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Sophie's is the tasty choice
Jack Hanny has been a food and wine consultant to the White House and cooked for presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton. Now Hanny, who lives in Gordonsville, has brought his experience to Culpeper to assist Jerry Schalestock, the owner of Sophie’s Restaurant at 110 E. Davis St.
Hanny has degrees in culinary arts and oenology – the study of wine.
Sophie’s, which opened three weeks ago, features what Schalestock says in a note to patrons on his menu, is “good food, a plentiful amount and moderately priced.”
He said the name “Sophie” has connections both to Hanny and himself.
“It’s not named after anyone specific,” he said. “Jack has a Sophie in his family and I have one in mine.”
“The design of the restaurant is by Carolyn Sedwick,” Hanny said. “She has a real talent and an eye for detail.”
Those who have been around Culpeper awhile might remember Sophie’s in its previous incarnation as the East Davis Street Tavern. The once smoky bar closed Feb. 28 for renovating. It now has a new décor and a new mission according to Hanny: providing quality family dining at prices families can afford.
During his White House years, Hanny specialized in providing dinners for honored guests from such countries as Russia, Great Britain, the Vatican, Germany, Canada, San Marino, Greece, Liechtenstein and Monaco. In addition to his background as a chef, he is also the author of three books and he managed congressional campaigns for the late Rep. Jack Kemp and Rep. Jim Buckley, brother of author William F. Buckley. Hanny also served as a New York state legislator.
“My position (as food and wine consultant) was a political appointment and I specialized in certain countries. I was called in whenever there was going to be a dignitary from one of those countries so the state dinner would be appropriate for the tastes of the guest.”
Hanny hails from Buffalo, N.Y. and still owns a restaurant there called the Eagle House that was originally built in 1827. The restaurant, said Hanny, was recently chosen one of the top 100 restaurants in the country by Bon Apetit magazine. One of his three books, “Secrets from the White House Kitchens,” mixes recipes with comments on several presidents. It is available at Sophie’s and if Hanny is around – as he frequently is -- he’ll be glad to sign it for customers, Schalestock said.
“I was lucky enough to travel, especially with Kennedy and Johnson, and to witness a tremendous amount of history of the ‘60s and '70s,” Hanny said.
Hanny has also written “Asleep at the Wheel” and “The Third Option,” which is due out later this year. He is at work on a fourth book tentatively titled “The Quiver of Allah,” he said.
Schalestock says on his menu notes that Hanny “brings with him a brand new menu and an old style of cooking with many of his White House recipes included and as we move forward you will be able to enjoy more of them.”
“I got to know Jerry when the place was the East Street Tavern,” Hanny said. “He was selling too much alcohol and not enough food and he just got tired of the atmosphere. He said he wanted to do something different.
“I wrote up a business plan for him for a family restaurant. He loved it and we decided to move forward. There are some other really good restaurants on East Davis Street, but there was really no place for seniors, young families and those with a moderate income. We’re carving out our own niche in the midst of several well-known restaurants with fabulous chefs. I’m here as a consultant.”
He said an “average” dinner at Sophie’s ranges from $10 to $12.
Hanny has been busy training the chefs at Sophie’s and said that “just last week” he turned over the reins to head chef Maegan Partlow, 32.
“She is really something,” he said. “She does an excellent job.”
Linda Leavel is Partlow’s assistant and chefs Shanda and Isis also help with food preparation, Schalestock said.
Hanny also singled out Susan Spencer, manager of Sophie’s and former owner of A La Heart restaurant in Culpeper.
“She does a wonderful job,” Hanny said. “She’s an excellent manager.”
“I’m extremely happy here,” Spencer said. “I like the atmosphere. It’s quite a change from the sports bar. I like the people I work with. And the people seem to like it, too. It’s especially nice to see repeat customers. It’s fun to see how people react that used to come in when it was a sports bar. They are completely surprised by the change in appearance
“We have wonderful chefs. Jack has shown then what to do and they’ve taken over. I believe in this place. We’ve had nothing but good comments so far.”
Server Jennifer Ragle said she enjoyed the change of atmosphere as well.
“People are used to this being the tavern and it’s not that anymore,” Ragle said with a smile. “Of course if anyone wants some nice wine, we’ll be glad to sell it to them. And people should really try the Reuben and the Rachel sandwiches. They are our best sellers.”
Asked to name their favorites from the menu, Spencer opted for the lasagna and the chicken salad. Hanny chose the jambalaya.
“I know (Chef) Paul Prudhomme very well,” Hanny said. “I was looking through one of his books and I tried the jambalaya recipe, but I didn’t like it. I called him up and said ‘I want the recipe for the jambalaya I had at your restaurant in New Orleans last time I was there.’ It’s very hot, but the heat goes away almost immediately. It features chicken and shrimp in a Creole sauce and it’s served with rice.”
Hanny also spoke highly of the smoked salmon and lobster penne.
Hanny said he plans to make himself available to Schalestock as he his needed. “I told him I’ll be around for probably a year, at least until the place is profitable, which doesn’t happen overnight. And if Jerry needs me for more than a year I’m as close as a telephone. I really want to see this place be successful.”
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