Nantucket

American Seasons

August 8, 2007

There are a number of great restaurants on Nantucket, among them Sfoglia (so popular that we couldn’t get a table in a five-day period), 21 Federal (for classic food, excellent service and choice people-watching), and the Galley (for elegant beach-side dining and fantastic New England clam chowder). But the one that stood out from the concept right down to every detail of the execution was American Seasons.

“Seasons” here means not just a seasonal menu but a riff on four chunks of the U.S. as “seasons.” Each region on the menu – Pacific Coast, New England, Down South, and Wild West – has been creatively interpreted here by chef Michael LaScola, who has been with the restaurant since age 16. As anyone who’s ever worked the tourist trade knows, it’s a peripatetic existence in which you go where the crowd (and money) goes from season to season. American Seasons has capitalized perfectly on the chef’s wintertime travels to bring authentic cuisine from all over the States to Nantucket.

Here’s a review in photos – every dish was as good as it looks.

They have an excellent wine list.

The tables are painted with a folk-art-like take on board games.

Warm butter basted lobster “BLT” on brioche with avocado puree and lemon confit.

Bartlett Farm tomato and baby beet salad with arugula and peppered ricotta in a citrus and chickpea dressing.

A Grilled Wolfe’s Neck Farm beef sirloin special with a Great Hill blue cheese.

Seared Nantucket day-boat scallops with a warm crab and andouille potato salad in a sweet corn veloute. It’s listed as an appetizer but is rich enough to serve as an entree.