The village of Saugatuck located in Westport, CT is a bastion for restaurateurs. Back in the day Paul Newman lent ‘Duke’ Merdinger the cash for his liquor license to open Via Zapta’s on Saugatuck Avenue.

The Black Duck Café has been teetering on the banks of the Saugatuck River for decades and still serves up the best hamburgers and fries. Mario Batali recently opened the Tarry Lodge in this little New England hamlet.  Foodies love this enclave because there are so many dining options within a stones throw of one another.

And the legacy lives on. The famous Winklevoss twins of Facebook and the ‘Social Network’ lore, learned to row here.  Their father Howard stepped up and transformed an antique train station into a world class-rowing club. 

The gracious Nantucket style building is spectacular. Ralph Lauren would blush if he had a chance to visit. It’s collegiate and proper. The vibe is relaxed Ivy League. The wow factor tops the Richter Scale when you head up to the new Boat House Restaurant. 

Foodies who crave Northern and Southern Italian food with a modern flair ought to make a reservation. The menu is out of this world and the views while eating alfresco from the teak deck, will transport you to Nantucket and beyond. This experience is well worth a 45-minute drive or train ride from New York City. The restaurant is only a five-minute walk from the Westport train station. Haven’t you always wanted to visit Westport, CT?  Now you’ve a great reason to go.

The restaurant is located on the second floor of the club. Access is through the main entrance off Saugatuck Avenue. There's plenty of parking off street. Please announce yourself to the attendant before using the elevator or stairs to head up to the restaurant.

The Decor
The main dining room was just renovated. The space is grand. It has lofted twenty-foot coffered ceilings that are framed in white. They look like they came from the structural stringers of a boat. The new paint scheme is smart. The valleys on the ceiling  are painted in a sophisticated New England navy blue and sound deadening material has been added to soften the ambient noise levels at full capacity. The half walls are adorned with a rattan textured wallpaper on the top and painted the same color blue as the ceiling on the bottom. The overall affect radiates a smart casual ambience. 

What's New
We especially liked the new intimate black marble bar! It's the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine or break the ice with someone special. From this vantage point you can also appreciate the visual planning that went into this space.

The restaurant's tables are fitted with fine white linens, place settings and glassware. Overhead hangs a vintage eight-man boat that looks as if it's navigated the Henley Royal Regatta many times.  Above the cozy bench seating against the south wall proudly hangs a picture of Tyler and Cameron on the water. The north facade has enormous windows that look over the Saugatuck River and a teak deck that is hands down the best alfresco dining spot in town. 

While taking all of this in and sipping your Super Tuscan you may find yourself thinking about sitting with friends or clients and enjoying the conversation, food and wine. You may even ask yourself, who knew that this place even existed?  It's a hidden jewel waiting to be discovered. Come on... let's sit-down and stay awhile.

The Team
Raffale Gallo calls himself a 'front man'. He's been in the business since coming over to the states from the island of Capri in 1994. He started off as a waiter at Buonasera in Palm Beach and hit the big time when he opened La Contina Toscania in New York City. With the help of Chef Giuseppe Castellano and his business partner Audrey Longo, they've reinvigorated the Boat House Restaurant. The menu features fresh dishes from the Northern and Southern regions of Italy. The chef served us a tasting menu that enabled us to sample all the Italian flavors and zest the menu has to offer. 

Appetizers
We started off the night with the Speck Wrapped Scallops with Lemon Scented Whipped Potatoes and Caviar-$13.00. This modern Italian appetizer is interesting. The soft speck bacon added just the right amount of texture to the scallops. The flavors will sequentially tantalize your pallet. The caviar added a modern twist to the dish and the lemon scented whipped potatoes finshed off the expereince pefectly. This starter is filling. Please save some room for the main courses. 

Entrees
For the main course we were served a  Black and White Fettuccine with Crab, Lobster Meat and Pink Peppercorns-$21.00. This dish is superb, delicate and light. The plated presentation is gorgeous! All the pasta is homemade in-house. 

Next we sampled the Homemade Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Sauteed Onions and Caviar-$21.00. This decadent entre is made from fresh thick spaghetti and olive oil. The smoke salmon and the caviar blended beautifully with the pasta. The use of flesh olive oil in the dish brought the entire composition together into an elegant offering. Delicious. Exquisite. Priced right.

Desserts
For dessert we sampled the Torte Capresse Almond Cake with Pistachio Gelato. The recipe is from the island of Capri. The pistachio gelato is flown in from Torino, Italy. You can close your eyes and let the flavors transport you to Capri!

Next we tried the Lemon Sponge Cake with Lemon Zest. This is light desert with subtle flavors. It melts in your mouth. Delicious.

