BLOCK ISLAND, RI
SPRING HOUSE
MANISSES HOTEL
Vacation. After a busy conclusion to the school year, we decided on Block Island, RI for our respite. Having both visited Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard in the past, we investigated other areas of the New England coast to experience. Block Island was recommended by a friend and a great recommendation it was. Total relaxation, good restaurants, no TV in the room, vibrant bars, pristine beaches, no cell phones, limited web access, little to no traffic... in other words...quiet.
Block Island is accessible via ferry, small plane and private boat. Ferries run from various points in Rhode Island, New York and Connecticut. We used the high speed ferry from Pt. Judith, RI. and arrived in about thirty minutes. A limited amount of cars can be transported on the traditional ferry.
After consulting an acquaintance in NYC who owns property on the island, we made reservations at Hotel Manisses. A word on the Block Island hotels. All are seasonal and very old. Most are only opened spring through early fall. You won't find a chrome and glass convention hotel on the island with business centers or spas etc....thank goodness. The Manisses is a small inn with an outstanding restaurant: more on that later. Our room was on the third floor and decorated in 1920's decor with a ceiling fan (no AC- don't need it) and had a partial view of the ocean. The hotel has a great old style lobby and front porch that's perfect for reading or just sitting around talking. Breakfast is complimentary. When informed of the complimentary breakfast, I envisioned the standard coffee and sub-par bagel/muffin offering that has become the industry standard for "complimentary breakfast." No, this was a full buffet. Poached local striped bass, eggs, pancakes (good ones) breads and breakfast pastries etc. served on a deck over looking the ocean. This was a very nice start to the day.
Our day...Well, after breakfast, usually a walk then a mid-morning book / nap. About noon we would rally our energy and walk into town for lunch and maybe go down to the beach and ....well...do nothing. Then maybe a coffee and a stop at some of the shops. Possibly a nap or read more. Vacationing is exhausting. Then up the hill to Spring House for a late afternoon libation. Spring House (pictured above) is great old hotel that attracts a fun, well-heeled crowd in the afternoon for drinks on the lawn or deck with Gin and Tonics and Sea Breezes as far as the eye could see. In the evening a live band plays and the indoor bar fills. If you have ever seen the movie Dirty Dancing, filmed at Lake Lure, NC, than you can envision the scene at Spring House.
Food on the island is very good. For a traditional New England lobster roll, Finn's Seafood Restaurant is the place. Claw and knuckle meat bound with a perfect amount of well seasoned mayonnaise and served on a toasted buttery roll with lettuce makes for a great lunch. There are two dinner restaurants of note on the island, Manisses and Winfield's. We dined at Manisses twice and Winfield's once. Both are very good. The waitstaffs are knowledgeable and professional. For a seasonal vacation town, you surprisingly don't find the summer break college student type waiters at these two restaurants. The Manisses has the feel of the old Brigantine in Coronado, except the food is many levels above anything the Brig has ever done. If old dark wood, five deep at the bar, full dining room and a gregarious barkeep (Jerry) is your idea of a good night out, than The Manisses fits the bill. The crowd is NYC and Boston couples and small groups that are accustomed to the outstanding restaurant scenes in those cities. The bar has great energy of conversation and laughs where you won't find the cell phone / texting obsessives of southern California or young children coloring at the bar (an unfortunate phenomenon that seems to grow every year). Definitely an urban dining experience that just happens to be on a vacation island. The menu is full of comfort dishes and the execution is flawless. No foam, far flung ingredients or de-constructed plates, just local farm / sea-to-table products. The scallops were perfectly sauteed and tasted of the buttery richness that is only achieved with Maine / New England scallops. Grilled local long line sword fish served over lobster potato puree makes you sit back and pause over the luxurious combination of flavors. The often duplicated, rarely perfected lobster-potato puree is extraordinary. The classic puree is expertly seasoned and combined with copious amounts of butter and large chunks of lobster. It was a perfect accompaniment to the sword fish. We also enjoyed outstanding local oysters served on the half-shelf with a lime juice mignonette and a dish of striped bass and clams served with a complex tomato - saffron sauce that was outstanding. The wine list is very good and priced well. On our second night we ordered a 2007 Morgan Sauvignon Blanc (a consistent and well priced SB). After a few minutes our waiter returned with the news that the Morgan had not "made the boat" that morning and therefore was not available. You don't hear that very often. Without hesitating, she offered to substitute a 2008 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc at the same price as the Morgan. Wow, the Cakebread is double the wine and the price. Wasn't expecting that. Winfield's was more of the same. Good crowd, well informed waitstaff and very good cooks on the line. We, of course, had to try the scallops in order to continue with our island hopping campaign of local shellfish and fish. They were outstanding as well: Great sear and plumb rich flavor. For a luxurious first course to compliment the scallops, we ordered the lobster macaroni and cheese. If ever in the New England area, it's a must try. Penne Rigate with knuckle and claw meat baked in a creamy mornay style sauce and topped with a slight amount of mild white cheddar. Kudos to the cooks. The dish, cooked to perfection, married all the ingredients without over powering the lobster. Working with lobster and cream is an open invitation to kitchen disaster. When attempted by shoemaker cooks, bland rubbery lobster drowned in pasty cream and limp pasta is a common unfortunate outcome. Not here though. Outstanding. There is something to be said for cooking with local ingredients for a demanding clientele. I doubt these restaurants would survive at this level, catering to dinners from the two major restaurant cities nearby, without the obvious skill on the line.
