The Regatta of Cotuit: One of Cape Cod’s Finest Restaurants

Memorial Day weekend on Cape Cod was lovely. Picture perfect. And the guests at our Inn enjoyed all kinds of outdoor activities, including riding the bike trails, taking the fast ferry to Nantucket for the day, and cavorting on the lovely beaches of the National Seashore. We heard all about it at breakfast on the deck in the morning, including the fabulous meals they enjoyed at some of our spectacular local restaurants. It made our mouths water.

So on a rare quiet night at the Inn this week, Rich and I took the opportunity to revisit the Regatta of Cotuit, an intimate restaurant located in an historic 200-year-old Federal mansion along Route 28, midway between Falmouth and Hyannis. Its most recent chef/owner, Weldon Fizell, is a graduate of Johnson and Wales Culinary Institute and a veteran of the restaurant industry, having amassed an impressive resume that includes working with a Michelin chef and serving as executive chef of both the distinguished Chatham Bars Inn and the storied Hyannis Port Club.

We sat in the Tap Room, which features an extensive bar, warm wood floor, and intimate candlelit tables. Several smaller dining rooms with white-clothed tables were equally attractive, but we chose the Tap Room for its relaxed atmosphere and subtle charm. The wait staff was friendly and attentive, a delicate balance to achieve, but executed with aplomb.

Martinis were in order, carefully selected from an extensive menu, and delivered perfectly chilled. I chose the baby iceberg wedge to start, which was dressed with Great Hill bleu cheese dressing, sweet cranberries, smoky bacon and crispy onions. My husband, the carnivore, selected the pork belly appetizer, as he is on a mission to try this trendy cut of meat in all its iterations. This version did not disappoint. I think “melts in you mouth” was the description he gave after his first and final bites.

For an entrée I went with the jumbo dayboat scallops, which came seared to a golden brown and accompanied by sautéed asparagus and a basil and angel hair pasta flan. The flan was delightfully light and the herb beurre blanc over the scallops exquisitely rich, with a perfect balance of flavors. Rich opted for the slow roasted crispy lacquered half duck with a ginger scallion pancake, sautéed Asian vegetables and finished with a raspberry ginger glaze. Though not his favorite preparation of duck, it was right up there near the top.

For dessert we were convinced to have the special of the day, a fresh berry trifle. Served in a parfait glass, we fought over each and every bite, it was so good.

For those with a lighter appetite or budget, the Regatta offers a Tap Room menu that features a pizzetta of the evening, decadent burger, Tap Room salad, and a shrimp pad thai that almost got my vote that evening. I will definitely have to go back to try it.

The Regatta serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday from 5:00 PM until close in season; Wednesday through Saturday in the winter. Thursday night is jazz night in the Tap Room.