The Barley Neck: Riding The Waves In Orleans
Many of us may have fantasized of someday purchasing our favorite local restaurant or bar, but for self-labeled “professional customer,” Phil Ruggeri, that pipe dream actually became a reality. After years of joking with Joe Lewis, the prior owner of the The Barley Neck on Beach Road in Orleans, that someday he would step in and take over, he did just that in 2015. In all of his romanticized notions of the life of a restauranteur, Ruggieri hadn’t factored in the challenges of actual ownership. In hindsight he admits, “we just really didn’t know this business. I thought we would be able to just step in and continue building on what Joe had accomplished in his 21 years.” After a few years of declining sales and struggling to stabilize his sizable investment, Ruggeri turned to old friend and mentor Joe Lewis, now living in Florida, for advice. Lewis recommended a call to Richard Catania, the man he described as “the one who I think can right the ship.”
After realizing he needed professional expertise to do just that, in fall of 2019 Ruggeri reached out to Catania, who has extensive experience in the restaurant industry. Catania made a few “secret shopper” visits to The Barley Neck and came up with a list of modifications he believed could turn the business around. Ruggeri liked what he heard and Catania came on board in the role of Director of Operations. He introduced sweeping changes: hiring new staff including a general manager, Matt Conley, as well as a chef de cuisine. Ruggieri describes Matt as “our hands-on guy, day to day dealing with the clientele. He is the COO to Catania’s CEO.” Catania expounds, “in addition to new food, drink and wine menus, I worked on fine tuning all the details… floors, lighting, and sound system adding a custom playlist. People started to return and The Barley Neck was on a definite upswing and then the pandemic hit.” What was supposed to be a three-week hiatus stretched on, and like all restaurants, they were forced to keep trying to reinvent ways to stay viable — keeping some momentum was imperative in order to stay relevant.
One of things that struck Catania immediately was the poor visibility of The Barley Neck’s attractive but underutilized lawn. He wanted to open up the space so those making the journey to Nauset Beach along Beach Road in Orleans could appreciate the beauty of the historic Greek Revival building and its grounds. Hedges were removed and eye-catching multicolored Adirondack chairs, umbrellas and fire pits were brought in to entice lawn seating. A rebranding back to the recognizable moniker the “The Barley Neck” from the previous BNI logo went on display with new bold signage. An entertainment license was granted from the town, and live local music was hired to perform outside. As business increased, Catania purchased a Vermont Islands portable bar to handle the service needs of the lawn staff , and a separate menu featuring seafood, pizza and tapas was introduced so guests could comfortably dine alfresco. Guests reveled in the opportunity to feel human again during COVID restrictions and “live on the lawn” began to grow in popularity. Locals and tourists appreciated the opportunity to be social in the outdoor setting. A request for the same outdoor entertainment license was met with opposition by abutting property owners and, as we go to press (May 2022), outdoor music without amplification has been approved by the town through the 2022 season. The outdoor menu will once again feature The Barley Neck’s play on charcuterie: the Seacuterie Board (a medley of clams, oysters, shrimp, and tuna partnered with lobster sliders). Other mainstays will be the generous half-pound lobster roll (served on a grilled brioche roll), conch fritters, calamari and a variety of hand-stretched pizzas, crowned with a house-made San Marzano tomato sauce and a Fontina and Mozzarella cheese combination. Gluten-free versions are available on a cauliflower crust. The emphasis is on handheld items that are easy to eat outside. This summer, Chef Tom Glidden says he plans to integrate some new barbeque selections like pulled pork sliders onto the lawn menu.
The Barley Neck itself has an illustrious history dating back to 1857 when it was built by Issac Doane and later became the home of sea Captain Joseph Taylor. His son Mark Taylor is one of the original founders of King Arthur Flour. The property was bought in the 1950s by the Nicoli family who named it the Packet Landing Inn. Since then, it has operated in some capacity as a restaurant and inn. In the 1970s, the Nicolis leased out part of the building and it was renamed the The Barley Neck Inn. The business has had its ups and downs under numerous iterations. The building’s owner was finally ordered to close the doors and put it up for sale at auction in 1994. Joe and Kathi Lewis, sportswear company owners from New York City, bought the property and set about restoring it to its former glory. On the day of the bankruptcy purchase, Joe Lewis and Phil Ruggieri coincidentally were booked on the same flight back to their homes in New York. They were fogged in together in the airport and a lifelong friendship was forged. Twenty-one years later, Lewis would sell his landmark property and business, the aptly named Joe’s Barley Neck Inn, to Phil Ruggieri, who also happened to be a frequent patron and decades long supporter of the establishment.
The interior is comprised of a series of four separate dining rooms. The main dining area is a warm, tavern-style place, in the attached antique barn to the left of the entrance. The three other dining rooms handle overflow seating and accommodate private functions including rehearsal dinners, showers and other celebrations. The rooms are elegant and updated, yet retain lots of the original architectural details of the 1868 manor home. Chef Tom is working to create a custom menu using fresh local ingredients whenever possible for special events. The large immaculate centrally-located kitchen boasts convenient access from both sides of the restaurant. We spend our visit in the bustling main dining area that perfectly embodies the ambiance of a country inn, with warm wooden walls, floors and a large stone fireplace. A stop at the inviting, long gleaming bar for a pre-dinner libation is a must. Catania shares that his 25 years as a member of a wine tasting group, combined with a good palate, has led to a list that is atypical to those at most local restaurants. He believes his wine approach is different. “Everyone seems to sell the same wines, like Kendall Jackson or Sonoma Cutre as their Chardonnay. At The Barley Neck, we offer you a different choice for a similar or lower price point that’s even better tasting.” Cocktail aficionados will delight in the on-premise, oak barrel aged Mad River Manhattan (Mad River Bourbon, Rye, Antica Vermouth, orange peels, and a secret ingredient), while tequila lovers will savor the Hot Margo Cool Rita, a tasty blend of Ghost tequila, Cointreau, muddled cucumber, jalapeno and house sour mix (lime, lemon, and orange juice with sugar). There is a nice variety of craft draft beers on hand as well as the old standbys in the bottle.
