251401 Tue Jun 25 18:04:27 -0700 2002 0 20 Tristate Region 0 1335521 I have been to Bay and Main four times and can't seem to find anything I want to eat. (I have a sensitive stomach.) This time I tried a special "cream of mushroom" soup. It had a nice blend of mushrooms, a slightly vegetably broth, was lukewarm and underseasoned. Good raw material for a presentable dish. I had a softshell crab dish from the regular menu. It came with a mixture of vegetables (mushrooms, artichokes--I think, and a few other things) and a gloppy sauce, and badly underdone fingerling potatoes. Edible, I suppose, but not tasty. The place just got a good review from Newsday, but it strikes me as "dump a bunch of ingredients together and they'll think you're innovative." The place is noisy ("lively") and the service is distracted ("informal"). Still, I'd go back--if I could only find something to eat!!! The Ram's Head features outdoor dining overlooking a gorgeous water and lawn view. Eating there is very special, and while expensive (main courses $28-33) worth it for the ambience. I had a crab and lobster bisque and roast duck with a berry sauce. Both were bland but perfectly acceptable. The duck was beautifully cooked except that there was still too much fat attached to the skin--the meat wasn't greasy, however. It was served with a nondescript rice mixture and very underdone veggies. (This seems to be a local problem.) The service, however, is sweetly inept, at least at this point in the season. No bread was offered until we asked; then there was a very nice selection of rolls. No pepper was on the table and none was offered; when we asked for pepper they forgot to bring it until we asked a second time. (That was with the appetizers; with the main courses they had to be asked but only once.) They brought me red snapper instead of duck(clerical error), and I had to wait 15 minutes more for the duck when my tablemates were eating. Tue Jun 25 18:04:27 -0700 2002 0 dubious