The great Saturday night squall has passed and it’s a beautiful Sunday morning. As much as we like our room at the Harbor Hotel, we were trapped there by the weather, essentially. But now it’s Sunday, the skies are clear, the waters are calm and we’re hungry! Time for brunch! Time to go to The Red Inn!
Built in 1805 and tucked away on a quiet end of Commercial Street about a mile away from the center of town, this picturesque waterfront inn is known for its old-world ambience, stunning harbor views, beautifully appointed rooms and unsurpassed fine dining. Grab a table in The Red Inn’s comfortable, rustic dining room and have a wonderful lunch or dinner while looking out on Provincetown Harbor and Cape Cod Bay. But on Sundays, you have to experience their Jazz Brunch!
We arrived at The Red Inn about 12:30 pm and as it was the last Jazz Brunch of the season, there was already quite a crowd – both locals
and visitors alike. As we were escorted to our table, we passed a nook across from the bar where the Bert Jackson Quartet were already in full swing. The BJQ, as they’re known, are year-round Cape Codders, who play a mix of jazz standards, swing and Bossa favorites, blues
and original compositions. We had a table by the window just feet from the water as we perused our menus. Scott started with a cup of their excellent coffee, but I decided on a cocktail: the Red One Hundred – a mix of ruby red vodka, grapefruit juice and a splash of cranberry juice. Served straight up in a martini glass, its sweetness was tempered by a pleasing hint of bitterness from the grapefruit. A nice start to brunch!
We chose to split an appetizer and selected the Creole Pâté – a light, chicken liver mousse served with toasted baguette chips, a creamy whole grain mustard and pickled red onions as accompaniments. Seemingly an elevated version of chopped liver, the pâté itself was whipped to a lovely airy consistency,
with just a hint of spice to bolster its flavor. The mustard added a tangy zip, and the onions provided a delicious hit of acidity to offset the liver’s richness.
As we waited for our brunch entrées, we enjoyed the music from the BJQ. A combo made up of Bert Jackson on guitar, Paul Lesniak on tenor and soprano sax, Kareem Sanjaghi on drums and Roe Osborn on bass, they favored the diners with classics like “Fly Me To The Moon,” “Tangerine,” “This Masquerade” and “The Girl From Ipanema,” sung with the Portuguese lyric. Their music was just the right background for this wonderful brunch – played beautifully, while their dynamics never overpowered the room.
Our main courses arrived. I had ordered the Shrimp & Grits – creamy, buttery grits topped with beautifully cooked shrimp in a tomato based sauce. The texture of the grits was just right, not
gummy or gluey as they can be sometimes and their mild flavor was enhanced by the subtly spicy creole sauce. I have to confess that I have not been a fan of grits in the past, but I’ve tried a couple of dishes recently that have begun to change my mind. This dish was a real winner! Scott chose the Lobster Benedict – locally sourced lobster meat, poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce atop English muffins, served with breakfast potatoes. This was probably one of the best variations on the traditional Eggs Benedict I’ve ever sampled! The eggs were perfectly poached, with a lovely runny yolk and the Hollandaise was rich and decadent, with just the right lemony zing that added brightness
to the dish. The lobster was insanely fresh and delicious; there was a butteriness to the meat that was irresistible. When you got a bit of lobster, egg and toasted muffin all in one forkful, dripping in that indulgent mix of sauce and egg yolk, it was sheer heaven!
Lastly, Scott and I decided to share the Bread Pudding for dessert. Served with a white chocolate Frangelico sauce and roasted pecans, this was a great way to end our meal. The pudding itself
had a nice consistency – firm, yet light. The sauce was just sweet enough to enhance the mild flavor of the pudding and those pecans added a great crunch. Bread puddings often run the risk of being too heavy or at worst, mushy and runny. This one was exactly right and we polished it off in no time at all!
There really is nothing negative I can say about The Red Inn – comfy surroundings, good music, friendly, efficient, attractive servers and fantastic food, all served in a space that made us feel like we were guests in someone’s beautiful seaside home…complete with roaring fireplaces to ward off the chill of this gorgeous late October day! How can you go wrong?! I know we’ll be back soon!
