FOOD
eXplOre LOCaL CUISINE by Stacie Charbonneau Hess
The weather’s getting nicer, so pull off that high-speed highway and take a ride along a rural South Coast road. discover some of dining treasures that are located off the beaten path, as they say. These are worth taking the “road less traveled,” as Robert Frost would suggest. Westporter There are people who do things for the money, and there are people who do things for love. Janice dey, chef/owner of the Westporter, has loving intentions indeed. although the Westporter has been open for over a decade, Janice has never advertised. “It’s all been word of mouth,” she says. She likes it that way, neighbor telling neighbor telling neighbor. Still, many Friday and Saturday evenings (the only evenings the restaurant is open for dinner in the spring), every seat in the warm, fire-placed room is filled. Reservations are recommended, but often locals will call an hour or so before they arrive to see if there are seats available. When there is a seat, a South Coast diner can be assured of this: the finest, most organic, localas-possible food will be served. Janice and the Westporter were “green” and “sustainable” long 40 38
before the terms came into fashion. She chooses the best local scallops and oysters, and serves Westport-grown salad greens, for example. I think of the Berkeley, California restaurant, Chez Panisse. This restaurant has become famous by preparing dishes using whatever is most fresh and available. dey shares Chez Panisse’s “seasonal” philosophy. To reach the Westporter, at 1031 Main Road, go on Main Road past Hixbridge Road, keep going and look for the white house on the right. Park in the dirt driveway, and welcome to South Coast foodie paradise. Catering available, too. Their phone is 508-636-9000.
Bayside The Bayside restaurant is so far off the beaten path it’s almost ridiculous. But when the name is mentioned to anyone who remotely considers him or herself a foodie, eyes light up. “The
May May 2009 2009 // The The South South Coast Coast Insider Insider
Baysiiiide…” the foodie says, eyes looking off, as if the name itself conjures up images of steamed mussels and seafood freshly plucked from the sea. another Westport gem, the Bayside is actually a lot easier to find if you just get a map and look for allen’s Pond. It’s right across the street from this lovely bit of New England coastline. and like the Westporter, Bayside chooses locally grown, organic foods as part of its modus operandi, and not just because it’s fashionable now. The Bayside is tiny, and looks more like a little truck stop (albeit a truck stop along the ocean’s edge) than the culinary wonder it seems to be. Besides great food, the Bayside has made a commitment to the environment and local businesses. “you won’t find Budweiser,” says manager Cat, “No Coors. We have a great brewery down the street, and a great winery around the corner.” The Bayside was the state’s first certified “Green” restaurant, too, an example many others have followed since then. “We were the first, but now there are more, and that’s a good thing,” says Cat. She jokes that although the Bayside is a small restaurant, they appear to be world famous. There are online reviews from all over the United States, and when her father, Bob, goes on vacation in