The Lyceum: A New Twist in Old Salem

A newly renovated Lyceum opened to much fanfare in November, and we were eager to investigate. The original restaurant, opened in 1989, featured mainly American fare and was a long-time favorite of ours for burgers at the bar and Sunday brunch.

There were a few missteps during our dinner, but overall, we’d call the changeover a success. The new interior is particularly well thought-out—rich woods and neutral tones make for a cozy, elegant feeling while the high ceilings and brick walls evoke Old Salem at its historic best. A fire crackling on one side of the dining room adds to the ambiance.

We chose the crab cake appetizer to start our meal. The cakes had a crispy exterior and very little filler, and the accompanying corn salad was tasty. Still, at $13 for two small cakes, the value is questionable. There’s an emphasis on seafood for appetizers, including raw bar items, shrimp cocktail, steamed cockles, and tuna tartare.

Under new chef de cuisine Dan Friley, the menu is Mediterranean influenced, and there are several interesting-sounding pasta dishes available in small or full portions, including pumpkin ravioli with sage brown butter and gnocchi with wild mushroom sauce. We tried the diver scallop entrée, also available in two sizes ($14 for half portion, $26 for full). There were four large scallops with a flavorful sear outside and tender middle along with a tasty mushroom risotto.

The duck l’orange entrée ($25) was good but not great, with lentils that were less done than we’re used to. The filet with potatoes au gratin ($31) was served medium rather than the requested medium rare, and the potatoes were a bit dry.

The most successful dish, and it’s a must-try, was the pork osso buco with gnocchi and sautéed apples ($23). The meat had a delicious savory sauce and fall-off-the-bones texture. The gnocchi were large and unusually creamy.

We sampled the chocolate mint bread pudding for dessert. It was comforting, with the mint adding a nice side-note to the chocolate and custard-soaked bread.

We were very pleased with the service, which was friendly and highly professional. We had an early reservation and appreciated the fact that we were never rushed. We anticipate that the kitchen will smooth out its rough spots, and we’re interested in checking out several items on the revamped brunch menu.

The Lyceum
43 Church Street, Salem
www.thelyceum.com

Plum Island Grille’s Menu is as Captivating as Their View

Last weekend the weather was so gorgeous that we just had to get outdoors. On a whim, we decided to head to Plum Island for a walk along the beach and marshes. By the time we got ourselves out there, it was almost noon, and we were in need of a meal before anything else. The logical choice was of course the Plum Island Grille, which opens for a jazz brunch at noon on Sundays.

The restaurant has rustic beach feel with both a pretty dining room and a great enclosed porch with an incredible view, which is where we were seated. One look at the menu tells you that despite the casual atmosphere, the food goes far beyond ordinary beach fare. Both the brunch and dinner menus have lighter fare, more substantial meals, and a good range of starters, all with reasonable prices.

We started with an obligatory bloody mary, the wild mushroom turnovers ($12), and the fresh PEI mussels ($10). The turnover was filled with organic wild mushrooms in a light sauce and served with truffled gouda sour cream and tomato salsa. While quite tasty, the deep fried wonton like shell was a bit incongruous; a baked pie crust pastry would have suited it better. The mussels, simmered in a Thai green curry and coconut milk broth and finished with fresh cilantro and mint, were delightful. The freshness of the herbs enhanced the curry, and the broth didn’t overwhelm the shellfish.

For entrees, we chose the swordfish burger with tapenade and aioli ($15) and the duck confit served with warm goat cheese, trumpet royale mushrooms, and lardon with a poached pear jam ($16) The swordfish, which was served with fries and field greens, was expertly grilled; tender and juicy with the tapenade lending a bit of a piquant kick. The duck was absolutely delicious, rich and savory. In combination with the sautéed bacon and mushrooms, it was downright luxurious. The warm goat cheese turned out to be a fried ball, but it wasn’t heavy or greasy, and the pear jam offered a lovely accent.

The restaurant faces Sunset Boulevard, and aside from conjuring up visions of Norma Desmond, there is a reason for the street’s name. It runs along the salt marshes that line the western side of the island, over which the setting sun provides a spectacular vision. Plum Island Grille overlooks this idyll, making it not only a good stop for terrific food, but one of most memorable places on the North Shore to relax with a drink and watch the sun go down.

