Cape Fine Dining

Guess who's coming to dinner, Pearl?

A MEMORIAL DAY SNEAK PEEK: New Outer Cape Restaurant sure to wow Wellfleet

   Putting final touches on the dining room at Pearl prior to Wednesday evening's grand opening.

Last week when Dana Heilman said Pearl would be open before Memorial Day, I looked long and hard. Ankle deep in sawdust, contractors sweating to meet deadlines and a manager with a confident but concerned look on his face didn't exactly support Heilman's statement about the opening.  My doubt was not assuaged  after a quick tour of the progress and a rundown of what still had to be completed by General Contractor Lauren Stapleton, not to mention a visit to the roof decks that were still under construction.

But, what a difference a few days make!

The outside of Pearl prior to the unveiling.

Wednesday, I was witness to a transition that was nothing short of a miracle!  As I walked into Pearl I was greeted by General Manager Mac Gallant.  Mac was busy attending to a million last minute details.  As cell phones rang in the hands of dozens of busy workers, I just stood there in total disbelief!

Executive Chef Bob Wageman and his crew of many were busy cooking in the kitchen for that evening's opening. The before and after is something right out of Ripley's Believe It or Not!  Like a butterfly from a cocoon, a beautiful restaurant has emerged from hanging plastic curtains and cussing contractors.  Food was being prepared in the immaculate kitchens and the bar was fully stocked and ready to serve.   The bar itself has some unique features.  Most impressive being the window area at the back of the bar. The windows lift out to the rear deck where the back of the bar is now a serving counter for the outside deck as weather permits.

The antique material that had been recycled from on-site as well as other historic buildings has been masterfully transformed into walls, tables and the incredible bar.  Restaurant designer and metal artist Steven Swain's touches are beautiful and eye-catching from the moment you see the Pearl sign at the outside entry to the wall and bar lighting inside. "Swainer" as he is known to those close to him, was agreeing with Dana and the crew that Wednesday was the night, and to everyone's credit he was right.

Not a bad seat in the house

The open kitchen at Pearl inspires confidence.

There are many remarkable accomplishments at Pearl.  The fact that there isn't a bad seat in the entire establishment might just be highest on the list.  It is just as exciting to be inside as it is to be outside.  And it's always a comfort being able to see your food prepared.  The kitchen is worth a tour itself, very well thought out from prep to clean-up.  As you walk by the kitchen, look up and you'll see that the original Capt. Higgins building has been preserved inside the main building and now houses the state of the art kitchen.

Eat local, drink local

The owners, managers, and chef all boast about using local produce and seafood.  Chef Gallant is not shy about having the "best meat and poultry in the business" either.  The complete and modestly priced menu has something for everyone including a children's menu.  There are also a variety of appetizers, raw bar entrees,  soups, salads and a complete sandwich menu.  The land menu boasts Teriyaki Hibachi Steak, NY Strip, Filet Mignon and a Garlic and Rosemary marinated Bell & Evans Chicken Breast.  A crispy seafood menu is prepared free of all trans fats.  That and the full baked, grilled and steamed seafood menu will make your mouth water just reading it.  The bar is fully stocked with beer, wine and liquor.  Pearl has eight specialty drinks, especially tempting if you are a martini drinker.

Meet you on the roof

I have to say my favorite location, and I'm sure will be the favorite of many, is the roof deck.  There is a spectacular view no matter where you sit up there. Views of the harbor and glorious distant views as well.  Pearl is a real jewel.  Seating has been approved for 215, but all hands on deck were quick to point out that there will never be more than 213 seats in the Pearl.  "That's just the way we want to keep it," Mac was quick.

The locals seem to be happy about the opening as well.  Friendly people honk and wawve as they drive by.  When people stop by, Mac, Dana, Steve and the crew are quick to invite people in for a tour and have been from the beginning.  Whether it was in the middle of the winter or now the week of the opening, the crew of Pearl has always been inviting, grateful and gracious to those interested in what they have accomplished.

Capt. Higgins lives on in Pearl

During Wednesday evening's opening, the crew of Pearl hosted Betty Balch, owner of the former Capt. Higgins Restaurant, as Pearl's first dinner guest.  This Memorial Day Weekend is the perfect opportunity to give Pearl a try.  Stop in--the location and people are addicting.  It could become your favorite spot too.

Pearl is located at 250 Commercial Street on Wellfleet Harbor in Wellfleet. 508-349-2999 or visit the website here.  See the opening night photo's in on the Pearl site here.

   Another view of the dining room.

   The bar at Pearl oozes character.

