The Trout and the Troll: New restaurant in Byram

Tucked away in Byram, overlooking a serene Lake Lackawanna, is a place where The Trout and the Troll owners Bradley and Laurie Boyle said they created as their own fairytale.

"We thought about names for a while and we both wanted something whimsical," said Bradley, owner and head chef. "We wanted this restaurant to be a neighborhood place for people to pop in and have a drink and some dinner."

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The Boyle's have accomplished just that. The inside of The Trout and the Troll feels like a familiar lake house, complete with shelves of Bradley's cookbook collection, large photos of local figures, aerial shots of the lake and Treasure Trolls guarding the register.

The trout part of the title came from being near Lake Lackawanna, the troll part from Laurie's favorite fable, The Billy Goat's Gruff.

"We didn't want it to sound cliché," said Bradley.

In the restaurant business

Not a stranger to the restaurant business, the Boyle's also own Salt in Byram for seven years and previously owned Boula in Newton. Bradley was a chef in New York City for many years, then they moved on to owning their own restaurants.

The Trout and the Troll is their latest endeavor, only opened for about two months now at the former location of Down to the Bone Barbeque Restaurant, which relocated to Rt. 10 and Sussex Turnpike in Randolph.

"We have retro food. We want it to be family friendly and serve food that's familiar to people, not intimidating," said Bradley.

Before the rush of dinner on this particular afternoon, the kitchen staff busied themselves preparing for what's ahead; the sound of pots and pans in use, the radio on, and staff whistling along to the tunes. The snow covered lake can be seen from almost any table through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining area.

Some customer favorites include the short rib Yankee pot roast ($17), made with slow-braised rib served with mashed potatoes, buttery peas and a rich brown sauce, found in the "retro" section of the menu. Bradley's favorite is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken ($16), made with crispy fried chicken and served with mashed potatoes and corn relish.

Bradley said everything at The Trout and the Troll is made fresh. One of the restaurant's specialties is the Smoked Salmon Pizza ($9.50) with fresh, hand tossed pizza dough. The pie is topped with smoked salmon, Havarti cheese and ricotta.

"For those who are a little adventurous, this pizza is a step above the normal pie," said Bradley.

All about community – Salt Cares

Growing up in the area, the Boyle's say they know almost 99 percent of the people who walk into Trout and Troll. When something happens to a community member, they want to help.

Salt Cares is a fundraising group the Boyle's created about a year ago to help community members in need during an emergency.

"When someone's house burns down or something tragic happens to a family, they need help right then, not two weeks or a month from the event," said Bradley. "That's why we started selling t-shirts and holding fundraising events."

Salt Cares has already raised about $5,000. During Christmas, the Boyle's also put a giving tree in the restaurants so people could give presents to children in need during the holidays.

"It's amazing how many people want to give but don't know how. They can come to us and we can take care of it," said Bradley. "We're not saving the world, but we're doing our part."

To find out more about Salt Cares, visit www.saltgastropub.com/community.html

Music series

Great food is the main attraction at The Trout and the Troll, but not the only one. Every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30 p.m., musician and local resident Steve Chapin performs at the restaurant. Chapin is about halfway through his eight-part performance series for The Trout and the Troll, called "American Music Triumphant."

"It's more than him playing the piano," Bradley said, "He has the customers join in and he tells them stories; he's great."

Chapin's next performance is tonight.

Customers can also see other performances at Salt, which include musicians like Katrina and the Waves, Todd Sheaffer and Tom Chapin. For more information, visit www.saltgastropub.com/troutntroll/music.html.

Bradley never aimed to become an owner of any restaurant, but now that he has owned three, he says there is no going back for him.

"It's the feeling of reward that you're making people happy; making something with your hands to create something that people enjoy. And it's my own."

Got an eatery to recommend? Email eabreu@dailyrecord.com

The Trout and the Troll

Address: 172 Lackawanna Dr. Byram

Phone: (973) 347-1534

Website:www.saltgastropub.com/troutntroll

Hours: Winter dining hours: Closed Monday-Tuesday; 5-10 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 3-11 p.m. Friday; Noon-11 p.m. Saturday; 12-9 p.m. Sunday

Ownera: Bradley and Laurie Boyle

Cuisine: Retro comfort food

Prices: Appetizers $4-8.50; salad $5.50-6; pizza $8-9.50; entrees $13-17; burgers and grilled cheese $6-11; desserts $4-5

Reservations: For parties of 6 or more

Catering: Yes

Vibe: Family-friendly dining and music