RESTAURANT REVIEW: the bear creek inn

WHY WE WENT: Sometimes it's good to revisit an old friend.

STYLE OF FOOD: Casually elegant.

DRESS AND DÃ?COR: Upscale but not fussily so.

SERVICE: Efficient, friendly.

MUST-TRY DISHES: Soups are hot, homemade and included with your meal. (So is salad from a respectable salad bar.) Chopped sirloin steak in mushroom sauce ($13.95) was a lush version of an economical favorite, awash in rich brown gravy teeming with real mushrooms. The sirloin itself, ordered medium, was fork-tender, tops for a hamburger steak. Another homestyle favorite, stuffed boneless breast of chicken ($14.95) was an also-tender delight that screamed Sunday dinner. Similarly pleasing was a Chicken Rollentine special, a sautéed breast prepared in a brown wine and mushroom sauce topped with prosciutto ham and Swiss cheese for $15.95. Delectable.

OTHER FARE: Sea fare is abundant, everything from flounder and haddock to shrimp and lobster. Steak-lovers can choose from strip or filet or filet with onions and mushrooms in a wine sauce. And ham fans might find themselves drawn to a Hawaiian ham steak.

DESSERTS: All homemade. All included. Can you beat it? We had peanut-butter pie and Boston cream pie and enjoyed every last, creamy bite of each.

BEVERAGES: Soft drinks are available by the pitcher, which is nice, considering refills are not free. But we don't fault the Inne for this, given the all-inclusive but still reasonable prices. Complete wine list available.

HOURS: Open at 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at noon Sunday.

PRICES: Reasonable, with $15 to $18 a common price point.

THE LOCATION: A straight shot on Route 115 in Bear Creek, 5505 SR 115, to be exact.

CONTACT: 472-9045

OVERALL IMPRESSION: Still worthy after all these years. Even after the loss of its patriarch, the Eddowes family still has a well-run operation with excellent fare and a dedicated staff.

SPECIAL NOTES: Lots of room to move. A large bar is in a separate dining room, and two upstairs party rooms hold up to 50 people apiece.