6.28.2001
OLYMPIA TEA ROOM
Three by the sea
Restaurants in Stonington, Watch Hill

By MERIDITH FORD
Journal Restaurant Reviewer

Town & Country magazine called Watch Hill ``something of a Brigadoon,'' the mythic hamlet that awakens only once a century. Actually, this tiny oceanfront gem awakens once a year -- in the summer -- and the Olympia Tea Room is a main attraction.

Like the town itself, the restaurant looks like a throwback to another era, with a white-and-black checkered floor and high-backed wooden booths. The waitresses wear black uniforms with white aprons a la Hazel. Outside, black ice cream parlor tables and chairs are flanked with pretty pots of petunias. The only thing that smacks of anything modern is the adventurous menu and the exotic paintings of watermelon and alligators.

The menu does have less adventurous offerings, such as fried scallops, fish and chips and steamers, but what piqued my interest were the items that veered from the ordinary (although I admit when I saw a huge plate of fish and chips go by my table, I almost changed my mind).

One was a dish of soft shell crab (at the peak of season right now) over wild greens. Here is one of nature's perfect creatures: Tender and meaty, yet ever so slightly crunchy around the edges, made even more delectable by a honey-almond sauce enhanced with a tinge of lemon.

But I'm getting ahead of myself (soft shell crabs can do that), because I started with appetizers of crab-and-avocado and grilled pizza. An ethereally light salad made of fresh crab meat and sliced avocados, and perked up with scallions, the dish was attractively served in a martini glass. The thin-crust pizza came with melted gorgonzola, spinach and tomatoes and, while good, needed salt.

Another entree of grilled shrimp, tomatoes and feta cheese was so completely satisfying that I vowed to try and duplicate it later that week at home. What could be simpler than tender grilled shrimp tossed in olive oil with fresh tomatoes and the ripe, pungent taste of feta? It was like taking a bite of summer, especially with the view of the Narragansett Bay looming in the distance. (My attempted duplicate, incidentally, turned into something completely different.)

One of the best things about the Olympia Tea Room are the homespun desserts. I had heard of the signature item, a cream-puff swan filled with ice cream and placed as if swimming in a sea of fudge sauce. Frankly, I've seen my share of cream puff swans, so I was more tempted by a lemon ricotta cake.

It was dense and moist with just a slight sponginess, and filled with sweet lemon flavor. Topped with lightly whipped dollops of sweetened mascarpone, it was scrumptious with the strong coffee our attentive waiter freshly brewed just for us.

My eye drifted toward several other treats, including raspberry bread pudding and Key Lime pie, but ultimately a piece of soft gingerbread cake soaked in rum, topped with smooth vanilla ice cream, toasted pecans, whipped cream and drizzled with rich butterscotch sauce won out.

The menu offers a wide variety of selections, from pasta to meal-sized salads to steak to cassoulet. Appetizers, salads and sandwiches are $4.50 to $11.95. Entrees are $10.50 to $21.95. Desserts are $4.50 to $6. The wine list is extensive, with bottles from $21 to $300. There are between 12 to 18 by-the-glass selections.

The decor at Olympia Tea Room may evoke a bygone era, but the food keeps pace with today's tastes, and offers a few innovations of its own.

Olympia Tea Room, 74 Bay St., Watch Hill. 348-8211. Casual. Reservations accepted for 5 or more. Smoking in outside cafe only. Not wheelchair accessible. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. V, MC, AM. Parking available in nearby municipal and pay lots. No highchairs. $$$.