BY NANCY DEARING ROSSBACHER AND STEPHEN W. SYLVIA

FOR THE FREE LANCE-STAR

She: Many hotel restaurants rely on their hard-traveling guests to be too whipped to venture out for food anywhere else. The result can be dishes as weary as the diners.

So here's a novel concept: a hotel restaurant that aspires to be a destination rather than a default. Judging from the cut-above-boring menu, that's the aim of the new Shannon's Bar & Grille at the Fredericksburg Hospitality House & Conference Center.

And it is, on several counts, hitting its target in terms of both cuisine and service.

He: If it's hampered by anything, it's the unmistakably corporate-hotel ambience, which can be summed up in a single word: beige. Those who have fond (or embarrassing) memories of Shannon's colorful previous permutation as a drink-and-dance spot will be forced to acknowledge that disco no longer rules.

Chef Angela now reigns at Shannon's, and one cup of her corn-and-clam chowder ($3.95) will make anyone salute the changing of the guard. Creamy and rich with tender clams, corn and chunks of potato--it's fine-bistro level.

She: Shannon's further breaks out of the restaurant-in-a-hotel box by aligning itself with a local product: Fred Red ale is on tap ($3.50). The restaurant also has a fully stocked bar, and our capable server James produced an expertly mixed Old Fashioned with Crown Royal ($7.25).

He: Dinner entrees come with a house salad--crisp mixed greens, and I recommend the blue cheese dressing--and breads, plural. The baguette goes well with the herbed-up olive oil dip and the multigrain bread, which has oaty personality, pairs nicely with the soft butter.

She: The eight dinner entrees range from beef to chicken to seafood, with a pasta primavera selection for vegetarians. The low-carb choice is the chicken-artichoke ($15.95), which was fork-tender, smothered in artichokes, and did indeed have the promised hints of white wine and lemon.

All that low-carb careful eating can be gleefully counteracted with a robust baked potato filled to the brim with butter and sour cream.

He: Their approach to prime rib is ambitious, as they offer it every day. The "carved tableside" description is accurate but may sound a bit more chic than the visual reality, for the cart is undeniably industrial-looking. Still, it's the result that counts, and a 12-ounce slice ($20.95) was tender, flavorful and, as requested, rare.

She: The mixed vegetables that accompanied both dishes--carrots, cauliflower and green beans--were similarly well-prepared.

He: Last thoughts: If you're stashing some out-of-town guests there who are too weary to go farther, don't hesitate to join them for dinner.

She: Or go without them.

Nancy Dearing Rossbacher and Stephen W. Sylvia publish a Civil War magazine together. She likes to cook. He likes to eat. To reach Rossbacher and Sylvia, e-mail them at editor@nstcivil war.com. Or call 540/374-5430 with comments about today's review.