Farmer in the Dell

[Excerpt from Wicked Local]

Farmer in the Dell, a restaurant with a farm to table concept and concentration on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, is set to open in the old Butter Bakery location at the corner of Rtes. 1A and 27 in Walpole center on Jan. 4. Co-owner and executive chef Adam Laliberte said a soft opening on New Year’s day for family and friends will prepare the new restaurateurs to bring fresh eats to the masses.

Along with co-owners Thi Bowles and Brooke Laliberte, Adam Laliberte said the three have been actively preparing for opening. Between testing the food and sprucing up the walls with New England antiques, Laliberte said Farmer in the Dell is itching to tear down the brown paper covering up the restaurant’s windows.
"We’re very ready to open," he said. "We’ve been in a test phase now for about two weeks, testing recipes, getting acclimated to the kitchen. We’re just about wrapping that up, then gearing up to open."

After working together in different restaurants, the three New England transplants focused in on the New England food scene. Before starting Farmer in the Dell, Bowles was a cooking instructor and catering director specializing in Asian cuisine, while Adam Laliberte specializes in Italian cooking, having spent time in Italy, and Brooke Laliberte is a baker and pastry chef.

While opening in the middle of winter poses a challenge for fresh produce, Laliberte said he and his co-owners have been visiting farms, looking for the best products. While many vegetables will be brought in from small farms nation-wide, Laliberte said the restaurant’s meat and dairy products will always be local.

"Obviously that’s a challenge to get [vegetables from] local or New England area farms," Laliberte said about the winter. "Our focus is to source not just from local farms. but from small, independent operations nationwide. Meats always sourced in the northeast region."

In the summer, Laliberte said, the restaurant will look to local farms and the Walpole Farmers’ Market for produce.

"Getting to know local meat and produce farmers is important to the business model," Laliberte said.

"A lot of times its hard to find real local farms that can give you a product at a good price that you can give to the consumer at a good price," he said. "Price is a concern, but quality is a [bigger] concern. With farm visits, the [relationship and product] become consistent."

Open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Farmer in the Dell will offer sandwiches, salads and breakfast food all day. Operating on a counter service model, customers can choose from menu items and prepared foods. During dinner service, Laliberte said patrons will have three meat options- rotisserie style chicken, barbecued pork shoulder, and slow braised beef brisket- as well as prepared foods made in house like lasagna, potpies and more. The dinner options will be served ala carte or family style, the latter at what Laliberte called value price.

"All entrees are priced individually and for four people. We understand Walpole has a tremendous amount of families," Laliberte said. "We want to cater to that cost."

Sandwiches, like the braised beef brisket or house made ham and cheese, will cost between $6.50 and $8.50, Laliberte said, and come with a side. Most lunch and breakfast items will run between $6 and $15, while dinner will be around $15 to $18 per person.
Sides and prepared foods, Laliberte said, include a curry style pasta salad, root vegetable salad, lemongrass chicken, grilled salmon and meatballs.

In addition to daily service, Laliberte said the restaurant will hold Farmers’ Dinners, a prix fixe event with specialty menus and creations, complete with a beer and wine selection.

Though the restaurant’s focus is fresh, the menu includes some hearty comfort food, too. Giving a sneak peek of the not-so-healthy favorites, Laliberte let slip a southern-style favorite of his.
"One [sandwich] that stands out is ‘the chicken and the egg,’" Laliberte said. "A fried egg, fried chicken and sausage."