The Barn Restaurant Taking Shape in Crestwood

Karen Mott, proprietor of a new restaurant in the Sappington House Barn, and her daughter, Carolyn, were minding some details Wednesday as they prepared for the opening of The Barn restaurant inside the historic Old Sappington House Barn at 1015 S. Sappington Road in Crestwood.

"We're hoping by March 1," Mott said, adding that it takes time to wade through all the permits, inspections and licenses needed to get the restaurant on its feet.

It's not like Mott can draw on previous experience in opening a restaurant. This is her first one.

"It's been a lifelong dream," she said Wednesday.

But Mott does have restaurant experience, however, working at one for several years at her former home in Hilton Head, South Carolina. "I learned a lot working there," she said.

Mott was running a lot of errands Wednesday, before she needed to be back at The Barn in order to take delivery of the restaurant's china tableware. There was also a new staff to train. Carolyn was minding the store, giving Patch a sneak peek at the new eatery, from the freshly refinished tables to the antiques and family pictures that are scattered about the place.

When the doors are first thrown open at The Barn, guests will be treated to an extensive breakfast menu that includes biscuits and gravy served with two "any style" eggs, a quiche of the day, The Barn's version of an omelet that has sweet ham, cheddar cheese and an egg pie served in a hash brown crust.  A signature item will be called the Broad Side of the Barn, which consists of hash browns, or Barn Browns as they call them, made on a waffle iron and topped with cheese, bacon, ham, scallions and sour cream.

"It's sort of our version of the slinger, without the chili," Carolyn said.

Also on the menu are breakfast breads and muffins, "stick to your ribs" oatmeal, cinnamon toast and cheese toast, among other items. One of the mainstays, and a house specialty, are the pancakes, which both Karen and Carolyn said "are so good you don't need syrup."

The lunch menu will have burgers, grilled cheese, salads, and egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad sandwiches, among a variety of sandwiches. The menu is not quite set as Karen and Carolyn perfect the selections.

The Barn is located in the old Old Sappington House Barn and takes up the downstairs of the portion of the building. Upstairs is the Old Sappington House gift shop that is certain to attract diners to browse after their meal is finished.