With a few changes, Chester restaurant becomes town favorite
By Todd Lyon
From the New Haven Register
With a few changes, Chester restaurant becomes town favorite
 | | Owner/chef Jonathan Rapp in his kitchen at the River Tavern in Chester. |
The town of Chester is almost impossibly beautiful; with its antique streets, wide river, nearby "opera house," adorable shops and inherent woodsiness, the whole village looks as if it’s been designed and styled by some brilliant art director assigned to capture the essence of Connecticut charm.
We all know, however, that Chester is more than just a pretty face. It’s a real town where actual people live and work and shop and eat.
And, for a few years now, one of their favorite places to eat has been the River Tavern on Main Street.
There’s more to that statement than you might imagine.
In spite of its folksy name, the River Tavern is a stylish, modern eatery that could fit right in on the main street of any city. It’s run by chef/owner Jonathan Rapp, who grew up in Essex in a household with two excellent cooks — his parents.
In 1992, he and his dad, Thomas, opened a restaurant on Manhattan’s East Side called Etas Unis. The small, eccentric eatery earned kudos from the press and public, and soon Etas Unis opened a second location — a wine bar across the street.
When the new millennium rolled around, Jonathan felt it was time for a change. "My wife and I would come to Connecticut to visit, and when we were driving back to New York, we felt we were going in the wrong direction," he recalls.
When the former Mad Hatter — in the very center of Chester — became available, Jonathan took his chance. After a complete makeover, the River Tavern opened in November of 2002. Initially, the Tavern followed a similar formula to the one that had made Etas Unis a success — that is, cook whatever you want and let the public love it or leave it.
What worked in New York wasn’t quite right for Chester, however. "We went through a period about two years ago when we were almost bankrupt," recalls Jonathan. "We realized that you can’t dictate to your customers, you can’t tell them what they want, and you can’t blame them for not responding to what you like. We had to rethink the place."
And so, after a two-week respite, the River Tavern "reopened for good," featuring a warmer atmosphere and a community-friendly attitude that offered two menus — casual and not-so-casual — plus weekly activities and specials.
The River Tavern has been packed ever since, says Jonathan.
For good reason. The beautiful dinner menu, which changes almost daily, is a garden of delights, featuring such dishes as sauteed hanger steak with bordelaise sauce and crisp oven-roasted potatoes; mussels steamed with ginger, lemongrass and coconut milk; and Brazilian-style chicken and plantain stew.
The more relaxed, and less expensive, wine bar/cafe menu is what keeps the regulars coming back. It’s highlighted by made-to-order guacamole with fresh tortilla chips, an assortment of lovely salads (the roasted pears and Gorgonzola is outstanding), fancy sandwiches, flat-bread pizzas and signature desserts, including a baked-to-order date pudding with dark rum caramel that is heaven on a plate.
The bar menu also serves as the lunch menu, and everything on that menu is available at dinner time. "On any given night, half the people have a burger or a couple of appetizers," says Jonathan, and that’s just fine with him. "I’m happy to give people that choice," he says.
In addition to great food, the River Tavern has all sorts of special events during the week. On Mondays, for instance, wines are offered at half price; on Thursdays, there’s fondue at the bar and an assortment of wines for tasting. Every Tuesday there’s a surprise; on March 21, for instance, an Ode to Spring dinner will feature spit-roasted spring lamb and planked salmon.
"We had to become part of the community," says Jonathan, "and I’m glad we did — it’s the core of our business. We belong here."
Todd Lyon of New Haven is a freelance writer.
THE ESSENTIALS
•Place: River Tavern, 23 Main St., Chester.
•Phone: (860) 526-9417.
•Hours: Lunch — 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays through Fridays. Dinner — 5:30-9 p.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 4:30-9 p.m. Sundays. Closed Tuesdays, except for special events; starting in May, the restaurant will be open seven days.
•Reservations: Recommended; advised on weekends.
•Food: Stylish, enlightened dinners are served comfortably alongside more casual fare at this pretty and very pleasing restaurant in the center of Chester. The dinner menu changes daily in order to remain fresh and exciting — which it does — and features a selection of appetizers in the $8-$9 range, including just-made guacamole, roasted eggplant tapenade with warm pitas, a classic Caesar salad and more. First courses might include an excellent cream of potato and eggplant soup with smoked salmon ($11), sauteed Hawaiian spearfish with Thai curry and spinach ($12); or grilled flat bread pizza with shrimp and bacon ($12). Main courses are always an adventure. Look for Korean-braised Niman ranch port shoulder with kim chee and spicy vegetables ($24); Brazilian-style chicken and plantain stew ($24); or sauteed hanger steak with oven-roasted potatoes and sauce marchand ($26). The wine bar menu is available all night, and also serves as the lunch menu. It offers an ever-changing roster of easy eats such as humus with warm pitas ($8), smoked salmon on a bagel with all the fixings ($8), smoked pork loin pannini ($9), and eggplant parmesan with salad ($12). Do not, I repeat, do not skip dessert. At dinner you can advance order a dark chocolate souffle loaded with endorphins ($12) or a date pudding with a dark rum caramel that is perhaps the best dessert I’ve had all year ($12).
•Vegetarianism: Plenty to choose from, especially if you’re a fish eater.
•And don’t miss: River Tavern’s weekly specials include half-price wines on Mondays; half-price cocktails on Wednesdays; fondue and wine tastings on Thursdays; and family dinners on Sundays, for which adults pay $30 and kids pay nothing.
•Drink: Besides a full bar, featuring cocktails made with fresh juices, River Tavern has two extensive wine lists with interesting, challenging bottles from around the world (about 170 in all, $24-$450), plus a pleasing selection of wines by the glass ($6-$13).
•Wheelchair access: Through the main entrance.
•Credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Amex.
•Parking: Free on the street and in two nearby municipal lots.
•Private parties: Available by special arrangement.
•Note: Everything on both of River Tavern’s menus is available for take-out.
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