A Gem In Town
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9/17/2006 - Area Restaurant Has Something For Everyone
By ROSE MARY CARVER
A little treasure can be found at 106 E. Third St. in downtown Jamestown. Anyone looking for good food and a relaxing atmosphere can find it at Timothy’s.
Timothy Mills purchased the former Kaldi’s in October 2005. While keeping customer favorites on the menu, Mills has made the restaurant his own. A talented chef and baker, ills creates his own delicacies from fresh ingredients obtained from local suppliers when available. Even when you’re in a hurry, you can get homemade food that will feed the stomach and nourish the soul.
Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Timothy’s serves both breakfast and lunch/early supper. Whether something light is what you want, or if you are looking for heartier fare, you can find it here. You can even get it to go, if you’re in a hurry. But stop and stay a while, and you’ll see a lot to interest you.
With handicap accessibility, Timothy’s has a mix of clientele. Arriving at 6 a.m. to begin creating his daily masterpieces, Mills will serve an early bird or two if the occasion arises. Many professionals in the downtown area stop for breakfast or lunch. Friends of all ages gather to have a meal and chat. Adults with kids and grandkids stop for a nosh. Whenever you come, Mills and his staff make you feel welcome and comfortable. Being a wireless hot spot, many come to do some work or studying, while enjoying a meal or cup of coffee. There is an upstairs dining area for more seclusion when working on something important.
When it comes to coffee, you can probably find it here. Three huge slates on the wall list menu items, and one is entirely devoted to all the different coffee, tea, espresso, cappuccino and other drinks, both hot and cold available. If you leave thirsty, it’s your own fault.
The food Mills creates is exquisite. Whether sandwiches or salads, his training at the Culinary Institute, as well as all the travels across the country, are shown in the varied influences he has brought to his food. Every day has a special for both breakfast and lunch, as well as a soup of the day. By creating his meals freshly every day, he can showcase his talents and please the palate.
One group of ladies lunched at Timothy’s on a recent Saturday. Following their meals and conversation, all decided on a truffle for dessert. After enjoying them, another patron informed them that Timothy makes them himself.
One lady remarked, ‘‘Will you marry me?’’
Another customer in that afternoon was Jeanne Martines, who lives within walking distance of the restaurant. She and her husband owned Marti’s Steak House on Second Street.
When asked why she comes, she said ‘‘I just like the food. I like their lattes and stuff.’’
She said she gets both salads and sandwiches.
The menu is quite expanded from the previous owners, which is good, Mrs. Martines stated.
How well the owner and staff treat the customer is very important, she said. That is another thing she likes about Timothy’s.
‘‘I like to come and sit and when there’s a lot of people in here, I watch the people,’’ she said. ‘‘You see everybody from the mayor to just walk-ins from the street. I like to come rather early in the morning and sit outside.’’
The tables outside are inviting and its colorful inside. Having worked in the restaurant business, Mrs. Martines knows what it takes to run a good establishment.
Asked if she would recommend Timothy’s, she replied, ‘‘Oh, highly.’’
She went on, ‘‘It’s easy to fake reasonably good food. ... But this place, food tastes good. It has a good taste to it. And the baked goods, whatever, I assume that somebody’s doing the baking.’’
Mills comes by his talents naturally. As a young boy in Westfield, he learned his basics in his father’s business, Westfield Home Bakery.
At 12, Mills was helping care for his grandfather. He had to do the inside chores, cooking and cleaning.
‘‘I was more interested in the cookin’ than the cleanin,’’ he said.
At 17 he got his first restaurant job. At 18 he worked in Bloomington, Ind., where he got his first classical training. He’s been working at it all his life. Graduating in 1988 from the Culinary Institute in New York City, he studied all aspects of food preparation.
‘‘I like using my creativity to specials and baking. That’s why I like this place, is cause I can do a little bit of everything, very eclectic.’’
When he purchased the cafe, he was the chef at the President’s Cottage at Chautauqua Institution. He has also been a sous chef at the Athenaeum.
Asked what he would consider the specialities at Timothy’s, Mills replied, ‘‘The Specials. And the chocolates. The desserts.’’
They didn’t have the desserts before. Timothy’s always has at least two or three homemade desserts, plus his own hand-made truffles. There’s a different special every day, always fresh. Sometimes Asian, sometimes Southwestern, sometimes Mediterranean, a lot of American Regional specialities.
‘‘Well, that’s because it’s what I’ve always done,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s what cooking is.’’
