Still trying to catch up with the Martha’s Vineyard spots we visited last Autumn… After having a great dining experience at the Beach Road Restaurant, we were ready for more! We found this lovely place called The Pawnee House, named after a historic grand Victorian Hotel with the same name. It is located at where the hotel once stood way back when in 1800s with all of its glory. The ground floor of the hotel still remains, which is now home to several shops, and yes, restaurant The Pawnee House.

It is pretty darn cool to be able to dine at such historic spot. They have done an excellent job renovating the exterior and the interior, while keeping some historical elements. With that, it was warm, inviting, and cheerful.

I loved all the knickknacks, and especially their old-fashion, Victorian-looking plates!

We started off with some cocktails. We ordered Highland Sling ($16) and Sour Monkey ($16). Highland sling is made with Scotch, Cherry Heering, Orange Liquor, Cynar, Grenadine, Fresh Lime and Pineapple Juices, Bitters, and splash of club soda. It sure has loads of ingredients! It was strong and had a great flavor of pineapple! Fruity just the way I like it. Club soda made this less sweet, and more refreshing. Sour Monkey is made with Scotch, Strawberry Sour, Pamplemousse, Fresh Lime and Lemon Juices, Egg White, and Strawberry Gastrique. It was nice and aromatic, strawberry flavor is present but not too much. The sweetness was nicely balanced with lime and lemon flavors. Egg white was perfectly foamy and creamy. Off to a great start!

We decided to get one starter to share. They had loads of enticing dishes, but we went with Charred Shishito Peppers with Chipotle Aioli ($13.50). It was a nice portion, great for sharing! Love the grilled lemon, came out hot, loads of fresh lemon aroma that help wake up your senses and your taste buds. This dish went great with the cocktails. Peppers were plump and fresh, the added sea salt on top just takes it to the next level. Really enjoyed the aioli, to the point we asked for extra. And look how they brought the extra aioli to us, adorable!

For the main, we ordered Salmon Wellington ($33.50) and Chicken Pot Pie ($25.50). Look how beautifully they are plated! Salmon Wellington is made with Salmon Filet w with Sautéed Spinach & Dill Sauce in Puff Pastry. Served with Dill Fingerling Potatoes & Sesame Asparagus.

The puff pastry had a nice sweetness to it, with super flaky crust! Potato is really good too! Asparagus were cooked to perfection, with the right amount of softness and bite. I am a fan of fingering potatoes, and these were great! Really enjoyed the dill flavor.

I know you are curious about what it looks like in the inside… Here it is! The salmon was cooked just right. Flakey, moist, not overdone, just perfect. It must be hard to cook them when you can’t see how they look inside the puff pastry, but The Pawnee House has figured out the magic! We totally LOVED this dish!

At this point, we ordered just one more drink, called The Jaime ($15). It is made with house-made Pineapple-infused Vodka, St. Germaine Elderflower, and Lime. This cocktail is named after the owner of the inn across the street, yes there is a sweet backstory to this drink. Love the pineapple flavor, so tasty!

Back to the main, Chicken Pot Pie with Root Veggies. It looked simple yet elegant. The perfectly golden top is begging you to open it up, to uncover the treasures underneath.

It was loaded with fresh ingredients, packed with flavor, without it being overwhelming. So delicious, lovely, and delightful! The pastry was super flakey yet fluffy, with the perfect crunch. Chicken pieces were plump, tender, and juicy! Amazing dish!

Since everything we tried were simply incredible, we decided to push our luck with a dessert. We wanted to get a cup of coffee to go with it, and the staff recommended us to get a French Press, which would be a better option to share. So, we got the French Press ($7/medium), and that had about 4 cups and a half, so yes, it was a much better deal in my opinion. Thank you!

For dessert, we chose Southern Strawberry Shortcake ($15.50), which is a shareable dessert (even though you really wouldn’t want to…). It is made with fresh strawberries, house made whipped cream, & biscuits. It had an amazing aroma of strawberry the moment it arrived at our table. Super fresh with perfect amount of sweetness, even with the cream. Biscuits had a nice denseness yet flaky and light. If you are a fan of strawberry shortcake, you really want to try this one from The Pawnee House!

They have one gender-neutral bathroom. Clean, large, and with that nostalgia feel to it somehow. Well maintained and elegantly decorated, and I believe it is accessible.

We had an AMAZING dinner here. The staff (possibly one of the owners?) was super friendly, welcoming, and warm, just like the interior of this restaurant. I really liked the simple yet cozy and adorable spot. We enjoyed everything! I still dream about the food and dessert (and cocktails too!) from The Pawnee House. I would definitely go back again for more the next time we go to Martha’s Vineyard!

The Pawnee House – 20 Kennebec Ave H, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557