Plum Island Grille
2 Plum Island Blvd, Newbury
(978) 463-2290
www.plumislandgrille.com

The Driftwood Serves Up Local Charm on Marblehead Harbor

The Driftwood Restaurant has been a Marblehead institution for so long we’re surprised it hasn’t been granted official historic landmark status. And while its reputation has gone up and down over time, and earlier this year it was closed for a while due to a tax issue, it remains a local favorite and still boasts a line out the door on weekend mornings.

The interior décor is diner meets clam shack, with nautical doodads and work by local artists adorning the counter area and walls. The small tables covered with red and white checked vinyl cloths are set pretty close together, and on a busy day, you may end up chatting with your neighbor as you chow down. The crowd includes everyone from crusty old locals who all know each other to young families and summer tourists.

On a recent visit we decided to try a breakfast special that included two eggs, two pancakes (we chose blueberry), bacon or sausages, and tea, coffee, or juice for $7.75 as well as a mushroom cheese omelet ($6.25) with a side of corned beef hash ($3.75)

The coffee arrived quickly, and while it’s never going to threaten the local coffee house business, it was respectable. The omelet was decent, and we liked the wide range of breads on offer for toast. The waitress warned us ahead of time that the corned beef hash was cooked to order so it could take longer, but the wait wasn’t noticeable, and the hash was quite good—savory and not greasy.

The breakfast special was definitely satisfying, with crispy bacon and eggs cooked to order, and the winner of the morning was the blueberry pancakes. Fluffy, golden, and studded with fresh berries, they were delightful. The waitress was quick to refill our coffee and didn’t rush our check, two things we appreciate anywhere, but especially at a busy diner.

The restaurant is primarily known for its breakfast, as it opens at 6:00 a.m. and closes at 2:00 p.m. We hear the lunch menu features a pretty good lobster roll, though we haven’t tried it yet, and the famed fried dough served only on weekends and holidays sounds inviting as well.

Like a weathered old wharf rat sitting at the town landing, the Driftwood may be rough and tumble to look at, but it’s full of salty charm.

The Driftwood Restaurant
63 Front Street, Marblehead
(781) 631-1145

Lunch With a View at Madfish Grille

We were in the mood for a relaxing lunch by the water, and Madfish Grille offered both a stunning view and an interesting menu. We found a lot to like at this Rocky Neck spot, including a funky seaside décor, delicious sweet potato fries, and a variety of sandwiches to choose from. There were a few drawbacks, but on a sunny day overlooking Gloucester Harbor, we’re willing to forgive quite a bit.

A large step up from many seafood restaurants in the area, Madfish’s appetizer menu includes PEI mussels, potstickers, and a braised short-rib quesadilla. We decided to share one of the day’s specials, iron seared U-10 scallops with roasted cipollini onions, rendered bacon, and a maple butter sauce ($12).

They were perfectly cooked with that great balance of savory bacon and sweet sauce, making us wish there were more than two on the plate. To be fair, our waitress told us there were only two or three per plate, but four scallops for a $12 shared appetizer is really not too much to ask.

The lunch menu runs the gamut from pizza to burgers, cuban sandwich to fish and chips ($8 to $19). We went with the crab and avocado BLT ($10), which was good but not great; could have used more avocado and a better roll. The grilled eggplant sandwich with spinach, tomato, fresh, mozzarella, and balsamic spread ($8) was delicious except for the roll, which again was too sweet and too soft. As mentioned, the sweet potato fries were hot, crispy, and plentiful.

Service was a mixed bag: friendly and never rushed but lacking some basic niceties like plates for our appetizer and an offer to wrap the remains of our sandwich. All in all, Madfish is a spot worth knowing about, and we’re thinking of returning to sample a few of the more pub-like items, maybe on a night when a band is playing in the outdoor bar.

Madfish Grille
77 Rocky Neck Avenue, Gloucester
(978) 281-4554
www.madfishgrille.com

Lime Rickey’s: Mom Would Never Approve

When I was a kid, my mother would herd my siblings and all our friends to the beach on many a summer’s day, but plead as we might, she would never let us buy lunch there. Instead, we would grudgingly eat our limp tuna sandwiches, into which grains of sand invariably found their way, adding grit to every bite. The reason for this torture? Mom would repeat it like a mantra, “Buying food at the beach is too expensive. What do you think I am, made of money?”

Not surprisingly, all these years later, beach food is still expensive. Most beach shacks have a captive audience—unless you bring your own food, they’re the only game around, so their prices don’t have to be competitive.

We accept this; we only wish that Lime Rickey’s at Devereux Beach made us feel better about it. Unfortunately, the quality of the food that we have tasted is less than stellar, and the service, by what appears to be bored college kids, is lackluster at best.

