Terrain at Styer's Cafe
transports you to another world - an antique greenhouse - and delights with a menu fresh from local farmers and a talented chef's imagination. It's about the cycle of the seasons and the bounty of the land says Executive Chef Keith Rudolf.
Styer's history in the Chadds Ford area is sterling - a premiere garden center that consistently wins top honors at the Philadelphia Flower show. A make-over a few years ago brought great additions, cutting edge shabby chic garden-related items, amazing furnishings and accessories. Very Anthropologie-esque!
I cannot walk out with buying something. This time it was "Phantom" petunias
(Half priced -HUGE pot - for $13) that were showcased in a "night garden." Evidently the buzz in the plant world has been the break through into the "Black Velvet" petunia with various stripes like the phantom.
The trendy horticultural setting makes for a memorable dining experience. Last week it was pure leisure lunching with a long time realtor friend. It was all I could do not to reach across the table with my spoon to dive into THE most beautiful cucumber soup.
Salad isn't something I eat to stay trim - I love it. Terrain at Styer's Cafe signature salad is baby field greens, asparagus, English peas, toasted almonds, goat cheese and lemon vinaigrette, and it is piled high. Green definitely was a theme as I enjoyed a fried green tomato sandwich, ever calorie-laden bite.
You couldn't get more local with ingredients - suppliers include Linvilla Orchards, Pete's Produce, MyHouse Cookies (OMG the ginger molasses cookie was a shot straight to heaven by passing every galaxy on the way) , Shellbark Hollow Farm, and Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative, a non profit organic farmers cooperative of 64 farmers in Lancaster County Pennsylvania
Lunch was so successful it called for a return trip Saturday night Fried quinoa fritters with spicy currie sauce and pan-seared scallops with the teeniest haricot verte you've ever seen.
I take pride in my own version of mac and cheese so when my friend ordered some I couldn't resist. Pesented in a small cast iron skillet, this mild version included portobello mushrooms, white cheddar and bacon bits. I still like mine with different mustards and red pepper flakes.
The Terrain at Styers Cafe is a feast for all the senses with scents from the gardens outdoors wafting in. You can east outside even bringing your dog as I did a year ago with my boys. tought they would get a kick out of the Ball jars used for water glasses - the kind Nana used to jar tomatoes.
Another signature seems to be the scrumptuous popovers 
baked in an terra cotta flower pots and served with butter flavored from lavender in the garden. Definitely something I will experiment with at home.
Foodies and those looking for the unusual place for lunch, dinner or brunch should check out Terrain at Styers in Chadds Ford/Glenn Mills just of Route 1 near Route 202. It is BYOB with no decanting charge. I've heard that Brunch is a sell-out and there are some neat events both for foodies and gardeners and the just curious if you want to check it out. jroosevelt@kw.com
Blooming for you!
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