Wayne County Treasures: Lantz House Inn and Ghyslain Chocolatier and Bistro

I recently spent a day in Wayne County discovering what attractions the area has to offer. This is the second post in a four-post series about my trip.

If you’re making a two or three day trip to Wayne County, there’s no question in my  mind that you should reserve a room at Lantz House Inn in Centerville. This adorable bed and breakfast is home to one of Centerville’s arches and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built as a house in 1823, it has been an inn since 1993.

Each room is charmingly decorated in a vintage style, though the bathrooms are completely modern. Detached from the main house, the garden suite is a perfect getaway for couples, with private courtyard and garden entrances, a jacuzzi and queen bed. The gardens behind the inn offer a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy the sight of Indiana plants and wildflowers as you listen to the town bells chiming.

It’s the innkeeper, Marcia, that makes this a truly unique place to stay. Where else would you be offered homemade coffeecake upon arrival, get personal recommendations of what to see in the area, have fresh coffee and tea delivered outside your door in the mornings and be sent off with a hug? It will be worth waking up in the morning to taste some of Marcia’s famous lemon-ricotta cheese pancakes! If you’re lucky, she might even send you off with a native Indiana plant for your own home.

When you’re ready for a gourmet meal, follow the National Road into Richmond and sniff your way to Ghyslain Chocolatier and Bistro. Part of a local chain started in Union City, Ghyslain offers delicious meals and some of the best desserts you could ask for. It’s located in The Loft downtown, so you can browse several local shops connected to it while you wait for a table.

My lunch there was one of the best I’ve had in a while and left me satisfied the rest of the day. The homemade lemonade tasted fresh and perfectly lemon-y and the bread came with three types of salt to taste. I ordered the Italian Baguette sandwich, which came with moist chicken, delicious pesto, melted mozzarella and fresh basil (I asked them to leave off the tomatoes). My side of mint coleslaw was a delightful surprise to the taste buds.

Although the meal was wonderful and the atmosphere was enchanting, the best part was definitely dessert. I can’t fully describe how beautiful the pastries were or how good they tasted! The Royale was both crunchy with hazelnut dacquoise and a praline wafer on the bottom and creamy with chocolate mousse on top. I also got to try the Caribbean and the Sacher, which were fantastic with their mango-pineapple and chocolate-raspberry flavors. With so many types of pastries at Ghyslain as well as chocolates and gelato, dessert was the hardest choice I made all day!