Bright light, dark wood, can’t lose

Willa (Millerton, NY)

GETAWAYS • Upstate

At first glance, Willa in Millerton, NY, looks ordinary, with bland suburban interiors that include an array of fake florals hanging above a long dark wood bar and a scattering of hightop tables in the back. The food, however, is anything but ordinary. Ingredient combinations are as brave as they are assembled to perfection.

Chef Daniel Meissner boasts a team with roots and experience from The Culinary Institute of America down the road, and it shows. The plating is that of someone recently graded on it, precise and tweezered. Most everything on the menu is sourced from a nearby farm, especially appetizers, which are almost exclusively vegetarian. One exception: Vitsky Bakery bread toasted with a thick layer of butter and topped with an anchovy. The salad included watermelon, piel de sapo melon, and husk cherries in a dressing of its own juices. Hiding amongst the appetizer list is one pasta, easy to overlook but housemade and rich. At the end of summer, it was their take on a spaghetti alla Nerano, made with sungold sauce and Japanese eggplant instead of zucchini. It managed to be smooth and creamy without excessive dairy.

Among the small list of entrees, there’s always a burger and chicken (there are tavern undertones, after all). The intentionally simple burger, sourced from Kinderhook Farm, is smashed. The roast chicken is among the best I’ve ever had in a restaurant, smoky, crispy-skinned, with a rich jus that evokes Thanksgiving turkey. It’s served over potatoes, prepared differently per the season. For dessert, fluffy tiramisu had the texture of a custard.

Willa is the heart of Millerton. It’s the light at the top of Main Street, with waitresses who will remind you of your mom’s friends and a chatty bartender. In the end, the aesthetic shortcomings are part of its charm, since at the end of the day, Willa really just wants to be an excellent neighborhood joint, even if your hood is 45 minutes away. –Sylvie Florman

→ Willa (Millerton, NY) • 52 Main St • Tue-Thu 5-9p, Fri 5-10p, Sat 12-3p & 4-10p • call (518) 789-0252 to reserve.