Gilligan's Island

Great food very resonable prices.  Outstanding informal place for a Sunday through Friday night out.

Well I never made it there when it was The White Rock or Village Inn but I have now been there twice as Gilligan's.

The first time I had a turkey club that was pile so high with meat I had to take half of it off.  It was accompanied with a big pile of hot crisp French Fries which while perfectly cooked were more than I could eat.

The second trip I had a cheese steak that would rival any in Philly.  It was simply delicious.

Off course you can wash this down with ice cold draft beers for as low as $1.50 for Pabst Blue Ribbon, which unfortunately had just run out when I got there so I splurged on a $3.00 16 OZ Stella.  I mean come on, how can you go wrong?

CLOSED AND FOR SALE!!!! Another on bites the dust. It seems a couple of years of running a bar satisfied the owners needs. The place went downhill and then closed altogether.

UPDATE: Not hearing good things of late. Seems the bloom is off the rose. No more dining room or fried anything. A recent FB post says they're making it into the bar it was always intended to be. Not really sure what that's supposed to mean. If it is sliding downhill it's a damn shame. I will leave the stars until I see for myself. 9/8/2011

Welcome to Gilligan's Island! Or as the locals will no doubt call it, the VI (vee eye). Let me explain.

The White Rock Inn or Village Inn has been a local institution around Westerly for so long that I'm sure there are cave paintings of it somewhere. Myself being a somewhat newer addition to Westerly, arrived upon it's initial closing and only saw the place during a brief open period about a year ago. Sadly I never saw the place in it's heyday, but I heard the stories. They are far too numerous to repeat so you will have to do the research yourself. It won't be difficult.

What I did see was a bar that had seen better days and was badly in need of some repair. Even bringing the place up to current codes seemed a daunting task and in this economy, perhaps impossible. Leave it to Gilligan! Kevin Gilligan.

Mr Gilligan has either worked a miracle or found a way to turn back time because the building where the VI used to be looks brand new. He has created a great looking bar with good food, very reasonable prices and a friendly staff. I went there on a recent Sunday and the new place jitters consisted of a balky TV behind the bar. Oh the Horror!  Bartenders Katy and Sarah had the problem fixed within a couple of hours.  The food looked great so I called my wife and asked if she would like me to bring something home. Not merely a ploy to hang around on a "3 hour tour", I "really" wanted to bring my Janie something special. Believers? I didn't think so.

The food was terrific. Jane's grilled Rueben was perfect and she loved the onion rings that came with it. I have to try the burgers everywhere I go and this one hit the spot. A juicy half pound patty well cooked with really good fries. While I waited, I saw a Caesar salad go by that could easily feed two. The lady that ordered it took half of it home. On another visit my wife tried the scallop casserole and I burgered it again. I wish I had tried the scallops. Lightly breaded and cooked in butter with a little spice the scallops were terrific. Served with a baked potato and slaw it sells for $8.95. I would have expected twice that. My burger was perfect again but oh those scallops! Great job for any kitchen and amazing for one open less than a week. Way to go, Little Buddy! I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.

In Westerly, word travels quickly, so I think Gilligan's is going to be busy from the jump. I have heard that last Saturday night when they had a band it was wall to wall. Off to a good start. I highly recommend you try it. It can be tricky to get to so use your GPS, Mapquest it or ask a local. Of course, this being Rhode Island, you will have to ask where the VI is.

UPDATE: On todays visit I overheard a patron tell his caller he was at the VI, change his mind and say he was at the GI. Maybe this name change thing won't be a problem after all. Also I noticed a former bartender is back. Comforting, knowing how New Englanders love change.

UPDATE 2: Everything has gone to Hell. Foods awful! Staff is hateful! They are YANKEE FANS! OK, NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. Well, maybe the Yankee thing. Food is better than ever with a much broader menu and daily specials. Sorry Kevin but I was hoping it would take a little longer for you to be discovered. Just celebrated 1  year open and things are looking great from my house. As I write this, traffic is already going by my little hacienda for the lunch time crowd. Well done Kevin! Not an easy task these days, opening a new restaurant.