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September 10 - 17, 1999

[Food Reviews]

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Rustic charm

The Oyster Cabin in Uxbridge dresses up the old roadhouse

by Margaret LeRoux

The Oyster Cabin
785 Quaker Highway,
Uxbridge
(508) 278-4440
Wed.-Sat.
4:30-9 p.m.,
Sun. 3-8 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap accessible
As I walked into the Oyster Cabin on a recent Friday night, I was struck by a sense of déjà vu. Suddenly, I was back in northern Wisconsin, at one of the roadhouses my grandfather had loved. He often took me along for Saturday afternoon rides in the country, and sometimes we'd stop for an early dinner at one of the many old, rustic restaurants along Highway 53. That was before the freeway arrived, and most of them died.

The roadhouses, built in the 1930s and `40s, featured knotty pine and stonework, just like the Oyster Cabin's decor. Its location -- off Highway 146 in Uxbridge -- and age -- it was constructed in 1939 -- probably qualifies it as a Massachusetts roadhouse. I remember the roadhouse waitresses who served my grandfather and me as friendly and competent, similiar to the staff who served a friend and me at the Oyster Cabin. Such good service, too. Our waitress even replenished the silverware with fresh knives and forks between courses.

When my grandfather had ordered dinner back then, he'd have a T-bone steak, fries, cole slaw, and a Hamm's beer to wash it down. At the Oyster Cabin, the decor may lead you to think steak is a mainstay here, too, but glance at the menu and you'll know you're not in northern Wisconsin. There's steak, but it's grilled tenderloin with baked Idaho rondelles, wild mushrooms, and beurre blanc ($22.95). Roast duck is stuffed with wild rice and given a glaze of triple sec and kumquats ($18.95); sautéed halibut is served on a pedestal of sweet potato and baby zucchini with a sauce of red wine and blueberries ($20.95). The cuisine here is definitely haute.

The creative force behind the menu is chef Chris Phaneuf, grandson of the Oyster Cabin's original owners. Trained at The New England Culinary Institute and Johnson & Wales College, Phaneuf gained experience in the dining rooms of the famed Willard Hotel, in Washington D.C., and the Peabody, in Memphis, before taking over the family restaurant three years ago.

Phaneuf has described his approach as "traditional New England with a French flair." His bouillabaisse ($22.95) features lobster, salmon, and saffron potatoes, in addition to the customary shellfish. He adds seasonal touches to each menu dish, with produce and herbs fresh from the restaurant's garden.

In a twist on the conventional New England crab cakes, Phaneuf smokes trout from Idaho, adds diced zucchini, summer squash, carrot, and a smidgen of bread crumbs to make lightly seasoned, sautéed cakes, served with a delicate beurre blanc spiked with fresh lemon grass ($8.95). The dish presentation is outstanding; the cakes are arranged against a canopy made from fresh fennel, garnished with a nasturtium and an angled spear of lemon grass. Another first course winner is rich and sweet clam chowder, served in a over-sized soup plate, garnished with two fresh clams ($5.95) and a crouton of garlic bread.

Throughout our meal we sipped a light but flavorful fumé blanc from the Murphy-Goode label ($22), one of the wine list's more moderate selections.

We chose our main courses from the evening's specials. My companion selected roast quail stuffed with andouille sausage and pistachios, served on a bed of puréed sweet potatoes, and garnished with fresh Mission figs in a glacé flavored with juniper berries ($23.95). The quail was meticulously quartered, making it easier to eat and to share. I loved the combination of flavors and textures: the crisp skin sweetened with fig, the spicy sausage.

My choice was a grilled "chop" of swordfish ($21.95), a thick, juicy cut from the filet nestled atop creamy mashed potatoes flavored with garlic. A ring of paper-thin slices of grilled summer squash, eggplant, zucchini, and plum tomatoes were attractive and delicious, as was a coulis of golden tomato and Granny Smith apple. Another winner in both taste and presentation.

Did I mention slices of warm, homemade bread served in a napkin-lined wire basket and crisp, salad greens dressed in garlic-dill and honey mustard dressings? This was a meal worth a drive to the country (just over 30 minutes from downtown Worcester; I urge you to make the trip).

Encouraged by the dinner menu's surprises, we eagerly scanned the dessert offerings, each of us spotting our weakness. Mine was chocolate truffle ($7.95), a rich wedge of cream, butter, egg yolks, and bittersweet chocolate from Belgium. Imagine a dark chocolate mousse -- condensed. I think it's the best dessert that I've ever eaten. My companion snuck bites of the chocolate between sips of a wonderful 10-year-old porto ($8.00). Dinner at the Oyster Cabin is a culinary experience you shouldn't miss. Our bill -- $100, not including tax or tip -- was a good investment.


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