i loved everything but the coffee

the food in martha's vineyard was fresh, down home--even when it was upscale-- and altogether delicious. i made pretty good on my vow to eat lobster (or at the very least, seafood) at every meal. and i did taste the lobster ice cream at ben and bill's chocolate emporium. buttery and quite nice, though the lobster bits were a bit weird, and i definitely couldn't eat a whole cupful. (i had a cup of cappuccino ice cream instead, which was studded with huge, wonderfully bitter espresso beans.)










my only disappointment all weekend--the weak, weak coffee. even at the storied "black dog," the coffee was watery and flavorless. and to think i nearly missed the ferry because of it...

anyway....

here were some of the highlights:

this lobster roll was my first taste of new england, 2005...it was a more than generous pile of sweet fresh picked lobstermeat--rich hunks of lobstertail and claw, mixed with the tenderest strands of meat from "the main"-- dressed with just a touch of mayo. it was so light and tender, close to melting, and it was properly creamy, with a hint of sea saltiness. i've loved the lobster rolls at pearl oyster bar, but this was of a universe beyond...


this baked stuffed lobster (the navigator) makes one think of that silly, cheesy adage--you can never have too much of a good thing. i had terrible lobster experiences growing up--over-boiled, with banded claws, so that the meat and juices tasted bitter and artificial and chewy. even the smell called to mind the inside of a school desk full of erasers and rubber bands. so the idea of this lobster, baked, with butter, breadcrumbs, and double the amount of meat, gave me pause after i placed my order. but my initial, gut-instinct was rewarded with one of the finest, most indulgent single entrees i've every had. and i left nary a buttery nook unslurped!

this crabcake sandwich that i had for lunch at the main street diner was hearty and fresh enough that i eventually found myself able to laugh about the terrible, terrible service and chalk it up to the waitstaff having had a terrible night before. (seriously though, i nearly mobilized our party to march out the door, in protest. it was ridiculous. )


this fancy dish of sauteed lobster claw, saffron fettucine, in a pernod cream sauce (from chesca's) is yet another example of my venturing beyond my usual palate (was it the sea air?)...i almost never order dishes with a cream sauce (too heavy), especially a pasta entree. and yet, again, i was rewarded! this did feel like another real indulgence, but it was as much the joy of realizing that this fresh al dente pasta, and tender lobster claws, luxuriating in this salty, cream sauce, could still have a light, fresh taste. i finished it all but for the flower, and still had room for dessert.


and i had the snowball...i ordered this simply because i love cake crumbs and i've never seen "cake crumbs" on a dessert menu before. (when my mom bakes her wonderful chiffon cakes, she leaves all the bakings pans for me to scrape...the "scrapies" are even more moist and sweet than the actual cake, and i love love love just sitting there, running a fork a long the bottom and sides of the pan and eating them, while watching my mom spread and pipe dainty buttercream designs on the "real" cake.) this snowball, with vanilla ice cream, rolled in cake crumbs, and served with caramel sauce, butter crunch candies was sweet and lovely. (but to be honest, my mom's cake crumbs are much tastier! this might have been better with cookie crumbs, coconut, or better yet, ground almonds.)

with the quality of the seafood so high on martha's vienyard, i suppose it's possible to take it for granted. it's all fresh and sweet with a touch of the sea--a treat for the nose as well as the palate. but what i won't take for granted--ever--is the service and accommodation made to our large party of 9. when you travel as a big group, it's harder to maintain that wanderer's insouciance--just happening upon and taking a chance on a place that looks good, has an interesting menu---that most rewarding essence of being on vacation.it's nice to know that some places will welcome a party of 9 with a smile--and not with a look of "oh no, here they come!" on this score, the navigator earns high marks, but chesca's really soars above and beyond. for their accommodating manner, swiftness in seating us, and attentiveness throughout the meal, chesca's positively worthy of "5 fork-and-spoons," a la michelin.