October 25, 2001
TURTLE SOUP
In Narragansett, a very pleasant evening out


By MERIDITH FORD
Journal Restaurant Reviewer

NARRAGANSETT -- Rarely am I reminded of my schoolgirl crush on singer Cat Stevens when dining out. Maybe if he's playing in the background.

But the waiter at Turtle Soup had me humming Peace Train. He had an uncanny resemblance to the '70s singer, and it flavored, if you will, my evening. Between the mussels zuppa and the ravioli, I kept humming Moonshadow -- fitting, since the dining room looks out over the moonlit ocean that's just across the street.

But my first impression of Turtle Soup was a little more like Wild World. The parking lot was suspiciously empty, yet the dining room looked full, and people were obviously waiting for tables.

That's when I discovered from a conspicuously placed sign that you can only park in the lot if you are a guest of the Ocean Rose Inn, the lovely Victorian-style spot that houses the restaurant. So I had to go back out to move the car across the street.

This, after I had already spent 10 minutes getting my name on the waiting list (the hostess appeared to have a problem with her attention span).

Warm, cozy, comfortable

Once settled in the bar, though, I was warm, cozy and comfortable. The dark tongue-and-groove ceiling and wainscoating give the bar and dining room a seaworthy feel, like a ship's cabin. A love of the sea is reflected in the menu as well -- there are many seafood offerings. But the menu encompasses landlubbing dalliances as well, including an eclectic mix of salads, pizzas, chicken and beef dishes.

Sitting at the bar sipping wine, we waited nearly an hour for a table (the restaurant doesn't take reservations). While waiting, we browsed the menu; not only did most of the dishes sound enticing, there were funny menu notes to go with most of them, often as an explanation as to what something was.

For example, the ginger-pineapple chow-chow served with a pistachio-encrusted catfish was described as ``a Southern thing -- ask the chef.'' The ``turtle'' salad's description (it's like a house salad) is quick to point out that no turtles were harmed in its creation.

It was ``mussels zuppa dooo'' that whetted my appetite, though. Eaten with enormous slices of soft, doughy bread, this dish was made with a tomato broth that was worth its ordering, even without the mussels, which were tender and soaked with fresh sea flavor. Tomatoes, herbs and olive oil -- when combined as they were here -- have a clarity of taste that reminds me of how simple life can be.

Veering off into Asian food, potstickers -- the soft Chinese dumplings -- were only marginally successful. The dumplings were lackluster, lifted only by the spry zest of a fiery Thai dipping sauce.

But the tomato-and-herb medley prevailed in one of the evening's specials as well -- this time with large provolone-filled ravioli. Chopped black olives and capers gave a salty finish to this peasant dish.

Absolutely decadent lobster

I rarely order lobster, not because I don't like it, but because it usually causes such a commotion at the table trying to eat it. But a succulent butterflied lobster was absolutely decadent drenched in butter, garlic and lemon -- and had been prepared so that it was easy to dismantle, as far as lobsters go. It still made a big fat mess all over the table, but boy, did it taste good.

As far as our Cat Stevens look-alike: An exceptional waiter, schoolgirl crushes aside. Prompt, courteous -- very well-versed in the menu as well as how things were prepared. His only problem was in dealing with the mess my lobster made, since even after he cleared the table there was still a considerable amount of lobster litter. It became a little like the lobster version of The Emperor's New Clothes -- no one, including me, wanted to admit that we actually knew it was there.

Although desserts are not made at Turtle Soup, the results -- mostly an array of pies -- were still very satisfying. We opted for a slice of pecan and a mile-high slice of cheesecake.

The pie was a little more like a tart than a pie -- it had a buttery, flaky sweet dough for a crust and was rich with custard pecan flavor. The cheesecake was smooth and velvety, with a sweet tanginess that makes a cheesecake, well -- a cheesecake.

There is a moderate wine list, with several California varietals, with bottles ranging from $15 to $57. Appetizers, soups, small pizzas and salads are $2.50 to $8; entrees are $11 to $18. There is a sandwich menu, with burgers and club sandwiches with items at $5.25 to $7. Dessert selections vary and are $4 to $6.25.

Between the lobster and Cat Stevens, Turtle Soup made for a very pleasant evening out. Not only was the food good, it made me want to go home and dig out my copy of Teaser and the Firecat. I doubt I'll listen to Cat Stevens in quite the same way again.

Turtle Soup, 113 Ocean Rd., Narragansett, 792-8683. Casual. No reservations. Wheelchair accessible. Smoking in bar area only. Open Tue-Fri 4 to 10 p.m., Sat-Sun noon to 10 p.m. V, MC, AM. On-street parking. No highchairs or booster seats. $$.