FireGrill leaders combine two ideals, simplicity and elegance, to create universal appeal in updated menus

Above, candlelight adds an extra touch of atmosphere to the bar at the FireGrill Restaurant.

Abington Journal Photos/Christopher J. Hughes

Vocalist Susan Lake and pianist Tony Costa add jazz to the menu every Friday night.

At top, Head Chef William Krause, of Scranton, fires up another dish in the kitchen. Above, the Wezmar and Poepperling families enjoy a night out. From left, Ross Wezmar, of Waverly; Jim, Kathy and baby Moira Poepperling, of Duryea; Maureen and Karl Wezmar and Chad Walker, Pleasant Mount.

CLARKS SUMMIT – FireGrill Restaurant Manager Kurt Gockley, of Clarks Summit, and Head Chef William Krause, of Scranton, have had a busy month. Since joining the restaurant adjacent to the Inn at Nichols Village at the beginning of April, the two have been on a mission to give the restaurant a broader appeal through an updated menu. Amidst testing new dishes on staff and patrons and following culinary trends, they continue to find comfort in their new place of work.
“It’s a mixed crowd,” Gockley said of the group he’s seen come through the restaurant’s doors in the last month. “Of course there are patrons from the hotel, but there are quite a few people from the area that frequent the restaurant on a regular basis. I’m already recognizing people, which is good.”
Finding a safe home between the interests of local flavor and national trends will be the thing that sets FireGrill apart, Gockley said. “I don’t want people to feel like they’re eating at a regular hotel restaurant.”
Some items have already quietly made their way onto the menu, including gourmet flatbread pizzas and sandwiches for dinner or salads and appetizers for lunch. The difficult thing now, Krause said, is updating the available features. He, along with the kitchen staff, will introduce potential new features as specials over the next two weeks.
Krause is quick to point out that the words “American cuisine” are scribed under the FireGrill logo. He said that his style of cooking attempts to fit that phrase, which he says is really a fusion of different nationalities. “I like to take what’s new and mix it with something traditional to give it a new flair. There is no true American style of cooking. Through time, we’ve adopted the ideas of everyone who lives here, which is a nice reflection of the nation’s history as the melting pot.
“With that in mind, we want to create a sort of universal appeal,” he continued. “We want to bring this restaurant back to the point where people can look at the menu and everyone can find something they want, the kind of place to either celebrate an anniversary or sit at the patio and enjoy drinks with friends.”
Traditional items like Filet Mignon au Poivre, served with a brandy, cracked black pepper and cream sauce, or the Pan-seared Pork Medallions in a cinnamon, pear and brandy sauce, Krause’s favorite, will remain on the menu. The difficult part will be enticing even the most curious eaters to try something unfamiliar, like Lobster Macaroni and Cheese, an unusual dish that Gockley said is gaining recognition nationwide.
For now, diners seem to be just fine with the present choices. “We came for the martinis,” said patron Jim Poepperling, of Duryea, jokingly. Along with his drink, Poepperling ordered the swordfish during a recent visit. “I never had swordfish before. It came with grilled strawberries, which gave it a really nice taste.”
Hotel patrons Don and Gail Pirodsky, of Canastota, NY, found the restaurant through the AAA Travel Guide. The couple enjoyed the filet mignon and a chicken, shrimp and mandarin orange salad. “His was better than mine, as usual,” Gail joked. “The filet mignon was excellent,” Don added.
Diners who live close to the restaurant, like Veronica and Jared Strait, of Dalton, feel that the menu is already pretty balanced. They said that they dine at FireGrill every one or two months. “It’s diverse,” Jared said. “There’s enough choices that no matter who you bring, they can find something they like.”
Patrons even find comfort at the bar. Bill Macnamara and Susan Thorpe, both of Clarks Green, said other local restaurants are either too smoky or too crowded. “We come here because of the quiet, intimate bar,” Macnamara said. “Because of the hotel, you can have good, friendly discussions with people from any part of the country.”
Thorpe adds that FireGrill has been a recent site of celebration for her, whether it was reveling in the purchase of her daughter’s wedding dress or the end of the spring semester at Luzerne County Community College.
Following the creation of new features, Krause and Gockley will look to create a children’s and vegetarian menus for FireGrill. “Eating out should be a family event, and everyone is entitled to a good meal. That’s why those menus are needed,” Gockley said.

Want to eat?

What: FireGrill Restaurant – American cuisine

Where: 1101 Northern Blvd., Clarks Summit

Info: Breakfast, daily, 6 to 11 a.m.; Saturday, 7 to 11 a.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch, Monday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dinner, Monday to Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. For more information, call 586-5517 or visit www.nicholsvillage.com.