It was August 1981.  A train was hurtling through the darkness on an overnight run from Germany to Austria.  Victoria Stiles, a native of Germany, had settled into her compartment and was fast asleep.

“I was hogging the whole compartment. I had drawn the curtains and pulled out the seats, creating a huge bed for me and myself.  Around three in the morning I heard a loud scratching on the glass window and I yelled, ‘It’s occupied!’”

The person desperately searching for a place to rest was Milan Croata from Croatia. It’s a long story but suffice it to say that the two were married (to each other!) on December 30, 1982 and are now the happy co-owners of the Waterwheel Café in Freeville.

Have you been there?  I think the atmosphere is unusual and lovely. My drive from the Lansing – Cayuga Heights border is just under ten miles and when I arrive I feel like I have miraculously landed in rural Europe.  The restaurant overlooks Fall Creek and follows its contours.  The main dining room is narrow with room for only single tables by the windows. Diners can see a moving water wheel activated by water from a 180-foot deep artesian well.  The countertops, tabletops, and floors are all fashioned out of marble or granite from the owner’s adjacent tile shop. You’ll find fresh flowers on the table along with linen napkins.

As soon as you’re seated your server will pour you a glass of cucumber flavored water with fresh cukes floating in the pitcher.    

The menu offers an interesting assortment of worldly choices. The five appetizers, ($6.95-$9.95) include Cajun Wild Shrimp and Crab Cake, Baked Brie, and French Quarter Quesadillas.

I challenge you to name any other restaurant that offers, among its entrees, Shepherd’s Pie, Grilled Cajun Gator Tail, Ostrich Steak and Osso Bucco.  On Fridays and Saturdays, you can order selections cooked on a Kotlovina, a special wok-type stove used in Zagreb, Croatia.  The Friday special includes a seafood medley that might be a combination of shrimp, mussels, and swordfish and the Saturday special is a combination of meats which could include pork, chicken, beef, and sausage. Wednesdays, there’s a prime rib dinner at $12.95. Entrees fall into the $14.95-$24.95 price range.

If this all sounds a bit heavy to you, take a look at the four vegetarian entrées or the menu titled “From The Lighter Side” which includes a couple of pizzas, chicken pot pie, and an oven roasted chicken breast basted with a hot sauce. Alternatively, you can choose from several salads and add grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp.

I happened to attend their Oktoberfest dinner event this past weekend and had a very tender veal cutlet in a creamy mushroom sauce. My dinner partner enjoyed  Blackened Hawaiian Mahi Mahi from the regular menu. After having raised a couple of glasses of wine we were persuaded to raise our voices as we joined the guitarist for a rousing performance of “The Happy Wanderer”.  I mention that because it serves as a convenient segue to tell you that there’s a guitarist every Friday and various other musical performers on some Saturdays and Sundays.

The beer selection is not large but it’s certainly adequate and you might be pleased to learn that the most expensive bottle is only $3.95. You’ll find about fifteen white wines and twenty red wines with strength between $24 and $39 a bottle.  It’s a well-rounded international selection. There’s even a separate page featuring a dozen New York State wines.

Chef Chad Mellberg comes to Freeville all the way from his hometown of Dryden, NY. Mellberg has learned his craft well and turns out quality dishes consistently. He knows his way around the kitchen – he actually got his professional start at the Ithaca Country Club where he worked his way up from dishwasher. He has been cooking at the Waterwheel Café since it opened in July 2010.

By the way, I used to live within walking distance of where the restaurant is located and I remember well that in those days, when I told people I lived in Freeville, they’d ask, “Where the heck is that?” When Amy Dickinson started writing her advice column and wrote her book, The Mighty Queens of Freeville, it gave the village a certain cachet.  Now, the Waterwheel Café, offers visitors a scenic place to tarry as they enjoy lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. The food selection and quality is excellent, prices are fair, and there’s a warm and friendly atmosphere.

The Waterwheel Café is open for lunch Wednesday-Saturday from 11:00-2:00, dinner Wednesday-Sunday from 5:00-9:00 and Sunday brunch from 10:00-2:00.  Considering the size of the facility, it wouldn’t hurt to make a reservation.

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