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* Photos courtesy of White Barn Inn and Jack Bingham
 The White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine, celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and just seems to go from strength to strength. It’s reassuring to know that a place that takes quality this seriously can survive the vagaries of food fads and fluctuating economies. After thirty-five years, there’s no doubt that this culinary institution is well on its way to becoming a legend.
The dining room at the Inn is part of a converted Maine post-and-beam barn. I’m not quite sure how a room can be cozy and rustic and yet so dazzlingly elegant at the same time. Not only that, but you have a sense of serenity and calm, all the while being masterfully cared for by the waitstaff. The original farmhouse, built in 1820, was converted to a summer resort in the 1880s called the Forest Hill House—part of a tourism boom that came about when a rail line was established connecting Boston to Portland—with a new stop in Kennebunkport. Suddenly, Bostonians were coming in droves to enjoy the sea air and the spectacular views. In 1978, it became the White Barn Inn and began to garner kudos that haven’t stopped since.
When Australian-born Laurence Bongiorno, the previous owner, died of a rare form of cancer last year, Executive Chef Jonathan Cartwright provided a steady hand at the helm. In addition to being a world-class chef, Cartwright is also the Chief Operating Officer of U.S. Hotels, which owns eight other properties including hotels, restaurants, spas, and a marina. He has been at the White Barn Inn for 14 years.
 In spite of a daunting array of responsibilities, Cartwright is still a perfectionist. When the Taste crew arrived at 9 a.m. on the morning of our photo shoot (with breakfast service in full swing), he had already been at work creating the perfect plates you see photographed on these pages. Food photography has its own peculiar challenges; like shooting things that fall or melt or droop or sag or dry out. But in measured succession, Cartwright delivered the dishes himself and painstakingly arranged each one: perfectly sauced, perfectly garnished, perfectly plated.
When it came to the final dish, a dessert soufflé served with a deep magenta raspberry sorbet, Chef Cartwright delivered three soufflés in ten-minute intervals, so that minor changes in the dish (that is to say the aforementioned falling and melting) wouldn’t affect the final image. And though it’s not necessary to cook something for a photo shoot that also tastes good, I can tell you firsthand that everything I tasted was superb (does anyone wonder why I go to these things?). It’s the sort of thing you would expect from a chef who has cooked in some of the world’s finest kitchens. There is a pervasive pursuit of perfection that seems to find its way into every aspect of this establishment.
I suppose none of this is surprising, given that the White Barn Inn is part of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux group of hotels—a designation not easily achieved. Once you earn your place amongst this elite coterie, you become one of a small group of the finest hotels scattered around the globe. Chef Cartwright is a veteran of some of the finest Relais & Chateaux kitchens including Blantyre in Lenox, Massachusetts, the Horned Dorset Primavera in Puerto Rico, and the Hotel Bareiss in the Black Forest region of Germany—as well as several Michelin-starred restaurants in Europe. He cooked at the Savoy in London after his apprenticeship in his hometown of Sheffield, England.
The White Barn Inn has for some years earned Mobil Travel Guide’s five-star rating, part of a handful of restaurants that, according to their rating system, “deliver a flawless dining experience, consistently providing exceptional food, superlative service, elegant décor, and exquisite presentations.”
I have to admit that when we were scheduled to have dinner at the White Barn Inn, I wondered if it could really be as good as everyone says it is. In my experience? Yes, it is.
Over the door leading from the kitchen to the dining rooms is a sign that reads “Remember, we are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” And everyone seems to take this very seriously. Only employees in full uniform are allowed into the dining room. (No pierced, boxer-short-showing busboys, no midriff-baring waitstaff.) While the service is genial, it is extremely professional. Our servers took our cues—we were four friends having a great get-together. I had the feeling that the staff could sense the tone of our party. Had it been an important business meeting, or the first night of a honeymoon, I think they would have responded not only to the situation but also to the personalities involved.
 Dinners are a prix-fixe affair with tasting menus that change weekly in order to reflect ingredients in the height of the season. One of Cartwright’s signature dishes is (for good reason) always included: the Lobster Spring Roll. When we were there, the chefs’ creations included a Seared Scallop on Herb Whipped Potato with Shaved Black Truffle; Local Oysters Three Ways: Tempura Fried with Yazu Cucumbers, Osetra Caviar Gelee, and Natural with a Horseradish “Cloud.” And the dishes kept coming: A Trio of Local Rabbit with a Milk Braised Leg Ravioli, Prosciutto Wrapped Loin and Cutlet with Roasted Carrot Puree and Bacon Emulsion—and these were just appetizers. Intermezzos included an Earl Grey Tea Sorbet, Smoked Potato Foam, and Celeriac Truffle Soup, among other things.
For main courses we passed around plates of Pan-Roasted Breast of New England Pheasant with Wild Mushroom Duxelle, Sweet Potato Puree, and Foie Gras Sauce; Herb Encrusted Venison Loin with Braised Red Cabbage, Sunchoke Puree, Balsamic Glazed Shallots, and a Juniper Infused Sauce; Grilled Beef Tenderloin Glazed in a Foie Gras Crust, Garden Vegetables, Mashed Potato and Madeira Sauce; and Steamed Maine Lobster on a Bed of Homemade Fettuccini with Carrot, Ginger Snow Peas, and Cognac Coral Butter Sauce. Desserts included a Coconut and Cardamom Panna Cotta with Blood Orange Sorbet and White Chocolate Sauce, Pistachio Crème Brûlée with Strawberry Sorbet … I could go on. But part of the fun is discovering what will be on the menu when you visit.
