Restaurateurs Living Their Dream at R House

Kim and Russ Ramsdell have been married for 17 years.

They have about 30 years experience in the culinary industry.

They are Vernon natives.

So what's the next logical step?

Open their own restaurant.

So when Mayor Jason McCoy took the symbolic pair of giant scissors from Economic Development Coordinator Shaun Gately and cut the customary grand opening ribbon, it was understandable that they became a little giddy.

"It's always been a dream of ours and we made a promise to own a business together in our hometown,'' Kim Ramsdell said.

R House Restaurant has been open since May 19, but the McCoy ceremony on Tuesday marked the official grand opening.  The space at 520 Hartford Turnpike has been a restaurant for as long as most people can remember and the Ramsdells seized the opportunity to occupy the popular spot when Charlie Best closed his eatery when he retired.

They went with a traditional family restaurant theme with a slight catch - there is artwork depicting landmarks in town throughout the dining room.

Russ Ramdell calls the cuisine "very basic,'' which a modest was of saying their are pages and pages of the traditional breakfast and lunch offerings.

The house specialties take on their own personalities - having been named for, as Russ Ramsdell put it, ''people who helped us get started.''

For example, the Meucci Sandwich - pastrami or corned beef, two eggs, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing on grilled rye bread served with hash browns - is named after Paul Meucci, who refurbished the restaurant's fireplace. 

A lunch staple is the fried seafood platter.

R House is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and on Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The restaurant also caters and does takeout meals. The phone number is 860-454-8888.