Praises are pouring in for an Eastford eatery that has received recognition as one of the best restaurants in the state.
For NBC Connecticut reporter Jeff Stoecker, The Still River Café, is a favorite in the state.
The critically acclaimed restaurant is only open three days a week. It makes up for its infrequent hours with fine dining and elegant décor.
The restaurant is located on a quiet corner and it’s easy to miss. Despite its subtle location, the Still River Café is a culinary landmark, with accolades from the Connecticut Magazine New York Times to Boston Magazine.
Those who visit the Still River Café would most likely be shocked to learn that the graceful dining hall is actually a 150-year-old barn.
"Before the barn opened, we had bats flying through it and birds who had spent many a year coming back here,” Kara Brooks, owner and award winning chef of the restaurant, said. “And we had to convince them that they needed to fly to home elsewhere."
Brooks describes the restaurant as seasonal new American. A majority of the produce is grown on 27 acres of gardens.
"You have to apply local, seasonal and then taste,” Brooks said. “Because that is, ultimately, when you're dining out, the most important thing."
In this dining milestone, don’t expect to one day sit down and order “the usual.” The menu at the Still River Café changes regularly, as they continually look to their garden for new innovative ideas.
"It really keeps you connected with the seasons and it keeps you connected with the food that you're working with,” says Brooks. “And I know that's an inspiration for me."