Anybody who comes in to eat a meal, a salad, or a sandwich, is going to get something Timothy’s makes, not that’s taken out of a box.
Product availability and time determine what the specials of the day will be. Mills is at Timothy’s until 7 or 8 p.m. on weeknights and will post the specials for the following day on his Web site, http://www.timothyscafe.com/ after that.
Although he has a set menu and specials, Mills is always experimenting and adding to his repertoire. It is the fortunate customer, indeed, who gets to sample one of these new treats. They are pleasing to the eye and nose, as well as the palate.
Mills can be contacted for catering as well. The phone number for Timothy’s is 484-8904. The email address is timothys@stny.rr.com. Customers wishing either to go order or dine in meals may call ahead.
When asked why he left the relative safety of his position to purchase the restaurant, Mills was quite candid.
‘‘I could have ... made a fair living, but I was just tired of someone else creating the menu that I had to do the work to prepare,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s easy to write a menu, it’s an entirely different thing to prepare that.’’
Mills’ creative nature can be showcased through his own preparations. Being able to do new things in new ways is what keeps it interesting for him. After nearly a year, he still likes the choice.
‘‘Still looking forward to the changes that I’m going to make,’’ he said, ‘‘so I’m not in a rut yet.’’
Mills credits his staff for their work as well. He stated that the help of his house manager, Tony Marino, has been ‘‘incalculable.’’ He makes sure everything out front gets done and the customers are served, ‘‘and he does it with a great aplomb. A guy like that’s indispensable.’’
Works from local artists adorn the walls of the cafe. There are regulars as in most establishments.
One man who comes in every day wrote on the board the other day, ‘‘the best place to be to feel like a million bucks,’’ Timothy said.
He added, ‘‘So I know I’m not screwing everything up.’’
The clientele has stuck by him, even though he made changes. They realized he didn’t change everything, he added to it. The ambience is warmer and the outdoor seating is cheerful, beckoning you to come in.
Mills likes to support the community. He recently participated in a day of fund-raising for the local music scene. In October, he is planning to hold an apple pie bake-off. Mills and a couple of others will be judging the entries on filling and pastry, as well as a public’s choice tasting. All the entry fees will be used for prize money. More details will be available at a later date.
By ROSE MARY CARVER
A little treasure can be found at 106 E. Third St. in downtown Jamestown. Anyone looking for good food and a relaxing atmosphere can find it at Timothy’s.
Timothy Mills purchased the former Kaldi’s in October 2005. While keeping customer favorites on the menu, Mills has made the restaurant his own. A talented chef and baker, ills creates his own delicacies from fresh ingredients obtained from local suppliers when available. Even when you’re in a hurry, you can get homemade food that will feed the stomach and nourish the soul.
Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Timothy’s serves both breakfast and lunch/early supper. Whether something light is what you want, or if you are looking for heartier fare, you can find it here. You can even get it to go, if you’re in a hurry. But stop and stay a while, and you’ll see a lot to interest you.
With handicap accessibility, Timothy’s has a mix of clientele. Arriving at 6 a.m. to begin creating his daily masterpieces, Mills will serve an early bird or two if the occasion arises. Many professionals in the downtown area stop for breakfast or lunch. Friends of all ages gather to have a meal and chat. Adults with kids and grandkids stop for a nosh. Whenever you come, Mills and his staff make you feel welcome and comfortable. Being a wireless hot spot, many come to do some work or studying, while enjoying a meal or cup of coffee. There is an upstairs dining area for more seclusion when working on something important.
When it comes to coffee, you can probably find it here. Three huge slates on the wall list menu items, and one is entirely devoted to all the different coffee, tea, espresso, cappuccino and other drinks, both hot and cold available. If you leave thirsty, it’s your own fault.
The food Mills creates is exquisite. Whether sandwiches or salads, his training at the Culinary Institute, as well as all the travels across the country, are shown in the varied influences he has brought to his food. Every day has a special for both breakfast and lunch, as well as a soup of the day. By creating his meals freshly every day, he can showcase his talents and please the palate.
One group of ladies lunched at Timothy’s on a recent Saturday. Following their meals and conversation, all decided on a truffle for dessert. After enjoying them, another patron informed them that Timothy makes them himself.
One lady remarked, ‘‘Will you marry me?’’
Another customer in that afternoon was Jeanne Martines, who lives within walking distance of the restaurant. She and her husband owned Marti’s Steak House on Second Street.
