With fresh ownership and an expanded wine list, Timber Lodge continues to represent the finest in dining
By Laura Briedis
When Lynn Zarcone took over ownership of Timber Lodge in June, few people noticed. And for good reason—since nothing really changed.
Everything this landmark restaurant is known for—cold-aged hand-cut steaks, prime rib served seven days a week, live lobsters, gigantic baked potatoes, towering carrot cake and 99¢ Bloody Marys served during Sunday Brunch—is mainstay. And the chef, managers and all of the servers who have been working here for years remain the pillars of the restaurant.
“I am following the winning formula that has been perfected over many years,” says Lynn, noting that former owner Ron Levitt mentored him during the transition.
“It has always been my dream to own a restaurant, and, when I walked into Timber Lodge the first time, I had my aha moment. I was impressed with the quality of the food and exemplary service, and drawn to the cozy lodge décor with wormy chestnut walls and tables.”
No stranger to the food industry, Lynn’s family owned a catering hall and he bartended through college, while studying chemistry at the University of Connecticut. He also worked as a chef at the prestigious Hotel du Pont in Delaware while working on his MBA at the University of Delaware.
“If needed I can jump in to help, but mostly I am here to greet diners and make sure they are having a superb dining experience,” says Lynn.
As a former CEO of multiple companies that include public, private equity and family owned, Lynn was always called upon to fix things—but at Timber Lodge, there was nothing to fix.
“Everything here is working so well, so the only thing I did was expand the wine list,” says Lynn, who boasts his own private wine cellar. “One of my personal favorites that I added to the menu is the Wente Cabernet Sauvignon. I also brought in Chocolate Amore, from Trentadue Winery, a delicious port that pairs perfectly with our giant pieces of cake or can be just sipped alone after dinner.”
“The restaurant industry standard is to triple the price of a bottle of wine, but here we sell it at a fair price,” he adds. “We even have some high-end bottles, such as Caymus, that we sell at retail.”
Timber Lodge also hosts wine tastings, is planning more special theme dining events and is expanding its catering business.
“I have traveled all around the world, and have lived in France, Germany and South Korea, so I can bring in a lot of different influences,” says Lynn.
So while you may see some new nuances, Timber Lodge will stay true to its origins, which can be traced back to 1933 when the farmhouse was converted into a restaurant.
Get Crackin’ at the Lobster Feast
As we head into peak lobster season, Timber Lodge will feature a Lobster Feast from Tuesday, September 3, through early November.
In addition to the succulent lobster tail on the regular menu, diners can feast on two-plus pounds of live Maine lobsters steamed to order and served with clarified drawn butter. When serving whole lobsters, your server will give you a bib, along with a placemat that explains how to best crack the lobster shell and get to the meat.
In addition to whole lobsters, the chef will create daily lobster features, along with homemade lobster bisque.
Look for lobster-inspired dishes, such as lobster ravioli, lobster roll, and the always popular trifecta, with three four-ounce lobster tails and three scallops in a red pepper cream sauce topped with fresh asparagus.
You can also pair a lobster tail with a steak for the ultimate surf and turf.
Timber Lodge is located at 2809 Pearl Road in Medina. It’s open seven days a week for dinner, as well as brunch on Sundays. Hours are Monday-Saturday, 4 p.m. to close; Sunday, 11 a.m. to close. The phone number is 330-725-6288. Call-ahead seating is available Sunday-Thursday. Visit TimberLodgeMedina.com for more information.