"Watts Tea Shop Wins Accolade"
-Carol Deptolla, JSOnline
Here's affirmation that the Watts Tea Shop has stood the test of time: The restaurant over the George Watts & Son china shop at 761 N. is one of five restaurants to be honored by the James Beard Foundation Awards as one of "America's Classics." It's a recognition bestowed on restaurants with "timeless appeal, beloved for quality food that r
eflects the character of their community," the foundation said in a statement. Sam Watts, the president of George Watts & Son, said he was overjoyed and overwhelmed by the recognition. "To be recognized by the James Beard Foundation is just tremendous," he said. His grandmother, Martie Watts, owns the shop. A number of the tea shop's recipes date back to the 1930s, the Beard Foundation notes, such as the olive-nut and chicken salad finger sandwiches; the wheat bread and English muffins that are baked daily; and its locally renowned Sunshine Cake, three layers of lemon chiffon filled with French custard and iced with seven-minute frosting. "For the past 30 years, I've had an English muffin at least every week," said Sam Watts, who's 31. But after the addition of chef Jason Stevens, 33, three years ago, the menu took a huge step forward, adding contemporary dishes to the traditional. Now there's sweet chile roasted chicken - lightly spicy with Thai flavors - as a counterpoint to the chicken salad, and spanakopita rolled strudel-like and served with winter vegetable hash, a modern vegetarian dish alongside classic cucumber dill sandwiches. Stevens, a Chicago native who was the chef at Café Manna in Brookfield when it opened three years ago, also began doing wine dinners at Watts last year. He said he typically changes the menu four times a year, with the seasons. The restaurant, a bright, light-filled space with a view of downtown from its large second-story windows, is about 80 years old; restaurants must be locally owned and at least 10 years old to qualify for the award. Sam Watts said it began as a tea shop by the Cook sisters, who moved their successful restaurant into the store from down the street at the behest of the original George Watts. When they left after three to five years, he continued the restaurant under his name. The tea shop is open Monday through Saturday; breakfast is served from 9 to 11 a.m., lunch from 11 to 2:30 p.m. and afternoon tea from 2:30 to 4. Those in the know make reservations for Saturday, particular if they want coveted window tables. Watts Tea Shop and the other honorees will be recognized during the Beard Awards ceremony May 9 at Lincoln Center in New York. Also being honored are Chef Vola's, an Italian-American restaurant in Atlantic City, N.J.; Le Veau d'Or, a French bistro in Midtown Manhattan; Noriega Restaurant and Hotel, a Basque restaurant in Bakersfield, Calif.; and Crook's Corner, a repository of regional dishes in Chapel Hill, N.C.
