 200 people.

"We made it more relaxed and pulled the tables farther apart," Mr. Strough said. "We're not trying to pack people in."

The kitchen and staff of 20 to 24 people already started serving banquets, beginning with a wedding about a month ago.

"Holiday parties are booking fast," Mr. Strough said.

The restaurant held a party for those involved in the work last weekend and had its soft opening earlier this week.

Mr. Vendetti, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, and former executive chef at Francesca's Cucina, Syracuse, designed the kitchen with state-of-the-art equipment to handle banquets and restaurant service.

"We have the vision; we can see what could be done here," he said. "We can have a great restaurant in Watertown, which is ready for it."

Mr. Vendetti is a native of Watertown and graduated from General Brown Central School, Dexter, in 1999. He is continuing to improve his skills by seeking certification from the American Culinary Federation. After working in the Hudson Valley and Sarasota, Fla., as well as Syracuse, running Fireside at Partridge Berry Inn captured his imagination.

"I see the opportunity to feature what I can do in the town I grew up in," he said. "It's great. It's great to be home."

The restaurant is open from 4 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, with the lounge open until midnight. By November, it also may be open on Monday nights. Reservations are suggested by calling 782-8401.