New owners Al and Lisa Hasting say business has been good since they bought and reopened The Rustic Mill restaurant along Hwy. 54 southwest of Black River Falls.

They bought the restaurant in early May from Marion and Gerry Mayer, who had opened as the Old Rustic Mill in March 2007 after renovating the building. The Mayers later leased it to another couple, who ran it until the restaurant closed Nov. 17.

The Hastings reopened June 4 under the restaurant's original name, after moving to the area from Waterford, Wis. Al had cooked in restaurants for 28 years, and his wife has been a cook, bartender, waitress and hostess in restaurants for 26 years.

The eatery along Squaw Creek is the second restaurant the Hastings have owned and seats about 50 in the bar area and about 60 in the dining room. Their first restaurant was Al's Bistro in Elkhorn, Wis.

After they learned the rural Black River Falls restaurant was for sale, Al said, "We fell in love with the building" and with its view of the creek.

"The view (of the creek and a waterfall) can't be beat."

The building was constructed in 1866 as a grain mill, Marion Mayers said, and became a tavern in 1961 and a restaurant in 1965.

The Hastings reopened the restaurant with mostly new menus. The lunch menu includes burgers, other sandwiches and a daily hot special (such as baked chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy) that can be served within minutes. The dinner menu features items such as steaks, pork chops and seafood. "All of our food is homemade," Hasting said.

Maryland crab cakes and spinach artichoke cheese dip are two of the restaurant's most popular appetizers, he said.

The turkey bacon club sandwich is one of the most popular sandwiches, Hasting said. He makes it with turkey breast that he bakes and slices. The Rustic Mill's half-pound hamburgers also are popular; the patties are formed by hand.

Some of the restaurant's most popular dinner items are sauteed blue gill, steaks, pork chops, ribs and Chicken St. James. "I've been making that since I was 18," Hasting said of the dish, made with a sauteed chicken breast, shrimp and a chardonnay cream sauce.

The eatery's Friday night fish fry and Saturday night prime rib dinner also have been popular, Hasting said.

"We've had a ton of repeat business," Hasting said, adding that most of the restaurant's customers are locals. "People love the food and the service."

IF YOU GO

-- WHAT: The Rustic Mill restaurant.

-- WHERE: At N5491 State Hwy. 54, southwest of Black River Falls..

-- WHO: Al and Lisa Hasting are new owners of the restaurant, which reopened June 4.

-- HOURS: Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Dinner hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; and 4 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday hours are 3 to 8 p.m. The restaurant is closed on Tuesday.

-- MORE INFO: Call the restaurant at (715) 284-4913.