We were lured to one corner by a gas-fired wood stove. Accents of natural woodwork, along with wide hardwood floorboards, add additional warmth to the room. The walls display nautical photographs by Onne van der Wal, from his gallery on Bannisters Wharf. At the back of the room is an inviting bar, set off from the din of the diners.
To come full circle to the desserts, it’s notable that four of the five options are served warm with vanilla ice cream. Rebecca told us she dreams about the carmelized banana cake but considers the chocolate marquis — chocolate mousse tucked inside phyllo dough — her absolute favorite. She mentioned that the “house” crème brûleé has an espresso kick to it.
Although the Rhumbline is in one of the many 18th-century Colonial houses in Newport’s historic Pont district, McIntyre, formerly at El Diablo, has taken the traditional American theme of the restaurant in different directions, giving quite alluring and very surprising twists to some familiar dishes.
The Rhumbline | 62 Bridge Street, Newport, Rhode Island | Tues-Thurs, 5-10 pm; Fri-Sat until 10:30 pm; sun brunch, 10 am-2 pm, dinner 5-10 pm | Major credit cards | Full bar | Sidewalk-level access | 401.849.3999
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Email the author:
Johnette Rodriguez: johnette.rodriguez@cox.net
