By Robert Mariani

    In summer, people flock to the legendary island city of Newport, Rhode Island,  by car, by boat, by cruise ships, all to experience its white ocean beaches, its yacht races, its mansions and music festivals. But if you’d rather enjoy this historic seaside town in a less crowded, more leisurely way, the best time to visit is now, before the crowds arrive.
    Tours of Newport’s famed Golden Age mansions begin in Spring when the stately elm trees along Bellevue Ave. start spreading their leaves over the lush green lawns of these “summer cottages, as the “terribly rich” would describe them. The Vanderbilts’ summer home, The Breakers, has 70 beautifully decorated rooms and is the largest of the Newport mansions. Further down Bellevue, the Château Sur Mer is a Victorian masterpiece overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and is also a national historic landmark. The Elms (above and right) is modeled after the style of an 18^th century French chateau.
    As for dinning in Newport, there are a number of excellent options.  Here are but three.

CastleHill
590 Ocean Drive
1-888-466-1355
castlehillinn.com

    First on my list would be The Castle Hill Inn. Newport has a plethora of spectacular views but the one from the Castle Hill Inn is to my mind the best of the best from just about every window. It is the only Relais et Chateaux establishment in Rhode Island.
    Once the home and laboratory of Victorian Era marine biologist Alexander Agassiz, the interior features exquisitely carved wood paneling, a beautiful dark wood bar, patio dining when the weather is right, and an outstanding menu.  
    The Inn’s three-course Prix Fixe dinner is $75,  $105 with wine pairings. You cannot do much better for a comfort food starter on a spring evening than Chef Karsten Hart’s garlic soup with a brioche garlic toast, poached egg, and house-made bacon. Another starter, the Hereford beef tartare, has a seasonal freshness enhanced by a mix of red onion crostini, pear, anchovy vinaigrette and Dijon-horseradish cream.
    One of the entrees that keeps me coming back is the Inn’s sumptuous lobster risotto with veal sweetbreads, English peas, oyster mushrooms and a sauce Foyot,  a form of Béarnaise with a meat glaze added--hard to imagine a more seductive blend of textures. The roasted rabbit ballotine is another springtime favorite, with its smoked carrot, goat's cheese dumpling and rabbit jus. The Inn’s take on seafood includes a perfectly pan-seared Atlantic salmon with hearts of palm, roasted golden beets, dill-dotted pierogi, and celery mignonette finished with a freshly made borscht.
    (Just a reminder: during the busy summer months, making reservations days in advance is advised. And the dress code is casual but smart.)

Spiced Pear
The Chanler Inn at the Cliff Walk
401-847-2244
thechanler.com

    Directly across the island from Castle Hill, overlooking Easton’s Beach, The Chanler Inn at the Cliff Walk presents yet another splendid view of the ever-changing Atlantic. On the night we dined at the Chanler’s Spiced Pear, the early April sun was just setting behind some silver clouds, and from our table by the window the surface of the rippling water looked like polished steel. On any given day, regardless of the season or the weather, you’re likely to see some of Newport’s intrepid surfers carving the waves.
    The Chanler bills itself as a “European style inn.” It looks and feels like a Victorian mansion but with spirited touches from the 21st century, not least  their shiny new open kitchen looking out into dining room.  I was delighted with the Pear’s soup du jour, a lobster bisque that might well be the best version of same I’ve tasted, with hints of sherry and perfectly cooked lobster meat.
    Another little culinary jewel is their mushroom and egg salad with poached free-range duck egg, Vermont cheddar polenta, organic mushrooms, asparagus, wild arugula, and truffle-citrus vinaigrette.
    Other starter options were an organic beet salad with Vermont butter and cheese, and an ahi tuna carpaccio, all dressed and garnished for Spring. I was so pleased with my lobster bisque that for my entrée I ordered the butter poached lobster. The tail and body meat were presented neatly carved from the shell (no bib or nut cracker necessary). It was accompanied by some bitter broccoli di rabe, truffled leeks, pancetta, petite artichokes, candied beets (a great combination!), plus tomato confit and a sunchoke puree. Other featured dinner items include Gulf shrimp and Maine diver’s scallops with wheat noodles, baby bok choy, and edamame; British Columbia King salmon; duck breast with baby winter vegetables and blood orange juice; and a Hudson Valley hare encrusted with crispy almonds, and a wild boar bacon-wrapped loin.
    As an Inn The Chanler of course serves breakfast and lunch too.  Entrée prices at The Spiced Pear range from $32 to $48. There is also a Chef’s Tasting Menu with six courses for $98 paired with wine; and a nine-course Gourmand Tasting for $144, and $153 with wines.

