| I should have posted this long ago, since we had dinner there around Christmas
time and went there for brunch on New Year's day. I'm happy to report that they
are open for dinner and that it's been as good as before every time we've gone.
I thought this was amazing, since they were really in a bind when their chef
left. For example, in December, there was a sign on the door saying "Chef
wanted" and we were a little hesitent to try it at that time. But as I said, it
was as good as ever.
The highlights from the December dinner (from what I recall) were the butternut
and roasted red pepper soup and my grilled sea scallops with spicy orange sauce,
served with jasmine rice and grilled vegetables. We had a great table by the
window and near a roaring fire. This was great on a cold December night.
Brunch is always great there and New Year's was no exception. I recommend the
Eggs Sardou or Florentine. These are similar to Eggs Benedict (which they also
have), but with vegetables like spinach, tomatoes and artichoke hearts. They
have lots of muffins and bagels, usually a quiche and waffles, french toast and
pancakes. It's a small place and there usually is a line. In the summer, they
put tables out in the courtyard and serve (at least) brunch out there. The
courtyard really is not that much to look at, but I've enjoyed it the times I've
been out there.
Last Friday, we went back. This time there was a newly trained chef working and
again it was as good as we had remembered. We started with an appetiser of
baked Asiago (sp?) cheese with tomatoes, herbs and lots of roasted garlic. This
was served with a small loaf of french bread. This was great, but you may not
want to order this by yourself (lots of garlic). We tried the dinner specials
(as we usually do) of grilled citrus swordfish with spicy peapods and a baked
salmon stuffed with mushrooms, caramelized onions and garlic topped with an
herbed aoli. Both were good, but the salmon was the standout. Both dishes came
with mashed red potatoes. The salmon included a corn salsa, which was very good.
This place is a favorite with the locals and has been mentioned in the Fodor's
New England Guide. All with good reason.
-Jeff
|