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Ardeo Grille out of the way

Ardeo Grille at Kingsway in Yarmouthport is only a stepchild to the original in South Yarmouth. 

Known for it's Mediterrrean cuisine, the family run business has become very popular in recent years.  Time to expand, right? Not so fast.

• Food   Even though it took a minute figure out the difference between the two menus, NO PIZZA, the food was prepared the same  actually.  Since you're ordering ala carte here, you're  not getting a salad, and most of the less ethnic appetizers were still there.  There is a wide variety of, grilled meats, the lamb was particularly good, and pasta dishes. But avoid the dishes prepared in a casserole; small portions and overcooked. 

This menu seems limited, both because of kitchen size and the type of clientel. The patrons this evening were decidedly older and residents of the Kingsway community. It looked like the dining room of a retirement village, which it is.

A decent selection of wine by the glass complimented the menu well. As did a short selection of deserts of the day. And you can still order a dizzying array of martinis.

• Atmosphere Ardeo's new digs are in the Kingsway Country Club building, which has housed some of the best dining  in recent memory (Artful Table).  Unfortunately this is a stripped down version of the exquisite dining room of previous years. Devoid of character and table settings, it does the job, but does not excite.

• Service This is where Ardeo falls down. The service was attrocious. From the wait staff right up to the dining room manager.  The dining room has too many seats and tables for the kitchen to accomodate. So you get to be seated right away, but you have to wait a long time between service.

They tried to (over)compensate by putting too many waiters on the floor. Some experienced waitresses were chatting up theircustomers between courses.  But inexperienced waiters were left floundering for direction, while the manager was chatting up the cuter wait staff.  They all could use some (re)training.

Overall we give  Ardeo 2** saved only by the food.  And 2$$ for the price, ala carte can be a little cheaper.  But if you're looking for a fine dining experience,  don't go out of your  (Kings)way.

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That's Amari

If you like the cute father and daughter radio commercial for Amari, you'll love their Italian Ristorante in Sandwich on Route 6A on the Barnstable line.

An unlikely location for a very popular eatery, it's in the middle of nowhere, it serves as both a neighborhood mainstay and a destination dining experience.

Food  A traditional Italian menu produces some familiar but expertly prepared dishes.  Although Amare means love of the sea, fish is not the thing here. It's the pasta.

It has a decent kids menu, with the usual suspects, but it's OK to splurge and order off the  regular menu. Order the Boncaccini to start. Fried cheese balls, served in a nest of crispy spaghetti.  Leave room for dessert.  You'll be taking home a doggie bag, everyone does.

Take-Out Amari smartly adds to neighborhood feel of the place with a take out station seperate form the main restaurant that features pizza to go.

Wine A good selection of wines, mostly domestic, with a few Italian and Australian notables added to the list.

Service Efficient and friendly. Mostly working moms and dads. They know exactly what a family wants in the way of service; fast.

Atmosphere Beautifully constructed building, tastfully designed and decorated to serve its purpose. Several dining rooms and a seperate bar create an atmosphere of both a bustling cosmopolitan scene and a quite romantic setting. 

Note: Avoid the area in front of the open kitchen unless you have children in your party.  On our visit, the bullpen was filled with kids, mostly well behaved , but there's always that one party that just hasn't learned how to control their brood.

In all, a very enjoyable experience of authentic Italian cuisine, excellent service, and nice atmosphere.  About what you'd expect on price, we managed to get our bill up there ordering off the ala carte menu.  So we give it 3 *** stars and 2 $$ dollar signs. 

Now if we can get that song out of our heads...When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...

Samantha's (age 8) Review: The restaurant Amari was totally Fab with a capital F. The Sherly Temples  where great and they put just the right amout of cherries in them.When I went there, I had the fried ravioli (Amanda's favorite). And now I know why it's her favorite.   

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Old Yarmouth Inn Hauntingly Good

The Old Yarmouth Inn Restaurant and Tavern has been hosting and haunting guests since 1696. 

Located on Route 6A in Yarmouthport,  "halfway between Plymouth and Provincetown", the inn is renowned for it's ghost stories, gladly retold by current innkeepers, Sheila Fiztgerald and Arpad Voros, on the menu.

But the real story with the Inn is the food and wine. A thoughtful menu of traditional dishes prepared in updated presentations served with expertly selected wines to back it up, and meticulous attention to detail paid to diners by the hosts and staff.

On this winter evening, we walked back in time to savour some of the best fare of the present.

