Few restaurants on the Main Line offer fine cuisine in a cozy, relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere. And, few establishments require reservations several months in advance.
“Saturdays evenings are booked through mid-July,” proclaimed the message machine when I phoned Birchrunville Store Café this week.
As someone who mostly dines on her whims, it admittedly took me more than four years to make it Chef/Owner Francis Trzeciak’s BYOB, which opened in 1998. And it’s about time that I did, because, well, it seems like the buzz never stops.
It’s undoubtedly the favorite restaurant of my colleague, who initiated our dinner. “Our first meal there was one of the best I’ve ever had,” he said. “Despite the fact that we ‘discovered’ Birchrunville several years after it first opened, we have an odd sense of pride that we’ve been able to tell friends about – and lead them to – a surprising restaurant where we know they’ll have a great meal.”
This quaint restaurant is tucked away amidst the winding roads of Birchrunville, an unincorporated community close to Kimberton. While it’s only a 10-15 minute trip from the main roads, you quickly sink deep into the country. Forget your GPS – you’ll need the restaurant’s country-friendly directions.
Chef Trzeciak filled me in on decision to open his out-of-the-way cafe. “I’ve with worked in many different places and stressful kitchen environments. I always promised myself that one day I’d open my own restaurant with my own hours … far away from people.”
Birchrunville Store Café is the fruition of this dream, where dinner is served only four nights a week (Wednesday – Saturday) and the menu rotates each night. And while Chef Trzeciak left the people, we continue to flock to his contemporary French-Italian cuisine.
During our recent visit, appetizers included an arugula salad tossed with a truffled vinaigrette and served with a goat cheese medallion. (Similar to a salad I ordered everyday while traipsing through France). But the most impressive starter was a cheese tart: puff pastry stuffed with aged stilton, French goat cheese, walnuts, dried cranberries and apricots, drizzled with honey and baked in the oven.
Three out of the four of us ordered a perfectly cooked venison loin with huckleberries, spelt and a pinot noir reduction for our entrees, and for dessert, warm butterscotch cake with caramel gelato. Nothing in this 45-seat restaurant is pre-cooked; Chef Trzeciak prepares each main dish to order himself and works in a snug kitchen with only a few helping hands.
The café is nestled in the old Birchrunville General Store, adding to its charm. Its glowing interiors seem lovingly pieced together – as you would your own dining room. Dress is “smart casual,” and servers are friendly and have worked there for years.
Ready to check it out now? Make a week night reservation, which are easier to come by. Or, call and ask about the multi-course tasting menu offered once-a-month, where you’ll get to experience Chef Trzeciak’s adventurous culinary side.
Find Birchrunville Store Café at 1403 Hollow Road in Birchrunville or online www.birchrunvillestorecafe.com.
