Last year, executive chef Ruth Manchester was inducted into the prestigious Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an international society devoted to fine dining.
The first floor is given over to the restaurant, which doubles as an art gallery. Works by local artists cover the walls of the five cozy dining rooms. The decor is eclectic yet formal, with wood tables and chairs, crystal, silver, white linens, candles, and flowers. Tables are set with fine china of varying patterns. Elise said her family buys individual settings from a consignment shop nearby.
All five guest rooms on the second floor have private baths and queen-size beds; one has a private entrance. Room 4, a spacious retreat under the eaves, has two skylights and a large, modern bath. It had a twin bed as well as the queen-size four poster, a large closet, clock radio, 13-inch television, and country furnishings in oak and pine -- two dressers, a nightstand, and a round table. Accent pieces were a mixture of Victoriana and Cape: a series of glass and porcelain swans, Nantucket baskets, a dish of seashells.
Three table lamps provided soft lighting but not enough wattage for comfortable reading. The huge, bright, modern bathroom had a tub and shower, hair dryer, magnifying mirror, and a big vanity.
We had breakfast in a sunny dining room on an enclosed porch; in warmer weather, guests can eat out in the garden. Since breakfast was billed as a buffet, we were pleasantly surprised when Elise asked if we would like bacon and eggs one morning and pancakes and sausage the next. The hot meals complemented to the Portuguese sweet bread, cereal, and fresh fruit of the buffet.
Still, all was prologue to dinner. The hostess, elegant in a long, black dress, seated us in a bay window alcove with lace curtains, roomy and a bit private. She gave us a quick overview of the menu, pointing out the two most popular dishes, which have not changed since the Manchesters opened the restaurant: seafood curry with grilled banana, toasted coconut, sliced almonds, and house chutney; and parchment-roasted boneless breast of chicken and ''lazy" lobster drizzled with lobster champagne sauce. I chose the latter. It was the tenderest chicken I've ever eaten. The lobster sauce was rich, smooth, and flavorful. My husband ordered the chef's mixed grill of lamb chop, tenderloin, and grilled shrimp, dressed up with truffle french fries and a slightly spicy chutney. The four-course, fixed-price menu included an appetizer, sorbet or house salad (we enjoyed a bright, fresh pear sorbet), and dessert.
Ellen Albanese can be reached at ealbanese@globe.com.
