Castle Hill Inn Rolls Out New Summer Menus
Monday, June 18, 2012
Gourmet cuisine featuring local and organic fare, and oh yes, on those legendary lawns: Castle Hill Inn's summer menus. Photo: Castle Hill Inn.
The storied Relais & Chateaux property's Executive Chef Karsten Hart will present four different tasting menus for the summer as well as a Lawn Menu. It may mean staying the summer down there, or just planning weekly visits to try everything.
Lawn Menu
“Nothing says summer like sipping a cold cocktail in an Adirondack chair on The Lawn at Castle Hill,” said Daniel Braun, General Manager. “While nothing compares to the view, Chef Hart’s Lawn menu is a perfect pairing to the ocean breezes and crisp white sails against a clear blue sky.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe Lawn experience with a selection of house made cocktails, including Blueberry Lemonade: fresh blueberries, fresh lemon, St. Germain liqueur, blueberry vodka, Double Cross vodka, and lemonade; a pitcher of The Lawn Sangria: wine, orange liqueur, orange juice, fresh fruits, and sugarcane syrup; Cucumber Collins: New Amsterdam gin, cucumber puree, lemon juice, and soda water; or Castle Hill’s signature Oyster Martini: Three Olives tomato vodka, clamato juice, cilantro, fresh lime, sambal chili pepper, sugarcane syrup, and a native oyster.
The Lawn menu begins with a variety of Raw Bar, including native littleneck clams, native oysters, and white shrimp cocktail; Crab Cake with fire roasted tomato vinaigrette, avocado mousse, ancho aioli, Jonah crab, and cilantro; pan roasted Georges Bank Scallops with local corn puree, haricot vert, and charred jalapeño marinade; and house made Smoked Kielbasa with grilled onions, sauerkraut, and caraway mustard.
Salads include Native Field Greens with roasted shallot-oloroso sherry vinaigrette, compressed watermelon, and feta cheese; the Castle Hill Cobb with avocado, bacon, egg, chicken confit, and tomato raisins; and a Shrimp Caesar with grilled shrimp, romaine, anchovies, Parmesan, and black pepper croutons; while sandwiches feature a Maine Lobster Roll with tarragon-crème fraiche dressing, red cabbage slaw and shallot onion rings on a butter toasted bun; the Rhode Island Muffaletta: house-made mortadella, capicola ham, olive relish, provolone cheese, and tomato-cucumber salad; and the Surf ‘N’ Turf Burger topped with Maine lobster and served with house made fries.
Castle Hill’s entrée selections for the Lawn include grilled Native Swordfish with sweet corn, tomato, quinoa, arugula, and smoked tomato cioppino; Chicken Schnitzel: breaded chicken cutlet, lemon juice, mustard, German potato salad, tomatoes, and cucumbers; and Chef Karsten’s signature New England Lobster Boil: Maine lobster, littleneck clams, corn, chourico, smoked seaweed broth, and butter.
Prix Fixe
Executive Chef Karsten Hart has prepared four variations for his new seasonal tasting menus: Three-Course Menu, Five-Course Tasting Menu, Eight-Course Degustation Menu, or à la carte. The new menus feature the best in local and organic produce, fresh seafood, and prime cuts of meat. Prix Fixe menus are available during dinner only; dishes are also available à la carte.
Castle Hill’s Three-Course Menu begins with a selection of first courses, including cinnamon-braised House Made Charcuterie: kabanosy, foie gras terrine, mortadella, green apple mustard, and pickles; Baby Farms Field Lettuce with roasted shallot-oloroso sherry vinaigrette, shaved spring vegetables, and manchego breadstick; and pan-seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with pinot noir cake, green grapes, foie gras ice cream, and vincotto.
Main courses include herb-roasted Elysian Farms Lamb with merguez sausage, falafel, spring bean ragout, and lucques olives; butter-poached and seared Maine Lobster with panisse croutons, chick peas, and curry emulsion; and a grilled Filet of Hereford Beef with caramelized onion tart, spring garlic soubise, roasted carrot, and beef jus.
Guests may also choose from Castle Hill’s house-made seasonal desserts, including Coconut Phyllo with ganache, caramel mousse, and lemon sherbet; Sacher Torte with bittersweet chocolate chiffon, apricot preserves, and roasted white chocolate ice cream; and Crème Brulee with vanilla and Meyer lemon custard, poppy seed cake, and blueberry coulis. The three-course Tasting Menu is priced at $75.00 per person or $105.00 with wine parings; tax and gratuity are additional.
Guests who wish to indulge in the chef’s Five-course Tasting Menu will begin their experience with pan-roasted Georges Bank Scallops with spring peas, maitake mushrooms, golden potato, and tarragon. The second course features Spring Pea Soup with rabbit rillettes, prosciutto, and potato-parmesan relish; followed by applewood-smoked Confit of Wild Boar with a yakitori glaze, candied citrus, and shaved radish.
The third course features a choice of entrees, including a Duet of Rohan Duck: slow-cooked breast, confit roulade, foie gras, gooseberries, and carrot-marjoram emulsion; a grilled Filet of Hereford Beef with caramelized onion spring tart, spring garlic soubise, roasted carrot, and beef jus; pan-seared Native Fluke with bouillabaisse, lobster “sausage,” confit potato, and braised leeks; and grilled Lemon Salted Swordfish Fillet with smoked piperade emulsion, red pearl onions, and mache. Dinner concludes with a Belgian Chocolate Soufflé with a peanut butter macaroon. The five-course Tasting Menu is priced at $95.00 per person or $145.00 per person with wine pairings; tax and gratuity are additional.
For guests with an appetite for the truly sublime, the Eight-course Degustation Menu features an array of local and organic offerings expertly chosen to complement the entire experience. The first course features Chilled Spring Pea Soup with horseradish sorbet, prosciutto, and celery, followed by pan-seared Georges Bank Scallops with compressed melon, chiles, curry emulsion, and cilantro. The third course features Grilled Swordfish with lemon salt, smoked piperade, and mache, followed by Surf & Turf: Maine lobster, foie gras, quinoa, and carrot-marjoram emulsion. The fifth course is applewood smoked Confit of Wild Boar with shaved radish and candied citrus, followed by Elysian Fields Lamb with spring bean ragout and fava-olive oil sauce. A cheese course featuring Boucherondin, a semi-firm goat’s milk cheese, served with anise crisp and Greenview Farms arugula will lead into the dessert course: Belgian Chocolate Soufflé with a peanut butter macaroon. The eight-course Degustation Menu is priced at $118.00 per person or $183.00 per person with appropriate wine pairings, tax and gratuity are additional.
Castle Hill is open for dinner from 5:45 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5:45 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Lunch is served daily from 12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. The Lawn at Castle Hill is available daily in the summer from 11:30 a.m. – sunset. Brunch is served Sundays from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and is accompanied by live jazz. Castle Hill Inn, 590 Ocean Dr, Newport. 1-888-466-1355.
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