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Coppermill Restaurant

Fine food and leisurely conversation meet in McCook at the Coppermill
by Betty Sayers and Pam Soreide

Only the most intrepid of rural foodies, anticipating a new restaurant experience, would drive 72 miles each way on a cold and blustery February night in Nebraska. But we’d heard great things about the Coppermill Restaurant — a landmark in McCook — so there we were, peering at the passing street signs through spitting snow looking for Coppermill Drive in McCook.

Despite the less than ideal weather, when we pulled into the driveway, it was clear we weren’t going to be lacking for company. The parking lot was full, with only a couple of open spaces near the front where early birds had evidently been and gone. Bundled against the wind and snow, we took little note of the outside of the restaurant, but hurried through the double doors.

Ahh. Inside, warmth, good smells of sauces simmering, and a welcome greeting from our host, Kevin Ord who has owned the CopperMill Restaurant since building it almost three decades ago. After hanging our coats in the thoughtfully placed coat closets, the hostess led our group of five to a large round table with comfortable upholstered chairs and took our order for drinks as we got settled. The specials board in the entry had listed the wine special as a pinot noir called intriguingly “Little Black Dress” that piqued the interest of the wine drinkers among us, and as we chatted, waiting for our drinks, we studied the menu.

A little something for everyone

The Coppermill’s menu offers a wide variety of choices and one would have to be pretty finicky not to see something that sounded appealing. For an appetizer, we considered ordering the homemade onion rings to compare them to our last culinary adventure, but opted in the end for an order of Cousin Eddie’s Stuffed Mushrooms for the table.

We weren’t disappointed when they came. Six fresh mushroom caps lay in the gratin dish, stuffed with cream cheese and lobster, blanketed under a layer of broiled mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses. We were all impressed with the freshness and rich appeal of the plate.

One of the things we enjoy about writing this column is debating the allure of various unusual and interesting dishes such as the Coppermill’s Gambaree and Blackened Orange Roughy. With five of us ordering, it was fun to choose items from different categories. One chose Bourbon Sirloin, another the sautéed sea scallops; two adventurers tried the Gambaree, a shrimp dish, and the blackened roughy; and the last chose the barbequed ribs. All entrees are served with salad and choice of potato or steamed vegetables.

Frosted glass and brass

Savoring bites of mushroom and fortified with generous cocktails, we began to look around. The dining room is sited on two levels, with an opaque glass divider creating privacy for both. Spotlights over the tables contrast with the low lights elsewhere to create an appealing illusion of islands of conversation. Frosted glass with brass railings, crisp linen tablecloths, deep green carpets and walnut wainscoting evoke memories of an historic hotel dining room, fine food and leisurely conversations.

The Coppermill was opened in May of 1982 by Kevin Ord, then just shy of 30. He shared that he had been raised in Red Cloud in the 1950s, and was always expected to make a contribution. “There was no free lunch!” he related. After high school, he worked in pizza places around south central Nebraska, even opening one of his own in Hastings. When we asked what inspired him to open a restaurant like the Coppermill, he laughed, “I was hungry!”

Hunger is obviously a fine motivation to hard work and clear thinking, and food is definitely Kevin’s focus, along with the comfort and satisfaction of his guests. He serves Black Angus beef, and the highest quality ingredients he can find to round out his menu.

Good food, good conversation

Our guests tonight are a retired newspaperman and his wife, so conversation at our table centered on community life in Nebraska and the role of the local newspaper. We are all old enough to view the new reality of newspapers, with declining readership and a relentless focus on the bottom line, with concern.

After crisp, green salads, which boasted homemade croutons, our entrees arrived. “Gambaree” turned out to involve six large, succulent shrimp — big boys — served on a bed of rice with steamed vegetables ready to be dressed as you prefer. The scallops were served similarly, both accompanied by pots of melted butter kept warm over tea lights. The blackened fish Orange Roughy was well prepared, moist and flaky, and interestingly seasoned. The bourbon steak and barbecued ribs were both pronounced delicious. We were all a little envious of the one clever person who chose the sweet potato side, presented gleaming with butter and brown sugar. Mmmm. Next time.

The inevitable critique

As we scrape up the last bits from our plates, we critique our meals. Oh, we griped, the salads could have used some more dark leafy greens, and the bread could have been warmer, but the discussion quickly took on that sort of “never satisfied” tone sniffed by great aunts analyzing their own latest effort at a pie. We agreed it was all delicious and beautifully served. We leaned back and smiled at one another.

After the table was cleared and coffee delivered, the server presented the dessert tray. We all joined in shouting down the one abstainer, and chose desserts to share…a slice of Mississippi Mud Pie and a slice of Turtle Cheesecake. The Mud Pie was great, but the Turtle Cheesecake was divine. To die for. Bliss in a bite. The woman who ordered it was the same person who had asked if there were any sweet potatoes left. I decided that if I ever go to the races with her, I am betting on the same horse she does!

Who to Contact

The Coppermill Restaurant
Kevin Ord
N Highway 83 and Coppermill Street
McCook, NE 69001
(308) 340-5108
kevinord@hotmail.com

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