The Canfield House
5 Memorial Blvd.
Newport
by Bob Mariani
Tucked behind the Newport Tennis Hall of Fame and a Dunkin’ Donuts, The Canfield House on Memorial Boulevard is yet another refurbished survivor of the lavish Gilded Age in Newport. Its recent restoration is nothing short of breath-taking inside, with lush floral wallpapers, rococo wainscotings, and a spectacular high-ceilinged bar and main dining room.
The menu also reflects the opulence of that bygone era and of the mansion’s 1897 world-famous, high-rolling gambler/owner, Richard Canfield. By "opulence," I mean a list of appetizers that includes things like Alaskan King Crab legs gratinee served with chipolte mayonnaise; scallops pan seared with kalamata olives and roasted tomato relish, and wrapped in proscuitto; escargot etaine sautéed with a garlic brie cream sauce; duck confit with wild mushroom ragout; or andouille sausage grilled and served with pomeray cream and roasted tomato and eggplant salad.
I ordered the eponymous Oysters Canfiled. Normally I prefer my oysters raw, but these four came baked with an intriguing topping of spinach, shitake mushrooms and feta cheese, artfully finished with a lemon beurre blanc. My companion had the grilled vegetable crepe, a more than ample but light crust that contained a creamy avocado coulis. (Starter prices go from about $8 to $19.) There are several soups, salads and pasta courses ranging from lobster bisque to duck confit salad with berries, Chicken Portabella, and seafood Alfredo.
The "Land & Sea" menu contains a number of creative variations on the old surf n’ turf: grilled fillet mignon with sautéed lobster tail with herb butter and risotto; N.Y Sirloin topped with sautéed shrimp, shitake mushrooms and spinach; and – my selection—the Rosemary & Dijon crusted rack of lamb with pan seared scallops. The lamb chops were among the sweetest and most tender I’ve had anywhere and the mustard crust add just the right touch. The chops were finished with a delightful pepper demi-glace. The scallops –six of them—were plump and succulent and cooked to perfection in a rich, buttery pesto sauce. There was also garlic mashed potatoes which, though absolutely delicious, were beyond what I could consume at one sitting. We also enjoyed the salmon encroute layered with peas, asparagus and spinach and finished in a marvelous lobster fennel sauce. Again, the richness and the portion size were truly opulent.
Other Canfield House Specialties include a seafood stew in a pernod broth; oven roasted Statler chicken with wild mushrooms in a red wine sauce; lemon & almond crusted swordfish topped with crab meat and a herb risotto; braised pork shank; orange sesame half duck; lobster and scallop pie baked in cream sauce with leeks, mushrooms and spinach; sole Napolean layered with shrimp, scallops, crabmeat and spinach with lobster cream.
Entrées range in price from about $18 to $25 and as you might have noticed, layering is a kind of recurring theme. What makes it work is the freshness and quality of the ingredients used in the layers. No shortcuts here.
There’s no dessert menu. Instead the choices are brought to you "in person" on a lovely platter so you can see exactly what you’re getting. From items like a fruit flan and a baked pear wrapped in a crust; cranberry walnut tart, or a pecan tart, I chose a heart-shaped raspberry mousse surrounded by a heavenly layer of soft, dark, rich chocolate. My wife had the fruit flan, which was a refreshing contrast to the opulent – there’s that term again—chocolate.
As elegant and beautifully furnished as The Canfield House is, its staff and atmosphere are friendly and casual. There were people with jackets and ties and people in jeans, although to me, dressing up just a bit in a place like this seems part of the experience.
By Spring, there will be 3 cozy bedrooms for a B & B, and an upstairs private dining area at The Canfield House. There’s ample off-street parking, an outdoor bar and grill on the porch for warm weather, and the really cozy Patrick’s Pub downstairs. Also, be sure to ask your server for a copy of a brief but fascinating history of Richard Canfield’s extravagant life.
The Canfield House is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday. For more information call (401) 847-0416
Bob Mariani is a Southeastern New England freelance author. Besides his "Table for Two" restaurant reviews found here, he also writes jazz articles on allaboutjazz.com.
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