New England dining >>>The Oyster Cabin, Uxbridge, Mass.

Editor's note: The Oyster Cabin closed its doors on April 7, 2007. We will truly miss one of New England's best upscale dining in a rural setting. We wish the Phaneuf family all the best, and thank them for exemplary restaurant service from its food to its staff.

by Eric H.

UXBRIDGE, MASS. -- (New England USA) The trouble with so many of those New England "hidden gem restaurants" is that they seem to reflect the words of what New York Yankees great Yogi Berra once said about a New York bar: "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

Some "hidden gem" restaurants become caricatures of themselves by working the "hidden gem" angle through shameless mass-marketing and self-promotional piffle. The Oyster Cabin, on the other hand, is a true New England hidden gem, located in the rural southcentral Massachusetts town of Uxbridge, minutes from the Rhode Island border. It may be busy with plenty of customers, but the Oyster Cabin is never too crowded as the interior's spaciousnesses and dampened acoustics make it seem like everyone has their own private dining room.

Owned by Christopher Phaneuf, a renowned chef who has honed his craft at restaurants such as Chez Phillipe at the Peabody Hotel, Memphis, Tenn., Willard Dining Room at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, Washington, D.C. and Jean-Louis at the Watergate Hotel, Washington, D.C., the Oyster Cabin beats out most Boston and Providence establishments at their own game: new American cuisine with a flair.

Wonderful mixed green salads selections (how about a warm arugula and steak with shaved parmesan and pancetta and caramelized bermuda onions? ) start the dinner off on the right track. Soups include creative choices such as wild mushroom and roasted garlic with goat cheese and white truffle oil . The Oyster Cabin also features an extensive wine list, many notches above most suburban restaurants.  

Standout dishes include the one-of-a-kind Sautéed sea scallops with a napoleon of sweet potato and Granny Smith apple chips, fricassée of black beans, squash and honey smoked bacon sauce and the unforgettable roasted Maple Leaf Farms duckling with creamy mashed potatoes, shiitake mushrooms and cinnamon & cranberry sauce.  

Desserts include made from scratch concoctions including chef's handmade ice cream served in a golden candy bowl,  pistachio crème brulee, chocolate truffle torte,   Bonne-Bouche warm honey and macadamian tart with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. We particularly enjoyed the chocolate truffle torte, so rich and flavorful.

The service is warm and unpretentious and the spotless, incredibly organized and efficient mammouth kitchen turns out some of the most delicious dinner selections in New England. The Oyster Cabin is perfect for an anniversay or any other special occasion. If no special days are on the horizon, go anyway, and the day will become quite special.

The Oyster Cabin
785 Quaker Highway Rte. 146A
Uxbridge, MA 01569
Phone: 508-278-4440