INGOOD TASTE
Lakelands Restaurant & Pub
9690 West Lake Road Lake City, PA
814.774.7271
Kitchen Hours Wednesday to Saturday,
4 to 9 p.m.
Bar Hours Wednesday to Saturday until
10 p.m.
Sunday 4 to 8 p.m.
Closed Monday and Tuesday
T
hree years ago, Jack Faulkner
attended the auction for Theodore’s
Restaurant on Route 5 in Lake City
to buy equipment for his brother’s
cider mill. Instead, he bought a venue to start
a business. He and his wife, Connie, had a
vision to transform it into a warm, cottage-style
restaurant that would be a destination spot for
guests looking for casual, upscale dining in a
relaxed atmosphere.
Intensive renovation and restoration efforts
yielded a charming, cottage-style restaurant
where the lake motif is expressed throughout.
Framed artwork of wind-facing seagulls,
lakeside cottages and colorful wooden
Adirondack beach chairs adorn the walls
painted in soft hues of blue and taupe.
A rugged pier juts out into the waves, pointing
toward a rose-hued sunset. Shelves hold
collections of beach glass and seashells.
Church pews converted into seating are
another unique feature at Lakelands. It’s worth
a visit just to see this one-of-a-kind bar. “The
bar is made from the wood of a pine tree that
fell down 30 years ago in the backyard of my
dad’s house,” explains Jack. “He stored it in his
barn, and when Connie and I were designing
unique features for the restaurant, we hauled
it out, found Kyle Potter, a woodworker, who
carved and shaped it into the bar.”
Jack says Lakelands is special because of the
unique cuisine, featuring a wide selection
of seafood. Patrons come regularly for the
Norwegian cold-water salmon baked with
creamy horseradish sauce, Maryland crab
cakes served with corn relish, panko-breaded
or broiled lake walleye, and the Dry Day Boat
Scallops stuffed with crab meat, baked in white
wine and topped with lobster cream sauce.
”Chef Jonathan Larson has a unique style
of preparing and presenting dishes that
please our clientele,” says Jack. Connie says
Jonathan’s talent for selecting the perfect
spices and herbs to enhance flavors is amazing
and his presentation of food is artful. A sprig
of rosemary or thyme alongside their oak
barrel sirloin or a dash of parsley atop a cup of
seafood chowder adds subtle sophistication to
the pleasure of eating well.
A $9.99 dinner special is available during the
week, offering home-cooked items such as
meatloaf and mashed potatoes, boiled ham
with cabbage, carrots and potatoes, or open-
faced blackened prime rib.
A full bar is available to complement dining
choices. The wine list includes such favorites
as Merlot, Moscato and Zinfandel. Craft beer
is always on tap, and their specialty cocktail,
Cranberry Moscow Mule, is a steady seller.
A booming business, and the Faulkner’s rich
imagination, offered the opportunity for
expansion. The adjoining garage has been
converted into a party space. The Cove seats
24 and is the perfect venue for bridal showers,
retirement parties and birthday parties. The
outside patio provides even more space in the
summer.
Lakelands chef Jonathan Larson (left) and bartender
Todd Baker welcome visitors. The bar top was hand-
crafted from a pine tree that fell 30 years ago at owner
Jack Faulkner’s childhood home.
The Faulkners also added an outside deck,
festooned with white lights, amid the peaceful
country landscape where guests can enjoy
beautiful warm-weather evenings and the
music of Erie’s favorite groups.
“We have already engaged Sam Hyman to
play through the summer and he will be
entertaining through September,” says Jack.
“He’s a top-tier musician and performer whose
mellow tone and unique guitar style make him
a big draw.”
The Faulkners extend a warm welcome to
visit Lakelands and enjoy an eclectic cuisine
and a casual ambiance in a peaceful country
setting. n
—Trill Dreistadt
WEST COUNTY
❘
FALL 2018
23