A new cafe, inspired by global food, is open in New Harmony, Indiana

Aimee Blume, Evansville Courier & Press
·3 min read
Patrick Schuette, owner and chef at Say's restaurant in New Harmony, relaxes in the dining room on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
Patrick Schuette, owner and chef at Say's restaurant in New Harmony, relaxes in the dining room on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

NEW HARMONY, Ind. − Say’s restaurant has opened in New Harmony, serving sandwiches, soup, salads and globally inspired entrees Thursday through Sunday from the kitchen at Sara’s Wine Bar.

“I think that food is an experience,” owner and chef Patrick Schuette said. “When you go places, the food you eat can be a great memory. I’ve traveled a lot and comfort food is a feeling.”

Schuette is a veteran of the restaurant industry. He’s from Lafayette, Indiana, where his parents once owned a German restaurant. Now they own a home in New Harmony, so he’s been around the town a lot over the past 20-plus years. He became a personal chef during the COVID-19 pandemic and was considering opening a restaurant, and when the opportunity arose to partner with Sara’s Wine Bar, he decided to take the leap.

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On the menu at Say's

The menu is always changing, so you can look forward to something new whenever you go into Say’s — and scratch is the name of the game in this kitchen.

The menu is topped with a list of shareable dips and spreads, then moves on to soups and salad.

The onion soup is always on the menu and is a good way to start your meal. It’s not what you think of as French Onion Soup – the broth is lighter, and the onions are diced rather than sliced and, while soft, are not caramelized to the point of dissolving. It has a rich flavor and the bread crostini on top is covered with melted Gruyere cheese.

A bowl of onion soup is served topped with a cheesy Gruyere crouton at Say's on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
A bowl of onion soup is served topped with a cheesy Gruyere crouton at Say's on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

Other soups that have been on the menu recently include grilled red pepper bisque, creamy cauliflower and a German-style potato soup.

A house salad with carrots, croutons and sunflower seeds heads the salad list, accompanied by Asian chicken salad with almonds and chow mein noodles, and specials such as taco salad and wilted lettuce in a sweet bacon dressing. House salad dressings include blue cheese, celery seed, Italian and Ranch.

We enjoyed an Italian beef sandwich for lunch. It was served on a round bun with horseradish sauce, sliced onion and a shaving of white cheese. Other sandwiches that have made an appearance include barbecue and buffalo chicken, chicken salad and breaded tenderloin.

Entrees on the Say’s menu are where you get the real worldly flavors. A few on offer have been linguine puttanesca, chicken breast with avocado relish, sauerbraten, shrimp and grits, shepherd’s pie, pork stewed with salsa verde, and miso salmon.

An Italian beef sandwich with juicy slow-simmered beef, onion, cheese and horseradish sauce is served at Say's on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.
An Italian beef sandwich with juicy slow-simmered beef, onion, cheese and horseradish sauce is served at Say's on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023.

Say’s

  • Location: 500 Church St., New Harmony, Ind., sharing a building with Sara’s Wine Bar

  • Phone: 812-270-4183

  • Hours: Thursday 5-8 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-8 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Holidays might affect hours, so call before driving to New Harmony.

  • Social media: facebook.com/saysrestaurant

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Say's restaurant brings flavors of the world to New Harmony, Indiana