Oakes & Evelyn, the latest addition to Woodstock’s food scene, is bringing modern farm-to-table dining to the area. Serving breakfast seven days a week, dinner five nights a week, and breathing new life into The Jackson inn, Oakes & Evelyn is filling multiple needs for the community, all while crafting a seasonal menu straight from the garden.
Restaurant owner and head chef Justin Dain spoke to the Standard about his restaurant and what it has been like to bring his legacy to Woodstock. “The name — Oakes & Evelyn — is family driven,” he explained. “My grandfather is Oakes, and my father is Evelyn. They would have loved this. I know that they are shining down on me, seeing that their name is a part of such a special place.”
For Dain, crafting a warm and hospitable dining experience that serves fresh and creative dishes is the goal for each plate he prepares.
Dain’s dinner menu is reflective of classic New England cuisine, full of ingredients grown in our state, with some Asian flair. From a classic Atlantic halibut dish with local corn puree and house-made chorizo leeks set in a corn vinaigrette, to fresh oysters, Dain takes classic ingredients and invents a balanced and refined plate. “I also have a restaurant of the same name in Montpellier, and through that experience, I have found that locals start to gravitate toward new food as they begin trusting you — your food, your flavors — and find themselves taking a chance on a meal they may have otherwise never considered. That’s what I hope to curate here in Woodstock. The local population has been so welcoming these past few weeks. I hope that each time they dine, they take a chance on a new meal and end up loving it. My goal is for tourists and locals alike to come in and try new flavors they may not be able to experience elsewhere in Vermont and have a uniquely intimate dining experience.”
While Woodstock is quickly becoming familiar with dinner at Oakes & Evelyn, many may not know that The Jackson inn also offers a breakfast menu seven days a week.
Co-owner of The Jackson inn, Jeff Glew, told the Standard, “Our redone dining area is perfectly situated along the garden, toward the back of the Inn. In the morning, when the sun is streaming in, people can enjoy a quiet, delicious meal surrounded by the warmth and seclusion of the property. The space will make locals and tourists alike feel as if they are nestled in the secret gardens of Vermont.”
For more on this story, please see our August 7 edition of the Vermont Standard.