The fried foods are priced similarly to those at the clam shacks in Essex and Ipswich, (clam plate is $18, shrimp plate is $16), but the quality doesn’t come close. The breading is heavy and over-fried, and the only selection that it doesn’t overpower is the scrod, making the fish and chips ($12) a reasonable choice.

The lobster roll is decent, if a bit frou-frou. (Call us purists, but tarragon doesn’t belong in lobster salad.) And at $16 each, these guys clearly haven’t heard that the boat prices have plummeted lately.

The burger is a smallish, previously frozen, overcooked patty, ($5) but the fries (small $3.25, large $4.75) are the coated-to-be-crispy kind and are tasty. For the same money, you could have stopped at Five Guys in Vinnin Square on your way to the beach and gotten a larger, much better tasting burger and much larger fries.

The ice cream, however, is excellent. It’s Richardson’s and is priced similarly to the other places you’ll find it in town, from $1.90 for a single scoop up to $3.90 for a triple.

Aside from the location, which can’t be beat, Lime Rickey’s does have two things going for it. The first is variety; they offer salads, wraps, hummus plates, and a few specialty sandwiches ($5 to $8) in addition to the more traditional beach fare. The second is free live music Friday and Saturday nights in August, and live music at the beach anywhere on the North Shore is pretty hard to come by.

Yes, we’re a bit nostalgic for the days when a hot dog and a Hoodsie could be had for a dollar and a quarter, but the truth is, there are so many excellent North Shore eateries to patronize, the next time we hit Devereux, we’re packing lunch.

Lime Rickey’s
Devereux Beach
105 Ocean Ave, Marblehead
(781) 631-6700
www.limerickeys.com

A Successful Fish Tale: Gloucester’s New Fish Festival

Seafood lovers, including us, were in heaven at last week’s New Fish Festival at Gloucester House. For $30, we sampled from a huge array of appetizers and entrees featuring fish and shellfish. The idea behind this event, now in its 24th year, is to introduce people to new types of seafood and new ways to prepare already familiar fish. It was created and is co-sponsored by the Gloucester Fisherman’s Wives Association (GFWA), a non-profit promoting the New England fishing industry.

The main room at the all-you-can-eat extravaganza was crowded, but everyone was in good spirits, and we found a spot at the bar away from the noise. (The weather prevented people from sitting outside, which would have eased the seating arrangements.)

We made frequent trips to the buffet for appetizers from Gloucester House and GFWA.  The seafood pizza was a winner, and we enjoyed the monk fish soup and the sicilian shrimp and orange salad.

Our favorite entrée was GFWA’s sicilian baked fish, a wonderful mixture of cod, bread crumbs, grated cheese, tomato, onion, garlic, and oregano. A close second was the grilled salmon fillet from Lobsta Land. It had a lush lemon sauce and was served with creamy five-onion risotto.

Not everything was a hit; we were underwhelmed by Gloucester House’s seafood mac and cheese, and the cinnamon chili dry rub on the butterfish from Passports was interesting but not entirely successful.

But with 12 entrees, there was truly something for everyone, and the event provides the perfect setting to try fish dishes you might not usually order, including skate wing in garlic sauce and a wonderful trip back to old New England with Gloucester House’s fish cakes and beans.

One of the simplest looking dishes, the filet of sole with spinach in a mornay sauce from Emerson Inn by the Sea, turned out to be flavorful and perfectly cooked. As a bonus, sheets with the recipe were there for the taking.

We’re not surprised this event was well attended—for the price of one seafood entrée at most restaurants, diners can fill their plates with a variety of fish and experience cuisines from around the world.

Summer Lovin’: Outdoor Dining Season Begins

The weather may not be cooperating just yet, but we’ve pulled out our tank tops and beach cover-ups and officially declared the start of the no-socks season.

To that end, we’ve got a round-up of the best al fresco dining we’ve found on the North Shore, followed by a list of several more we’re hoping to get to before Labor Day.

We’ve just begun compiling this list, so feel free to vote for your favorites from below or add any we might have overlooked. Please note that we’ve purposely left out clam shacks and beach-food places like Lime Rickey’s in Marblehead (we’ll have more coverage of lobster rolls, fried clams, and ice cream as the temperature rises) and a few places that have outdoor seating but may not meet our criteria for good food.

