A Review of the Wharf, in Madison BEFORE it closed for demolition in the fall of 2009, the Madison Beach Hotel was the kind of place you kept quiet about. A modest, seasonal establishment, it had first class views of Long Island Sound at bargain basement prices. The rooms were small and absurdly inexpensive. And the adjoining restaurant, the Wharf, with its sensible prices, outdoor dining porch and terrific view made it a hidden gem. Delayed by construction modifications and Tropical Storm Irene, the hotel reopened in May. And the word is out. The new, gray-shingled structure is far grander and larger than its predecessor. It has complimentary valet parking and 33 rooms, all facing the Sound. The luxurious entry hall is lined with a wall of French doors that open onto a dining porch with marble-topped tables, and the Sound. The new owners, Ric and Dawn Duques, had planned to reopen with two restaurants: the Wharf, and a smaller, more formal establishment. But for the moment, the Wharf is the only restaurant that is regularly open to the public. On the second floor, Tides on the Sound, which seats 40, is available for private dining and special events; it is to open eventually as a second restaurant. The Wharf is a mix of grand luxe and traditional New England seaside traditions. Elegant touches include banquettes, French doors and fancy semicircular booths in the center of the room. Captain's chairs and table mats instead of tablecloths take things in a more casual direction, as does the service, which, while endearingly friendly and eager, shows inexperience: Reservation requests left on the hotel's answering machine were never confirmed, and on one occasion, we waited several minutes, unacknowledged, to be seated. Necessary silverware wasn't replaced when appetizers were removed, and our waitress was flummoxed by a request to bone my companion's branzino. The menu, however, has gone upscale. While most entrees are priced under $30, they top out at $42 for cioppino. Appetizer prices inhabit territory previously occupied by the entrees at the original Wharf. Some of those appetizers, however, are very good. Many are large enough to serve as a light entree. The glistening, diced tuna tartare, for example, was generous. Molded into a timbale shape and layered over a dice of creamy avocado and crisp cucumber, it was accompanied by homemade potato chips and a swath of spicy aioli. One could also make a meal of the tender fried calamari with chorizo and cherry pepper slices, sheathed in a brittle, well-seasoned crust, or of two large sea scallops, silky inside, gorgeously caramelized outside, and served with sesame, stir-fried vegetables. We enjoyed a creamy New England clam chowder, which, while slightly oversalted, was packed with clams and potatoes. Clams and oysters from the raw bar were fresh, crisp and briny, but jumbo shrimp were nearly tasteless. And the shellfish platter was far too large to be set on the table as if it were a serving plate; it would have worked better had it been elevated. Salads were terrific, from the Caesar - dressed with a zippy, eggless dressing - to an arugula salad tossed with strips of Bosc pear, toasted hazelnuts and a gentle white balsamic dressing. Roasted red and gold beets, seasoned with red wine vinegar, complemented a fluffy goat cheese mousse. Entrees were problematic. Our hamburger was cooked past the requested medium-rare. Rigatoni was limp and the two accompanying meatballs looked great but were excessively bready and pasty-textured. In a dish of shrimp baked with a crab and scallop stuffing, the stuffing was disappointingly bready and did not taste much of crab or scallops. On the positive side, once the kitchen had boned the branzino, the fish and fennel stuffing were delicious. The cioppino, a hefty mix of lobster, scallops, shrimp, clams, and mussels, was tasty but was too expensive for its level of quality; some of the seafood was overcooked, the saffron-tomato broth was more sauce than broth, and the garlic overpowered the saffron. A thin rib-eye steak, however, was nicely cooked and reasonably priced. Desserts were outstanding. A trio of crèmes brûlées combined an ethereal, eggy vanilla, bittersweet chocolate and caramel; such beautifully textured custards are rare. Strawberry, lemon and raspberry sorbets were topped with fresh berries. A moist, individual, round carrot cake was layered with cream cheese frosting and prettily decorated with a petite candy carrot. Chocolate s'mores cake topped with homemade marshmallow was a cute take on the campfire classic. In sum, prices are higher, the food has its ups and downs, but the view is worth coming back for. The Wharf Madison Beach Hotel 94 West Wharf Road Madison (203) 350-0014 madisonbeachhotel.com/the-wharf-restaurant.htm THE SPACE Large, ground floor restaurant with a stone hearth and French doors with view of the Sound. If the bar is even moderately busy, the restaurant gets very noisy. THE CROWD Couples and groups in a range of dress, from casual beachwear to jackets and ties. THE BAR Full bar with an international wine list; most bottles over $35. Limited bar menu available Sunday through Thursday until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until midnight. THE BILL Appetizers, $6 to $18; Entrees, $15 to $42. WHAT WE LIKED Arugula salad, Caesar salad, beets and goat cheese, tuna tartare, fried calamari, pan-seared diver scallops; rib-eye steak; crèmes brûlées, sorbets, carrot cake. IF YOU GO Breakfast daily, 7 to 10 a.m. Lunch daily, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dinner: Sunday through Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with live jazz. Free valet parking. All credit cards are accepted.