Red Maple Inn

The Red Maple Inn is a favorite of mine – I will say that up front. A big reason for my love of this restaurant is because it is a local, family-owned finer dining restaurant with a classically trained chef. Red Maple Inn is on Harpersville Ro ... more

The Red Maple Inn is a favorite of mine – I will say that up front. A big reason for my love of this restaurant is because it is a local, family-owned finer dining restaurant with a classically trained chef. Red Maple Inn is on Harpersville Road between Jefferson and Warwick by the railroad tracks in a turn-of-the-century home. This hidden gem has been around for years but has flourished under the ownership of Ms. Charlene Fowler, her son/chef Benjamine Bankes (graduate of Johnson and Wales) and horticulturalist/Inn gardens designer, Dr. David Bankes. The main dining area is comprised of the living room, dining room and enclosed porch of this beautiful home. The intimate setting is accented with big band music playing in the background, a working fireplace, antiques (for sale and a passion of Ms Charlene) and wooden floors. The staff is small but attentive and professional and with only two full-time servers, if you visit more than once they are likely to get to know you! The menu of Chef Bankes is French Provencal inspired. With that said, he loves using local seafood and the freshest of ingredients. Things take a while to make because, heaven forbid, everything is made fresh. My last visit I started with a favorite – the ham spread. The Virginia ham spread is homemade and served with fruit and baguettes. The fruit helps offset the dish if it is too salty for you. Following the spread I get a Caesar salad which again is made from scratch. I suggest you let them know about your feelings on garlic because they have been known to use a lot – which I love. The fresh salad comes garnished with two anchovy filets. If he has a fresh delivery, go for the homemade crab cakes with the spicy remoulade. The cakes are very large with just enough filler to hold them together and no more. On a side note – a close second in my menu preferences are two items. The Cape May Scallops are insane and the Virginia ham stuffed chicken is wonderful! Actually the scallops and a salad make a wonderful dinner. Would I go here again – I do regularly. While a bit more than most places (average $20 entrée) the quality of the food, the atmosphere and the locally/family owned status make this a very special place in Newport News. Not fancy or pretentious, it gives those who know about it a fine dining experience without 5 star prices. Go here for an anniversary, birthday or just as a treat for you or a friend/family member. Comparing the Inn to any other place in the area is impossible – there aren’t any like it. The closest might be a family-owned version of the Vintage Kitchen or the Kitchen at Powhaten. less