The Barnacle, Marblehead
It’s lunchtime on a sunny day, you’re sipping a bloody mary on the deck of the Barnacle and waiting for your fried clams—you’ve officially hit the seaside dining jackpot. The food at this unassuming pub is good, not great (stick with the chowder, the fried seafood, and the bloodys), but you’d be hard pressed to find a nicer view than Marblehead harbor in the summer, and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed.

Jack-Tar, Marblehead
The patio outside one of our favorite pubs is small but charming, and the food is both comforting and reasonably priced. We’re fond of the generous drinks, the $3 to $5 tapas, and the pizza with pancetta and blue cheese (a selection of pizzas is $5 from 5:00 to 7:00 every night).

The Landing at 7 Central, Manchester
The pubby front rooms at the Landing are great for cozying up in cold weather, but make your way all the way to the back, and you’ll be seated on the comfortable second-story porch. The menu is large and varied, featuring everything from burgers and caesar salad with salmon or steak tips to pepper encrusted duck. We recommend the lobster omelet for brunch.

The Landing, Marblehead
This Marblehead institution is right in the thick of the summer action at the town landing on Front Street. Sitting out on the deck overlooking the harbor you’re likely to see anything from lobster boats unloading their catch to campers returning on the ferry from Children’s Island. As you’d expect the menu offers many summer seafood favorites; ours are the lobster roll and the baked scrod.

Rockafellas, Salem
The place to see and be seen in Salem in the summer, Rockafellas’ entrees are reasonable (honey glazed salmon is $16, bourbon turkey tips are $15), and there are plenty of tapas for those just needing a little something with their cocktails, including quesadillas and catfish fingers. If the wait at Rockafellas is long, there are several options for outdoor dining nearby, including Gulu Gulu Café, Fresh Taste of Asia (best dumplings on the North Shore), and the Lobster Shanty.

The Farm, Essex
Whether you are heading back from the beach hungry or just looking to savor a cold brew on a summer night, a brand new patio with live music and weekly specials like their 35-cent wing night make this new addition to the Essex restaurant scene fun central.

Grapevine, Salem
Sumptuous food is the attraction at this Italian gem, starting with tuna carpaccio over crispy flatbread and proceeding to rigatoni with braised veal or perhaps oven roasted swordfish with lemon-caper sauce. With only eight tables in the outside garden, the atmosphere is romantic and the service is top-notch.

Can’t Wait to Try:

The Lobster Pool, Rockport
This seems to the favorite among foodies for casual outside dining in Rockport. The straightforward menu of seafood (and homemade pie) implies a no-fuss-no-muss attitude, and we’re looking forward to trying the lobster roll this summer.

My Place By the Sea, Rockport
We’ve been hearing good things about the food at this upscale restaurant for years. From the pictures we’ve seen of the outside deck, this is the place to be on a summer night with your sweetheart.

Madfish Grille, Gloucester
Rocky Neck is one of those places that always makes us feel happy, and the Madfish Grille looks like just what we’re in the mood for when eating outside in the summer. Margarita shrimp, crab BLT, panzanella salad, grilled lamb, scampi pizza—need we say more?

Plum Island Grille, Newbury
Creative cuisine and a fabulous sunset: sign us up. This island retreat is at the top of our list to try—if anyone has been recently, please leave your menu recommendations in the comments.

Michael’s Harborside, Newburyport
The Newburyport waterfront is always hopping in the summer, and Michael’s is right in the thick of things. The menu says their lobster roll is famous, we hear good things about their burgers, and the balsamic brown sugar short ribs sound intriguing.

Danversport Grille and Bistro, Danvers
Quite a few North Shore residents have pointed us toward this restaurant, part of the Danversport Yacht Club but open to the public. The menu tends to classic dishes like chicken oscar and prime rib, and the view overlooking the inlet’s docked boats looks spectacular.

Salem’s Lobster Shanty Is More Than Meets the Eye

After running some early evening errands in Salem on Friday, we passed the Lobster Shanty and decided to stop for a bite. A local dive bar lauded by Yelp-ers as the best place around to get drunk with your dog, the Shanty advertises “warm beer, lousy food, surly waitresses, rude bartenders and cranky cooks.” How could we not investigate?

The place is one of the tiny buildings in Artist’s Row, so the actual bar is relatively small, but what draws locals on summer nights is the good-sized patio area with free live music on weekends. We opted to sit outside and perused the very reasonable drinks menu, choosing a Belfast Bay Lobster Ale ($4.25) and a specialty cocktail, The Perfect Storm ($7.50), that turned out to be a tasty rum punch with a nice kick.

