Iron Lantern - Castleton
Iron Lantern
Description
The Iron Lantern is an American restaurant with French and Italian influences. Locally owned by the head chef, it has been in continuous operation for decades. The building, constructed in the 1950s, retains much of its original charm. The menu features a mix of modern American cuisine alongside classic Italian and French dishes. Starters include a Lantern clam bisque, pastry-wrapped brie with fruit, grilled honey chipotle wings, and tortellini alfredo with tomatoes, garlic, and mushrooms. Signature dinner options include jumbo sea scallops, maple glazed pork chops, chicken parmesan, Jack Daniel's salmon, penne alla vodka, and a blackened jambalaya pasta with andouille sausage, garlic, roasted red peppers, onions, sea scallops, shrimp, and alfredo sauce over linguine noodles.
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I ordered the sirloin steak, which was both rare and chewy at the same time—a combination I never thought possible. Interestingly, the one thing The Iron Lantern seems to have going for it is its crowded parking lot on Friday and Saturday nights. I often find myself puzzled by this. Do people genuinely enjoy the food? Do they have a strong local following? Unfortunately, I suspect it’s the latter. I think many locals perceive this as fine dining given their unsophisticated tastes. After all, these are the same people who wear sweatpants in public and believe fanny packs are still fashionable. If you value good manners—like offering guests a drink when they visit or placing a napkin on your lap during a meal—please do yourself a favor and skip this place!
I had one of the most disappointing dining experiences I've ever encountered! The food was poorly prepared, and the service left much to be desired. The hostess insulted my family and blamed me for ordering a medium-well steak, which ended up being nearly charred through. When I raised my concern, the hostess became confrontational and suggested our family wouldn’t be welcome back. I've never experienced such bad service or an unprofessional attitude from a hostess before. To be fair, the waitress seemed to be trying her best, but she was the only server in the entire restaurant. Our dinner stretched over two hours with minimal service and little to no check-ins. They even forgot our dessert, which was included with the specials. I would recommend avoiding this place at all costs.
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QR-Code for the menu
