We stumbled upon this place while staying in Bretton Woods for the weekend and having a lack of…read moreplaces nearby to eat. It was a little confusing upon entering the restaurant as to where we should go (there isn't a host stand or much of an entry way), but we were promptly greeted by both the manager (?) and a server. We did have to wait a few minutes for a table as they were busy and needed to take a moment to set the table, but they explained everything involving the wait.
We were sat in the lower room, near the wood stove (!!!!) and just happened to be the only people in that room. The white Christmas lights were still up and gave a really nice comfy vibe to an already cute, cozy little place. The music playing consisted of Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra, etc... it was fantastic. Our server (who I'm guessing is one of the proprietors of the Inn) was a VERY friendly, sweet older woman who was just the right amount of chatty. She gave a great description of the nightly specials and explained that the chef prepared everything from scratch daily. The menu is fairly small, but it covers the major bases (steak, chicken, pasta, fish, soup, salad, apps) and the wine list had a pretty good selection.
I ordered the stuffed mushrooms - 2 large portobella caps with house made maple-sausage stuffing, cheddar and breadcrumbs. They were delicious! The seasonings in the stuffing and the fresh peppers and onions gave it a really nice flavor. My boyfriend has the soup du jour - corn chowder. This was not an ordinary corn chowder... it was loaded with mirepoix and potatoes, more like a stew than a chowder as it was a lot of the good-bits and less of the "broth." He LOVED it. He's still talking about it 4 days later. For dinner, I had the stuffed haddock with rice pilaf and broccoli. The broccoli was perfectly steamed - bright green with a little crunch left. The rice was fluffy, tender, well-seasoned. The haddock was not served drowned in butter in a casserole, but wrapped around the stuffing with fresh lemons and a light butter over the top. It was so yummy. The boyfriend had the special half-duck roasted with a cranberry-orange glaze. It was not greasy at all, very tender and juicy and cooked perfectly. All the dishes were served with an edible orchid garnish (beautiful and tasty), a slice of kiwi, and a smile. The bread that we got to start was also wonderful - hot rolls with the right crunch on the outside and softness inside. Our server wasn't the fastest, but she was so friendly and she kept our waters filled (which is a task - we drink a lot of water) constantly and was prompt about dropping the check.
Now, I work upscale dining and have for years. We are both picky about food, and I'm a stickler for service. As I said, she wasn't the fastest, but we were on vacation and in no rush. Like I also said, she was SO nice and friendly that it trumped the 2 minutes it took to come greet us. I'm sure because it was holiday weekend, they were busy. The upper dining room was full and it didn't seem like they have support staff to bus tables. I felt right at home in this place and the chef was so happy to hear how much we loved our food. We also didn't have to ask for anything (silverware, more water) because she immediately brought whatever was needed without our prompting. I love when servers notice those things.
We will go back if we're ever in Littleton again. We had apps, entrees, and wine and spent $81... not too shabby if you consider the freshness, the perfect preparation, the little touches with the garnishes, and the cozy, intimate atmosphere. I just wish we'd had room for dessert!