Travel Review: Alexandra Inn Bed & Breakfast

My wife and I visited the Alexandra Inn Bed & Breakfast in Bennington, Vermont, this past weekend. The innkeepers are Daniel Tarquino and Melissa Martin.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a large moose statue in the parking lot, one of many, we discovered later, that accented the streets and businesses of Bennington. (Think of the artsy cow statues in New York City back in 2000-2001). This moose was covered with newsprint. Welcome to Vermont.

We arrived ahead of check-in time and sat in the breakfast room, mulling over travel brochures and enjoying the view. The room looked out on a beautiful garden with a fountain and nearly a dozen bird feeders, which attracted a wide variety of birds to enjoy. The topper was the mountain backdrop, which was somehow rendered even more breath-taking by the low-lying rain clouds that skirted their tops.

Our room was spacious and clean (and was cleaned well and aired out every day). There was cable, a dresser and closet, and a hot tub/shower.

Daniel and Melissa were great hosts. They were very friendly and offered help whenever they saw us wandering around on our own. Daniel recommended a very good restaurant for dinner one night, and both engaged us in enjoyable conversation.

The true victory of the Alexandra Inn, however, is its cuisine. To say Daniel is not a trained chef, while technically true, would be a disservice. Daniel, originally from Colombia, is a self-taught cook who rivals the best restaurant chefs. The owner of Taste, a great restaurant in New York, once dined at the Alexandra and was blown away by the cuisine. My wife and I were as well.

The first indication that we were in for a treat was the prix fixe dinner we opted to have the night of our arrival. The first course was scallops, soft as butter, drizzled with sauce and chopped chorizo, served over grilled polenta. Next was a goat cheese salad with a maple vinaigrette and sunflower seeds. The main course was water buffalo with parsley-cilantro infused sauce. Dessert was a miniature cake baked by Melissa complimented with homemade strawberry sorbet and slices of fresh mango.

When we first heard "water buffalo" we were a little skeptical; I was even afraid, I'll admit. But the meat was much like beef, only leaner and more tender. It was truly a treat, and after Daniel explained that there is only one ranch in the United States (in Texas) that raises water buffalo for meat, we felt privileged to be treated with such a delicacy.

Daniel, who cooked, and, Melissa, who baked, did not disappoint at breakfast either. Over three mornings, my wife and I partook in eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes with mixed-berry sauce, a mushroom-prosciutto-tomato omelet, french toast, and prosciutto panini. Of course, there was plenty of coffee, tea, juice, milk, fresh fruit, homemade granola, and fresh-baked croissants, coffee cake, and banana bread to go with this.

Dinner was so good the first night, that we opted to dine at the Alexandra our second night there. We were glad we did. The first course was lentil soup with andouille sausage, followed by basil and tomato with fresh mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (not the cheap acidic stuff either). The main course was chicken with thyme, and dessert were crepes with vanilla ice cream, blackberries, and powdered sugar.

We had a great time at the Alexandra. We will remember the friendliness, hospitality, cleanliness, and peace and quiet; but most of all, we'll remember the food.