Spindler’s
A meal remembered after ten years says something about the food and the chef behind its creation. My first encounter with Chef Liam Luttrell Rowland fits this description: a farm-to-table dinner that I coordinated for Slow Food Cape Cod. He graciously donated time and talent, along with Raina Stephanie and Seth Bateman, as part of the Terra Luna team from Truro.
Bert Jackson, whose trio was performing at the event, described it thusly on his blog bertland.com: “In the midst of torrential downpours, high winds and streams of water leaking in here and there, a superb feast was held in the farm’s greenhouse. The Fried Chatham Cod was served over five shades of autumn (we identified chard, watermelon, and cloves of garlic) and finished with a Pink Finishing Salt.”
What a joy to find Rowland is back! What could be the draw to return to his roots, after an eight-year hiatus? In a word, Spindler’s.
Firmly planted among the hustle and bustle in Provincetown’s East End, Spindler’s is part of an elaborate compound that includes the Waterford Inn, a fully restored 1860 sea captain’s house, and a café that serves breakfast and lunch. At every turn on the property you will discover outdoor patios, decks, secluded courtyards, lush greens and nooks, all providing space to sit, chat, laugh and relax.
The property was lovingly restored by Ryan Campbell and James DeRosier, partners in work and life, and co-founders of Kohi Coffee Company. They seem to have a passion for taking on large, somewhat daunting projects. Both are washashores who grew up in Washington, and did extensive traveling in their corporate careers, Campbell as an architect, and DeRosier with corporate human resources, before putting down roots at the tip of the Cape.
Add consulting chef Barbara Lynch, one of the most recognized names in the industry, with numerous James Beard Awards, and in 2017 named to Time magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most powerful people. According to DeRosier, “She and her team helped us envision and give birth to the concept. We continually evolve our brand keeping in mind our vision. She’s a great mentor and helps the team continually improve.” For Rowland, her insight, direction and mentoring drew him back to Cape Cod. “I think Barbara Lynch’s philosophy is that cooking helps us evolve. ‘Evolve and create,’ those are her words to me. It’s all about passion and also vision. Make it delicious and make deliberate,” says Rowland.
It is not obvious that you have entered into such an amazing establishment. No big advertising signs or self-promotion. If they had, the list would be extensive. It is in the attention to details: the play of light off the beveled glass mirrors; food presented tableside on long wooden platters; cozy seating; and the discreet staircase that leads from bar to the main dining level. Add the thrill of an open, European-style kitchen, where you can watch the staff and all the action of food preparation, with its fire, intense heat and smoke. They dance while they cook, so you know the meal will have soul.
Spindler’s is the type of place that after first discovery, you want to return to again and again. The dining room is city chic with Cape Cod charm. My partner in crime, life and most dining experiences, Peter Kelly, joined me. Numerous trips from Orleans to Ptown, with us listening to Chef Lynch’s audio book Out of Line, A Life of Playing with Fire, heightened our anticipation. What we discovered is her passion to create a space that educates, inspires and delivers on its promise for food. The Italian-influenced menu showcases the bounty of New England ingredients, with a spotlight on Cape Cod. We came for the food, and our expectations were high. Prepare to use all five of your senses.
Comfortably tucked into a corner table in the dining room, providing us an eye to the action, we ordered the Charred Bread with a side of marinated beets. The bread, thickly sliced, deeply charred— to die for—quickly became a new infatuation. A piece of equipment called the plancha, which reaches scorching temperatures, is how they create the char with intense smoky flavor. The bread is served with honey, butter, olive oil and “ferments” for dipping.
According to Rowland, the ferments change seasonally. “I always have fermented foods in my pantry. Currently we have a Giardiniera Mix of cauliflower, carrots and sweet potatoes, and Molh Cru, which is red chilies, vinegar, cumin and garlic. We also ferment pears, apples, elderberries and lemons, among others.” Forget the butter. Use the smoky, grilled bread to mop up every last bit of the beet dressing. This is food to be shared and devoured with your hands.
The red beet, robust in flavor and grown at Cape Cod Organic Farm in Barnstable, was the undisputed star of the plate, with a supporting cast of roasted carrots, golden beets and vinaigrette dressing. It made me wonder why it is designated as just a side dish. If you are a beet fanatic and find yourself sharing this plate, nonchalantly capture as many of the red beets as you can with your fork, smile, and pass the dish along.
The Burrata and Preserved Fruit showcased thinly sliced fried bread, layered with mascarpone cheese and a sweet spread of fruit. We could not resist the made-from-scratch pasta, served al dente, with steamed local clams, a squeeze of fresh lemon, parsley, white wine and garlic. The work of the plancha appeared again with the vegetables that accompany the pan seared local cod: Brussels sprouts, leeks and carrots charred to perfection, emphasizing their freshness and quality.
The charcuterie and cheese boards are ideal for those stopping in for a quick bite and a cocktail. The bar program is inspired, curated by Ezra Star, general manager and head mixologist of Barbara Lynch’s Boston cocktail bar, Drink. We ordered, and thoroughly enjoyed, a few classic cocktails, the spicy and sweet El Diablo (tequila, citrus and cassis) and the provocatively named Between the Sheets (rum, brandy, curaçao and citrus).
