A basket of warm cinnamon twist bread is a fine way to begin a dinner beside the water. At this New England restaurant, the meal can unfold with a lake, pond or waterfall in view, followed by a seafood platter, a slice of sticky bread pudding, and perhaps a slow walk along the nearby lake afterward.
The setting has enough flexibility to suit a simple lunch, an anniversary table for two, or a family birthday dinner that needs room for a crowd. Outdoor patio and terrace seating bring diners close to the water in warmer weather, while the indoor rooms offer a cozy counterpoint when the evening calls for a little more shelter.
The bread basket has a following of its own
The house-made cinnamon bread is not merely a prelude to the entrée. It is one of the restaurant’s enduring calling cards: sweetly spiced, warm, and substantial enough to have people thinking about another piece before the soup or salad arrives.
Those who want to carry the ritual home can buy a loaf. It is a pleasantly old-fashioned detail, and a useful one if dinner has introduced someone at the table to a new weakness for cinnamon bread.
Many entrées come with a choice of soup or the extensive salad bar. The salad bar is fresh and varied, with enough options to make it more than a token pile of greens. French onion soup is another frequent favorite, especially welcome before a hearty plate on a cool New England evening.
Lobster, baked fish and a broad seafood table
Seafood holds a prominent place on the menu, from lobster dishes and lobster rolls to scallops, baked fish, paella and larger seafood platters. A cold lobster roll makes sense for a patio meal, while a richer dish such as lobster macaroni and cheese belongs comfortably indoors beside the bar.
For diners who enjoy the full hands-on lobster supper, the shells may need cracking at the table. That is a small bit of ceremony in its own right, and proper tools are available when the lobster proves more determined than expected.
One especially memorable entrée has been cornbread-stuffed lobster, a dish that puts the restaurant’s seafood and comfort-food instincts on the same plate. During Lobsterfest, lobster-focused meals extend outdoors beside the water, giving the setting a more festive, seasonal turn.
Comfort food with room for a feast
Not everybody arrives craving seafood, and the kitchen has plenty of substantial alternatives. Prime rib, ribeye, meatloaf, pulled pork, apple-stuffed chicken, and turkey with stuffing all fit the menu’s generous New England supper-club spirit.
A Thanksgiving-style dinner is available for people who would happily order the holiday plate in any month. Turkey over stuffing, gravies, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes make a convincing case for it.
The Great Feast has taken that appetite for comfort food several steps further. This multi-course spread has included soup or salad, green beans, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, cranberry sauce, two gravies, meatloaf, turkey over stuffing, pulled pork and bread pudding.
On that feast format, additional portions of selected meats, stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes have been available during the meal. It is built for lingering, sharing a little across the table, and accepting that a light dinner was never really in the cards.
Save a little room for dessert
Bread pudding turns up again at dessert in a sticky version, a fittingly indulgent finish after the cinnamon bread and a full entrée. Lava cake is another choice, and it has been personalized with an anniversary message for special dinners.
That attention to occasions helps explain why birthdays, anniversaries and family celebrations show up so naturally here. A dinner can remain relaxed without feeling generic, which is a useful balance when one person wants lobster and another has their sights set on meatloaf.
A bar, a fireplace and rooms for gatherings
Inside, the restaurant is warmly decorated and arranged for more than one kind of evening. There are booths, counter or bar seating, regular dining tables and private dining rooms, allowing a couple, a group of eight, or a larger party to find an appropriate corner.
The bar is a destination in itself, with good drinks and a fireplace nearby. At times, a piano player has added a little live atmosphere, a gentle accompaniment rather than a reason to shout across the table.
Seasonal decorating changes the look of the rooms considerably. Fall displays add their own color and texture, while Christmas decorations can be especially elaborate. A return visit in another season may look noticeably different before the first plate even arrives.
More than an ordinary dinner out
The calendar has also included themed evenings such as “Love Letters from the Front,” presented as a staged reading or reenactment. These event nights pair dinner with a bit of programming, giving a group outing a built-in conversation starter.
An antique, coffee and tea shop on the property provides another diversion. It is substantial enough for a real browse, not just a quick glance at a shelf or two, and it gives early arrivals or people waiting on an outdoor table somewhere pleasant to spend time.
Planning the water-view meal
There is a free parking lot with plentiful parking. Reservations can be made online, and they are especially useful for dinner or for requesting preferred seating near the waterfall. Water-view and outdoor tables can involve a wait, and their appeal is naturally tied to the weather and season.
The nearby water makes a post-dinner walk an easy addition when conditions are pleasant. Or the evening can stay indoors: cinnamon bread, French onion soup, a booth near the bar, and a dessert that arrives with a birthday or anniversary message make a complete outing on their own.