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- Elements
- Talk about chemistry. Two couples co-own Elements in St. Johnsbury, and five years after they joined forces to open the eatery, it's thriving. Elements occupies an old mill building in a gritty section of town, where funky copper light fixtures lend a modern vibe to the two dining rooms and sizable bar. A rustic wood-fired bread oven exhales smoke that gives the space a homey feel; in summer, there's an outdoor patio.
- Chef Ryan O'Malley is a local boy: He got his start in the culinary program at St. Johnsbury Academy, attended Paul Smith's College and moved back home. He's devised a menu that changes weekly and features a variety of seasonal ingredients, but diners can always choose between a themed prix-fixe meal — such as "maple" or "Caribbean" — and the generous selection of à la carte items, both homestyle and trendy.
- They can get some favorites in family-sized portions, too, such as the golden fried-trout-and-apple cakes with wasabi cream. The "Not-So-Elemental Salad" — Bibb lettuce topped with slivered almonds, blue cheese and grapes with a honey vinaigrette — also serves a crowd. It's like a home-cooked meal, with exotic twists and more elaborate presentation: Before filling water glasses, servers use silver tongs to adorn them with lemon wedges. Wine is poured from small tumblers, not from the bottle.
- O'Malley seems to have found a sweet spot between urban edibles and country comfort food. His "Blue Plate Special" consists of chicken, apples and figs wrapped in a flaky dough, served with mashed potatoes, crisp-tender green beans and a drizzle of orange-scented balsamic reduction. The ultra-tender ribs, coated with house-made barbecue sauce, arrive on a bed of perfect French fries. All the key elements are in place.
- St. Johnsbury's hippest restaurant may sit on the site of a former sawmill, but its food is anything but churned out.
- — SUZANNE PODHAIZER
- Elements
98 Mill Street, St. Johnsbury, 748-8400 
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photo: matthew thorsen