Block Island is accessible via ferry, small plane and private boat. Ferries run from various points in Rhode Island, New York and Connecticut. We used the high speed ferry from Pt. Judith, RI. and arrived in about thirty minutes. A limited amount of cars can be transported on the traditional ferry.
After consulting an acquaintance in NYC who owns property on the island, we made reservations at Hotel Manisses. A word on the Block Island hotels. All are seasonal and very old. Most are only opened spring through early fall. You won't find a chrome and glass convention hotel on the island with business centers or spas etc....thank goodness. The Manisses is a small inn with an outstanding restaurant: more on that later. Our room was on the third floor and decorated in 1920's decor with a ceiling fan (no AC- don't need it) and had a partial view of the ocean. The hotel has a great old style lobby and front porch that's perfect for reading or just sitting around talking. Breakfast is complimentary. When informed of the complimentary breakfast, I envisioned the standard coffee and sub-par bagel/muffin offering that has become the industry standard for "complimentary breakfast." No, this was a full buffet. Poached local striped bass, eggs, pancakes (good ones) breads and breakfast pastries etc. served on a deck over looking the ocean. This was a very nice start to the day.
Our day...Well, after breakfast, usually a walk then a mid-morning book / nap. About noon we would rally our energy and walk into town for lunch and maybe go down to the beach and ....well...do nothing. Then maybe a coffee and a stop at some of the shops. Possibly a nap or read more. Vacationing is exhausting. Then up the hill to Spring House for a late afternoon libation. Spring House (pictured above) is great old hotel that attracts a fun, well-heeled crowd in the afternoon for drinks on the lawn or deck with Gin and Tonics and Sea Breezes as far as the eye could see. In the evening a live band plays and the indoor bar fills. If you have ever seen the movie Dirty Dancing, filmed at Lake Lure, NC, than you can envision the scene at Spring House.
Food on the island is very good. For a traditional New England lobster roll, Finn's Seafood Restaurant is the place. Claw and knuckle meat bound with a perfect amount of well seasoned mayonnaise and served on a toasted buttery roll with lettuce makes for a great lunch. There are two dinner restaurants of note on the island, Manisses and Winfield's. We dined at Manisses twice and Winfield's once. Both are very good. The waitstaffs are knowledgeable and professional. For a seasonal vacation town, you surprisingly don't find the summer break college student type waiters at these two restaurants. The Manisses has the feel of the old Brigantine in Coronado, except the food is many levels above anything the Brig has ever done. If old dark wood, five deep at the bar, full dining room and a gregarious barkeep (Jerry) is your idea of a good night out, than The Manisses fits the bill. The crowd is NYC and Boston couples and small groups that are accustomed to the outstanding restaurant scenes in those cities. The bar has great energy of conversation and laughs where you won't find the cell phone / texting obsessives of southern California or young children coloring at the bar (an unfortunate phenomenon that seems to grow every year). Definitely an urban dining experience that just happens to be on a vacation island. The menu is full of comfort dishes and the execution is flawless. No foam, far flung ingredients or de-constructed plates, just local farm / sea-to-table products. The scallops were perfectly sauteed and tasted of the buttery richness that is only achieved with Maine / New England scallops. Grilled local long line sword fish served over lobster potato puree makes you sit back and pause over the luxurious combination of flavors. The often duplicated, rarely perfected lobster-potato puree is extraordinary. The classic puree is expertly seasoned and combined with copious amounts of butter and large chunks of lobster. It was a perfect accompaniment to the sword fish. We also enjoyed outstanding local oysters served on the half-shelf with a lime juice mignonette and a dish of striped bass and clams served with a complex tomato - saffron sauce that was outstanding. The wine list is very good and priced well. On our second night we ordered a 2007 Morgan Sauvignon Blanc (a consistent and well priced SB). After a few minutes our waiter returned with the news that the Morgan had not "made the boat" that morning and therefore was not available. You don't hear that very often. Without hesitating, she offered to substitute a 2008 Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc at the same price as the Morgan. Wow, the Cakebread is double the wine and the price. Wasn't expecting that. Winfield's was more of the same. Good crowd, well informed waitstaff and very good cooks on the line. We, of course, had to try the scallops in order to continue with our island hopping campaign of local shellfish and fish. They were outstanding as well: Great sear and plumb rich flavor. For a luxurious first course to compliment the scallops, we ordered the lobster macaroni and cheese. If ever in the New England area, it's a must try. Penne Rigate with knuckle and claw meat baked in a creamy mornay style sauce and topped with a slight amount of mild white cheddar. Kudos to the cooks. The dish, cooked to perfection, married all the ingredients without over powering the lobster. Working with lobster and cream is an open invitation to kitchen disaster. When attempted by shoemaker cooks, bland rubbery lobster drowned in pasty cream and limp pasta is a common unfortunate outcome. Not here though. Outstanding. There is something to be said for cooking with local ingredients for a demanding clientele. I doubt these restaurants would survive at this level, catering to dinners from the two major restaurant cities nearby, without the obvious skill on the line.
Needless to say, our time on Block Island was exactly what we craved, quiet time away with nothing to do other than what we wanted to do. If you not opposed to "Nantucket Reds" being de rigueur, little to no technology, good food and wine, plenty of reading time, lazy days and long walks, then Block Island is for you.