The Black Pearl
Bannister's Wharf
401-846-5264
blackpearlnewport.com

  If you’re looking for great seafood in a less formal dinning venue, The Black Pearl is one of Newport’s oldest and most appreciated restaurants by both locals and tourists alike.  Located on the docks on bustling Bannister’s Wharf, the Pearl maintains its saltwater patina from the 1920’s, when it was used as a sail loft and machine shop. The interior is all well-worn dark teak wood and the floors creak as if you were aboard an ocean-going vessel.  When  the weather warms up, the Pearl unveils its outdoor patio and raw bar venue with the same menu as inside The  Tavern.
    In The Tavern, the Pearl’s creamy white clam chowder continues to be the most popular signature dish people keep coming back for. The rest of The Tavern menu has a full array of shell fish in just about every possible iteration, along with just about every basic type of pub food imaginable, from burgers and chili to filet minion Béarnaise, veal parmesan, baked cod, or rack of lamb. They also do a good job with classics like tuna melt on an English muffin, as well as several other sandwiches like their juicy corned beef Reuben.
    The choices are daunting, and though I’ve been dining at the Black Pearl for years now, I still feel like I haven’t made a dent in its sprawling list of options. If you’re lucky, the early spring weather will be warm enough  so that you may dine out on The Pearl’s patio, where you can watch the yachts and dinghies come and go.
    Feeling like something grilled? Few things taste better than The Pearl’s grilled tuna steak with Dutch pepper butter or their jumbo shrimp scampi or their bacon-wrapped scallops. If you have not had enough creamy, heart-stopping goodness yet, The Tavern’s dessert menu should take care of that with treats like Key lime pie, seasonal bread pudding, chocolate pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, or the berry Napoléon. 
    Like the menu itself, The Tavern’s price range “covers the waterfront” (pun intended). You can enjoy a pretty inexpensive meal like clam chowder and a salad, and a beer for about $25, or just a good hamburger for $8.50 with your choice of add-ons for 75 cents each. At the bar there’s a large array of beers, ales, and wines.
    The Pearl’s other dining area, The Commodore’s Room, is separate from The Tavern,  with a more upscale nautical look. Their website describes this venue as “an elegant dining room with white-tie ambiance.” Because so many people travel to Newport by boat, there are no specific dress codes, but you probably won’t feel very comfortable here in cut-off jeans and a sweatshirt. Khakis and a collared shirt are fine. The Commodore’s Room menu is a paired down, more formal version of The Tavern’s bill of fare but with somewhat higher prices. For starters there’s the Pearl’s signature white clam chowder and a fine version of lobster bisque. The appetizer list features dishes like a shrimp, crab and lobster cocktail with three sauces; the Chef’s own pâté de maison; Littleneck clams with Dutch peppers and bacon; and escargots bourguignon.
    As always, lobster is at market price and you can have your two-and-a-half-pounder either grilled or steamed. For those who prefer a slightly more delicate entrée, there’s a beautifully done grey sole panetière. Or if you’re more in the mood for meat, there’s Black Pearl lamb, filet mignon, or veal chop from the grill.

    Both the The Black Pearl’s Tavern and Commodore’s Room are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and closed from January 3rd to Feb. 12^th.  Reservations are not accepted at the outside patio raw bar or The Tavern.  At the Commodore's Room appetizers run $8-$13, entrees $21-$39; at The Tavern, appetizers $3-$12, entrees $17-$29.50.

ROGER New York
131 Madison Avenue (at 31st Street)
therogernewyork.com

      Manhattan confidently peacocks its grandeur with truly awesome architecture, diverse museums, influential restaurants and an abundance of impressive hotels. These are just a few of the extraordinary qualities this unique city has to offer, so to distinguish oneself in the Big Apple is no easy task.
    A few weeks back, I headed down to the Flatiron district to check out the newly renovated Roger Hotel. I entered on Madison Avenue and was greeted by a friendly doorman who directed me through a sophisticated and posh lobby, towards the front desk, there to be met by a young, female concierge who cordially welcomed me to the hotel. This constant, genial quality was evident throughout the entire property, gratefully noticed during my two-day stay.
    Next stop, my room, on the ninth floor, overlooking Madison Ave and 32nd Street.  I highly recommend a room on the northwest corner of the hotel, if available. The view is lovely. Rooms are decorated in a simple, smart design, trimmed with a classic molding, and murals of celebrated NYC locations; our room was hung with an image of Central Park’s Bethesda Fountain (above). After a leap onto the bed once the bellhop left (we all do it, right?), I deemed the accommodations very, very comfortable.
    Although dinner was nearing, I needed a light snack. So I ordered a  grilled cheese sandwich made with white cheddar from Murray's Cheese--the best cheese monger in the city-- fries, and a glass of Burgundy. The pre-meal appetizer was a prelude to our well-executed dinner. Interestingly, the in-room dining menu is the same as the restaurant’s.
    On the  mezzanine level, we exited the elevator directly into The Parlour (below), the Roger’s quaint dining option. The pantry-style dining room looks over a balcony onto the hotel lobby; an intimate space worth visiting as a non-hotel guest; great for cocktails and a few appetizers or a full fledged meal.
    Executive chef Pete Goldklang has created a straightforward menu, solid all the way through. We started with a creamy corn chowder soup, crispy soda-dipped fried chicken served with a sweet and spicy honey and hot Sriracha dipping sauce, accompanied by the hotel’s “Madison Manhattan” cocktail, made with Bulleit rye whiskey, Laird‘s apple brandy, sweet vermouth and bitters. Mentionable salads included the heirloom tomatoes alla caprese, drizzled with a sweet, syrupy balsamic reduction. Next, steaming cavatelli, coated in a rich pesto sauce, the highlight of our meal. Whiffs of fresh basil rose from the plate as the shredded Pecorino Romano, coarsely chopped pine nuts and silky olive oil blended together. For entrees, chef sent out a tender cut of marinated hanger steak with a bordelaise sauce, and a silky wild King salmon, cooked medium rare. Desserts included chocolate molten cake, and the “Apple Brown Roger,” Gala apples, brandied brioche and bourbon vanilla bean ice cream. The Parlour’s wine list could surely use some bolstering, offering only a handful of red and white wines; listing just one bottle under $50.
    The following morning we headed back down to The Parlour for their highly regarded breakfast. The pantry table was elegantly topped with silver trays of smoked salmon, delicate pastries, French-style scrambled eggs, freshly squeezed juices and richly aromatic coffee.
    The remainder of our stay included a short walk to Madison Square Park’s Shake Shack for lunch, and, later, dinner at Midtown East’s Brasserie. Working only a few blocks from the Roger and residing in Westchester County, I did not anticipate such a feeling of respite, as I was seeing New York as a visitor would and reveling at the grandness of it all.