Posted: 3:57 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, 2014

MIDDLETOWN
The Meadows reopens under new ownership

By Michael D. Pitman

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN —

A piece of Middletown history has been resurrected less than two years after it was considered lost forever.

The Meadows, an upscale restaurant at 2102 Yankee Road, closed after 78 years in operations in 2012. But on Wednesday, 80 years after it first opened, new owners Ken Ledford and Emily Profitt reopened the iconic restaurant. And the first day open “was pretty good,” Profitt said.

“We stayed pretty busy,” she said. “Steady, but not overwhelmingly busy. There were a lot of old supporters, and a lot of people said they would come back.”

The Meadows was built in 1934 by Mike Mandzak Jr. The Meadows was a dining staple for executives in the city for years and featured a rustic wood paneled interior, and historic prints from the old Sorg Mansion adorned the walls. Mandzak Jr.’s son, Mike Mandzak III, operated the restaurant until it closed. He later sold the business to Ledford and Profitt.

The Meadows reopening is good for the city, said Rick Pearce, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton. The chamber held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the restaurant earlier this week.

“I think it’s interesting in how they saw an opportunity, not to resurrect, but to carry on that history,” he said.

About 75 to 80 people patronized the business throughout its opening day, and that is a good sign, Profitt said.

“I think once the people realize we’re open, we’re going to be busy,” she said. “It’s been closed for a year and a half, so not many people realize that we’re open yet.”

Ledford, who is The Meadows’ chef, said as long as he keeps “putting out good food,” the people will be back. All of the dishes created by Ledford, who has 30 years experience working as a chef, will be made from scratch and feature fresh ingredients. The lunch menu will feature $5 soups, a $14 blackened steak salad, sandwiches that start at $7 and entrees include Scottish salmon for $15. The dinner menu ranges from $7 sandwiches to filet mignon for $30.

“We’re the restaurant you’ve got to drive a little ways to get to, but hopefully we’ll get the word out and people will drive from Middletown, Dayton, West Chester and all around,” Ledford said.

And though it took a lot of had work to clean up the restaurant before opening day, Profitt said that ethic of hard work will continue and “we’re still determined that it’s going to be a great thing.”

THE MEADOWS

Where: 2102 Yankee Road, Middletown

House: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; closed Sundays

More info:www.meadows1934.com or 513-422-2131