Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/327657
The porch at Natalie's offers a picturesque view of the sailboats in Camden Harbor. PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BOWKER (PORCH) On the Rocks RELAIS & CHÂTEAUX REFINEMENT LANDS ON THE RUGGED COAST OF MAINE AT THE NEW RESTAURANT NATALIE'S AT THE CAMDEN HARBOR INN. BY VICTORIA RICCARDI P icture this, if you will: a purple sunset, warm zephyr winds, a fruity cocktail, and the best alfresco meal of your life, overlooking a yacht- filled harbor. This is not a fantasy. This is Natalie's in the Camden Harbour Inn, a snazzy new Relais & Châteax property recently renovated by Dutch owners and partners Oscar Verest and Raymond Brunyanszki. With a chic bar lit by vintage crystal chandeliers and a Parisian-style din- ing room decked out in white linens, dark wood, and lipstick-red furniture, Natalie's offers a delicious dose of glamour on tap. And the wraparound porch is the ultimate place to enjoy some culinary summer lovin'. Veteran mixologist Seth K nowlton hopes to first tempt guests into ordering something fresh, cold, and spirited. Some of his standout cock- tails include an icy martini with truff led, blue-cheese-stuffed olives, and the Elder Flower Sour, with bourbon, St-Germain, lemon, and mint. They make perfect teasers for the dinner menu, a poetic interpretation of the seasons crafted by chefs Chris Long and Shelby Stevens. The couple, who are engaged, met at Coi restaurant in San Francisco and have cooked at various high-profile restaurants, including Charlie Trotter's in Chicago (Long) and Daniel in New York (Stevens). "We offer modern, globally inspired dishes made with as many local ingredients as possible," says Long, who grew up in Georgia. (Stevens hails from Maine.) At the height of summer, this means that 90 percent of the menu draws from the region's bounty—fish and shellfish from area waters, paired with vegetables, greens, herbs, orchard fruits, and berries from nearby farms. Even the butter and cheese come from local dairies. 68 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM THIS ISSUE: DECK HOPPING