Some old restaurants you can pull up around yourself like a comforter in front of a fireplace. I've always been fond of the Pump House, a South County institution for nearly half a century. I'd enjoyed its cozy atmosphere and offerings that, if not adventurous, were at least reliable. Dropping in for a post-movie platter of French fries and beer used to be an occasional practice. And a juicy sirloin burger and fries (this starts nowadays at just $5.50) was a weekly treat for a while. So, after being distracted in recent years by the arrival of other worthy restaurants around Rhode Island, I was ready to revisit.

The building itself is eye-catching from well-traveled Route 108. Arching windows are spaced around the stone walls. Built next to Rocky Brook Pond as a pumping station in 1888, it served as such until 1946. Restored in the 1960s as a restaurant, its prominent location assured that frequent passersby would check it out at least once. Bob Haberland, a gracious guy, has owned the Pump House since the late '70s. I remember learning of his patience in dealing with an elderly customer who was trying the old complain-about-everything-so-I'll-get-a-free-dessert scam.

The interior is spacious. You enter into a large bar area, and to your right is the high-ceilinged main dining room. Stepping in, I had fond memories of the high fieldstone fireplace blazing away on winter visits. As is expected at restaurants with any historical bragging rights, here and there are antique kitchen items, from a milk tin to an early electric toaster that flips the bread when you open it. There are also historical photos of the area.

We sat at one of the arching mullioned windows, above paper placemats in the shape of tropical fish. Not having tablecloths is an early cue that prices are moderate. At $7.95 the fish & chips is only a half-buck more than it was a dozen years ago. Besides the steaks and chops, entrée prices are almost all $16 and $17. And there are Tuesday night twofers, which include a bottle of Georges Duboeuf for $19.95.

Another sign of value is the salad bar, which is an alternative to soup with each main dish. Both the spinach and the lettuce are crisp, and I always appreciate being able to snub the carrots by upping the mushroom and black olive quotient. You also serve yourself the fresh and tasty Italian or pumpernickel bread, a fair division of labor as your waiter tends to the more important items.

There are only a half-dozen appetizers, bar fare except for the fried calamari ($7.50) and lobster cakes ($6.95). We ordered the latter, which turned out to be a double disappointment: two fried patties with indiscernible flavor from the title ingredient, served on an unforgivably limp and unappetizing lettuce leaf -- so unnecessary, on both counts. In the Ocean State, you expect such items to be kitchen-made, which these were not, and since the salad bar lettuce was as fresh as could be, wilted garnishes don't appear to be house policy. If I had stuck with my favorite Pump House starter, baked onion soup au gratin (at a ridiculously reasonable $3.50), you wouldn't hear any whining.

The rest of dinner was in pleasant contrast. People don't come to this restaurant to be adventurous, but Jamaican sole ($15.95) popped from the traditional New England offerings on the seafood list like a marlin in a school of cod. Johnnie sprang on it like a cat on a gerbil. Baked in grapefruit juice under banana slices and mild curry, it was pretty good. For me, the menu description of the least expensive entrée sounded the most appealing. The grilled chicken ($14.95) is marinated in teriyaki sauce and lemon juice and served under a honey mustard sauce. Between the wood grill's wonderful smokiness and the sweet and tangy sauce, I enjoyed it as much as I'd anticipated. Both our dishes came with a steamed but flavorful vegetable medley and our same choice of mashed potato, chunky and skin-on.

As for desserts -- from apple crisp to sabayonne, all under $5 -- the only one made there is the grapenut custard pudding. It's Johnnie's favorite, so there was no head-scratching over the choice -- just over figuring how they managed to get grapenuts at both the top and bottom. She enjoyed it, proving that the tried and true is sometimes the best way to go.

Bill Rodriguez can be reached at billrod@reporters.net.

Issue Date: April 26 - May 2, 2002