Weekapaug Inn Launches New Menu by Executive Chef Gerardo Viejo

My favorite places in Rhode Island are the ones that started as surprises: you turn a corner and are suddenly met with something wonderful and unexpected. This is how a jaunt exploring Misquamicut’s beachy Atlantic Avenue led me to the rugged Weekapaug Breachway, and a couple of turns later, to the Weekapaug Inn, a cedar-shingled resort nestled in flora with a sweeping back lawn that leads to the Quonochontaug salt pond. During the warmer months, you are likely to see the inn’s Quonnie Queen glide by, an electric motor yacht with a jaunty green scalloped canopy. That’s the property in a nutshell – playfully luxe meets LL Bean.

I’m a daytripper with a reservation to experience a newly launched concept at The Restaurant, Weekapaug’s indoor dining room. Like the place as a whole, the space is a mix of elegant (linen napkins, warm lighting) and casual (natural fibers, plump pillows on chairs). In addition to new dishes, the menu now offers patrons a singular fluid menu: what they want, where they want it. General Manager Dan Abrashoff tells me, “Some people want a burger in The Restaurant, and some of our guests want fine dining on the deck. Now it’s the same menu.”

But that’s not all that’s changed. As I peruse the listings on branded parchment fastened to a wooden clipboard, a modern format is revealed. There are five sections, sans headers, starting with raw bar options, first courses, handmade pastas, vegetables, and entrées, all engineered by Executive Chef Gerardo Viejo, a Johnson & Wales University alum. Even with myriad choices in recognizable categories, ordering isn’t easy, only because everything sounds oh-so hyper-seasonal and delicious. As my eyes dart from the list to my window’s view of lush green grass and bright blue skies, Viejo stops by. He exudes a palpable joy as he explains his enthusiasm for introducing diners to lesser-known species and sustainable ingredients, while incorporating harvests – including clippings from the Chef’s Garden just steps away – into sources and dishes.

My dinner begins with hunks of naturally leavened bread from Nana’s Westerly (one of many local nods), served on a wood slab alongside a dainty filled butter bell topped with sea salt, and my spirit-free cranberry bog cocktail – a refreshing drink made fanciful with cranberries skewered on a bamboo pick. Ready to order, I landed on seabass carpaccio for my first course, and blistered green beans and black sea bass cured with kombu (an edible kelp) for my main course. Viejo assures I’ve made excellent choices. “We wanted to create a format that gives guests the freedom to explore the menu in their own way while showcasing the precision, seasonality, and coastal character that inspire our kitchen every day,” he says.

The sea bass carpaccio is an inventive flat-lay composition of thinly sliced pink fish, verdant bits of sea asparagus (an aquatic succulent), and pools of yellow lemon oil and transparent citrusy ponzu sauce. Tangy and vibrant, it clearly exemplifies Viejo’s mission to introduce diners to new tastes. The sea bass adventure continues when my entree arrives. My delightful server ceremoniously pours a golden carrot butter sauce over the fileted fish (head removed) and leaves the remainder for me in a small pitcher with a grilled half-lemon; the combination coalesces into one of the tastiest seafood dishes I’ve ever had. Delicate and sweet, buttery and fresh, it comes with a ramekin of miso carrot nage, which complemented both the fish and blistered green beans; wavy garlic chips piled high over the vegetables added bite

I’m a simple gal when it comes to dessert and have been disappointed by sugary constructs posing as treats, but when Viejo described the strawberry lychee n’ cream created by Pastry Chef de Partie Erin Breton, I was sold. As pretty as it was scrumptious, it featured a trio of strawberry panna cotta rosebuds with strawberry lychee compote filling, dollops of chantilly, and lemon-almond crumble filling negative space, all on a bright green of lychee gel, embellished with small lychee candies shaped like daisies.

Over the course of my courses, I felt worlds away. Beautiful surroundings, outstanding service, and new flavors enhancing old favorites. Discover for yourself!

The Restaurant at Weekapaug Inn

25 Spray Rock Road, Westerly

Dining Services: 401-637-7600

WeekapaugInn.com