Cafémantic - Willimantic

HIDDEN GEM ALERT! This is such a wonderful restaurant with affordable prices and high quality food and drinks! My friend and I each had a pre-fixe 3-course lunch for $25 each and it was such a steal! The food was absolutely delicious and the chef was extremely accommodating of food allergies! Finally, the cocktails were outstanding! The artistry in the presentation is second to none and the taste was impeccable, it made it hard for me to only order one! Overall, a trip here is one you will never regret!

My most recent review is based on my experience during restaurant week. I've also been here in the summer and the outdoor space is lovely. THE FOOD: -there were a good variety of options for restaurant week that you can also find on the menu, my party had quite a few of the options -charcuterie board was good, I liked the salted house made crackers, the cheeses weren't my favorite but I am pretty basic when it comes to cheeses (cheddar, toscano, etc. so I didn't eat much but others in our party really enjoyed it -tuna crudo is a small serving but tasty -parsnip+celery bisque was good -Brussel sprouts : as a big fan of brussels these didn't disappoint. Good crisp on outside and nice flavor -mushroom toast: strong mustard and was good. Cut into nice bite size slices -Monkfish: I don't like pieces of onion so I ordered without the soubise but would have preferred if it was on the side (which I asked but I don't think he got that because I think the sauce would've really elevated the dish. Broccoli rabe was delicious. The lemon vinaigrette was tangy and good as well. -duck carbonara: very savory and simple, great flavors -brownie: delicious dessert, served HOT -citrus almond cake: it was okay, I wish I had opted for the brownie THE DRINKS: -beer flight special: 2 in our party ordered the beer flights that were on special on restaurant week which gave them lots of good options -sangria: I ordered the sangria that was (supposed to be [see below] on special for restaurant week THE SERVICE: -our server was very polite and attentive -While I appreciate a meal that isn't rushed and meant to take time and enjoy your company, I will say there was a long lag from when we sat down to when we put in our appetizer order. I think it would've been nice if we were asked closer to the time we ordered our drinks so we didn't have to wait so long for our first food to arrive. -I am not sure if the waiter was having an off night or was new but we had some issues with the drinks. For beer flights, both orders were not what our party asked for, for ex. not simply swapped, but beers both missing completely and what was provided were totally mislabeled. We tried to figure it out amongst the table but the errors were pretty bad. When he brought back the corrections there was still one completely missing but we didn't want to be a hassle so we let it go. He was courteous and apologetic in fixing it -it also seemed like he was not fully knowledgeable on the (restaurant week menu since I ordered the special sangria, listed as the red, and was asked if I wanted red or white. Upon pointing out that it said only red he seemed a bit confused so I just said red was okay. When we got home I realized I was charged full price for the regular menu sangria instead of the special price. -he got the rest of our meal perfectly accurate, just seemed like an oopsies with the drinks. Maybe the bartender was out and he wasn't used to ringing in and grabbing beers/drinks himself? THE ATMOSPHERE -on top of the rustic building they have fun decor as well. The Christmas wreaths were still up (in February but we also saw some heart decorations too. I enjoy wintery touches since winter doesn't stop after Christmas. -nice attention to detail, looking forward to warmer weather to eat outside as well Overall, it was a good price for what we ate this evening. Typically for me Stone Row is a splurge location so I am glad I was able to enjoy it and try more of their fare during restaurant week.

This place never disappoints. The dishes are very tasty, and creative. Local ingredients are used, so the freshness is always there. We sometimes just go for a cocktail and small plates or the charcuterie board. The cocktails are also very good. I always get the old fashioned, and my wife gets the manhattan.

Since it opened, I've watched Cafemantic straining beneath its assignment: be an elevated seasonal farm-to-table spot, but attract enough local diners to stay in operation. I swelled with pride when the New York Times noticed them. I came to love some of the weird disappearing menu items, the ironic repurposing of Willimantic's industrial aesthetic, even the tattooed true believer waiters who would lecture about how jerk chicken should really be prepared or the origins of an aperol spritz. But inevitably, Cafemantic, Stonerow, whatever, had to make peace with its environs. They had managed to impress the city folk, but we weren't in a city. So, the changes crept in. First they retreated from the small plates-only menu and I said nothing because I was not a hipster. Then they removed the fusion menu items and replaced them with steak and chicken, and I did not speak up because I did not vote for Bernie. The menu stopped changing all the time, as an unpopular rotating cast was changed into low-risk old-reliables. It became ordinary, but at what cost? What are we left with today? The Mumford and Sons aesthetic, but the old timey fan belt never seems to be running. A young waitstaff who are still gamely trying to buy into the restaurant's philosophy; earnest, even charismatic service, but not overtly attentive. (Yes! Ignore me! Make me feel like I'm in New York! A menu that loads on Dropbox, as if it were still changing every day. Wait is that ... a burger and fries on the dinner menu? Is that all people around here will tolerate for dinner? Sheesh. There are still hints of glory. The tarragon ranch roasted BBQ carrots last night were a standout (still tucked into a defiant small plates section of the menu , the Wellfleet oysters still fresh and briny, the cucumber salad delicate and intricate. The creme brûlée is a perfect ending to the night, and the cocktails are still every bit as well-made and spunky as they were when this circus came to town. I've been through a range of emotions with this place over the years: pride, disappointment, optimism, and now I'm at anxiety. Is this place going to make it? How much more compromise is needed before the dining room is full again? Don't change, Stone Row. Let them choke on your brilliance.

Overpriced. Food is tasty but definitely not the type of place you'd go if you were hungry