Brook House, the Americana-themed Stony Brook eatery and ice cream shop, will undergo renovations starting a couple of weeks from now as part of its transition to the vision of its. But before its name officially changes to "Norman Rockwell's American Café," there's still a little time to visit the Brook House enjoyed by Three Villagers for the last 25 years.
Overview: A bright, friendly restaurant with a nostalgic feel, offering both classic American entrées and contemporary choices.
Decor: A modest collection of old-fashioned artifacts – tea kettles, glass jars, wooden ducks, an antique radio and typewriter – adorns shelves overhead, and then of course there are the many iconic Norman Rockwell images on the walls. It's reminiscent of a favorite country eatery frequented on family road trips.
Drinks: Lemonade, sweet iced tea, and old fashioned egg creams ($3) perpetuate the classic American feel.
Starters & Sides: The selection includes battered onion rings ($3.29), a beet and onion salad ($2.69), and three kinds of fries (prices vary). But what stands out is the smooth and savory cheddar and ale soup ($6.25).
Entrées: You can't go wrong with comfort food staples like fried chicken ($14.59), Grandma's own meatloaf ($14.99), and fried seafood platters ($10.29-$14.99). However with the selection of burgers and sandwiches, like the open faced turkey ($11.99), portobella melt ($11.99), and classic reuben ($11.99), you'll probably have a hard time making up your mind.
Desserts: Hands-down part of the major appeal of the Brook House. Here's the rundown: thick shakes, ice cream sodas, and sundaes made with eighteen flavors of ice cream, sherbet, sorbet and yogurt. Rice pudding, pound cake, apple pie, Belgian waffles, lemon meringue and more, all equally tempting and ranging in price from $2.35 to $9.95. Let's hope the new menu retains some of these favorites.
