Family-owned Winnetu Oceanside Resort sits near the dunes of South Beach in Katama. The history of the resort is intriguing. The original lodge, called the Mattakeset, opened in 1873, and was one of the Island’s earliest resorts. During World War II, the Mattakeset’s region of Katama was a U.S. Naval Air and Sea Base. After the war, the site was developed into the Katama Shores Inn, then in 1999, the building was deconstructed to make way for a new resort. Mark and Gwenn Snider bought the building in 2000, and opened the Winnetu Oceanside Resort, creating a relaxing oasis and a lively playground tied together in a pretty bow.
“I remember when I first started working here, I was at a staff meeting, and as we were talking we came to the conclusion that we have about 143 years combined experience,” Winnetu general manager Matt Moore said. “I think part of what makes us so special is our longtime management and staff, warm hospitality, variety of amenities and activities, and the Sniders are onsite, often eating and chatting with the patrons in our dining room.”
Winnetu Oceanside Resort seems to have created a winning recipe for success, offering massage services, bike rentals, a kids’ day and evening “camp,” which allows parents to enjoy some well-deserved adult time, a tennis court, private dining, special events, a pool, world-class food, and more. Speaking of winning recipes, the Dunes, Winnetu’s restaurant, deserves a ribbon.
The vibe at the Dunes is relaxed yet upscale. Dining alongside my husband and I were families, groups of older folks, couples, and everything in between. The white rooms with blue accents reflect life at the beach — refreshing, calming, and lively. If being outside is a must, there is also a deck where guests can enjoy a meal while listening to the birds and gazing at the water. On the night we were dining, it was a bit cool outside, and we noticed staff bringing blankets out for guests so they could snuggle up and continue to enjoy the outdoors. My husband and I sat inside on very tall, cushy, white armchairs. The height of the chair backs felt almost Alice-in-Wonderland-ish in spirit. When I first sat down, Edith Ann — the character created by Lily Tomlin for “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” — came to mind, in all the best ways possible. In keeping with the casual-yet-formal feel of the resort, these snug chairs were extremely comfortable, while cleverly providing privacy.
The resort staff wore nametags, which isn’t unusual per se, but listed under their names were the state or country they were (or are) from. This simple gesture added a personal touch, and provided an opportunity for guests to connect with staff. I overheard a few patrons talking to their server about how they were also from Ohio (or another state), had gone to college there, or had some other personal connection to their server’s hometown. Shayne, originally from Florida via Jamaica, was our server. Just as many families return to stay at the resort year after year, many employees do as well. This was Shayne’s second year working at the Dunes.
Chef Richard Doucette introduced himself and talked a bit about the menu. He makes all of the sauces, breads, pasta, butter, and ice cream on the menu. His scratch kitchen cooking approach consists of elegant dishes that showcase his relationships with local farms, harvesters, and fisheries. Chef Doucette has been with the Dunes for two years, but has lived and worked on the Island for two decades. “Because Chef has been an Islander for a long time, he has a longstanding relationship with local vendors,” Moore explained. “Because of this, our ingredients are the best the Island has to offer, and very fresh. For example, the oysters we serve are harvested a mile down the road. They come in at 4 pm, and we have them by 4:30. Can’t get fresher than that.”
I asked the chef what some of the most popular dishes were. “The chicken, the mussels, the lobster … well, to be honest, all of our meals are popular,” he said. And I can understand why. Though the dinner menu isn’t lengthy, the options are diverse, intriguing, and because there isn’t page after page of choices, exceptional. A few examples include chicken, mussels and oysters, lobster tacos, and the Weekend Feast created for two. The Weekend Feast consists of either a 30-oz. bone-in ribeye, N.Y. striploin sides, and blooming onion, or the Shore Dinner, with 1½-lb. lobster, native littlenecks and mussels, sweet corn, ‘Red Bliss’ potato, and chorizo broth.
On the night my husband and I visited, I ordered a “Summer on the Vineyard” cocktail to start, which was sweet but not overly sweet, refreshing, and served in a chilled martini glass. My husband ordered a “Fizzy Whiskey Sour.” An added hit of carbonation gave this normally heavier drink a fresh summer twist. For my main entrée, I chose the heritage chicken half, with ancho tomatillo barbecue, sweet potato, broccoli rabe, and pearl onion. My husband ordered the halibut with roasted peppers and eggplant. Before our main dishes arrived, Shayne brought us a warm basket of focaccia bread, served with honey butter. Wow. The bread nearly melted in my mouth. Chef Doucette switches up the ingredients for his focaccia regularly. On the night we dined, it was filled with warm sweet tomatoes and rosemary.
Next, the chef sent over a bowl of ceviche, with locally caught fish, avocado, wasabi, green apple, celery root, wonton, mint, and lime. I’d never had ceviche, and it was outstanding. The flavors were bright, savory, light, and fresh.
When the main dishes came out, my husband and I stopped talking. Completely. For a long time. Our mouths were full, sure, but mostly we were captivated by our meals. The chicken was moist, the sweet potato was warm and savory, the broccoli rabe added a perfect crunch, and the caramelized pearl onions added a hint of sweetness. My husband’s halibut sat atop roasted peppers, eggplant, and greens. At one point I looked over at him and grew concerned that he might lick his plate. Plate licking is perfectly acceptable at home, but though I’m not a follow-the-rules sort of gal, full on plate-licking in public might be pushing it. Which brings me to dessert. We threw all caution to the wind, and told Shayne to surprise us. Chef Doucette sent out two desserts. The first one was Malva pudding, originating from South Africa, with fresh ginger and homemade vanilla ice cream. The other delectable treat was a chocolate torte with a dab of vanilla ice cream dainty placed on a sprinkling of graham cracker crumbs, a macaroon, and a half-moon-shaped thin strip of cookie hugging the torte. It was so pretty, I didn’t want to ruin it. For a minute.Then I got real and dove in.
Luckily, I had leftovers. And though I was joyfully full, I couldn’t wait until the next day so I could eat again. As we were leaving, Shayne shook our hands, wishing us a wonderful night, while lightly referring to me as “my lady.” I felt a little like a queen. Cough. Laugh. Sputter. Mostly, though, we left feeling seen, heard, and happily satiated.
The Dunes is open daily for breakfast from 7:30 to 10 am, 11:30 am to 3 pm for lunch at the Pool Grill, and 5 to 9 pm (last seating) for dinner. The Dunes is closed on Wednesday evenings for a guest-only Clam Bake. For more information, call 508-627-3663, or email dunesfb@winnetu.com.
