Back when Paul Revere was working up an appetite rushing this way and that, inns dotted post roads like crows on fences. Nowadays, with McDonald’s and Burger King catering to busy travelers on the interstates, leisurely dining has come to these once-bustling colonial thoroughfares. In fact, every clapboard structure with so much as an attached woodshed left from the 18th century has been restored by now into something like Ye Olde Historik Taverne to serve flagons of this and pewter platters of that.

The Remington House Inn hasn’t fallen into pretentiousness. Though part of the building traces back to around 1800, the menu is eclectic and contemporary. According to a local history pamphlet, The Walking Tour of Historic Apponaug Village, it used to cater to quahoggers and other tough types. Revolutionary War veteran Henry Remington, a state Supreme Court justice, built the original house, and its stretch of Post Road came to be known as "Judge’s Row."

The Federal-style clapboard center-chimney residence has expanded over the years. Inside, the chimney in the 200-year-old original section opens on three sides in the dining room, with flames blazing in separate hearths on the chilly evening we came by. Wanting to enjoy the fading sunshine, we took a table at a window in the added area, which was compatibly designed with hardwood floors and an open-beam ceiling. A large barroom, where smoking is allowed, is semi-separated, with wide, open doorways. Cloth napkins are on the tables, but atop plastic tablecloths, giving a mixed message about what to expect.

Offsetting the family-restaurant touch, the waitstaff is decked out in white shirts and black ties. Nearly 30 wines are available by the glass, mostly Californians, and 18 specialty martinis are offered. A scan of the menu showed low-to-moderate prices, with appetizers under $9 and main dishes under $19.

There are two-dozen appetizers and salads. The offerings are all over the map, from pizzas and pub standards, to fried ravioli with crawfish and andouille sausage, and a couple of similarly interesting signature starters. The clams Remington, sautéed with chouriço, tomatoes, and onions, are served over crostini. More intriguing is the shrimp Remington, in which the central components are wrapped in prosciutto with roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella, and served under a lemon beurre blanc sauce.

Choosing again, I would have picked the latter. The four "seafood skins" ($6.95) I had were as described, with three cheeses and scallions, and generous with bay scallops and baby shrimp. But the combination in the stuffed potato skins overwhelmed the delicate seafood, as was to be expected, especially with the accompanying hard-to-resist sour cream.

Johnnie had a Caesar salad ($4.95), which was tasty enough, though scant on anchovy saltiness. The chicken escarole soup ($2.95/$3.95) was full of dark and white meat, although rather bland. That probably is in the interest of a heart-right recipe, with low-salt and reduced-fat chicken broth — but chicken soup without glistening drops of chicken fat seems not unlike a plate of spaghetti sans meatballs. All three main dishes were right on the money.

My beef Stroganoff ($14.95), tenderloin tips in a sour cream sauce served over toast, was delicious. The mushrooms were portobellos, and the sauce tangy, the accompanying butternut squash not over-steamed and the skin-on red bliss mashed potatoes buttery and not overpowered with garlic. From the pasta dishes, I was wishing that Johnnie would choose the one called smoked aurora ($15.95), containing sausage, chicken, and smoked-tomato sauce, but she was in the mood for pasta primavera ($10.95). The penne was al dente, and again, there was just a hint of garlic, with the vegetables cooked with restraint. Lastly, the baked scrod ($14.95) ordered by the friend at our table was cooked just right, its Ritz cracker and crabmeat topping a flavorful but gentle complement.

As for the restaurant’s desserts, a few are made in-house, such as a hot brownie sundae, and bread pudding during our visit. We sampled the two other kitchen-concocted choices. The tiramisú ($5) was done in a pan, and while the square we were served had plenty of mascarpone, the bottom ladyfinger layer had little espresso. On the other hand, the Jamaican banana sundae ($7) was abundant with all functioning ingredients: disks of banana sautéed with brown sugar and rum, topping a piece of angel food cake, aside vanilla ice cream. It was not bad for a dish with more calories than a small explosion.

The Remington House Inn might disappoint a Paul Revere who dashes in for a quick pint of grog, but it will feed him decently. Thank goodness that tradition hasn’t changed.

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