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January 27, 2001 410 MAIN CAFÉ & CATERING
Food **1/2 Pricing: dinner for two, not including tax & tip: about $45 Atmosphere Two large front windows frame the neat, warmly-lit interior of 410 Main. The view of the auto repair shop across the street isn't, unfortunately, very exciting, but a dozen fat jade trees in pots charmingly jungle their way around the bottom of the windows, which bear the legend 'Fresh Bread' not once but twice – a mouth-watering omen. Above the entrance are a few sweetgrass baskets and a multitude of pots overflowing with tendrils of ivy. A pair of enormous French prints hangs on the room's facing walls, and a case of baked goods, jams, and bottles dominates the rear wall and tempts with its bounty. The wall behind the case is bare, and looks rather naked. The narrow little room is furnished efficiently with seven tables and seating for 20. Tables are a bit small, understandable in this tiny area, and set with copper salt-and-pepper shakers, crockery sugar holders, and fat honey bears. The black bistro chairs with plaid seats are small but appropriate for the space. Buff-colored walls reflect soft yellow light from pretty wall sconce lights and recessed ceiling fixtures. Floors are tiled in black and cream; the ceiling is ivory tin and hung with two big fans. Music is mellow (James Taylor, Jim Croce, Sade) and not too loud. Though the space is small, we didn't feel cramped here – until menus, tacked on a pair of unwieldy corkboards, were handed to us as we sat at those small tables. After a moment of confusion, we realized that they were different: both the lunch and dinner menus are available for evening diners. Food There are only four appetizers on the dinner menu, and we tried three of them. The soup du jour, fresh broccoli the day of our visit (2.95/cup, 4.95/bowl), was rather bland, the onions and garlic in the dish's description almost undetectable. The lump crab dip (5.95) had real crab in it and was very satisfying, served with toast points made with rosemary bread. The baked brie (5.95) was wrapped in phyllo, crispy, warm, and runny on the inside, its bitterness offset by the dark grapes and the bread, of course, that accompanied it. Several lunch salads are also available and can be shared by two as appetizers. We were delighted with the rosemary chicken salad (6.95). The warm herbed breast was tender and nicely flavored, served on a bed of crisp baby greens with bell peppers, red onions, ripe Roma tomatoes, walnuts, fresh mushrooms, and crumbled double cream bleu cheese, a slice of that rosemary bread, and a cup of good balsamic vinaigrette. A very good appetizer to share with a friend, this salad would make a terrific lunch! Eight creative sandwiches are offered on the lunch menu and any of them would make fine light dinner fare. We tried the BBQ salmon club (6.95), a tasty, slightly bland sandwich layered with cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and herbed mayonnaise, with chips and a bowl of melon and grapes on the side. We also sampled the day's plate lunch special, maple chipotle grilled chicken thighs with coarsely mashed potatoes and good collard greens. Like everything else here, it was plain and satisfying, served without flourish or ornament. We also selected the grilled pork loin (7.95) and the basil scallops (11.95) from the dinner menu. The pork loin had fine char-grilled flavor; two generous chops were served over curried apples, onions, and raisins, with potatoes and greens. The scallops were fresh and perfectly tender, baked in a ramekin with wine, lemon, basil, butter, and Romano cheese, served with greens and mediocre creamy grits. The big case against the back wall of the dining room contains a multitude of sauces for sale, all produced by Stonewall Kitchen in Maine. We deduced that these sauces are used in the kitchen at 410 Main; the chicken in our lunch special probably marinated in their maple chipotle sauce. Desserts Desserts are all made on the premises, and four were offered on the night of our visit (3.50/apiece). We tried the blonde turtle, centered around 410 Main's extraordinary blonde brownie. Chewy, gooey, dressed with brown sugar caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream, it was divine. The crème bruleè the best we've had, chilled on the bottom, with a still-warm crust of sugar like a layer of ice on a creamy vanilla pond. The Granny Smith apple and fresh cranberry crisp with cinnamon cream was VERY tart and didn't have enough topping or enough sweetness – perhaps a dollop of good vanilla ice cream would help. Luckily the brulèe was generous enough to share (and good enough to fight over). The coffee we had with dessert (1.95) was served in a little French press, but the beans may not have been fresh, and the resulting coffee was not very good. Spirits Only a half dozen or so wines are available at 410 Main, but they're offered by the glass at $4 each, and probably hand-picked by the owner. We tried a '98 Buena Vista merlot, plummy, earthy and a little dry, and a '99 Cape Indaba chardonnay, a very pleasant South African wine with lush floral aromas and soft tropical notes. Service In such a small space, the women who work at 410 Main are able to give personal attention to every diner. The somewhat leisurely pace of the meal is probably due to the individual 'made to order' food preparation. Food is delivered on plain heavy china in a multitude of colors, and the servers do their best to keep those tiny tables clear of unwanted dishes. We really did not like those menu boards, though – they were so awkward, and seemed a little pretentious for this casual, simple place. Also, there is no printed wine list. Summary 410 Main is popular with Conway's lunch crowd, for their salads and sandwiches are quite lovely, and this is a clean, tidy place to have a light midday meal. The café is furnished simply, almost sparsely, but with the exception of that big empty space over the pastry case, and those bulletin board menus, furnishings and fixtures are on a scale appropriate to the size of the place. Owner Faison Cushman has earned acclaim for her rosemary bread, and deservedly so – it's subtly flavored, chewy and good, served with sweet creamery butter. But perhaps it's too much of a good thing. Bread served with every dish seems a little unusual; stuck into a pile of mashed potatoes, it's downright odd. Also, we'd love to see a slightly expanded selection of side dishes, designed to complement specific entrées. Everything here is made to go beautifully with wine; a larger selection (and printed list) would be appropriate. Stopping short of spiciness, the food features good combinations that are interesting but not quite exciting, making every dish easily accessible. 410 Main is a great choice for an inexpensive, high-quality dinner, and well worth a visit or two. And don't forget to take home a sack of baked goods! The brownies, macaroons, pound cake, and other treats are fresh and absolutely delicious. Can you think of a little-known restaurant with excellent food that you'd like to see reviewed in this column? We invite you to contact us at table42@wrightforyou.com! |
