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Volume 38 Issue 16 • Aug. 14 - 20, 2007 now in our 38th season

	In This Issue

The Summer House -
An Evening of Fine Food and Romance

While driving out to ‘Sconset recently, we entered fog as we approached Tom Nevers Road.  By the time we reached the Summer House, the fog had thinned, but the wind was picking up.  We hurried up the white shell path, past the inviting lights marking the way to the restaurant.  The Summer House is one of the most romantic spots on Nantucket on any evening, and the summer storm made it even more so.

We felt as though we were stepping back in time as we stepped onto the wide veranda leading to the bright cheer of the elegant lounge and dining room.  The decor of the Summer House is reminiscent of the Jazz Age, with all its glamour and gentility.  The lounge is full of well polished woods, with exquisite inlaid floor, and comfortable seating; to take away the unseasonable chill, there was a fire in the lounge fireplace.  A piano in the corner silently waited for Jaime Howard, who plays Wednesday through Sunday starting at 7:30 pm.  As the evening wore on, this bar and lounge became quite the summer scene, without interrupting the dining room.

Dinner patrons may dine on the partially enclosed porch and be treated to a spectacular view of The Summer House grounds and the ocean beyond. Or they may dine inside, where they surrender the view for the beautifully elegant surroundings of the dining room. The spacious, two-level Summer House dining room is filled with summery white tables and chairs; ceiling fans slowly rotate; and candlelight and fresh flowers are everywhere.  The feel is old-style formal, but relaxed. 

Service here is expert and professional, yet warm and welcoming.  Our waiter, Freddie, was attentive without hovering and was forthcoming with explanations and suggestions.  Also ready with suggestions was sommelier Aaron Wallens, whose wine pairings are reprinted here.

Leading the kitchen this season is Chef Marc Orfaly, well-known up and down the East Coast for his Boston restaurants Pigalle in the theatre district and Marco in the North End. In 2004, the James Beard award-nominated Orfaly was named “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine Magazine.  It didn’t take much for the Summer House owners to lure Orfaly to Nantucket for the season:  “We have a lot of friends here, so we come every summer...I’ve always wanted to cook here for a summer...it’s a good opportunity to showcase what I do to another audience.”

The Summer House dinner menu is varied and reflects the chef’s experience with Pigalle and Marco as much as it reveals his creativity with the fresh ingredients available on the island. He describes his style as “eclectic Mediterranean with Nantucket influences,” and fresh seafood dominates the selection.  As Chef Orfaly says: “If I had my way, I’d just do all fish—when you’re on vacation on an island, you want fish.” To please his guests, Orfaly has also included on the menu several patron favorites as well as pasta, lamb, chicken, and steak.

	Soup can be a measure of a chef’s talent and technique, and Chef Orfaly’s Summer House Bisque du Jour is particularly good.  We sampled a Corn Bisque that was velvety-smooth and full of deep flavor.  Service for this appetizer was tableside: the large shallow bowl with chunks of lobster, bits of thick bacon, and fresh kernels of sweet summer corn was presented and the warm, creamy bisque poured overtop. Prepared with a special mirepoix and scented with saffron and turmeric, the taste of the bisque was far more complex than its simple, fresh ingredients would indicate. Suggested wine pairing: Flowers Chardonnay.
	Salads at The Summer House are another very good way to begin a meal.  We particularly enjoyed the Composed Summer House Salad and the Roasted Beets with Friseé.  The mixture of greens in the Composed Salad—watercress, endive, and bibb—are dewey-fresh and crisp.  The mustard-champagne vinaigrette adds a sparkle of flavor that perfectly offsets the crumbles of blue cheese and the candied walnuts.
	In the Roasted Beet Salad, the frisee is an adornment—the beets, cheese, and hazlenuts are the stars.  This is a delicious transition of flavors and textures: pleasantly bitter friseé sprinkled with toasted hazlenuts, the creamy and mellow herbed goat cheese, then the sweet, firm beets.  Suggested wine pairings: Domaine Andre Vatan, Sancerre and Vogelzang Sauvignon Blanc.
	Our favorite among the appetizer selection is Chef Orfaly’s Tuna Martini.  Unlike any other version we’ve tasted, this refreshing chilled starter is full of delicate flavors that fill your mouth and linger.  The tuna is fresh as an ocean breeze and perfectly complimented by the Asian components: crunchy seaweed salad, slices of lotus root, spicy creme fraiche, and salty pops of bright orange tobiko.  This is one of Orfaly’s favorites, and we understand why!
	We also tried several of the warm appetizers, which are ideal for sharing — this is upscale finger food, terrific to start your meal or to munch on with cocktails at The Summer House bar.  Fried Shrimp Rangoons are tasty little crunchy packets filled with a delectable shrimp mixture.
	Clams Casino, is a beautifully prepared classic recipe with some of Nantucket’s fresh sea harvest.
	And the sensational Tempura Fried Tuna Roll also deserves high praise, with its crisp and flaky coating encasing diced fresh tuna.  Wasabi-soy emulsion drizzled down the length of the roll adds a spark of heat.
	Chef Orfaly is proud of his Atlantic Halibut en Croute, and justifiably so!  This sophisticated dish features more of Nantucket’s fruit de mer prepared perfectly and paired with Asian flavors of coconut jasmine rice, tamarind sauce, and wasabi oil. This dish is best when taken altogether to let the full effect of the flavors unfold.  Suggested wine pairing: Allimant-Laugner Reisling.
	Another stunning dish was the evening special: Grilled Striped Bass.  Freshly caught striper, the “steak of fish,” was beautifully grilled:  one side deliciously charred, the rest just cooked through.  The moist bass was presented on a superb chilled Gazpacho Salad.  The ripe tomato, red onion, small cubes of cucumber, jicima, and radish were juicy, crisp, and refreshing.  The perfect summer entreé—with luck, it will be a frequent special. If you are offered this, don’t hesitate to order it.  Suggested wine pairing: Chateau de la Maltroye Chassagne Montrachet.
	The scent of the exotic spices used in the  African Spice Rubbed Chicken Breast creates an aroma that would turn heads.  The sinfully crisp skin carries the flavor, and the moist breast is served on a delicious mix of wild mushrooms and is topped with a fun finger garnish of crunchy panko breaded white asparagus.  A puckery dollop of tampenade is served alongside, and we found this to be a delicious contrast when eaten with the breast meat. Suggested wine pairing: Schafer Merlot.
	Steak is another good choice at The Summer House.  Simply stunning in its simplicity and expert preparation, the robust Sliced Sirloin au Poivre is cooked exactly to temperature, with just enough cracked peppercorns to give the desired heat without so many as to burn out your tastebuds.  The steak is sliced and fanned out alongside satiny mashed potatoes topped with thin and crispy onion rings.  Luscious green peppercorn sauce adds the final touch.  Suggested wine pairing: Martin Estate Puerta Dorada Vineyard.
	If you have room for dessert, order either the perfectly prepared Creme Bruleé ...
	...or the warm, homestyle Rhubarb Cobbler with vanilla ice cream.
	For a savory finish, they offer a nicely composed Cheese Selection with a trio of cheeses, always French.  And, for a final splurge to a lovely evening, a glass of Chateau D’Yquem.