For 35 years, the Yellow Brick Bank Restaurant has been synonymous with Shepherdstown—eclectic, artsy, sophisticated—an in-town icon. It had been too long since I’d dined there so I popped in with some of my family members for an early dinner recently. It is interesting to note that it was nearly 25 years to the day that then- First Lady Nancy Reagan and columnist George Will limo’d to Shepherdstown for lunch at the Yellow Brick. Without revealing too much of my age, I remember the news reported that she had the spinach salad and he ordered the curried pumpkin soup (I was just a tyke with an excellent memory for news bites). Those famous diners are just another page in the storied history of the YBB, also called The Bank (and The Brick) by regulars.
The first thing I checked on the menu was the last thing I ate. Yes! Steve’s Brownie is still on the menu. The original bank vault is still used to store and display the YBB’s outstanding selection of fine wines. The ageless Clifford Branson, Shepherdstown’s version of Dick Clark, still works at The Bank and, amazingly, recognized me and greeted me as if he’d seen me last week. It is comforting to know that some things can be counted on.
The YBB opened in 1976 in the former location of Jefferson Security Bank. The Beaux Arts building with its distinctive exterior scrolls was built in 1906. Outside, the YBB is not yellow but brick, with green and yellow trim, and its trademark striped window awnings. Inside, the restaurant’s Main and Wicker dining rooms are anything but yellow.
The walls are perfectly described as having “moody mauve, pink, and reddish tones.” Pink tablecloths with white linen toppers add a delicate touch, as well. The “new” pub was added in 1997 and is painted in a soft yellow.
Maybe the original owner of the YBB planned to paint the exterior brick yellow, hence the name? Nonetheless, so what if paint does not adhere to the glazed brick—the name adhered to the restaurant.
I noticed the always-elegant Mary Lowe, YBB Owner, zipping about the place—checking this, checking that, chatting with diners, and making introductions between folks at the pub. Mary’s purpose is not to micro-manage the talented chef and dedicated staff at the front of the house, but to interact with customers. I like to think that she is there to facilitate the party!
Mary’s husband, Ken, purchased The Brick in 2006. As she paused at our table, we had a moment to chat. When asked how a family known for real estate development came to own a restaurant, she says, “We eased into this casually, but this restaurant is really one of our passions. Ken and I were engaged here so the restaurant is part of our family history.
Really, the Yellow Brick Bank is part of many families’ histories.” We ordered the pizzette as a starter. Loved it. Fire baked in the wood-burning oven, this generously sized, handcrafted thin crust pizza would be a perfect meal at the bar with a beer or great with a salad.
Another diner ordered the house salad and the grilled artichoke and asparagus soup. I didn’t taste the salad, but by all accounts, it was excellent—mixed greens with tomato, apple, mushrooms, Ricotta Salata cheese, and Dijon vinaigrette. I was given a paltry taste of the soup, so I guess I need to get my own next time. Every last drop was consumed by the diner. The grilled vegetables added great flavor, and the soup was not too heavy.
Diner number two selected the grilled filet mignon tournedos, creamed boursin potatoes, and roasted asparagus. The perfectly cooked beef tenderloin medallions were served with a hearty bordelaise sauce, made with red wine and demi-glace. I could write a few paragraphs on demi-glace, but we’ll save that for another time. The potato dish was outstanding because the Yukon Gold flavor was not hidden beneath the cheesy, herby, hint of garlic sauce.
My order—the lamb porterhouse with merlot-rosemary sauce, polenta cakes, and haricot verts—was fantastic, and easily the best grilled lamb I have eaten in ages. Made with ground yellow cornmeal, the tasty polenta cakes could stand on their own as an appetizer. Even the delicate French green beans with red onions were excellent. Executive Chef Jeff McGee does a great job taking traditional favorites and adding a new twist. The food is not so altered as to be unrecognizable as a favorite, but remains unique enough to be fresh and interesting.
Perhaps on the menu since day one—Steve’s Brownie is a staple and must never leave the menu. Covered in the restaurant’s own hot chocolate sauce and served with vanilla ice cream, the YBB did it first and does it best. A surprise success on the dessert menu is Hannah’s Banana Bread Pudding. This isn’t the smooshy, booze-soaked dessert that I’ve come to hate. It’s almost like a dense, bready, coffee cake with banana flavor, fresh whipped cream, and a sweet, caramel colored sauce (made with Myers Dark Rum). Yum.
Laird Marshall, Restaurant Manager, offers an interesting insight. “The way it comes together here is great food paired with interesting architecture, a fun and playful décor, and the energy of Shepherdstown. We set the mood for enjoyment and fun. It can shape your day.” Like the Yellow Brick Bank Restaurant on Facebook or see www.yellowbrickbank.com
