The Insiders' Guide to St. Barths: Newport Trip Report

Newport Trip- 9/3- 9/9/07

No problems going up- NJ Tpk, GS Pkwy, Tappen Zee, 287, I 95 and over the Pell Bridge to Newport. A little over 5 hours- good time. Stayed at the Newport Marriott- nice place, nice room overlooking the harbor and Wifi in the room and in all public areas. It was an easy walk to most all the wharves where the shopping and restaurants are. The first night’s dinner was the Moorings on Sayer’s Wharf.

Excellent clam chowder for 2, crab cakes for Phyl a combo fish dinner for me- shrimp, scallops and barramundi- a fish similar to striped bass. A very nice place with good food.
Tuesday was the famous Cliff Walk- seaside walk in back of the great mansions of Newport. We did about half- the paved half- about 1 1/2 miles one-way and back which gave an outstanding view of the mansions and the sea.

We then went to Beechwood- the Astor Mansion- for a “1925" tour.

They pretend it’s 1925 and dress the period and use names from the past. We were guided by Cole Porter and, after a little nudge by me, started playing and singing Night and Day at the piano. Very entertaining. The guides are all local actors who stage plays at the mansion at night.

After a local lunch of lobster roll and caesar salad, we went shopping. That night we ate at Cooke’s Candy Room on Bannister’s Wharf. Mussels in fennel, pernod wine sauce, thai rolls, and striped bass in a citrus vinegarette on a bed of chickpea puree. Interesting combo and very good. A long day.
Wednesday- breakfast at the hotel and shopping on Bowen’s Wharf. Lunch at the Black Pearl- tomato vodka soup and buffalo chicken wraps. Off to Provincetown and Mike. Took about 2 ½ hours. Wendi, Lena and Mike waiting with snacks and refreshments- nice. Finally met KevinS and Kate. Nice cruise off of PTown harbor and dinner at Bubulas. Nice Wellfleet Oysters and cod in parchment, bliss potatoes, beans and white wine sauce. Good food at good prices. Long ride back to Newport.
Thursday was a nice ferry ride to Providence. It was also a nice ferry ride back to Newport. That’s about all I can say for Providence.

Dinner at the West Deck on Waite’s Wharf- terrific. Baked fennel, asiago oysters, jumbo lump crabcakes, rare tuna in a wasabi sauce. Great meal.
Friday is travel day but not before we do the final shopping. Whew. Lobster lunch for 2 on the upper deck of the Landing. Terrific.
Off to Tolland, CT and the Tolland Inn. About 2 1/2 hours. The owners were not there but we made ourselves at home in Suite 3- recently redone and the nice jacuzzi.

The real reason we were there of course was to have dinner at Kara and Bob’s Still River Café. And what a dinner it was.
Warm greetings from Bob, complimentary champagne toast and Bob’s lovely daughter, Annie, as our server.
Dinner started with an amuse bouche of Sliders of little puff pastry with tomatoes and herbs all from their garden of course. Roasted beets w/ walnuts and baked goat cheese for me and mussels in a reduced cream mustard sauce for Phyl. Yummy.
Intermezzo was a gazpacho and puff pastry.
Entrees were special too. Phyl had cod 3 ways. Filet on a johnnycake, little cod cake, and cod chowder. Mine was rabbit also 3 ways- loin, confit of leg and sausage. A little beggar’s purse full of carmelized onions.
Dessert- a peach/raspberry tart tatin.
Finished with 2 chocolate truffles.
I ate so much I was reminded of a scene from the “Meaning of Life” in which a gourmand eats so much he explodes. I ate way too much and could not stop myself. A true 5 star restaurant. It’s a shame it’s not here- it would be a weekly event for us.
Home on Saturday. Now from The Tolland Inn which is in western CT going on Rt 84 is a different story to get over the Tappen Zee. And it was complicated by 1000 motorcycles going to a rally in Westport that I followed for 1 hour. I always get in the wrong line.
A very nice vacation.

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Andy -
St. Barts- where no day is ever the same and one day is not enough