Home Lifestyles Food and Wine ROOM WITH A VIEW: AND A GREAT ONE IT IS

ROOM WITH A VIEW: AND A GREAT ONE IT IS

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Ambiance: *****
Food: *****
Service: ***
Value: ****
Room with a View
Bluebeard's Castle Hotel. Mon.-Sat. Dinner 5-10 p.m. Light fare 10
p.m.-1 a.m. at wine bar. $$$. Cards: MC, Visa, AX, Discover.
774-2377, 774-1600 Ext. 340
This is fine dining in a bistro atmosphere. The restaurant is the northwest corner of the main Bluebead's Castle Hotel building. It has an unparalleled view down the waterfront of Charlotte Amalie framed by two classic windows.
The good news is that the room is small and most diners can enjoy the view. The other news is the room is small and packed with seats, which makes dining a noisy and public affair. The bottom line is the food is excellent although pricey.
The wine list had some excellent suggestions, including my favorite, Zaca Mesa Winery. Unfortunately it was the Chardonnay, while I prefer the Syrah. My last bottle of 1979 is nested next to my Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon '79. What a great year for California.
I had the combo of filet mignon and lobster thermidor. The entree came with a dinner salad, which consisted of a smattering of greens and a marvelous dressing. I would have loved to simply eat salad, but as an appetizer, it was adequate.
The filet was covered with a peppercorn sauce. Now, I guess black peppercorns have an appeal to someone, but I don't know whom. Madagascar green peppercorns are simply so good and really set off the palate that I don't understand why anyone would use the overpowering black peppercorns. The sauce was good, and with the Madagascar peppers it would have been superb.
The lobster thermidor was just right to me at the time. The sauce was light and the lobster most tender. One might spend all night arguing heavy cream sauce vs. a thickened egg white base vs. the light sauce. The Room With a View sauce complemented the dish very well.
The side dishes included a stuffed potato and a nice collection of cauliflower and broccoli. The veggies were still crunchy and the potato husk one could cut with a fork – although a knife was easier. While the vegetables and potato were spiced well and stood on their own merit, they also mixed very well with the filet and lobster.
Dessert at Room With a View can be a most pleasant experience. Yes, there are the obligatory cheesy or mock cheesy cakes, and chiffon pie. The banana, mango and cherry jubilees, however, made my meal. Three generous helpings of good vanilla ice cream, covered with the flamed chosen fruit mixture. I tasted both the cherry and mango and found both extremely good. The cherry was made with fresh cherries, while I personally prefer the canned Queen Anne's; but the bottom line was five-star. Yum!
The restrooms are adequate and well-stocked. While only one water line works, it produces a pleasantly warm mix. The facility is small, however, creating a problem for excessively large people and needing constant care to keep it clean.
The service was very good initially. Then the pace of activity increased to the point that some of the food was removed before everyone in our party was finished eating. During the dessert, the plates were removed ASAP and the table cleaned with soap solution as each patron's place was cleared. It seems there was a large party waiting seating and our table was part of the setup.
Now, none of us is hard to get along with and we all appreciate the challenges of operating an eating establishment. A word to us concerning the problem would have brought an instant willingness to relocate for dessert. The offer of an after-dinner drink at the bar or another table would have been a nice gesture and brought praise from our group. As it was, we got the bum's rush. Not nice, people!
In summary, the Room With a View has a superb view and a most convivial atmosphere. The food is very well-prepared and the portions adequate. The wine list has some excellent choices and the desserts and after-dinner drinks varied and excellent. The prices are a bit much and one leaves feeling like a commodity.
Editors' note: The Tottering Taster is a senior citizen dedicated to enjoying good food. He will dine in one local establishment a week and bring you a totally unsolicited assessment biased in favor of an ultimate experience. We are using a pseudonym so that restaurateurs will not be able to identify the reviewer and try to influence the review.

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