Historic Palmer House in Sauk Centre offers many delights
By Carol Stender
cstender@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 02/18/2010 11:21 AM
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Palmer House
Hotel, Restaurant and Pub
Location: 500 Sinclair Lewis Ave., Sauk Centre, Minn.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week
Known for: Walleye. It can be prepared with The Palmer House's beer batter.
Contact them at: (320) 351-9100 or visit their web site at www.theplamerhousehotel.com
SAUK CENTRE, Minn. — When Brett and Kelley Freese purchased Sauk Centre's historic Palmer House in 2002, the restaurant, hotel and pub had fallen on hard times.
It had been closed for six months when the bought it with two other couples.
Kelley said it was tough for the Palmer House to make a comeback.
"You close a business for any length of time and it takes time to rebuild people's trust," she said.
Although their partners bowed out to focus on their growing familiess, Kelley and Brett were committed to see the business thrive.
The Palmer House had been a cornerstone of the community, Kelley said. Brett, an optometrist, and Kelley, a former hairstylist, believed it had potential.
They didn't change anything in the hotel, pub or restaurant, Kelley said.
"It exists today as the day it was built," she said. "It has never been converted into office space or for another purpose."
The only remodeling was done by a previous owner who took the 38-room hotel, which had shared bathrooms for all rooms but two, into a 22-room hotel with each room having a private bath, phone and TV.
Kelley learned the Palmer House had been a very formal place that most likely had a dress code. Its customers had deep pockets, she said.
"Others who've owned it over the years and tried to maintain that, and we do bring the linens out for evening dining, but we wanted everyone to feel comfortable coming here," Kelley said. "We added a children's menu because we wanted families to feel comfortable coming to the Palmer House. It's important for children to learn about the place as well."
Children can dine macaroni and cheese and mini-corn dogs complete with applesauce, homemade cookie and a beverage.
With the help of their chef, Julie Wolter, they developed a menu to please all tastes and have focused on key items like Angus beef and walleye.
The restaurant's signature walleye offerings start with flash frozen Canadian walleye which is skinned and prepared in the Palmer House's kitchens.
Lunch guests can enjoy the walleye sandwich. The 4- to 6-ounce fish is offered with or without homemade beer batter. It's served on a toasted 7-inch hoagie bun with kettle chips.
The North Shore Walleye is a crowd favorite for dinner. It's prepared with Frangelico liqueur, sliced almonds and chives. A choice of potato or rice pilaf and soup or sandwich completes the meal.
The Angus beef receives the same special treatment. Friday and Saturday night dinner specials feature prime rib. Wolter uses a rub and marinade she's developed to give the meat a special flavor and tenderness.
An array of hamburgers are also offered. All burgers are one-third pound and served on homemade buns with chips, Kelley said.
The regular hamburger is offered at $6.99 and special burgers like the bistro, covered with caramelized onion and bleu cheese, is available for $8.29. The Pub Burger is topped with a ham slice, both Swiss and American cheese and barbecue sauce for $8.59. A side salad and waffle fries can be added for $1.59 and onion rings for $1.99.
Salads, pastas and homemade pies are other menu features.
The dining room features the woodwork and architecture that makes a visit and stay at the Palmer House special. The stained glass was shipped from Austria, Kelley said.
The hotel's main lobby has historical photos of the town and the Palmer House. A display case features special mementos including pictures and books by hometown author Sinclair Lewis and a listing of the hotel's famous guests, which included Bonanza's Lorne Greene and orchestra director Lawrence Welk.
The hotel is a must-stop for many whether they want to visit the home town of Lewis, see the hotel's architecture and woodwork or investigate things that go "bump in the night." The hotel is listed as one of the nation's top five haunted locations, she said.