Food  Of the three features of fine dining, this one is the hardest to get right,  and it happens to be the weakest link here. The dishes we tried had all the right features of fine cuisine prepared with great flare, but were a little too heavy on a sauteed sauce or too light on the grill seasonings, and therefore  just misses.  The Veal Saltimbucca and Mustard Roasted Salmon were overall beautifully prepared dishes with excellent proportions of starch, vegetables and meat, but the tastes didn't blend as perfectly. The sum of the parts were still greater than the whole.

Wine It's not easy creating an excellent wine list and keeping it within the reach of the occasional fine diner. But the Old Yarmouth Inn has managed to do so, while winning awards. An ecclectic selection of both white and red wines from the west Coast and Europe, with many varietals to choose from, compliment the food menu with reasonable prices. Several wines served by the glass were expertly selected and fairly priced to go.  We chose a bottle of petite syrah from a small vineyard; hard to find but easy to like, while sampling some Chardonnay by the glass.

Service  Impeccable water, bread, table (linen, silver and stemware) and wait service, not to mention the very attentive oversight of the innkeepers. The place runs like precision clockwork.

Atmosphere  The Inn has charm to be sure, and a timelessness. A collection dining rooms and a small tavern room, with low ceilings and fireplaces, give it a colonial feel, but the colors and updated decor keep is squarely in this century.

The Inn provides some of the most authentic "olde Cape Cod" dining to be found, but with the necessary modern improvements.

We rate our visit to the Old Yarmouth Inn 3 *** overall.  Worthy of the 3 $$$ required to savor the experience.  We are not of a superstitious nature, and we did not see any ghosts on this evening, but it was fun wondering if they were watching.

www.oldyarmouthinn.com

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The Red Rose Inn Blossoms

It's very unlikely that you'll discover a new fine dining establishment in the middle of winter, but in our never ending search to bring you what's new on the fine dining scene on the mid-Cape, we happened upon a hidden garden of a spot on Lewis Bay.

For those that have lived here for a while, you'll know that there is a small inn and restaurant at the end of Berry Ave in West Yarmouth. Known for its breakfast and snack bar over the years, it never really catered to the neighborhood. Just the inn guests and the beach goers. It's adjacent to a small public beach. But since a mother and daughter team took it over last year, it has blossomed into a nice little fine dining establishmnet tucked away from the bustle of Route 28. 

We visited the inn twice in the last month to get a good feel for the place. The first time we visited, we were the only patrons in the dining room. The second time, they had a full house.  Such is the life of  small restaurant on Cape Cod in winter.

Food  The Red Rose features steaks and seafood.   The chef, James Falcone,  is the thing here.  The selections seem familiar enough, but his subtle interpretations make them quite unique.    He infuses his dishes with his own personality. Each becomes an interesting variation of the original. 

Altogether, we  tried the haddock, scallops, chicken and shrimp & lobster dishes. Although they were heavy on the pasta (or rice),  and  light on the vegetables, they were  good portions, with plenty of flavor,  and were served very hot, even on the busy night. 

Wine  This deserves special mention because the food menu is under whelmed by the wine list.  A very limited and pedestrian selection of wines by the bottle and the glass fails to compliment the food.

Service  On our first visit ,we were well attended by a young, but experienced waitress.  During our second visit, they were caught short staffed, but covered very well, with the hostess and bartender pitching in to make sure everyone got good service.

Atmosphere  This is very small inn with a very small dining room and a tiny bar. It has a cozy, even intimate atmosphere. ( May be perfect for Valentine's Day. But call for reservations. )  You get the feeling you are in the owners' home, because they make you feel very much at home. There is a  sense of being on the water even though you can't really see anything.  We suspect that as the days get longer, the views will get bigger.

Like a fine wine, The Red Rose Inn will get better with time. Overall, we rate the experience  ** (2 stars out of 3), but it has the potential to be a  3 star restaurant.  And the prices are reasonable for the meals, so $$ (2 dollar signs out of 3) should keep most diners coming back.  www.theredroseinn.net

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Ocean House; Room with a View

Offering ocean views and new American cuisine, The Ocean House in Dennisport, at the end of Depot Street on Nantucket Sound, is a delightful mainstay of the Dennis fine dining scene.

Well aware of the Ocean House's reputation for fine cuisine, we were intrigued by the 3 course $25 menu they are currently offering.  If it was priced to please, it succeeded. But so did the food.

Food  Ostensibly a discounted version of the menu, the prix fixe dinner, offering many of the same appetizers, entrees and desserts from the full menu,  got us to do what we often neglect to do, order an appetizer and a dessert. 

