The Greenbrier Resort Mini-Vacation

Part Two

The photo above shows the hall leading into the Greenbrier's main dining room.

The Greenbrier boasts a legacy of fine dining. As far back as 1889, a menu in the Greenbrier archives lists such sophisticated fare as glazed ham with champagne sauce, flesh beef tongue with "sauce piquante" and a veal round with demi-glace. Beverage options included an array of champagnes, wines, ales and brandies--and even imported mineral water.

Since those early days, the food-and-beverage program at The Greenbrier has evolved dramatically, and it has pushed forward with new innovations while maintaining tradition. The Greenbrier's culinary apprenticeship program has been operating since 1957. Many graduates from the three-year program have gone on to notable culinary careers.

Since 1913, the elegant Main Dining Room has been the essence of The Greenbrier dining experience. Its expansive ceiling is adorned with sparkling chandeliers. Stately columns and arched windows give it the ambiance of a dignified Southern mansion.

The china charger was, of course, designed by Dorothy Draper.





We ate both of our breakfasts in this area. Judy and I sampled the extensive buffet. We tried to use some moderation in our intake of the offerings which is difficult since we wanted to experience all the wonderful tastes available.




The buffet provided a plethora of cereals, fresh fruit ....

and one of my favorites - smoked salmon and capers!



The pastries created by The Greenbrier chefs were outstanding.



Our omelet chef was Evan, a graduate of the resort's culinary institute. He tried to give me a fast lesson in omelet preparation. Lets see - use a good teflon pan, canola oil (not olive oil), sautee thy vegetables and meat first, introduce the egg mixture, allow to set up nicely (NEVER EVER allow omelet to become brown!). I was doing fine until Evan flipped the omelet high into the air so that the opposite side could be lightly cooked! I think I would have to have a huge supply of eggs and many hours of practice to master that last skill level.




Judy and I sampled the wonderful sausage gravy on biscuits, breakfast meats (smoked sausage and bacon plus ham), fried potatoes, and cheese blintz. Below are some of the other items that were on the buffet.

The service at The Greenbrier is amazing. This includes every aspect of the The Greenbrier experience.

After breakfast, Miss Judy wanted to go on the historic tour of the resort. We met our group in the upper lobby. We were lucky to see The Greenbrier in its Christmas finery. All the decorations are coming down this week.

The upper lobby is really the main entrance into the hotel. It will once again serve this function on the completion of the new casino area in April of this year. The bold black and white marble tiles certainly provide a dramatic effect.



A true Greenbrier tradition, afternoon tea has been offered daily in the upper lobby since the 1930s. From 4:15 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., guests are invited to relax and enjoy a complimentary assortment of teas, tarts, and cookies.




Tomorrow - glimpses of the historic tour!