‘Eclectic homestyle’ menu, bold flavors expected when a local restaurant reopens this summer
New owners of the Red Horse Tavern hope to put a new twist on comfort food in Pleasant Gap when the long-standing restaurant reopens in the coming weeks.
This summer, the Red Horse Tavern will reopen at 104 N. Main St. after closing earlier this year. New co-owners Natalie Valdivia and Victor Visciani hope to lend a fresh perspective to the area through their restaurant.
“We are excited to be a part of the Pleasant Gap community and hope to bring an unforgettable dining experience to the neighborhood,” said Valdivia.
Valdivia and Visciani’s partnership stretches back more than a decade. Visciani has worked in the restaurant industry for more than 30 years, becoming an American Culinary Federation certified chef de cuisine and later cooking in New York City under the late Anthony Bourdain. Valdivia, meanwhile, holds a background in business administration on top of work experience at bars, restaurants and catering enterprises.
Once the Red Horse Tavern opens later this month, its owners will unveil a menu that hopes to stand out from the restaurant’s previous more traditional American fare. A sample lineup features items like hand-breaded cheese curds, fire-roasted corn on the cob, pot roast pierogis, Chicken Fricassee pot pie and fresh-baked pies. Valdivia said she and Visciani hope to locally source the restaurant’s ingredients and eventually make its own ice cream in-house.
“We like to call the menu ‘eclectic homestyle,’ but it is very much comfort food,” said Valdivia. “We try to take the dishes that you remember your mom and grandmother cooking and add in flavors from different cultures and cuisines to create bold flavors.”
Both Valdivia and Visciani have previous ties to the area. Valdivia grew up in Lewistown and moved back to central Pennsylvania about nine years ago. Visciani moved to State College about 10 years ago following previous stops in Kentucky, New York, Ohio and New Jersey. They said their travels across the country, on top of their South American heritage, will hopefully help them create bolder flavors at the Red Horse Tavern.
Food aside, Valdivia and Visciani know the Red Horse Tavern has meant a great deal to the Centre Region since opening as a restaurant in the 1950s. That significance isn’t lost on the establishment’s new owners.
“The Red Horse Tavern is iconic, and we have heard so many stories, experiences and fond memories of the tavern — some from 50 years ago, others much more recent,” Valdivia said. “It seems everyone in the area has some memory of being here, and we are excited to be able to continue that tradition.”
The newly reimagined Red Horse Tavern hopes to open before the end of July, Valdivia said. The owners are currently working to finalize the restaurant’s food and liquor licenses.
This story was originally published July 5, 2022 at 2:30 PM.
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