Haven 55 Restaurant and Tavern

Restaurant overlooking Little Sugar Creek dam serves regional-rustic menu

Chef and owner Alan Bone serves fine fare in a casual setting beside Little Sugar Creek at Haven 55 Restaurant and Tavern.

Chef and owner Alan Bone serves fine fare in a casual setting beside Little Sugar Creek at Haven 55 Restaurant and Tavern.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Ashort drive from Bella Vista lies a culinary retreat perched over a flowing creek. The restaurant, named Haven 55, is a quaint dining room that can seat 60 guests and serves fine cuisine prepared by a Le Cordon Bleu chef.

The executive chef, Alan Bone, graduated with a 4.0 and the highest honor of summa cum laude at the Orlando Culinary Academy. After graduation, he utilized his skills and gained experience working in other chef's kitchens until the opportunity to open his own restaurant arose.

Haven 55

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408 Havenhurst Drive

Pineville, Mo.

11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tues-Sat. Dinner service begins at 5 p.m. Haven 55 is a casual, fine-dining restaurant with great scenic views beside Little Sugar Creek. The chef prepares American regional rustic dishes, including Prime Rib Wednesdays, while it lasts. Fresh catch weekend specials. Daily lunch specials.

Haven 55 Restaurant and Tavern is located in an old grist mill that was once part of the Havenhurst mill and dam that served Pineville, Mo. The image above shows the view from the restaurant, bar and outdoor deck.

The Havenhurst Mill that was once located across the bank from the restaurant served the surrounding community from the 1840s until it burned down in 1962, as reported by Pauline Carnell in the story Havenhurst Mill – Before the Fire. The history of the site includes once hosting an ice plant, water-powered generator, flour mill, feed grinder, saw mill and even an ice cream parlor.

The nature setting supplies abundant wildlife, wooded hills and clear, cool water flowing from natural springs into the Elk River. There are several surrounding campgrounds for outdoor enthusiasts to explore the natural surroundings.

The location at 408 Havenhurst Drive in Pineville, Mo., is a great fit for the family-owned and operated establishment.

Alan Bone co-owns Haven 55 and Tavern with his brother, Brian. Their parents, aunt and cousin also play significant roles in operation of the business, from managing the books to serving tables to being the sous chef.

One side of the building offers a bar with high-ceilings, a pool table and stage for live music. The Tavern is open Friday and Saturday nights and serves wood-fired pizza.

The other side is a casual dining restaurant serving fine cuisine for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is open Tuesday-Saturday and also has a wooden deck set beside the creek.

The caliber of food served is worth the drive to Haven 55, and the serene views of Little Sugar Creek and the stone mill dam are more reasons to stay and enjoy the experience.

The historic location is set in a former grist mill overlooking the site of the water-power generator that once served the surrounding community and Pineville.

"This building still has a spillway under it, where the grist mill was," said Pam Bone.

The setting beside the river also provides frequent entertainment by the area wildlife. Regular visitors have nicknames, including Mortimer, the blue heron who stands in as the restaurant's mascot.

"He has been here longer than we have," Pam Bone said.

The restaurant opened June 2012 and focuses on housemade, quality fare.

"The menu is American regional-rustic, meaning it is pulled from different parts of America and is plated simple," said chef Bone.

Just as much as possible is prepared in-house -- each item is cooked to order, and sauces are made to order. Although the quality is high and the dishes are distinctly chef-inspired creations, the food is not extravagant or complicated.

"We keep it simple -- it doesn't have to be elaborate to taste nice," he said.

The lunch menu has eight main plates, including a hamburger, club sandwich, salmon BLT, pulled pork, salad and daily special. Prices of most items are $7, and the items are served with housemade, hand-cut pommes fritas (potato chips).

The restaurant is closed between 2-5 p.m., when it reopens for dinner.

The dinner menu presents finer fare, including steaks, pork chops, seafood entrees, chicken entrees and a salmon fillet. Prices range from $15-$23 and include a choice of a starch and vegetable.

The finer dinner fare comes with a high-end price for some guests, but the prices are comparably fair for the quality of the food.

"You can't get a 16-ounce New York Strip steak for $23 that's going to be as good as his," said Pam Bone.

All beef served is 21-day aged certified Angus, including the hamburgers. The pork chops are high-quality cuts from White Marble Farms. Weekly specials include prime rib on Wednesdays and a fresh catch on Friday nights. Specials are offered first come, first served and these nights, as well as Saturday, are busy so reservations are welcome.

The quality of preparation extends from the menu favorites, such as the panko-breaded pork tenderloin with a blackberry and cardamom glace, to the nightly feature, such as grouper cheeks in a saffron cream sauce over squid ink fettuccine, to the housemade sauces and dressings.

A handful of appetizers and desserts add to the menu offerings and get as many compliments as the main dishes.

"We have people that come in here strictly for the mussels ... or the crab cakes. They walk through the door and say 'go ahead and start me some crab cakes,' " Pam Bone said.

The fried green beans are also a very popular appetizer.

"There are very few people who walk through this door that don't get fried green beans," she said.

The fresh green beans are hand-battered with a light onion batter and a served with side of housemade creamy horseradish sauce.

Desserts include the crème brulee and apple fritters. Both handmade, each is well received by guests who save room for a sweet finish.

Wine, beer and cocktails are served at the restaurant side, however the Tavern is open only on Friday and Saturday nights.

The menu at the Tavern is pub-style offerings with thin-crust, wood-fired pizza at the center stage. There are seven signature pies and a build-your-own option that starts at $12.

The chef's creations include the Big Kahuna with spicy barbecue sauce, diced ham, pineapples, jalapenos, bacon and a blend of cheese for $14; a pizza with sirloin steak, onions, portabello mushrooms, blue cheese and a house blend of cheese for $16. There is also one called the Ranchito with a sour cream base and a blend of cheeses topped with olives, onions, bell peppers and crumbled chorizo, with an option to add six egg yolks and chipotle sauce for $13-$15.

The Tavern and Haven 55 are available for private parties on non-business days with a minimum purchase.

Heading north on U.S. 71 north of Bella Vista, take the first Pineville exit. After about 1½ miles, turn right on Havenhurst Drive.

More information is available by calling (417) 223-2055 or on Facebook.

NAN Dining Guide Cover on 05/30/2014