Our selections included Asian Vegetable Spring Rolls to start, light and filled with tasty ingredients, it came with an excellent dipping sauce. Followed  by Scallop Stir Fry, which had plenty of scallops and crispy vegetables to fill, but not to feel full. Dinner was topped off with chocolate covered  pumpkin mousse on lollipop sticks. We didn't know that eating with our fingers in public could taste so good.

The meal was so reasonable we splurged on the wine.  With an extensive wine list featuring various good bottles in the all important middle price range, it was easy.  We tried a California pinot noir. Turned out to be a great selection that went with all the food well.

Service  It's hard to keep good wait staff this time of year. But the Ocean House  manages to keep some  regular and train some new staff  side by side somewhat seamlessly. 

Atmosphere  The Ocean House is one of only a very few restaurants on the Cape with an actual ocean view. The dining room has large windows overlooking the beach which they smartly light up at night.  Funny thing about an ocean view at night, not much to look at.  But you can see and sense the serenity of the tides here.

Tables along the windows are offset nicely by larger tables a little higher up in the bustling dining  room.  High ceilings add to the feeling of a special place.

Very popular in season, The Ocean  House bucks the trend of closing early in the off season. Staying open through the holidays can be a challenge, but the special menu helps to bring people in and keeps them coming back. We give them 3 *** to go with 2 $$.

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Abbicci: The ABC?s of Italian

Sometimes a restaurant takes on a personality of its own, regardless of who’s doing the cooking.

Abbicci is an intimate restaurant, on the town line in Yarmouthport, near Cummaquid. It’s a familiar and reassuring site to the locals. It recently underwent a face lift which makes it much more inviting. And the valet service makes parking a cinch. Parking can be a challenge otherwise.

Atmosphere

This is the type of restaurant you take your spouse to. In fact, all the diners this night were couples. It’s a nice place to set the mood for the rest of the evening. Understated, with no particular decor, no special lighting and no tacky music. Just a simple ensemble of elegantly set dining rooms and tables.

Service

And that’s the thing with a date night restaurant, it’s not about the food.  Service is the thing. And Abbicci delivers it in buckets. The wait staff was extremely efficient. Swift, silent and unobtrusive to the point of being invisible. Exactly what you want if you’re focusing on your date. Memorable by its absence.

Food

An ode to Marcella Hazan, the menu gives a lesson in classic Italian cuisine. And therein lies its secret.  Abbicci hooks you with their menu. It reads like a romance novel. It seduces you. Unfortunately, just like reading a book, it tends to leave you unsatisfied.

We ordered the (very) small portions of several dishes. Arancini –  the 2 small risotto croquettes filled with cheese, were a bit too skimpy. Risotto – not the rich creamy porridge variety, but the rice side dish kind, was overwhelmed by black pepper. Cannelloni – a spinach pasta stuffed with veal, in tomato sauce and béchamel, was interesting enough. But the Pesce – a delicately pan prepared sole in a Milanese style, egg battered with lemon and olives, was the best selection of the evening.

The dessert menu featured, what else - chocolate. We tried the Trio of Chocolate, a sampler of favorites, otherwise, made with chocolate.

Wine

The extensive wine menu is skewed in favor of very expensive wines at some very generous prices.  We chose a bottle of  syrah from a small California vineyard. Delicious.

The season’s over, the kitchen’s tired, and it shows. Overall we give Abbicci 2 ** for setting the scene for date night right. But you have to shell out some serious plastic to get the mood right. So it’s also 3$$$ for Abbicci.  Subconsciously, that's part of the seduction.

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The Port is Good

The Port Restaurant in Harwichport

Let's get one of our pet peeves out of the way up front. Almost every restaurant we dined at this year was too cold. The AC was turned up too high. This has something to do with the manager going in and out of the kitchen and the wait staff running around so they get overheated. They don't feel the difference. The patrons do. We're cold. Turn down the AC and open a window.

Otherwise, The Port is a chic restaurant. It's run by professionals. It pays attention to detail. And it shows.

Food  On our second visit to The Port,  we tried the Warm Baby Spinach & Scallop, pan seared scallops served over a bed of warm baby spinach and drizzled in a bacon fennel dressing. Very good, as was the Gorganzola garlic bread. Extremely rich and creamy fresh toasted bread.

The main event featured Chicken Saltimbocca, layered and wrapped with Prosciutto, spinach and Fontina cheese, served with Garlic whipped potatoes and vegetables, and Portabella Ravioli,  a homemade Portabella Ravioli, in a champagne caramelized onion butter sauce, with Roma tomatoes and spinach. Both were excellent and were served very hot. 

Everything came in large portions, but we managed to save room for dessert, homemade Tiramissou. A little heavy but with all the right flavors.