Along with the requisite boiled lobster and fried seafood offerings, the menu provides a wide range of choices, including grilled pizzas ($7-$9), gourmet burgers ($7-$10), and entrees ($13-$20) We got a chance to chat with executive chef Diane Wolf, who co-owns the Shanty with her husband, Lee. When they bought the place two years ago from the previous owner, she told us the menu was very limited, and she couldn’t resist having a little fun with it.

So while it boasts about limp salads and the tepid sodas, The Shanty’s menu actually reflects creativity and quality not found in your standard pub food; a burger dredged in sesame seeds and cracked black pepper and topped with gorgonzola, grass-fed Guinness-soaked steak tips, and side dishes like wilted spinach and bacon and grilled seasonal veggies. All of the seafood is bought from local fishermen, and Wolf said they make their own mozzarella.

We ordered the calamari ($10) to start, the lobster roll ($17) with a side of the spinach and bacon, and a fishwich ($7) with sweet potato fries and an extra side of pickled beets. The teenaged member of our party ordered the chicken tenders and fries basket.

The calamari was terrific, lightly breaded and very tender. Our only disappointment was that it wasn’t a larger portion—we inhaled it in short order. The chicken basket was pub standard, but the fries were salted with what looked like sea salt, a nice touch.

The lobster roll was what a lobster roll should be: chock full of meat, not overly dressed or seasoned, served on a toasted hot dog bun (we’re sticklers on that point). The piece of fish in the sandwich was good-sized, lightly breaded, and crisp. Our server, a smiling young man who answered to the name of Betty (!?), forgot the tartar sauce but was highly apologetic about it. The spinach and bacon was lovely, and the sweet potato fries were divine. Delicious and crispy with large flakes of salt, we would return on their merit alone.

In truth, there are many reasons to return to The Shanty. Yes, it’s a small unassuming place with some surly looking characters haunting the kitchen, but we found the staff genial, the food tasty, and the prices excellent. (Wolf told us that with an eye to the current economy, they’re staying with last year’s prices). With outdoor seating, music on weekends, inexpensive drinks and snacks as well as the more gourmet options, we’re thinking it’s a great place to chill on a summer night. Whether or not you bring your dog is up to you.

The Lobster Shanty
25 Front St. (At Artist’s Row) Salem
(978) 754-5449
http://lobstershantysalem.com

Old Salts, Fresh Drinks, and Good Deals

Jack-Tar may have a historic name (it’s another term for old salt), but this restaurant is up to date, serving a variety of American dishes with a creative flair and catering to today’s cash-strapped patrons with worthwhile deals.

We visited on the Old-Town Marblehead restaurant Sunday night and were warmly greeted. We ordered drinks at the large mahogany bar and were pleasantly surprised by the Not Your Mother’s Gin & Tonic, featuring freshly muddled cilantro and Tanqueray 10. It was a bit on the sweet side, but the good-sized drink went down easy and was a nice change from the ordinary.

We sat down a few minutes later and were served warm bread with herb butter and told the specials (including the prices, which we love). Both of the appetizers we sampled were tasty: a saucy, good-sized barbeque duck quesadilla ($9) and five bacon-wrapped scallops over a salad with an apple slaw ($9). Also on offer are smaller apps portions for $2 to $4, a nice option for sampling.

We took advantage of an every-night special: a choice of four pizzas are $5 between 5:00 and 7:00. The pancetta and blue cheese ’za also featured fresh basil, plum tomato slices, and aged balsamic. The medium-thick crust had good flavor, and the toppings were plentiful and delicious.

We also ordered the Memphis ribs ($18), featuring tender ribs, crunchy sweet potato fries, corn bread, coleslaw, and baked beans. The grilled salmon ($19) with a maple balsamic glaze and horseradish mashed potatoes was perfectly cooked, moist and savory.

The junior member of our group was enthusiastic about her chicken quesadilla from the kids menu, and the price was right: kids eat free on Sunday night.

The service was friendly and attentive, and our only complaint was a wait of about 15 minutes for our appetizers. There were quite a few families with toddlers when we arrived, so plan to dine after 6:30 or so for a quieter meal. We congratulate new owners Scott and Emily Brankman, both of whom have considerable restaurant experience, on their menu and hope they keep up the good work—we’re looking forward to drinks and snacks on their outdoor patio this summer.