Appetites stimulated, we move over into the dining area. Thank you Claire Ruggeri (co-owner with husband Phil) for insisting on touches like the linen tablecloths, and kudos for those wonderfully-padded tables and banquettes. Comfort is often an overlooked component in dining room design, but here once again the attention to small details is apparent. We settle in for a cross section of dishes from the evening’s menu. The Barley Neck’s menu changes seasonally and takes advantage of local bounty whenever available. Chef Tom Glidden, an Orleans resident and veteran of many Cape kitchens since the 1980s, oversees the back of the house operations. He relies on Guaranteed Fresh Produce (a regional wholesaler in Hyannis) for the bulk of their produce but also enjoys poking around local farms like Chatham Bars Inn Farm in Brewster to supplement and inspire. Cape Fish & Lobster has been his prime resource for choice seafood.
Starters offer something for every appetite. Craving a Cape classic? Creamy clam chowder, fresh oysters, and Chef Tom’s addictive stuffed quahogs are all crowd pleasers. Glidden points out that, “even a typical appetizer like fried calamari we try to do a bit differently from the competition. Instead of the usual presentation with the standard marinara sauce, we make in house a sesame aioli and a sweet chili sauce with chopped peanuts as a dipping sauce.” We also venture away from ordering just the more traditional fare. Blistered shishito peppers are perfect in their simplicity: charred over high heat, tossed in oil and finished with a hint of citrus zest and flaked sea salt. My dining companion refers to these gems as the “Russian roulette” of peppers. Although traditionally mild, these thin skinned beauties occasionally yield one that packs a little heat. The Tuna Tower is a refreshingly light bite, featuring superior quality tuna with island-inspired flavors (avocado, cucumber, wakame seaweed) paired with crispy wontons for scooping.
Main plates are sourced from both the land and the sea. Initially, we were all leaning towards seafood selections this evening. However, our knowledgable waiter Eric described the short rib entree as his favorite and his recommendations had been thus far on point, so we added it to the evening’s smorgasbord. Succulent and tender, bathed in a rich demi-glace, this Pineland Farms beef is rich and flavorful. Other carnivorous offerings include steak frites as well as a decadent looking Waygu burger. Eager to indulge in some premium seafood, we also noshed on a variety of destination-worthy dishes. A soul warming clam stew is brimming with lush, sweet clams and chorizo swimming in broth enhanced by wine, tomatoes, fennel, onion, and fresh herbs. Grilled bread for sopping it all up is the perfect accompaniment. The texture of the steamed clams are spot on tender, not one rubbery bivalve in the bunch. A simple plate of broccolini, jasmine rice and miso glazed salmon offered one of my best bites of the night. Cooked perfectly to medium rare, the fish is loaded with umami. The piece de resistance, though, had to be the giant swordfish chop, a daily special (check for availability). The bone-in chop is actually the collar of the fish, and has a very different flavor from the typical swordfish steak. It contains layers of fat that dissolve when grilled, yielding a buttery texture to the meat. The substantial chop is served over jasmine rice and heirloom tomatoes sauteed with red onions and a little olive oil. Eric declared it is “truly the most beautiful thing” and we couldn’t resist snapping a few quick photos when this dish hit the table.
We couldn’t leave without at least sampling a few desserts, specifically those made in house. The white chocolate cheesecake is creamy and decadent without being overly heavy and is enhanced with a maple espresso sauce. The “budino”, or Italian-style custard, is equally satisfying and velvety with a layer of soft caramel and a sprinkling of sea salt. Later in the season, Chef Tom’s summer strawberry shortcake will appear on the menu: a New England-style biscuit topped with sweet seasonal berries. In the fall, he sources apples from a nearby orchard to showcase in his autumnal creations.
In order to keep the The Barley Neck fully functioning during the busy season, Ruggieri and Catania have recruited several veteran staffers from Florida. As an added enticement, lodging for some is available on premises while others will stay in a guest house on Ruggieri’s property a half mile away. They hope this will alleviate the employee shortage plaguing so many Cape businesses, and will hopefully allow operations to continue seven nights and two days (Saturday, Sunday) during high season. Sunday has a distinct menu with an array of both breakfast and lunch style options. Don’t miss adding a Bloody Mary as a pick-me-up. All Bloodies feature the original recipe derived from the Grand Central Oyster Bar in New York City.
Despite some setbacks, the gregarious Phil Ruggieri is still passionate about their stake in the industry. “It’s been a learning process but Claire and I feel we have now earned a PhD with all our new knowledge. As avid restaurant goers, we know what a good restaurant environment looks like, and we try to implement that at the The Barley Neck. We want you to feel like you’ve stepped into the local tavern, but one that offers you an elevated experience with both superior cuisine and attentive staff. We have also surrounded ourselves with the proper professionals, and we have learned along the way that sometimes we need to step back and get out of their way. We are here to provide support as needed. I still think there is such a romance to owning this place. We love the history here and everything this place always was and that’s why we want to succeed.” Catania chimes in, “we are the caretakers here and with that comes a responsibility. We feel the The Barley Neck is a vital part of the East Orleans community.” We raise a glass and toast to our hosts and the spirit of Captain Joseph Taylor. I can’t help but believe he would approve of the distinctive fare and the hospitable atmosphere his landmark home still offers today.
The The Barley Neck
5 Beach Road, Orleans
508-255-0212
For reservations, hours, and updates: barleyneck.com
