Monday, July 13, 2015

The Spring House Bistro, Block Island, Rhode Island

As amazing as the hotel, location and staff is at The Spring House, I was truly blown away by the food.  The dedication that the team shows in caring for their multiple on site gardens is evident as you tour the grounds, but it becomes overwhelming when you taste the food.  We often discuss how much fresher food tastes when served closest to where it's grown, there may be no better place to taste this difference then at The Spring House Hotel.

Sitting out on their gorgeous wrap around porch, I feasted at dinner- taking
full advantage of their Restaurant Menu- so much of which was grown right on their grounds, or caught off their shores.  I began with their Calamari, tweaked from the typical pairing of banana peppers, to call on Italian influences.  Lightly fried, the delicate rings were paired with fresh leaves of basil, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and tossed with cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers and capers. I've found that calamari, while simple in its essence, seems to be something that is often over complicated or poorly constructed.  The Spring House let fresh, bright, clean ingredients shine.

I selected their pan roasted local cod for my main delicately set atop roasted
turnips grown in the garden just a few feet away and then piled high with spring rabe and a fennel orange salad.  It can't go without saying that the cod was perfectly cooked, but the stars of this show were the perfectly seasoned vegetables that combined into a wonderful play of varying textures.  The tunips had just a bit of bite to them, the rabe was sauteed to a soft mound, and the fennel, raw and sweet, brought a refreshing crisp to the plate.  The flavors were light and bright- a perfect homage to the summer that lay before us.

Every ingredient used in their dishes is carefully planned.  The vast majority come from their own garden which means that they are intimately familiar with every single one.  They treat them like the special gems they are- revered for their own beauty and nutrients.  They are playful with their dishes while keeping the integrity of classics.  The Spring House welcomes guests and visitors to the island alike to share in their culinary masterpieces, their views and their incredible hospitality.  It is a must stop for any island visitor.  

2 comments:

Kristen said...

Did you stay at the hotel as well?! I have never been to block island and am considering visiting this summer!

Boston Food Diary said...

I did!! It's gorgeous with a ton of throwback charm: http://www.abostonfooddiary.com/2015/07/the-spring-house-hotel-block-island.html?m=1

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