Here are some photos of what the presentations looked like: 

The Boathouse Restaurant
521 Riverside Avenue
Westport, CT
(203) 221-7475
saugatuckrowing.com

Cappesante Appetizer -$13.00
Speck Wrapped Scallops With Lemon Scented Whipped Potatoes
 

Carbonara Entree $21.00
Homemade Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Sauteed Onions and Caviar
 

Fettuccine $21.00

Black & White Fettuccine with Crab & Lobster - Pink Peppercorns

 

Torte Caprese Almond Cake with Pistachio Gelato

 

Lemon Sponge Cake with Lemon Zest

 

 

The Deer Valley Resort spared no expense when they designed and built the Empire Canyon Lodge. It’s especially spectacular to look at when the freshly fallen snow has blanketed the peaks and valleys of the roof.

From the inside you’ll appreciate the wood and natural stone materials. The massive timber frame construction that supports the structure is like being in a skiing cathedral. This premium construction commercially demands multi purpose usage in order to make a return on investment. The question to consider is:  After the sun has gone down and the skiers have retired for the day what are the options for a 25,000+ square foot ski lodge at the base of Empire Canyon?

The Deer Valley Resort stepped up and created a luxury dining experience like no other in North America. They opened Fireside restaurant, which is a European Alps-inspired winter-dining experience.

The restaurant is located in the lodge’s daytime cafeteria and utilizes all four fireplaces to cook the food over open hearths. The space can easily morph into a fine dining venue because of the over-the-top interior design. This concept would seem out of place otherwise.

Empire Fireplace
The main dining room is situated in front of the massive Empire Fireplace. It looks like it could have come out of a European Castle. This is your first stop on your way through the Alps tonight. You’ll delight in the fire warmed Swiss Raclette Cheese.  Nearby is an assortment of Italian and Swiss meats, steamed potatoes, house made fig mustard and strawberry chutney. Yum.
 

North Fireplace
Next up on our journey is the North Fireplace. The lighting in this space is subdued and you’ll feel like you’re actually in a medieval kitchen. The stews simmer over the open hearth. They’re made from fresh veal, venison, chicken, quail, wild mushrooms, leeks and roasted tomatoes.

Ontario Fireplace
Rounding the corner you enter the Ontario Fireplace room.
On the menu tonight was a fire-roasted leg of lamb. The Chef cooks it slowly and deliberately positions the food at the right distance from the flame to cook it right. While we were waiting we struck up a conversation. He loves cooking over the open fire. He told us it’s all about the wood and getting it to the right temperature. Then you baste the meat with fresh herbs and seasoning.  That’s what makes it taste so good.

Lobby Fireplace
Last but not least you’ll want to save room for the Lobby Fireplace. Here you’ll find traditional Swiss Fondue desserts that you can make yourself. We especially liked all of the molten Swiss chocolate that you could dip everything from strawberries to bananas in. Some of the other amazing assortment of choices also included, pound cake, and Deer Valley cookies.

This luxury fine dining experience was truly an adventure. Families and kids of all ages will thoroughly enjoy themselves. If you’re on a romantic date please try arriving by horse pulled sleigh. For more information on this option, please ask your reservation agent at the time of booking.

Prices
Adults, $58
Children (11 years and younger), $28
Prices do not include beverages, tax or gratuity

Winter
Wednesday – Saturday, 6 - 9 p.m.

Summer
Closed

Reservations are required
435-645-6632

Website: http://www.deervalley.com/Dining/WhereToEat/FiresideDining

Location: Empire Canyon Lodge - Upper mountain area Dining Type: European Business Hours: 6 - 9 p.m.   Open Wednesday through Saturday 12/12/2012 - 4/6/2013

Special Thanks To:

The Sliver Baron Lodge: Accommodations were provided by The Sliver Baron Lodge. Rustic meets refined elegance at the Silver Baron Lodge where unparalleled accommodations and service come together in one of the most beautiful settings. For reservations please call 800-558-3337.

Deer Valley Resort: Lift tickets and Mountain Experiences provided by the Deer Valley Resort. General Information: 800-424-3337.

Ski 'N See: Ski rentals were provided by  Ski 'N See. They have 12 convenient rental & retail locations within minutes of all the major Ski Resorts in Utah. If you are unfamiliar with the area please visit  their Rental Rates page to find a recommendation for which location you should reserve your ski & snowboard equipment. If you have any questions concerning our locations please call their Customer Service Hotline: 1-800-722-3685.

Rudy's Executive Transportation Services: Transportation Services for this trip from the New York Tri-Sate area were provided by Rudy's Executive Transportation. Their uniformed chauffeurs are courteous and committed to responding to customers' every transportation need. Since all Rudy's chauffeurs live throughout the Connecticut/Westchester area, they are conveniently located within minutes of your home or office. They are also completely familiar with all locations and routes within the tri-state area to get you there on time, every time. For reservations please call 800-241-RUDY.