After nearly three years away from the kitchen, Troy potter Donn Zver had reopened his famed cafe, with a new look, a new menu, a new chef, and a new name.

  Cafe Troy opened last weekend with a gala reception.

  Zver initially opened the cafe, formerly the Potter's Cafe as a way to showcase his pottery in an everyday setting.

  "I make usable, everyday items," he said. "What better way to show that than a cafe? Every dish in the restaurant was made here in the studio."

  Zver took a hiatus from the busy restaurant, leasing the space to another couple for several years. But he had a fresh vision for the cafe, so he decided to take back the reigns. He wanted to use the space to pay homage to the community he calls home.

  Through the café, Troy is celebrated in everything from the décor to the menu. Historical photos from the archives decorate the walls, showing historical structures and everyday farm life from the community's past. And the menu will showcase farm fresh meat, eggs and produce, all grown locally.

  "It's good, fresh, healthy food," said Zver. In fact, he chose his new chef, Leigh Laidlaw, a native of Dundas, partly for his commitment to delicious, but hut health-conscious food.

  "He says he's going to work on this," said Zver, patting his tummy."

  Using only local farms to supply the food has proven to be more challenging than ordering wholesale, noted Zver. "But we feel it's important. If we've got the local produce, lets support those local farmers," he stressed.

  The practice is also a bonus for customers, who can enjoy an ever-changing menu depending on what fruits and vegetables are in season. Laidlaw is already planning the menu for a Strawberry Festival, which will showcase the juicy fruits during the peak of the season.

  "It's a unique experience for people," he said. "When I go out to eat, I want to experience something I can't experience at home. People know when they come here that it's healthy food, and it's from the community. It's how people use to eat."

  Many of the herbs are grown on-site in Laidlaw's own herb garden, and patrons are free to wander outside for a look and even explore Zver's many ponds and other garden features. Zver even envisions a Zen garden one day, which could be opened for teas.

  "I want a comfortable place outside where people can hang out." he said.

  The café is open daily for lunch between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. It was a conscious choice to focus on one meal, said Zver. "From past experience, it's better to do one thing and do it well," he said. "We don't want to stretch ourselves out, so we're going to focus on great lunches."

  Café Troy's menu is upscale, but reasonably priced. The Tuscan sandwich and smoked chicken penne have emerged as local favourites. But there's also a wide selection of salads, quiches, pastas and vegetarian dishes. "Leigh calls it contemporary, with a twist on the classic," noted Zver.

  The décor was a labour of love for Zver. He spent months scouring local antique shops and flea markets for the perfect accents. The collection of mismatched chandeliers all come from antique shops; one sports hand-blown glass shades, while the one above the fireplace once graced Dundurn castle. The stained glass windows were made in England in the 1880's, and were designed for export; they sport an abstract maple leaf to appeal to the Canadians.

  "It was fun to put it all together," he said. "It was a lot of work though."

  Café Troy, and Zver's studio, are located on Hwy. 5 west, in the town of Troy.

  When the visuals and tastes both prompt a string of superlatives, a restaurant is clearly onto a good thing.

  And Cafe Troy is a glittering example of an eye-catching setting, racked up by fine fare.

  It's worth the drive for this kind of dining action. Troy is part of Hamilton up there on Highway 5 near St. George, but it is another world in the village and the pristine cafe.

  Celebrated artisan Donn Zver opened the cafe next to his pottery operation in June and, as you'd expect, the table settings are pieces of art.

  Plates and wine and water goblets are spun out next door to a setting that might rank as a bit precious in some books. The marble tabletops are draped with linen runners and deep stained-glass windows dominate one end of the dining room. Other big windows offer a view of a well tended garden, small pond and fountain. In light of the attention to detail at almost every turn, the paper napkins seemed a jarring lapse. But as the old Italian dining ethic goes, you can't eat the furniture. It is still always about the food.

  Chef Leigh Laidlaw delivered wonderfully there, as our little party grazed through starters and mains at the lunch-only eatery. I relished an opening act of crab cakes ($6.95), two fat and golden ovals of mild crab mixed with red pepper. A slaw of apple and mango was a crisp and sweet counterpoint. Meantime, I cadged a few bites of wild mushroom bruschetta ($6.95) from a fellow diner. They revealed a lush delight of melting brie draped over delicate sauteed mushrooms and supported by crisp crostini.

  The soup special, carrot and sweet potato ($4.50), won approval with its thick mix topped with an artistic swirl of cream. We couldn't find fault with the mains either: two linguine seafood dishes and quiche Lorraine.

  The featured fish was salmon with linguine ($13.95), a liberal mix of the shards of seafood in a pasta done to the second. Meantime, a lemon =ream sauce loaded with corn niblets, capers and scallions provided a rich and sharp backdrop.

  The shrimp linguine ($11.95) offered the same al dente pasta with four large shrimp loitering on top. They were described as "perfectly done," bursting with moisture. A sauce of garlic and white wine with basil pesto and Parmesan sprinkling rang up good tastes and marks. The quiche ( $11.75) was a winning and rich blend of locally smoked bacon, Swiss cheese and green onions embraced by a golden pastry. As if this wasn't enough, the La Rocca chocolate royale cake ($6), a trinity of cream, chocolate mousse and moist cake, topped off the experience brilliantly. And service, by the way, was breezy and attentive.

  So, Cafe Troy is highly recommended.

  Cafe Troy

  2290 Highway 5 West, Troy

  519-647-0606

  The look: Bright and open

  The feel: Warm and welcoming

  What you'll pay: The soup of the day is $4.50; organic greens with grilled asparagus, red wine vinaigrette and basil pesto is $6.50; and bruschetta is $6.95. Quiche plates include classic Lorraine for $11.75 and smoked salmon for $13.75 and come with an organic greens salad.

  Sandwiches run from vegetarian with roasted sweet peppers at $9.95 to the striploin, featuring beef from local San-Barr Farms, for $11.95. The smoked thicken penne is $11.95 and the chicken phyllo platter is the same price. La Rocca desserts are $6. The restaurant is not licensed.

  Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Reservations are recommended.

  The restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

  jkernaghan@thespec.com 905-526-3422