The Rhumbline

Steering a course to success for 18 years

by Johnette Rodriguez

62 Bridge St., Newport, 849-6950
Open for lunch, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m., weekends till 5 p.m.
Dinner Sun-Thurs, 5-9:30 p.m.,
Fri. & Sat. till 10 p.m.
Mon. and Tues. night special:
dinner for two is $15.95 (with wine, $21.95)
Major credit cards
Sidewalk access

Isn't it great that some things are more than they seem at first glance? Take the Rhumbline Restaurant in the historic Point District of Newport. Historic building (1870) from the outside, modest country decor inside. Yankee Magazine award on top of the piano. Lots of seafood on the menu.

It might be a place to bring Gram for Mother's Day or that special someone for an anniversary (especially if you're staying at one of the many neighborhood B&Bs). But Rhumbline chef Wayne Bothelo goes way beyond baked chicken or grilled swordfish, and the waitstaff seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs and thereby their customers. What's more, ex-lobsterman/owner Steve Guinta has turned a former ice cream shop into a top-notch, off-the-beaten-path restaurant in a town that prides itself on its cheek-by-jowl eateries.

Sunbeams were still streaming through mullioned windows when we arrived for a very early supper at the Rhumbline recently. But I believe the warmth of polished wood, red homespun tablecloths, and live green plants would have seeped into us even if we'd been taking refuge from an April downpour. Brass replicas of carriage lights with electric bulbs, rattan shades over suspended globe lamps, and turn-of-the-century photos of the Point completed the mood.

And then we turned to the eclectic and captivating menu. I was thrilled to have so many veggie and seafood choices, while my husband Bill's eyes pinwheeled at the meat possibilities. From the Wienerschnitzel to the Dijon peppered sirloin, from the roast duckling to the Thai pork and linguini, he was in pig heaven, so to speak.

And, indeed, he did settle on a chipotle-glazed stuffed pork chop ($15.95), a 12-ounce chop split and stuffed with smoked Gouda, prosciutto, and black olives -- quite the combo! Our waitress, Kelly, told us later that this entrée is the one Ryerson himself would choose if he were ordering, despite the trickiness of putting it all together. Bill would have preferred the pork less well-done, but he reveled in the decadence of the stuffing and the spiciness of the topping.

I was torn between the broiled scallops and scrod with buttered crumbs ($15.95) and the sea scallops with roasted peppers ($16.95). Kelly said she liked her scallops simple but that the latter dish was a favorite among Rhumbline diners. Reviewers have a duty to their readers, after all, so scallops en casserole it was.

I was a bit nervous about a sauce that included garlic, mushrooms, onions, roasted peppers, and Romano cheese, but I needn't have worried. The sauce melded the flavors of the vegetables into a surprisingly subtle background for the scallops -- no garishness from the peppers or sharpness from the garlic or onions. It also was delicious dribbled over the accompanying baked potato.

We were delighted as well with the framings of our meal -- the appetizer and dessert. Despite Kelly's warning of mouth-warming spices, we went with the vegetable and wild rice fajitas ($6.25) for an opener and were not disappointed. A jumbo flour tortilla was stuffed with green peppers, scallions, rice, and cheddar cheese, and its three sections were accented with sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped roasted red peppers. What a treat!

For dessert, we could choose from apple pie à la mode, frozen ice cream pies, and Nana's chocolate bread pudding, served warm with vanilla ice cream ($4.25). How could we resist the latter? With coffee and wildberry tea, we were definitely in comfort-food territory.

The capper to this excursion was John Scotti's migratory return that evening to his piano bench, tinkling out show tunes and pop classics. Behind his piano and set off by a lattice divider is a full bar, with a carefully chosen wine selection. To his left is a narrow countertop with half a dozen stools for sipping and listening.

The Rhumbline is named for the nautical rhumb line between two points, which keeps a ship on a true course. Steve Guinta and his crew have been doing that for the last 18 years. Isn't it time to steer yourself in their direction?