As a bread lover, this is a tough one for me. I’ve enjoyed cheddar bay biscuits and breadsticks, but the quality isn’t always consistent. CB’s biscuits used to be divine but have shrunken to almost elvish proportions over the years. And while the rustic brown loaves are tasty…
I think I’m going to have to say Texas Roadhouse yeast rolls for the win. They’re always fresh and the accompanying honey butter sends these over the top on my yum-o-meter. Ironically, I don’t care for the cocktails or the food at that restaurant so we rarely if ever go…. but I fondly remember the doughy goodness.
Since we were back in Tiverton and it was long after lunch but slightly before dinner, we took a chance on the highly rated Boat House restaurant that was too crowded the first time we stopped.
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It really is a gorgeous spot.
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And equally as attractive inside as out, with lovely views from all the tables.
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Which is why we sat at the bar.
*sigh…*
Oh well, my Limoncello margarita was fabulous no matter where I parked my keister.
Reposado tequila, limoncello, lemon, agave. Simple, and delicious.
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A perfect compliment to my Caesar salad with homemade croutons.
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Husband’s seafood chowder was rich and delicious.
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Cocktail #2, and okay… #3 as well… was the Princessa, a bar favorite.
Bacardi Limon, strawberry purée, fresh lemon juice, club soda, mint. Again, simple but fabulous.
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As you know we tend to be picky when we eat out. A place has to check 3 boxes to earn a star from us. Atmosphere, cocktails and food quality.
So far, so good.
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Husband’s filet mignon with burgundy demi glacé, asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes?
Perfection.
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My lemon beurre blanc grilled shrimp , roasted Brussels sprouts and garlic mashed potatoes?
Perfect as well.
And dessert?
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Good grief. Bananas Foster cheesecake with caramel drizzle, banana liqueur soaked bananas, homemade cinnamon whipped cream and chocolate lace.
Be still my heart…. this place was goooood!
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I swear to God I’d be tempted to make the 4 hour drive from Maine just to eat there again.
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Even if I have to fight off all the people who live in this mini mountain of high end condos right beside it.
We’re not big wine drinkers but it’s the gift of choice for our cat sitting neighbor… and we have to keep her, and therefore His Royal Highness, happy.
😉
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It was a lovely drive and just when we thought we’d never find it…
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A very large cat.
This winery is way off the beaten path and after a long dirt driveway…
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Another large cat.
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And a large bull.
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There was a barn.
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Some outdoor seating.
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And a tasting room.
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Where we paid $25 for four very small pours.
None of which we really liked.
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But it’s Rhode Island, what do they know about wine?
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Continuing on, we went in search of food.
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Past some lovely old homes in Tiverton.
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Sadly, when we arrived at the much anticipated and highly reviewed Boat House restaurant…
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It was packed to capacity and there was a two hour wait.
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Which is when we turned back and found an unassuming little place called Fieldstone’s.
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It was crowded as well but we snagged a seat at the bar where I ordered a spring Cosmo.
Ketel One vodka, watermelon pucker, fresh strawberry, fresh lime, and a splash of cranberry juice.
Tasty, and potent.
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My shrimp scampi bruschetta appetizer was amazing.
Sautéed shrimp, capers and grape tomatoes in a lemon garlic butter sauce and served over garlic Parmesan toast.
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Husband went with shepherds pie, which was swimming in a rich brown gravy unlike his mother’s bland recipe. I considered that a win, but boys like their momma’s cooking so he was unimpressed.
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On the other hand, my sherried chicken? Ooh la la!
I’d drive four hours from Maine just to have it again.
Sautéed chicken breast with chopped bacon, caramelized onions and crumbled bleu cheese in a creamy sherry sauce, served with mashed potato and broccoli.
They say you can’t go home again and sadly that was true of what was our favorite restaurant on our previous trip to Rhode Island.
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We returned to the Beach House in Bristol expecting another stellar meal but were in for a surprise.
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I wanted a mojito but they had no mint. The blackberry margarita was alright, but $17 for an old fashioned glass size seemed a tad much.
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My husband’s lobster bisque, while creamy… wasn’t exactly brimming with lobster.
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And searching for the crab in my crab fritters was a time consuming task.
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Sadly they’d changed their hours on full entrees vs lunch so the husband ordered nothing… he’s not a sandwich guy… and I settled for an uninspiring chicken Caesar wrap with tiny overdone fry bits. Very disappointing.
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As we hit the parking lot, a family of geese.
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Photo worthy, yes.
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But everyone was headed for the road…
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And that wasn’t good.
This road is a busy straightaway and people fly by. Not wanting to see any of our avian brethren squashed, I dropped my purse ( but not my phone, once a blogger – always a blogger) and ran into the road like a lunatic waving my arms for cars to stop.
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Once they were safely across, the mother and father geese jumped a stone wall to access a pond, but the goslings couldn’t manage the leap and were distressed enough to start heading back to the road…
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Which is when my husband jogged across, picked up every little gosling and plopped them over the side with mom and dad. Look to his right and you’ll see an adult goose head giving him the stink eye.
Rescue complete, we headed down the road to Colt State Park.
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I’ll quote the history instead of summarizing.
Colt State Park is a true gem within the State Park System. With 464 acres of lawns, four miles of paved pathways, hiking trails, historic stone walls, and one of the state’s most spectacular shorelines, Colt State Park is a favorite among visitors and locals alike.
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The stone walls were impressive, and unusual in a state park.
Beginning in 1905, the Colt family began to assemble the parcels of land that would become their farm on Poppasquash Neck from lands owned by old Bristol families. These were the farms of the Chase, Church, and Van Wickle families.
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Colt Farm, now Colt State Park, became a showcase of wealth. The entrance to the property alone spoke of the tone and ambition of the owner. A pair of bronze bulls anchors the approach.
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The bulls.
Throughout the drive to the main house and its complex of barns, a party casino, and stables, Colt dotted the landscape with examples of European sculpture and statuary of mythical Greek gods and goddesses. This display of the human form prompted one of Colt’s relatives to call the drive to the casino/party pavilion “Wall Street,” an avenue of the “bulls and the bares!” Colt prided himself on operating the farm to breed prize Jersey cattle. The magnificent cow barn is one of the surviving structures in the park.
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The barn.
As local town histories note, no expense was spared on Colt’s prized herd. “There was one employee for each cow. The cows’ horns were polished, and their tails were washed daily. When in their stanchions, the cows always had a thick bed of fresh straw. Cork and rubber covered the concrete floor where the cows stood. The spotless, comfortable barn was even heated in the winter.”
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Samuel P. Colt died in 1921. Disputes about his will, clouded by disagreements among family members, stalled attempts by the State to acquire the property by the Metropolitan Park Commission in 1935. It wasn’t until 1965, using Green Acres funds, that the state bought the farm for use as a park.
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In the meantime, throughout the intervening years, the estate was managed by the Industrial Trust Company. Governor John H. Chafee dedicated the park in 1968. Today, a statue of Chafee overlooks the landscape of an open-air Chapel by the Sea, ten playing fields, six picnic groves, restrooms, a public boat ramp, and four miles of walking, jogging, and bicycle trails.
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The statue.
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It was quite a place.
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And in case you’re wondering about the history I quoted above, yes…
River's world..... 