Dining at Colonial Williamsburg's The Regency Room

Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia
Part 2

by Martha Hollis and Anthony Scaggs

Other top team members are Giles Haskins and Claudia Fitzgerald who have worked with Schadler for years in various capacities and venues. Currently, Giles is the executive chef of the Inn and Fitzgerald is chef of special events. Their capabilities, creativities, and love of the craft are reflected along with every other culinary member and kitchen staff, showing in each item issued forth from the kitchen.

“The cuisine is based in Classical French, but is more American cuisine,” stated Johnny Redcross, the Sous chef that evening. The Williamsburg Inn is part of his family’s fabric—his grandmother devoted 34 years of service and his mother another 28 years. Redcross, is a graduate of Colonial Williamsburg’s Apprentice program.

A trip to the Regency Room sans Crabmeat Randolph is almost a sin. The jumbo backfin delicate meat is pampered with a creole-mustard Dijonnaise (warning—do not even think of sharing this with anyone else). As we were sampling many different menu items we explored new offerings such as Roast Chesapeake crab with Mancheco cheese. Lump crabmeat, bathed in just the right amount of rich cream, signals a crescendo to dining bliss. Redcross shared chilled crab remoulade dazzled with country Dijon, olive oil, red wine, and cream on the Colonial Williamsburg 18th century style Sally Lunn bread.

Selecting wine under the guidance of Paul Austin becomes an adventure unto itself. Paul claims that his involvement can be as minimal as a suggestion to the full color and clarity test with the taste du vin ceremonially hanging, like a medallion of an ancient university, around his neck. “I like to see the pairing of one plus one equals three. Whatever you like to drink you should drink. Our job is to be the missionary preaching the gospel of wine.”

If engaged further, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of wines, coupled with amazing stories running the gamut from the importance of the grape to the wisdom of the world garnered through his humanistic interactions. Even his use of wine terminology is quite approachable and includes a bountiful dose of humor. “Like a Cracker Jack box, every wine has a prize and a story with every bottle.” He wants to demystify wines and make them approachable. Yes, he introduced us to the word “oily” for a wine. And indeed, for a fleeting moment, we did detect this note. Austin freely shares his knowledge and the vast wine list, an Award of Excellence Winner by The Wine Spectator magazine.

Click on selected photos for expanded view.

Images copryrighted CGA