The Newport Food Tour 2019

We kicked off our week-long food tour of Newport, Rhode Island, last week visiting over fifteen restaurants, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and discovering lots of foodie and cultural finds.

We sipped prosecco at The Vanderbilt, overlooking the Harbor, enjoyed the view of Castle Hill from our balcony perch high atop Ocean Cliff, visited churches and galleries, strolled the mansions and Cliff Walk, had a day at the beach, spent time with friends and family, watched a Regatta and generally enjoyed every moment.

Over the next week we will be posting about our many dining experiences, from great to mediocre, with lots of new places to write about that are new this season.  Stay tuned for the adventure.  It's a must if you'll be visiting Newport soon or haven't been in years and want a refresher.

Staying At Castle Hill Inn

As promised, after our recent lunch at Castle Hill Inn we had the opportunity to tour the Inn and roam the property.  On the way to Newport my dining companion was telling me about his newly-acquired condo at Ocean Cliffs in Newport.  During the summer he would often sit outside on the patio and overhear the sounds of weddings taking place at a nearby property.  As it turns out that property is Castle Hill Inn!

The formidable home was built on the western-most tip of Newport at the entrance to Narragansett Bay in 1874 by Alexander Aggasiz a marine biologist at Harvard University.  Filled with antiques and art, it became the summer home of actress Grace Kelly during the filming of the movie High Society.  To this day the small beach there is still called Grace Kelly Beach.  There is a warm, comfortable New England feel throughout with lots of natural wood and interesting architectural details.

We were led upstairs to the Turret Suite, one of the nine rooms in the original home.  It's interesting to note that when one looks at hotels online one is typically never able to book the very highest level of accommodation, such as the so-called Presidential Suites.  So it is with the Turret Suite.

The two floor suite offers 400 square feet of comfy space with a king size bed and gas jet fireplace.  As we entered, classical music softly cooed on the sound system, a precursor of the kind of attention to detail one can expect.

A soaking tub sits by the windows and the old-world charm of the Inn makes one feel that he has just stepped into a relaxing, lavish Ralph Lauren advertisement.

The room is spacious and well-appointed but that's not it.  We were then led to the wooden spiral staircase leading up to the turret level, the very top of the Inn.

Yet another spacious room awaits with a relaxing sitting area and library with books on astronomy, a small fridge for your bubbly and a full DVD system for an inviting night of entertainment in comfort.

The room is surrounded by windows with stunning 320 degree views of the water.  We watched ships sailing in as we looked out over the rolling lawn.

And if all of that is not enough there's a telescope for stargazing as well.  Before nightfall it can also be used to view up to 12 lighthouses that dot the shores.  Breathtaking.

Quiet, secluded and off the beaten path this is the perfect antidote for the busy, harried hectic days.  In addition to the nine rooms in the main Inn there are also Beach Cottages with sweeping ocean views available.  And if you can't stay overnight there's always lunch or dinner to enjoy the ambiance, beautiful views and superior service of this Relais and Chateaux property.

Castle Hill Inn
590 Ocean Drive
Newport, RI  02840
Toll-Free Telephone:  888.466.1355

Lunch At Castle Hill Inn

 Castle Hill Inn

It was a sunny, cool weekend day when we recently headed to Newport, Rhode Island to tour and enjoy lunch at Castle Hill Inn.  A beautiful mansion on a cliff overlooking the entrance to Narragansett Bay, we were seated at the windows for gorgeous views of the water and boats and ships sailing by.  The Inn remains the very first Relais and Chateaux property in Newport.

We began with drinks.  My Blood Orange Bellini (Prosecco, Peachtree and Blood Orange) hit the spot after the 90 minute drive from Boston.  Dean went with the Stormy Cider:  Gosling Black Rum, Fresh Cider and Ginger Beer. The front of the Inn is terraced with a large manicured lawn that hosts many weddings and events in the Summer months.

For my appetizer I chose the Duck Confit Ravioli:  Sweet Potatoes, Pears, Tallegio Mornay Sauce and Root Vegetable Hay.  It was a warm and very satisfying, delicious taste of Fall bounty.

Dean went with the Lobster Corn Chowder with generous chunks of fresh lobster and a hearty piece of fresh corn bread.

Chef Karsten Hart surprised us with a special treat of this Pork Belly and Caviar, a shining jewel on a plate and every bit as rich in flavor as it looks.  Such delightful surprises are the unexpected joys of dining at at Inn with the highest level of quality.

In a rare choice, we both selected the same entrée:   Pan Seared Georges Bank Scallops.  Served in a Baked Potato Pureée with Braised Kale, Asian Pear, Gooseberry and a Bacon Emulsion.  It was layered with flavors sweet and savory, textures soft and crunchy and those perfectly seared scallops.

The translucent scallop meat tasted as if it had been lovingly scooped out of the ocean that very morning and prepared with just enough of a delicate crunch to enhance the creamy softness at the center, perfectly cooked.

Next was dessert.  This is the Pumpkin Cake with Cider-Butterscotch Glaze, Pecan Nougatine and Cinnamon Ice Cream.

I went with the Fried Apple Pie, a tartlet shaped piece of heaven with Bourbon caramel, Tahitian Vanilla Ice Cream and Brown Butter Crumb.  Buttery rich but not cloyingly sweet, it was a delightful twist on a New England favorite.

Cappuccino rounded out the meal, served with sticks of rock candy to add sweetness, ending a perfectly satisfying, relaxing few hours of afternoon dining with a view.

The Inn has four dining rooms and, as mentioned, hosts many functions.  There are 9 rooms in the original mansion and several cottages with water views.  The luxurious New England feel throughout is palpable and the extraordinary attention to detail is apparent everywhere, from the way everything is presented to the impeccable service from the moment we entered the door.

Newport is a fabulous place to visit all year long and is hosting many holiday-themed events and gatherings through the Winter.  We'd totally recommend a visit to Castle Hill Inn for lunch or dinner, even an overnight stay as a great getaway from the urban mix.  In our next post we'll spend more time in Newport and at Castle Hill, exploring the breathtaking mansions (now a World Heritage site) where we strolled and leisurely enjoyed spending time chatting with a surprising number of international visitors enjoying the amazing architecture and views, shopping and more.

Castle Hill Inn
500 Ocean Drive
Newport, RI  02840
Telephone:  401.849.3800