|
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.
Located on the lonesome
Quaker Highway minutes from Rhode Island, the Oyster Cabin looks
from the outside like another backwoods place to play Keno and
talk about the glory days of playing junior varsity hockey. Nothing
could be further from the truth, as the lovely dimly-lit, dark-wooded
dining rooms accomodate the most romantic at heart.
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
|
|
|