IT'S ALL FARE: Dinner On Nantucket

I was fortunate this past week in that I spent a few days on Nantucket with my friend Sarah and her welcoming family. It was my first trip to the island and I instantly fell in love with it's quaint charm. After the sun set and I was able to drag myself away from it's attractive beaches, I found that Nantucket is dotted with a multitude of restaurants serving fresh, local fare and other culinary delights. The only worry to manifest itself on this particular trip was deciding which restaurants would provide the true Nantucket experience...luckily Sarah's family frequents the island and made dinner reservations at several stellar restaurants.

THE SEAGRILLE RESTAURANT (www.theseagrille.com)

The Seagrille Restaurant, located approximately one mile from Main Street, provides a cozy atmosphere and a menu replete with seafood and pastas. The restaurant's owner E.J. Harvey gained notoriety for his creamy, clam packed Island Quahog Chowder. Served in a Nantucket chowder cup and topped with crunchy oyster crackers, the chowder grabbed the attention of media mogul Martha Stewart and was subsequently featured on the Martha Stewart Show. A chowder centric appetizer was a must, and after weighing my options for the main course I settled on the housemade gnocchi and lobster saute. Large chunks of succulent lobster meat and melt-in-your mouth potato dumplings are perfectly accompanied by seasonal asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peas. I was thrilled with my choices, and happy that my generous dining companions were willing to share a taste of their meals.

E.J. Harvey uses 20 quahogs per gallon of soup for his Island Quahog Chowder

Rich housemade gnocchi and lobster saute

Nantucket Bouillabaisse is packed with locally caught lobster, seasonal scallops, clams, mussels and swordfish

Macademia nut crusted halibut is given Asian flare with thai-style coconut basil sauce

The dinner was completed by polishing off an airy raspberry chocolate mousse

QUEEQUEG'S (www.queequegsnantucket.com)

Call me Ishmael. John Keane and Caroline Montgomery, owners of Queequeg's, named their restaurant after a character from Herman Melville's 1851 masterpiece, Moby Dick. While the novel offers complex themes and symbolism, the restaurant, located in the heart of downtown Nantucket, offers a simple bistro setting with a somewhat lacking menu. There are more appetizers in number than there are entrees, and the starters are straightforward dishes such as mussels and tuna tartare. My watermelon, tomato and feta salad was fresh and light, but as long as watermelon and tomatoes are in season this dish will rarely fail, no matter who prepared it. The daily catch, in this case sea bass, was cooked well but underseasoned and disastrously placed atop an unattractive, rubbery chickpea polenta cake. The bread alone may save Queequeg's, and the calming atmosphere and killer soundtrack playing throughout our meal (the chef's own ipod) almost made up for my bland meal...well maybe not almost. To be fair, I will mention that tastes are subjective and my dinner dates (whom I thank tremendously for putting up with my constant picture taking) enjoyed their braised short ribs and fettucine with clam sauce.

A watermelon, tomato and feta salad is a colorful dish, but difficult to mess up

Romaine salad with roasted cherry tomatoes and shaved parmesan cheese

Skillet roasted PEI mussels served with a large piece of grilled bread

Simple tuna tartare

A messy presentation- english peas/puree, a chickpea polenta cake, sea bass, shaved fennel and grapefruit wedges

A favorite in our group- braised beef short rib with roasted parsnip puree

Housemade fettucine with clams, garlic, chervil puree and shaved pecorino

LO LA 41° (www.lola41.net)

Lo La 41° specializes in cuisine from the regions through which latitude 41° North passes. With a menu that is dominated by seafood dishes and sushi rolls, the restaurant seems to be Nantucket's venue to see and be seen. The staple Nantucket reds appear to have been left behind and replaced with chic dresses and stilettos. While it is not the most mellow scene, the food is solid. The Boston Globe called Lo La 41°'s Black Angus sirloin burger (with cabot cheddar cheese, red onion compote, and foie gras dipping sauce) "the best on the island if not the planet". No one in my party tasted the burger. Instead, we opted for the restaurant's appropriately named specialty rolls (ex: the Tasty roll- Alaskan king crab, cucumber and tempura fried scallion topped with tuna, ripe mango and ponzu- is very tasty indeed), duck legs, and a tuna burger with a side of crispy, crunchy truffle fries.

Spicy tuna roll (pic taken right after I spilled soy sauce all over- which I blame on the swanky mood lighting)