New Jersey Restaurant Review
Green Gables Inn and Restaurant
212 Centre Street
Beach Haven, Ocean County, New Jersey
(609) 492-3553
By The Artful Diner
Special to New Jersey Online
4/24/2000
Within the wild and wondrous confines of our culinary cosmos, there are hash slingers aplenty, a veritable gaggle of temperamental artistes, and certainly no shortage of inflated egos... but the number of intellectuals inhabiting our kitchens you may easily tally on the fingers of one hand. Yet Adolfo de'Martino -- proprietor of the Green Gables Inn, a quaint, cozy and altogether charming 6-bedroom Victorian B & B -- is just such a man. He is, at once, true chef and true philosopher. And should you doubt his dedication to either discipline, you need only follow him on his quest each morning at market, engage him in spirited conversation or, better still, sample the ultimate fulfillment of his sagacious daily ruminations... a feast that will inspire the mind as well as exhilarate the palate.
Should you possess a gastronome's sense of high adventure, you will savor the excitement from the moment the reservationist cordially confirms your booking. For he/she will also inquire as to whether you may be allergic to certain comestibles or possess any long-standing foodie phobias. After that, you are in the chef's talented hands, as you will find no printed menus here. Based upon his findings at market that particular morning, Mr. de'Martino will orchestrate either a three-course ($45.00 per person) or a five-course ($75.00 per person) gourmet symphony that is without peer. Each offering is an exquisite revelation, lovingly crafted to both surprise and delight, the individual ingredients carefully explicated by your server as the dish is placed before you.
Yet... there are certain things that remain reassuringly constant. Through his parents, Mr. de'Martino is heir to both the French and Italian traditions; however, you will notice that his cuisine is, as a general rule, more often influenced by the latter rather than the former. And you will also quickly observe that, when it comes to raw ingredients, he will settle for only the creme de la creme. This is especially true in matters piscatorial. A particular finny creature must be at the absolute peak of health in order to find its way into his kitchen. Finally, the chef has a great fondness for lobster, and he will utilize this delightful denizen of the deep in a variety of delicious guises throughout the changing of the seasons.
One never knows how the culinary muses may move the chef with regard to the order of his splendid offerings, but his first and second courses tend to alternate between appetizer and soup. On a recent visit, the first course consisted of three diminutive corn blini adorned with dollops of decadent creme fraiche and crowned with the most outrageously delicious house-cured gravlax it has ever been my pleasure to ingest. These were garnished with shavings of marinated fennel and mace and served on a black octagonal plate for maximum visual effect. On the other hand, should his mood so dictate, Mr. de'Martino may favor buckwheat blini and caviar.
As I have mentioned in several previous reviews, soup is an excellent indicator of a chef's native abilities. If he/she can turn out a perfectly acceptable pottage, this is, indeed, a harbinger of good things to come. And it is here that Mr. de'Martino truly excels. For his presentations are profound in their simplicity, pure of both form and of substance, allowing the exceptionally infused flavors to speak for themselves. You may be treated, for example, to his "Miniature Bouillabaisse," a clear broth tastefully adorned with succulent Prince Edward Island mussels, rock shimp, and tender morsels of tilefish, striped bass and Spanish mackerel. Or, on another occasion, your taste buds will be utterly bewitched by a pristine tomato consomme dotted with a delightful rainbow of diced vegetables and delicately seasoned with Thai oil and lemon grass.
As noted above, the chef has a way with lobster... And if I had to vote for his signature dish in this regard, it would undoubtedly be his highly imaginative Maine "Lobster Club." Slices of toasted brioche are interspersed with tender chunks of lobster, baby greens and tomato, and finished with a kiwi/lemon mayonnaise and splash of cilantro oil. There is just the right amout of acidity in the greens and tomato to nicely contrast with the sweetness of the lobster and brioche. An inspired marriage of both flavors and textures.
A palate-cleansing sorbet -- perhaps tropical fruit, pomegranate, or some other exotic offering -- will prepare you for the main event. On a recent visit it was roasted breast of magret duck. Exquisitely thin, medium-rare slices were artistically fanned out and accompanied by an out-of-this-world Yukon gold potato mousse infused with truffle oil and perfectly seasoned broccoli rape. An intensely flavorful duck essence provided the consummate crowning touch. You may rest assured, however, that the chef is equally skilled with fish, beef or game; whatever he sets his hand to is pure poetry.
And desserts are no exception. On one occasion, a hazelnut and vanilla basket filled with papaya, mango and strawberries and topped with creme anglaise; on another, the chef's own spirited interpretation of a classic mille-feuille; or, most recently, a memorable orange/lemon Bavaroise (Bavarian cream). This latter confection was garnished with candied citron and orange, chocolate shavings, and a positively luscious passion fruit glaze with touches of marjoram.
Mr. de'Martino's wife, Rita, sets the tone in the diminutive dining rooms, and her staff follows suit. You will find the service professional yet warm, properly attentive yet completely unobtrusive. You don't need flash and flourish here; the food is a symphony for the senses, and nothing is allowed to interfere with its lovingly orchestrated movements.
As you enter Green Gables Inn you will discover a brochure on the table awaiting your perusal. "Food as the gods intended," it reads. "Romantic, Unhurried, Uncrowded... Extraordinary." Yes... at last you've found it, the ultimate destination for devotees of amorous dining. So why not extend your tete-a-tete, as many couples elect to do, and spend the night in one of the inn's six attractively appointed guestrooms? Enjoy a walk on the beach and treat yourself to a complimentary breakfast of English scones and other delightful delicacies. This is one experience you will wish to savor.
Cuisine: Creative Continental
Hours: Summer: Lunch: 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. daily; Afternoon Tea: daily until 4:00 p.m.; Dinner: daily seatings at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.; Winter: seatings on Thur, Fri, Sat & Sun; 5-course, 7:00 p.m.; 3-course, 7:30 p.m.; open other nights by request. Always call for hours in the off season.
Credit Cards: All major
Attire: Casual
Smoking: Separate nonsmoking section
Reservations: Mandatory for dinner
Parking: Ample street parking
Alcohol: BYOB
Price: Prix-fixe: five courses, $75.00 per person; three courses, $45.00 per person
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Website: www.gableslbi.com
