Provence at the Peninsula
Provence is a fairly new restaurant located no more than 15 minutes outside of town. They describe their dining experience as a “modern homage to French Gastronomy”. Enjoy their 5-course prix-fixe menu inside what feels like a modern-day French chateau just off of N Main Street in CMCH. Everywhere you look there are beautiful gold accents, gorgeous murals, intricate chandeliers, and branches delicately braided on the interior pillars. Their reviews are off the charts, and I was able to experience it firsthand. From the moment you step foot through the front door, you can tell the service standards are set very high and they remained that way even after we left the restaurant.
The manager, Kal, came right over to welcome us and gave us a rundown on how things worked there. One thing that stuck out to me was that we had that table all night. No one else was coming in after us, and they highly encouraged taking everything slowly, enjoying every sip of wine, bite of food, and bit of conversation. Our server Maks (Max), was so kind, personable, and informative. I overheard other servers speaking to their tables as well, and their attention to detail with each dish was impeccable. To me, it’s the little things. The gold utensils that were replaced after every dish, the way our glasses were never empty, and the way the staff prioritized every single person dining in the restaurant that evening. You simply don’t get that type of service just anywhere.
My husband and I haven’t gone to dinner and talked about our food as much as we did that night. Never. Chef Adam Bowan really knocked it out of the park. 5 perfect courses, all very different from one another. Every single dish was a work of culinary art, experience, and a conversation piece. I want to emphasize the word experience because that is exactly what Provence is. From start to finish, you feel like you have just traveled the world to taste this food, enjoy the environment, admire the building and interior design. The only difference was that we didn’t have to pay for a flight, pack any bags, or leave Cape May County.
However, if we did feel like packing our bags, we could stay right upstairs! They have 9 (don’t quote me on that number) rooms, all tastefully designed. The one I got to check out had a gorgeous wood fireplace mantle, wood closet doors, and an exposed beam, all sanded down to their natural color. I made a comment that it felt like I was on a cozy lux vacation in Aspen, CO. Anyway, the price point at Provence is very reasonable for the unique ingredients, aesthetic plating, and high-end service that you will receive here. Being a well-traveled Cape May native, I know that this level and quality of gourmet international dining is rare in our area. I look forward to trying more of their unique menus in the future. In the meantime, you can take a peek here!
