BY ANNA ROBERTSON HAM

An exceptional meal with a view! This is precisely what you get to experience at Coal Town Public House. The eatery, sits on the lake in the Westhaven community. It has a modern and eclectic style with high ceilings, a huge bar, natural light with big garage door windows and a beautiful view of the Westhaven lake. 

The menu of unique dishes is an elevated take on American cuisine. Executive Chef Chris Cunningham fell in love with the art of food after working in a restaurant during his college years. He never went to culinary school and is simply self-taught through trial and error. “My favorite style of cooking right now is upscale southern, but it changes with the seasons,” Chris says. “We, as a team, have a lot of discussions about menu direction, and then I dig a lot into childhood memories and try to hit those points on my menus. My favorite dish on the menu is for sure the shrimp and grits. For me, it explains my style and hits so many notes on the palette.” 

I tried several dishes, including a couple of cocktails at my visit to Public House. One of the starters I tried were the oysters on the half shell with sherry mignonette, smoked cocktail sauce, grilled lemon and house-made salted crackers. The oysters are one of the newest items on the menu, and Chris says they are one of the purest forms of food one can eat. “Salty, sweet and luxurious,” he says. I have to agree. I am an oyster fan and thrive on finding great batches locally to enjoy, and Public House will definitely be a place I can go to for them.

Another starter I enjoyed was the house-made focaccia with whipped truffle ricotta and shredded pecorino. Hello, truffle! Combine bread, cheese and truffle, and you get magic. I could have eaten every bite of this amazing bowl of goodness, but I kept myself in check so I could enjoy all of the other dishes. I will definitely order this one again and again!

After that, I tried the duck duo; a pan-seared duck breast, duck leg confit, brown butter herb red potatoes, roasted cauliflower and pan jus. I like duck, and this take on it was done in a very tasty and generous way. The combination of the duck with the roasted vegetables made this dish very savory and filling. My brother is a duck fan, and after I told him how good it was, he dined at Public House and loved it.

Another main dish I got to taste was the grilled double-cut bone-in pork chop with a sorghum molasses demi-glaze. This serving would satisfy everybody and could be a dish to split between two. It was delicious and cooked perfectly, and the glaze brought the savory and sweet flavors together in a delectable way.

I tried the Chocolate Tart with white chocolate, cocoa nib brittle and strawberry granita for dessert — yum! I say it all of the time, just give me the chocolate dessert and I will be fine because I love chocolate. However, I am not always satisfied with every chocolate dessert I have encountered, but this one was beautifully presented in such a simple way and tasted delightful. The sweetness of the chocolate paired with the tartness of the strawberry granita and then completed with the crunch of the brittle was delicious. Make sure you order it when you visit the Public House! 

I enjoyed  two cocktails — the Queen of the South and the Hibiscus Paloma. The Queen of the South is comprised of Empress Gin, pineapple juice, lemon juice and orgeat. I loved the ombré separation of the contents of this cocktail, as the Empress Gin is a vibrant purple. Once blended, it had a refreshing and subtly sweet taste. The Hibiscus Paloma is created with Gran Dovejo high-proof Blanco Tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, hibiscus and topped with soda water. This drink is a dessert all on its own. The Hibiscus Paloma is a celebration drink, and it is perfectly presented while pleasing the palate for someone wanting a twist on a typical cocktail. Sipping on either of these while looking at the lake — what could be more perfect?

Coal Town Public House offers not only an atmosphere that cannot be compared to anything in Williamson County, but also a menu that has been thoughtfully curated to provide its guests a truly elevated experience. They have live music every Friday and Saturday starting at 8:30pm, including dueling pianos twice a month. And cheers to the happiest of hours with Public House, who celebrates  happy hour Wednesday through Sunday from 3pm to 5pm. They are also  now offering Sunday brunch from 11am to 3pm, which is a staple  for many on the weekend.

They have all the cravings covered, whether that be good food, a satisfying drink, an amazing atmosphere, or live music!