When asked why she comes, she said ‘‘I just like the food. I like their lattes and stuff.’’
She said she gets both salads and sandwiches.
The menu is quite expanded from the previous owners, which is good, Mrs. Martines stated.
How well the owner and staff treat the customer is very important, she said. That is another thing she likes about Timothy’s.
‘‘I like to come and sit and when there’s a lot of people in here, I watch the people,’’ she said. ‘‘You see everybody from the mayor to just walk-ins from the street. I like to come rather early in the morning and sit outside.’’
The tables outside are inviting and its colorful inside. Having worked in the restaurant business, Mrs. Martines knows what it takes to run a good establishment.
Asked if she would recommend Timothy’s, she replied, ‘‘Oh, highly.’’
She went on, ‘‘It’s easy to fake reasonably good food. ... But this place, food tastes good. It has a good taste to it. And the baked goods, whatever, I assume that somebody’s doing the baking.’’
Mills comes by his talents naturally. As a young boy in Westfield, he learned his basics in his father’s business, Westfield Home Bakery.
At 12, Mills was helping care for his grandfather. He had to do the inside chores, cooking and cleaning.
‘‘I was more interested in the cookin’ than the cleanin,’’ he said.
At 17 he got his first restaurant job. At 18 he worked in Bloomington, Ind., where he got his first classical training. He’s been working at it all his life. Graduating in 1988 from the Culinary Institute in New York City, he studied all aspects of food preparation.
‘‘I like using my creativity to specials and baking. That’s why I like this place, is cause I can do a little bit of everything, very eclectic.’’
When he purchased the cafe, he was the chef at the President’s Cottage at Chautauqua Institution. He has also been a sous chef at the Athenaeum.
Asked what he would consider the specialities at Timothy’s, Mills replied, ‘‘The Specials. And the chocolates. The desserts.’’
They didn’t have the desserts before. Timothy’s always has at least two or three homemade desserts, plus his own hand-made truffles. There’s a different special every day, always fresh. Sometimes Asian, sometimes Southwestern, sometimes Mediterranean, a lot of American Regional specialities.
‘‘Well, that’s because it’s what I’ve always done,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s what cooking is.’’
Anybody who comes in to eat a meal, a salad, or a sandwich, is going to get something Timothy’s makes, not that’s taken out of a box.
Product availability and time determine what the specials of the day will be. Mills is at Timothy’s until 7 or 8 p.m. on weeknights and will post the specials for the following day on his Web site, http://www.timothyscafe.com/ after that.
Although he has a set menu and specials, Mills is always experimenting and adding to his repertoire. It is the fortunate customer, indeed, who gets to sample one of these new treats. They are pleasing to the eye and nose, as well as the palate.
Mills can be contacted for catering as well. The phone number for Timothy’s is 484-8904. The email address is timothys@stny.rr.com. Customers wishing either to go order or dine in meals may call ahead.
When asked why he left the relative safety of his position to purchase the restaurant, Mills was quite candid.
‘‘I could have ... made a fair living, but I was just tired of someone else creating the menu that I had to do the work to prepare,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s easy to write a menu, it’s an entirely different thing to prepare that.’’
Mills’ creative nature can be showcased through his own preparations. Being able to do new things in new ways is what keeps it interesting for him. After nearly a year, he still likes the choice.
‘‘Still looking forward to the changes that I’m going to make,’’ he said, ‘‘so I’m not in a rut yet.’’
Mills credits his staff for their work as well. He stated that the help of his house manager, Tony Marino, has been ‘‘incalculable.’’ He makes sure everything out front gets done and the customers are served, ‘‘and he does it with a great aplomb. A guy like that’s indispensable.’’
Works from local artists adorn the walls of the cafe. There are regulars as in most establishments.
One man who comes in every day wrote on the board the other day, ‘‘the best place to be to feel like a million bucks,’’ Timothy said.
He added, ‘‘So I know I’m not screwing everything up.’’
The clientele has stuck by him, even though he made changes. They realized he didn’t change everything, he added to it. The ambience is warmer and the outdoor seating is cheerful, beckoning you to come in.
Mills likes to support the community. He recently participated in a day of fund-raising for the local music scene. In October, he is planning to hold an apple pie bake-off. Mills and a couple of others will be judging the entries on filling and pastry, as well as a public’s choice tasting. All the entry fees will be used for prize money. More details will be available at a later date.
For more information on Chautauqua Lake Real estate & Living visit: www.chautauqualakehomes.com
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