Our primary server, Christopher Bayler, has been at the White Barn Inn for 16 years. Noticing that I was having trouble eating, drinking, tasting everyone else’s food, and oohing and aahhing while still taking notes, he offered to jot down the names of all the dishes, their ingredients, the wines, and anything else I might need to know. (I am often treated far better than I deserve to be at restaurants, but until now, no one has ever offered to take my notes for me.)
I asked Chef Cartwright how he works with his chefs and he told me that they have “a very internationalized staff. I want input from all of them, and lots of different ideas. That is the way you get people to take ownership of a dish.” Working with as many local products as possible inspires the menu choices as well.
 Returning in daylight (and less wine and food fogged) a few weeks later, General Manager Stuart Barnwise (what an apt name!) gave me a tour of the renovations to the rooms and suites in the main building. When I inquired as to why they embarked on such a comprehensive refit, he explained that they generally do a renovation every six or seven years. “We don’t wait until things begin to show the wear and tear,” he told me. What did the project entail this year? “We gutted the second and third floors, reworked the floor plan, and will completely redesign and redecorate.” All the bathrooms are newly fitted with what seemed like acres of Italian marble. Even at this early stage, I could tell that the finished project was going to be stunning.
I can’t wait to go back.
Recipes are adapted from The White Barn Inn Cookbook (Running Press, hardcover, $35.00), available at the Inn or from your favorite bookseller.
Grilled Corn Salad
Serves 4
4 ears corn, husks attached
1⁄2 cup diced red onion
1 cup diced ripe tomato
1 teaspoon minced parsley
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1⁄4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat grill. Place corn, with husks attached, over hottest area of grill and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until husks are blackened. Remove corn from grill and let set until cool enough to handle. Remove husks and cut the kernels off the cob.
2. In a large bowl, combine corn kernels with remaining ingredients. Toss well to combine. Chill until ready to serve. Can be made one day in advance.
Iced Watermelon and Bing Cherry Soup
Serves 4–6
2 cups seeded, diced watermelon
2 cups Bing cherries, pits removed
2 cups muscat wine or other sweet dessert wine
2 cups sparkling wine, well chilled
1. Place watermelon, cherries, and wine in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Chill until ready to serve.
2. When ready to serve, add sparkling wine and serve immediately in chilled soup bowls.
Lobster Spring Roll with Thai-Inspired Dipping Sauce
Serves 4
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup thinly julienned carrot
1 cup thinly julienned daikon radish
1⁄2 cup thinly julienned snow peas
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 pound diced cooked lobster meat
8 egg roll wrappers
1 egg, whisked
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup Thai-Inspired Sweet Spicy Sauce, for dipping (recipe follows)
1⁄2 cup Cilantro Oil, for dipping (recipe follows)
1. In a wok or hot skillet, heat sesame oil until it is almost smoking.
Add carrot, daikon, and snow peas and cook over high heat for about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add ginger, soy sauce, and oyster sauce and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
2. Divide vegetables in half and set half aside. Place the remaining half in a colander with lobster meat and squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Place egg roll wrappers on counter. Divide lobster mixture evenly between wrappers, brush edges with egg, and roll up according to package instructions.
4. In a deep skillet or fry pan, heat vegetable oil to 360°F and fry spring rolls for about 5 minutes, until golden brown and heated through. Drain on paper towel. Serve on a platter with Thai-Inspired Sweet Spicy Sauce and Cilantro Oil on the side, for dipping.
For the Thai-Inspired Sweet Spicy Sauce
Makes 1 cup
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1⁄2 teaspoon minced hot pepper, or 1⁄8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and boil until it reduces to about 1 cup. Cool to room temperature before serving.
For the Cilantro Oil
Makes 11⁄2 cups
1 bunch cilantro, washed, stems attached
1 cup vegetable oil
1. Have ready an ice bath. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Submerge the cilantro, with stems, in boiling water for 2 or 3 seconds. Remove immediately and plunge into ice bath. Remove from ice bath and drain well. Place cilantro in clean kitchen towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Chop coarsely.
2. Place cilantro in blender with vegetable oil and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Serve immediately.
 Edible Martini
Serves 4
1⁄2 cup dill-infused vodka
8 thin slices smoked salmon
8 jumbo green olives
4 lemon twists
4 chilled cooked crab claws, for garnish
1. Have ready 4 chilled martini glasses. Curl two slices of salmon in the bottom of each glass.
2. Spear 2 olives and a lemon twist on each of 4 cocktail picks and place one in each glass.
3. Pour vodka over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake well to chill. Pour 1⁄8 cup vodka over salmon in each glass. Garnish with crab claw.
4. Eat the salmon and crab claw first, then drink the dill-infused vodka while it is still icy cold.
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