Monday, Aug. 03, 2009

Lighthouse Grill: Carlyle restaurant caters to lake crowd

There may not be a lighthouse on Carlyle Lake, but the Lighthouse Grill shines when it comes to serving hungry boaters, fishermen and a barge of regular customers.

Owner Shirley Muenter hasn't worried much about the recession or customers deciding to eat at home.

"I do a fantastic business. My goal has been to have a place where a family can afford to eat, plus we have some upper-end items. The most expensive is $17.95 for a 12-ounce marinated ribeye. We've got a little of everything: chops, chicken, steak and fish, which is our biggest seller -- and I'll stack my fried chicken against anyone's."

She and her husband, Mike, bought the former site of the Dockside Diner in the fall of 2007 and opened the Lighthouse Grill in March 2008. Shirley had been the diner's general manager.

The restaurant, which looks like a log cabin, has a great location: It's within sight of the lake, marina, boat ramp, beach and picnic area. Plus, it shares Resort Drive with the Microtel Inn & Suites and the Mariners Village Conference & Banquet Center, where Shirley also does all the catering. The town's only other motel is just up the road on Illinois 127.

How good is business? Last Sunday they fed 554, Shirley said. And that's typical.

"We have a lot of regulars and the local people really support us," she said, noting that the Sunday breakfast buffet was an instant success because it started before church (7 a.m.), didn't end until long after the pews emptied (2 p.m.) and cost $9.95. But it was almost too much of a good thing, with crowds lined up out to the parking lot, Shirley said. So she added a Saturday version of the buffet from 7 a.m. to noon for $6.95.

For those hankering for fish, Lighthouse Grill offers the Friday night seafood buffet for $14.95. It includes shrimp fixed two ways, crab legs, baked cod and more.

If you want dessert, pie doesn't disappoint.

"I have a lady who makes all the pies for me here and they're the best," Shirley said.

Specialty items include the Lighthouse Potato, which "is just like twice-baked (with sour cream and cheese), but we don't put it back in the potato."

And then there's the surprise inside the bread sticks: They're stuffed with mozzarella cheese.

The eatery does takeouts, which make the boaters happy.

"Summer is kind of a bonus for us," Shirley, 51, said of the added business.

If you want to park it on land instead of sea, the cozy interior has room for 136 at tables or booths, and lots of windows to watch boaters coming and going from the marina. The restaurant serves beer and wine and takes reservations "especially for Friday nights and Sunday."

On Shirley's sandwich menu is your choice of an 8-ounce charbroiled burger or a 6-ounce grilled chicken breast. Dress it up either with additions like salsa, guacamole, mushrooms and cheddar cheese. Sandwiches range from $5.95 to $6.75 and include french fries, coleslaw or potato salad.

Other items on the menu include hand-cut, homemade onion rings ($7.95); three kinds of pasta; fried shrimp, whitefish or catfish ($8.50 to $12.25); and soup and salad. Entrees include vegetable of the day, choice of potato and soup or salad and range from the 12-ounce Marinated Smoked Pork Chop ($12.95) to the baby back ribs with the restaurant's own barbecue sauce ($12.95/$16.95).

The energetic owner says she couldn't do it all without her 21 servers, eight cooks and five dishwashers. And, she proudly admits, she's cut back on her hours.

"We have our first grandson, so I'm taking my time and spending some of it with him."

Lighthouse Grill

5 Resort Drive, Carlyle

Directions: U.S. 50 to intersection with Illinois 127. Turn left. At the first stoplight (McDonald's is on the corner), turn right on William Road. Go about 1/2 mile and look on left for Resort Drive and log cabin-style restaurant. There is no restaurant sign. Turn left and into parking lot.

Hours: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Phone: 594-8411