Stillwaters Restaurant
1745 Rte. 2, East Charlemont
(413) 625-6200
Mon.-Thu. 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m., takeout and delivery only; Fri.-Sat. 5 p.m.-9 p.m.;
Sun. 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., 5 p.m.-8 p.m.
Entrees $7-$15.
On a beautiful, bright fall afternoon, I ventured up into the hills to Shelburne Falls to tool around and check out the fledging farmers' market. Charmed by the town's intimacy and gorgeous location, I wanted to stay there for dinner, but all the appealing tables were booked. So I hopped back in the car and drove a few more miles down Route 2 in search of the rumored Friday night barbecue at Stillwaters Restaurant.
Chef Michael Phelps has drawn a real following to his little restaurant, perched on a hill next to tennis courts and a campground. The man in charge clearly wants to impress his customers, and is constantly investing in making his offerings more appealing. Recent additions to the menu include homemade pasta, house-smoked barbecue and seasonal produce right from the restaurant's huge garden at nearby Dean Farm. In another move to draw the community to him, Chef Phelps has noted on his website that he knows the economy has been tough but wants to keep his customers coming, so he has lowered some of his prices and added a few cheaper entr?es.
The restaurant currently offers a mix of Mexican-inspired bar standards like nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas and fajitas countered by down-home classics like chicken and biscuits, pasta marinara and pot roast. Nightly specials supplement the menu, and Friday night is its own animal, featuring live entertainment and drawing hungry diners seeking barbecue.
Stillwaters is a bit hokey but charms with its incongruities. Our table was lit by candlelight and covered with a white cloth. But just over the railing sat a full buffet of casual barbecue in warming trays and, just beyond, a large cover band composed of a flute, banjo, and several guitars playing everything from the Eagles to "Amazing Grace."
I almost strayed from my original plan by ordering one of my favorite comfort foods, chicken and biscuits, but was quickly pulled back by the wafting scent of smoke and salt from the platters of meat below. My companion and I eagerly filled our plates with pulled pork, spareribs, chicken wings, cornbread, baked beans and dirty rice. All-you-can-eat barbecue plus salad bar for $15 apiece is a bargain by any standards. And, boy, were we satisfied.
The spareribs were tender and not overly sauced, offering plenty of meat for each bone. Pulled pork ranged from succulent shreds to crunchier bits from the skin, giving the dish an authentic range of textures and flavors. The cornbread made for perfect sauce-sopping, and the cole slaw wasn't drowned in mayonnaise. Chicken wings bore a bit of spice, adding notable flavor. The baked beans were a bit dry but flavorful.
Desserts range from diner classics like brownie sundaes to snazzier creme caramel. The brownie sundae was cloyingly sweet, but hit the spot for my companion's ultra-sweet tooth. My apple pie, on the other hand, was a bit over-sugared for my taste. The texture of the filling was closer to that of applesauce than I would have liked, but the generous slice and the huge scoop of vanilla ice cream were enough to please the child in me.
Stillwaters isn't fancy and it isn't spectacular, but it is endearing, affordable, and tasty. As a change of pace from the bistros of Shelburne Falls or as a destination of its own, the restaurant deserves a bit of credit and a few more hungry diners.
