The William Seward Inn

Liz and I were on out way back to Somerville, and had made reservations to spend the night at The William Seward Inn in Westfield, New York.  On top of that, we had reservations for a prix fixe 4-course meal, at the price of $45 a person, gratuity included.  Of course, we got stuck in some serious traffic on the way to the inn, but we arrived at 7:42, about 3 minutes before our dinner was to start, and 18 minutes before the end of check-ins for the night.  We went into the inn, and were greeted by a very understanding hostess who happened to be one of the owners.  She told us to take our time, and to get down to dinner when we could, and then led us up to our room, which to our surprise was not the room we had requested, but an "upgrade" to a bigger room, as she put it.  We did not argue, but went about quickly freshening up for dinner.  We went downstairs into the dining room, where there was only one other lone individual eating dinner, so we did not feel horrible about being a few minutes late. 

The woman who greeted up to the inn, was also our waitress for the evening, and started us off with water and a wine list, which we did not partake in.  Our appetizers and entrees were all pre-ordered via e-mail weeks ago, so all we had to do was sit and enjoy.  Our appetizers were soft-shell crab with mustard vinaigrette and dill as well as a pistachio and apricot-stuffed quail with orange sauce.  Liz ate the soft-shell crabs, and I had the quail.  The interesting thing about soft-shell crab is that you eat it shell and all, because the shell is so soft that it is just like a crunchy skin.  It appeared to have been lightly breaded and fried, and I had a leg.  It was quite good, and yet my least favorite of the foods that evening, which means it only got better from there.  That is not to say that it was bad, but I was just so impressed by the rest of the meal.  The quail was fantastic.  It had been de-boned aside from its legs and wings, and stuffed with a pistachio and apricot stuffing, while on the top of the quail, there was a slice of Canadian bacon and a sweet orange glaze, making for a beautiful and tasty creation.  The texture of the stuffing was pleasantly mushy with the intermittent crunch of pistachios.  It was sweet and savory, with a delicate combination of flavors.  The quail itself was very nice.  It was not gamey at all, but subtle and affected nicely by its proximity to the savory stuffing and the influx of fats brought by the bacon.  It remained juicy and was a very tasty starter.  We then moved to salads, simple baby green salads with fresh produce.  Mine had shredded Havarti cheese and a wine vinaigrette, while Liz went with the maple mustard dressing.  These were a nice palate cleanser for the entrees and were accompanied with a bread basket of mixed rolls, which were fresh and warm, and were nicely accented by the ramekin of fresh butter on the table.  Our entrees were the stars of the show, and though they presented as very standard looking dishes, the flavors that they contained were staggering.  Elizabeth had tenderloin of beef with rosemary-balsamic butter sauce cooked medium-well, and I had fennel-scented duck breast with pinot noir sauce.  Both were paired with small red potatoes and steamed asparagus.  The duck was perfectly cooked, remaining juicy and savory, and just melted in your mouth.  It was not fatty, as has been an issue with me and duck in the past, but a perfect cut of meat meant to be savored, and it was. The sauce that topped it added depth of flavor and taste sensation. Liz's tenderloin was big and beautiful, and upon tasting it, I felt my mind rushing to another place.  I was taken to an area that I rarely visit, and don't know exactly where it is, but it is a place where everything at that moment is just right with the world.  It may have been Nirvana.  I practically dropped my fork in ecstasy at the array of complex and perfectly matching flavors paired with the juicy tenderloin.  The rosemary-balsamic butter sauce created a very fine gravy on the meat that could not have accompanied it better.  I was impressed; as I was eating some of the best food I have had the pleasure of encountering.  As if this wasn't enough, dessert was next.  I went with the Italian raspberry cheesecake, while Liz ordered the vanilla bean crème brulee.  My dessert was light and fluffy, and indeed a generous portion, made with ricotta as opposed to cream cheese, and was drizzled with a raspberry reduction and garnished with fresh raspberries.  Delicious.  Liz was served a good-sized ramekin of crème brulee with a beautifully crusted top that cracked pleasingly with a quick spoon hit.  Flavors of burnt sugar were balanced by the thick and creamy vanilla bean custard beneath the sugar crust.  Very nice.

After dinner, we brought the rest of our stuff up to our room and examined our space.  The room was very Victorian, with matching patterned wallpaper and comforter.  It was oddly shaped, with a tiny bathroom, and the bathroom sink actually in the main room.  It also came complete with high-end toiletries, and some snacks as well.  The furniture was antique or a reproduction, and there was a very small shower stall in the bathroom.  Unfortunately, when our room was automatically "upgraded", the room lost its claw foot tub, which is the reason why we wanted the other room, as we had been driving all day and needed a good soak.  So, without a soak, we crawled into bed, only to discover that the bed felt unbalanced and squeaked loudly and humorously with every small movement.  I guess that it didn't really matter in the end, though, as both of our exhausted selves were asleep within a couple minutes of hitting the pillows.

We took breakfast at about 8:30 the next morning, and again were presented with a magnificent spread.  We both had glasses of fresh fruit, and there was homemade banana bread in a basket, as well as coffee, juice, and water.  Then, we had our main courses.  I went with French toast, while Liz had a ham and cheese omelet.  The French toast was fantastic, with thick cut French bread that was crispy on the outside and soft and steamy on the inside.  It even held flavors of almond within the bread, and was made complete with maple syrup drizzled on top, powdered sugar, and a side of Canadian bacon.  Liz's omelet was big and fluffy, with chunky of smoky ham and cheese that I think was Gruyere, but I can't be certain.  She also had a side of Canadian bacon.  Once we were thoroughly stuffed, we packed up our stuff and checked out, having had quite the culinary stop. 

If you find yourself in Westfield, or are planning a trip to a destination that goes near the William Seward Inn, I highly suggest looking into reservations.  Although the room itself was a bit of a disappointment, it was still comfortable, and very authentically Victorian.  The main reason to stay here is the food.  It was beyond fantastic, both at breakfast and at dinner, and the chef, a former banker who found his true calling cooking and the other owner of the B&B, is a truly gifted chef.  Even if you only stop by for one of the prix fixe dinners, the William Seward Inn quite simply must be built into your next trip to western New York.  It will make your life complete.