On our second visit, after we settled into our now-favorite corner spot, we ordered the Chef’s Tasting, which showcases the farm-fresh ingredients and skills of the kitchen. The smoked bluefish and local radish was assertive, rich and succulent. Wellfleet oysters, sweet and icy cold, were followed by fish chowder, which Peter said instantly brought back memories of his father, aromatic, coming home right from the sea.
Next up was the Pasta Primavera, made from scratch noodle cooked al dente and served with warm asparagus and peas napped in a light basil cream. It was big on flavor and abundant in shades of green. Pan-seared halibut was served with roasted tomatoes, fennel and olive paste. Colors jumped off the plate, and flavors sang and danced on the tongue, like the kitchen staff as they moved through the dining room.
Conversation immediately halted when the flourless chocolate cake approached our table. The aroma came wafting up and smacked me in the face. The flavor profile was complex: a rich dark chocolate with floral undertones. No surprise to discover that Chef Rowland holds a Pastry Degree from the University of North Carolina.
On this occasion, we wisely planned in advance by reserving a room at the Waterford Inn, so we were able to enjoy after-dinner drinks at Spindler’s bar. We began to think we could get used to this lifestyle, and received confirmation from the heavens upon discovery of the Inn’s Sunday’s brunch, Sabores de Mexico, which (thankfully) features a Hangover Soup (Vuelve a la Vida): house made consommé with slow cooked meats. Since I don’t eat red meat, the kitchen staff graciously substituted a blend of locally-caught shellfish.
On this occasion Rowland’s sous chef Eduardo Rios was at the helm. Chef Rios has a wealth of experience and a diverse background. He started cooking in Mexico in the third grade, moved to the Yucatan Peninsula to cook at Tulum in 1990, cooked with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse, and helped start Coyote Café in Santa Fe. He introduced us to moles, which he creates from scratch, grinding all the nuts and seeds. The moles have over twenty-five ingredients, which create waves of flavors—sweet, spicy, chocolate, extreme heat—and are served with warm, crisp homemade corn chips.
Rowland says of Rios, “He does not use a mix for anything. He manages to be faster and more joyful than cooks half his age.” Peter devoured his Huevos Rancheros so quickly I was not able to snap a picture. I suspect the combination of potato hash, chorizo and sunny-side- up eggs was just the ticket to get his mojo back on track.
Rowland said, “We are very focused on making all aspects of the dining experience—from a cup of coffee to tapas, to full seated dinner and even a thriving bar scene—a reality. We cannot just focus on the fine dining aspect of what we do, but quality ingredients, cleanly presented with lots of flavor, is a theme of the whole property. I am always reading, writing menus, collecting ingredients and trying to improve. I am a big believer that it’s not just the time spent, but the quality of what you produce with that time.”
Rowland starts his day early, at the farmers’ market when it’s open, to buy local produce for sure, but also to interact with the community, the farmers and fishermen that are his friends. His menus incorporate products from many local farms including E&T Farms in West Barnstable, and Dave’s Greens, Down Home Farm, Hillside Farm and Nestwood Farm, all in Truro. He has an extra special connection with Tim Friary at Cape Cod Organic Farm.
With a background in anthropology, Rowland fell into cooking. He says, “My first real job was The Juice. It was a restaurant with no equipment but huge heart in the center of Wellfleet. We grew all our own food, did organic juice and local farming before that was a thing.” He then worked for Chef Jeremiah Reardon, who had just been nominated for the James Beard Award, at the now closed Enzo’s in Provincetown. “Jeremiah really cracked my brain open. It was that experience that made me want to be a chef,” says Rowland.
He met his wife Rachel during time as a line cook at Blackfish in Truro, while she was running the delivery route for Cape Cod Organic Farm. Four years later, they married on that very farm. In 2016 they welcomed their daughter, Nova. Rowland says, “I bring Nova to every farmers’ market I can. She also loves the farms. I will never forget the first time she picked and ate strawberries at Cape Cod Organic Farm. It was so life renewing to watch her pick and eat strawberries from the earth for the first time. Her face lit up and my heart melted right there in the field.
“Food grown here tastes better, feels better and makes a large social impact. We don’t eat anything else but farm food and fresh seafood in the summer months. Sharing a bowl of clams from Wellfleet and some greens that Rachel brings home from the farm is my ideal day off. It reminds me great cooking is less about me, and more about memories, sharing and ingredients.”
When Peter and I were sharing our notes to prepare this article, we noticed that we both wrote down “thank you” many times, specifically thank you to Barbara Lynch for passing the torch. We are so grateful to see our community evolve and support local food and each other, at this level.
We say thank you, for it is obvious there has been care, love, knowledge of hospitality and collaboration with our local farmers, fishermen, architects, innkeepers, chefs, waitstaff and bartenders to bring the experience to us on a plate.
More important than the amazing food, the pedigree of talent and the vibe of Provincetown is the community, the connection between the farmer and the friends. It is a unity, hard to put into words, each person, each entity is a thread that makes up the most amazing fabric—the fabric of Spindler’s.
Spindler’s
386 Commercial Street, Provincetown
508-487-6400 / spindlersptown.com
Creator of The Local Scoop in Orleans, Mary DeBartolo has put her passion for local food into action. Their mission, "Serving Joy with a Dash of Incredible Local Tastes," comes to life with farm-to-scoop flavors and artisan handmade Cape Cod Pops. As founding member of Slow Food Cape Cod, Mary is an avid supporter of community and farms. Food writing, recipe development and a lot of taste testing with family and friends round out the picture.