Jack-Tar American Tavern
126 Washington Street, Marblehead
(781) 631-2323
www.jacktarmarblehead.com

Rowley’s Secret Revealed

Editor’s Note 5/1/09

We are sad to report that Sidney and Hampton didn’t make it through the recent economic upheaval and has closed it’s doors. Any outstanding gift certificates will be honored by the Sylvan Street Grill, either at the Peabody or Salibury locations.

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When friends who live in Ipswich suggested we go to dinner in Rowley Saturday night, our first thought was Rowley, huh? What’s there? The answer came back: Sidney and Hampton. We duly Googled the place, and came up with scant mention, aside from their own Web site. Curiouser and curiouser; now we felt compelled to check it out, if simply to clear up all the mystery.

While the name might sound like a law firm, it turns out that Sidney and Hampton is the newest incarnation of the old Eagle House on route 133. Acquired three years ago by Ernie Tremblay, owner of the Sylvan Street Grill restaurants, it has obviously gained a loyal following; both the bar and dining room were packed when we arrived.

Our table wasn’t great (I hate sitting near the door), but we had only made our reservation that morning. Still, the rooms were much more warm and inviting than the slightly antiseptic photos on the Web site led us to expect. The exposed beams, crackling fire, and well-chosen light fixtures created a level of comfort to accompany the food, which leans toward reasonably priced upscale country dining with a few twists.

The mixed drinks looked terrific, nicely sized with a lengthy martini menu, most priced around $10. However, having cocktailed earlier, we ordered a bottle of Pinot Noir from the wine list, which was quite respectable.

The appetizers were all generous portions and arrived in good order. The oysters on the half shell ($13 for ½ doz.) hailed from Virginia this time of year and earned high marks from those who tried them for freshness and taste. The fried calamari ($10) was excellent; light, crispy, and tender. Chef Jameson Donlan, whom we met later in the evening, told us he uses graham cracker crumbs in the coating mixture. The lump crabcakes ($12) were moist and tasty with a tangy chive remoulade.

Last but not least, we tried a house favorite, the popover salad. ($8) Being a fan of any excuse to incorporate baked goods into the meal, the idea of mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, plum tomatoes, sliced apples, and balsamic vinaigrette served in a fresh baked popover sounded intriguing to say the least. Both the salad and the popover tasted pleasant, but somehow the combination wasn’t spectacular. Perhaps it’s our preconceived notion that popovers should be served piping hot and slathered with butter, which we couldn’t quite shake.

With all of the appetizers, you’d think we’d have been sated by the time the entrees arrived, but we soldiered on. Our waitress, when asked about the baked seafood risotto ($28) said, “What’s nice is that it’s not an archeological dig to find the seafood,” and upon its arrival, we noted that she was spot on. The risotto was creamy with great texture, and the chunks of flavorful shrimp, scallops, and Maine lobster meat were large and abundant.

The salmon picatta ($24), fresh Atlantic salmon with capers, artichoke hearts, and a lemon white wine butter sauce, was a bit ho-hum, probably the least interesting entrée of the evening.

Both the New York sirloin and the frenched New Zealand rack of lamb were trimmed in-house and grilled to order, served with house potato and vegetable. Each cut of meat was tender and juicy, ensuring no need for a doggie bag. The sautéed green beans were of note, tasty and bright with a bit of crunch, and the garlic mashed was lovely as well.

By this point, we had been sussed out as food bloggers, (must learn to be more discrete!) and our waitress very kindly brought out Head Chef Jameson Donlan to say hello. An attractive young man with an obvious enthusiasm for his job, Donlan is relatively new to the position and refreshingly without attitude or ego. He had an honest interest in what we thought of his food, and after shaking hands and chatting a bit, he retreated to the kitchen.

After that, we couldn’t leave without at least tasting a few desserts we had seen displayed at other tables, along with espresso. The ubiquitous crème brulee and chocolate flan were fine; the standout was a special that evening, a Guinness cake with Bailey’s icing. The cake, created by Chef Donlan, was rich, dense, and tasty and well complemented by the icing, which had just the right amount of sweetness.

It’s obvious that the solid country steakhouse menu and reasonable prices will have locals returning on a regular basis, but it will be interesting to see, as Chef Donlan evolves, if his youthful creativity can blossom and turn Sydney and Hampton into a destination restaurant.

Sidney and Hampton has a pre-fixe menu, a first seating menu, and two function rooms available in the fully-restored New England barn, built in 1880.

Sidney and Hampton
87 Haverill St. (Rt.133), Rowley
(978) 948-6666
www.sidneyandhampton.com