An over-priced wine list is never the less, good reading, as is the dinner menu. We savored an adequate bottle of French Bordeaux throughout the meal.

Service We liked the no reservation policy.  A slight  inconvenience, but very egalitarian. With a popular smaller restaurant like The Port, it's really the best way to go. 

The summer season's over, even though it's Colunbus Day weekend. The crowds are gone and this was not a very busy night.  Our waitress started out strong, but the service faded as she moved on to other diners when the meal was finishing up. Otherwise she was friendly and knowledgable.

Atmosphere  The dining room is urbane; understated, clean lines with rich colors and cool lighting; simple decor, with lots of windows on a busy street corner on the main street of Harwichport.  Interesting clientel but not very interesting background music. Couples and friends and a couple of bar flies enjoying just the right setting for conversation.

We liked The Port. The food is good . The service is good. The atmosphere is good. The Port is good.

We give it 2** to go with 3$$$.  The Port is  just what Harwichport, and every Cape village needs.  Consistant fine dining conveniently located near where people live at 541 Route 28, Harwich Port, 508.430.5410. On the web at ThePortRestaurant.com.

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Eclectic Cafe is Excentric

The Eclectic Cafe in Hyannis

Located at 606 Main Street in Hyannis, this small restaurant has been a unique addition to the dining scene, and in its current edition, an interesting combination of good food, great wine, effecient service and a funky atmosphere.

Food We stuck with the basics. We ordered the cod and scallop entrees. The baked cod was prepared with creativity. Wrapped in prociutto, on a bed of spinach and tomatoes with a delicate cream sauce. Excellent.

The sauteed scallops however, were overwhelmed with mushrooms, an odd choice that doesn't work. But the accompanying whipped potatos were fine.  The rest of the menu looked like a usual selection of entrees, only prepared somewhat excentricly.

The fresh fruit tarte with marscapone was delicious.  Light and flakey, with fresh berries, was just the right note to end the meal with.

Wine  The Eclectic advertises the most, what else, eclectic wine list in town and they're not kidding.  One interesting and excellent selection of not very common wines, cover all the major food groups at reasonable prices. We ordered a California Pinot Noir we never heard of.  It's our new favorite. Now, if we could only remember the name of  it. 

Service  Tag team service. Everyone shares the head waiter who takes the order, and delivers the wine. He is complimented by waiters that bring  the bread, serve the entrees, clear the plates, and offer the deserts, quietly and expertly.

Atmoshpere  At the end of a long and narrow , ie. forboding, alley on the west end of Main Street, which arrives at a courtyard with tables outside. Large glass doors lead inside  to a small bar and open kitchen.  The tables were set with a hodgepodge of silverware, china and glasses. Yard sale chic.  

The weather this weekend still allowed for outdoor dining.  We chose inside instead because the dining room looked like the parlor  from Pretty Baby. Rich colors,  faded paintings and large mirrors on the walls. But it all works, especially with the selection of music that filled the room and the night air with soulful, sultry tones.

Overall, we liked the dining experience. We give the Eclectic 2 **.  The prices were reasonable, so 2 $$.  Don't be put off by first appearances. This is an uncommon treat.

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Best Little Croissant

La Petite France Cafe in Hyannis

Recently, we have been dining at some of our favorite spots, so we have no new fine dining review for you. However in the spirit of bringing you what's new in good food, we happen to know where to find the best croissant in town.

Not a very well kept secret among  Hyannis morning coffee scavengers, La Petite France Cafe at 349 Main Street, specializes in freshly baked croissants daily. 

For all who have longed for a real Parisian crossiant, this is the closest you will come to the holy grail without ever leaving the Cape.

The bakery was founded by, who else, a frenchman at this location about 15 years ago. Today the shop is run by Ian Parent, an Irishman, who apprenticed with Lucien Degioanni,  before taking over the spot last year.

Ian has managed to maintain the quality and authenticity of the french staple, mostly through hard work and pride of craft. He can be seen most everyday through the windows at 5AM.  He offers several variations, like fruit, almond and chocolate filled for the novice.  You can have even have them as breakfast sandwich.

But for the purist, a plain croissant will satisfy.  Crisp outer layers, with progressivey softer inner layers, buttery as it should be, with taste and texture that fill the mouth.  The earlier you get there in morning, the warmer the batch.

At $2, it can be more than the occassional treat. We stop in whenever we can.  The freshly baked baguettes aren't bad either. Grab one for dinner. But put it in the trunk  for the ride home to avoid temptation. See the menu online here.

We give La Petite France Cafe , 349 Main Street, Hyannis,  

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