Everything here is delicious.  Seriously.  Everything.  Last night I had the pleasure of trying Ken N’ Beck the new restaurant in Oak Bluffs on Kennebec Ave (get it?) in the old Zapotec location -  and am already planning my next visit.  Their motto is “We make everything from scratch with the support of local farmers and fishermen. “  And it’s a motto that is going to serve them well.  We were a party of six and had the best seat in the house on the screened-in porch.  If you get there early enough there is a good chance you’ll be able to snag a table there which gives you lots of opportunity for people watching and envious stares from passers-by as they watch you devour your meal.

Starters
The starters are amazing and don’t even think of sharing them with anyone.  The corn-meal fried oysters in remoulade were magnificent and melted in your mouth, I felt as though New Orleans had taken over the Vineyard for those few minutes it took for me to wolf them down.  We also had the duck rillettes with pickled shallots and crostini, again another winner.  Potted braised duck  was something I never thought I would ever willingly eat but I’m so thankful that I did.   It was so flavorful and was the perfect crostini topping.

Main Course
For the main course, our table ordered one of everything and I felt that next time I go, I should order one of everything for myself.  The buttermilk fried chicken put  Colonel Sanders to shame. Marinated for two days in buttermilk and served with chicken gravy and sweet cornbread.  It was so tender, moist and devoid of grease that I couldn’t believe it was fried.  The sweet cornbread squares that accompanied the chicken could have been a meal by itself.

The lobster tacos were perfect.  Crunchy taco shells filled with fresh chunks of lobster and accompanied with grilled corn succotash, salsa verde and sour cream, brought the border a little closer to home.  Keeping with the south of the border theme, the flank steak fajitas were perfectly marinated and grilled to order.  Served with freshly made fixin’s of guacamole  and “mom’s” spicy salsa.

A braised pork shoulder au jus served with vinegar-based potato salad and roasted carrots was pig love on a platter and there was a bit of a scuffle when the waitress tried to remove the plate our fellow diner was licking.  Rounding out the main courses was another visit to New Orleans and this time it came in the form of a mardi gras Gumbo!  The bowl with smoky andouille sausage, shrimp, okra, & rouille crostini earned this quote from one of our dining companions ” That’s what gumbo tastes like in New Orleans”.

A coveted liquor license is on its way, but in the meantime you must try the homemade sweet tea infused with mint.   Sipping from the old-fashioned mason jars on the screened-in porch made me feel like the southern belle of the ball.

Desserts
Don’t even think of leaving without dessert. The Gateau Gilbert with fresh blueberries or as we dubbed it, “The Queen of Bread Pudding” was worth the spoon dueling scratches.  The fresh blueberry pie made me think of apron-wearing moms in Maine.  The chocolate pudding at Ken N’ Beck will probably be getting a call from Bill Cosby asking if he can switch endorsements.  And the lemon meringue flavor ice cream was tart, fresh and creamy.

The food is amazing, the ambiance is charming & cozy with an ultra-cool music soundtrack . The  Japanese lanterns & candlelight was flattering, especially to dinner guests who have full mouths.  Open 7 days a week from 5pm-10pm, bar menu through 12:30am.

Ken N’ Beck is New N’ Tasty!

Ken N’ Beck
14 Kennebec Avenue
Oak Bluffs, MA
508-696-6040