Five Star Disappointment

Note: A more recent White Barn Inn Review is available.

I had been anticipating dinner out at the White Barn Inn for weeks. The White Barn is the only AAA Five Diamond, Mobil Five Star restaurant north of New York City. We have been there a couple of times before, the most recent visit was 4+ years ago.

We waited so long to return primarily because we found the service overly-intrusive. As an example, we were there for my husband's birthday - in January - one of only a couple of tables occupied at the restaurant. Known for their white glove service, they were staffed for a full house. Thus, we literally had five waitstaff standing behind my husband's chair the entire meal. We couldn't make a move without someone rushing over to see if we needed something.

On our visit last evening, they were a bit busier so the service seemed more appropriate. And, likely we have become more accustomed to a higher level of service given our travels to some of the finest restaurants in the country.

But we were compelled to return because as self-described, "serious foodies," we feel it is our duty to have opinions on restaurants, particularly those with excellent reputations in our own backyard.

So we settled for 6pm reservations (much, much earlier than I prefer to dine). Seatings this time of year are at 6, 6:30 or 9. 6:30 reservations are booked by the hotel guests months in advance, leaving the locals to dine with the early birds, or risk a terrible night's sleep by not being able to digest a meal finished at 11pm.

Parking is valet. It was raining and two members of White Barn staff met us at the car and escorted us under umbrellas to the door of the restaurant. We were greeted and shown to our table in a beautiful restored barn, complete with wide pine floors that were also used as ceiling panels in the candle-lit filled room. The focal point was an extraordinary garden behind a giant plate-glass window. The garden appeared to go from floor to ceiling because of the tiering they had done with the landscape. It was lit beautifully and was such a nice backdrop to view while dining.

Cocktail orders were taken and we were given time to peruse the menu. The menu is prix-fix, four courses for $93pp. A wine pairing is offered for an additional $45. As stated in previous reviews, I always opt for the food/wine pairing if one is offered as the right wine can completely change and enhance the taste of the food. When you are shelling out money for a dinner at the White Barn Inn, why not make it the best meal it can possibly be?

Unfortunately, as we learned throughout the evening, the wines by the glass that are available for the pairing price are extremely limited. There seemed to be a single white and a single red in the "correct" price point. Our waiter offered tastes of each wine before pouring a full glass, but there were several we did not care for and asked for other options. Clearly this is not done as a matter of course at the White Barn because we completely flustered the waiter. That's when he explained that he would have to charge us an additional fee if we wanted to "upgrade" the wine - which was fine with us except that by the time he obtained permission to upgrade us on the first wine, and brought another bottle to the table, we were half-way through our first course. Timing was not well executed. The wine should have been brought in advance of the courses they were paired with to avoid such situations.

My husband started with the Vanilla Bean Roasted Local Scallops on Rhubarb Compote, with Maple Glazed Garlic and Champagne Sauce. I am highly allergic to scallops and thus did not taste this course, but he was less than impressed. To him it did not seem very creative, but then again, I cook fish using vanilla bean to enahce the flavor at home, so to him it tasted rather ordinary. The scallops were paired with Champagne. After trying the Domaine Carneros champagne and asking for the "upgrade" my husband finally was served Veuve Clicquot.

I ordered the Tartare and Olive Oil Poached Local Yellow fin Tuna with Capers, Smoked Almonds and Tomato Gelée. The tuna was excellent, prepared both as a tartar and along side that, a piece of smoked tuna. The tuna was paired with a light and citrusy Riesling - not sweet at all. It was good, but did not at all enhance the taste of the appetizer.

A bread steward gave us our choice of bread slices, rolls and mini baguettes, which were accompanied by olive oil and butter that were left at the table. The olive oil lacked taste. I had to soak my bread in it for several minutes before I could even begin to taste it. Again, we are probably spoiled, as I buy an amazing olive oil for use at home, Laudemio extra virgin olive oil made in Firenze, Italia. I have not ever found a better olive oil. Try it.

For the Intermezzo (where no wine was paired), my husband hit the jackpot with the most amazing White Tomato Soup with Basil Dumpling. Basis leaves were sliced into fine strips and curled up into little balls and dropped in a white tomato broth that had been thickened with cheese. It was incredibly smooth and likely benefited from several trips through a chinois.

My Goat’s Cheese Mousse with a Hickory Chip was good, but lacked something. It would have been better accompanied by thinly sliced croutons to smear the mousse on and add some crunch and substance to the dish.

My husband's Seared Local Halibut Filet with Saffron Potato Purée,Fennel, Crispy Fried Calamari and Tomato Chardonnay Sauce arrived dry as a bone. Fresh, local halibut needs only a moment in the pan. This piece of fish clearly had spent too much time under a warming tray. My husband flagged down the waiter (where was the team of attentive waitstaff?) and he quickly took it back to the kitchen returning with a lemon ginger sorbet from the intermezzo menu to tide us both over.

The waiter returned with a fresh entree for my husband - the thickest cut of halibut I have ever seen. It was juicy and delicious, the way halibut should be. The tomato chardonnay sauce was overly-pasty; the dish would have benefited from a less reduced sauce in my opinion. The potato pursee was actually a froth that covered much of the fish.

I struck gold with my Steamed Maine Lobster Nestled on a Bed of Homemade Fettuccine with Carrot, Ginger, Snow Peas and a Cognac Coral Butter Sauce. Though they took it back to the kitchen to warm while my husband's entree was being re-done, it was still delicious upon its return to the table. The lobster was presented outside the shell, but in the shape of an actual lobster, laid carefully the pasta and vegetables. The head and tail of the lobster were set at each end for visual appeal. All of the wonderful lobster meat without any of the work! The lobster was covered in a Cognac butter sauce that was pasty and thick, but delicious. The meal was very heavy; I was unable to finish. But the entree was very good.

Both entrees were eventually served (after we sent the original pairings back) with a Domaine Carneros 2005 Pinot Noir.

We both could have finished the meal then, but alas, there was a fourth course. The Blackberry Soufflé with Passion fruit Sorbet and Vanilla Bean Sauce for me and the Molten Chocolate Cake with Pistachio Ice Cream and Raspberry coulis for my husband. I requested (forget the pairings!!) the Jackson Triggs Vidal Icewine Proprietors’ Reserve 2005 and the Peter Lehmann, Botrytis Semillon, Barossa Valley 2002 for our dessert wine pairings.

Overall, we were disappointed with the dining experience at the White Barn. The food lacked the creativity we seek, the wines available for the pairing were limited; the timing of the wine and food delivery was not well executed. And nothing was done about the issue with my husband's entree...at least comp a glass of wine (!!). These are things you expect when paying $425 for dinner...

For us, the memory of the things that were off will fade and we likely will return in four or five years, not remembering why it has been so long. In the meantime, give me Five Fifty Five or Alinea and I will be happy. For those of you vising Kennebunk and want a good meal, the White Barn is likely the best food you will find in the local area. However, if you are visiting Portland or other areas in Maine, there are far better dining experiences.