Colonel Blackinton Inn, Attleboro MA

After our not-so-memorable trip to Castle Hill in Newport, I was starting to question myself: are my standards too high? Am I too picky? Are my date nights so infrequent that I have unreasonable expectations when it comes to restaurants? Whether the answer is yes or no, Scott and decided that for our next night out, we'd stick with what we knew. So when it was time to decide on a place to celebrate our 5-year wedding anniversary, the choice was simple: The Colonel Blackinton Inn in Attleboro.

The Inn, located at the outskirts of downtown Attleboro, has been under the current management (same group that runs Luciano's in Wrentham) since 2003, and has consistently been a popular destination for the area's discerning diners. For us, personally, it's been the background for some pretty significant occassions: a farewell party when I left my first real job; our wedding rehearsal dinner; baby shower; birthdays, funerals and now anniversaries. So, it may just be my emotions getting the best of me, but can't help it... I love this place.

After enjoying a glass of wine on the patio (staff was more than gracious when we asked if we could take our drinks outside), we settled into a corner table in one of the four dining rooms. The Inn, as you can imagine, is a converted home. So the dining is cozy, comfortable and full of charm circa early 1900's. The attentive, but not overbearing, staff adds to the charm. When our waiter approached, I thought to myself, "This is the same waiter we had the last time we were here (over a year ago)." Call me a cynic, but I was taken by surprised when he said, "Welcome back. I remember you two."

Onto the food. We've never been disappointed by the food at the Blackinton, and this trip was true to form. We feasted. The prices aren't cheap, but the amount of food, and the quality is well worth it. Crusty, rustic bread and warmed kalamata olives are complimentary to start. Then entrees are served with two sides and a salad. My eyes were apparently much bigger than my stomach, because I opted for a starter of escargot (yummy, and complete with that tong thing that Julia Roberts used in Pretty Woman). Then onto my salad and one of the specials: filet oscar. Medium rare filet, served with garlic mashed, al dente asparagus, lobster meat and a hollandaise. Just perfect. Scott got his usual NY Strip... said it was one of the best he'd ever tasted, and that's really saying something!

Stuffed, we skipped dessert, but enjoyed our last glass of wine, reminiscing about all the memories we've made at the Inn. Looking forward to many more...


The tab:
Atmosphere – 8
Service – 8
Food Quality – 8
Presentation - 8
Average Entree Price - 24-36
Kid factor – 6
Website: www.colblackintoninn.com