CHISELVILLE BRIDGE, SUNDERLAND

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MANCHESTER AND THE MOUNTAINS ROUTE

ESTIMATED LENGTH: 100 miles

ESTIMATED TIME: 2 to 3 days

HIGHLIGHTS: The region, peppered with cozy villages with centuries-old churches and homes, is reminiscent of a Norman Rockwell painting. And that’s not far from the truth, as America’s favorite artist made his home in West Arlington for 14 years, drawing inspiration from the surrounding countryside. Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound, although there’s also a thriving arts scene anchored by the Southern Vermont Arts Center. Locavores won’t be disappointed, as many farm-to-table restaurants use locally sourced foods, and farms throughout the region offer artisanal cheeses, maple syrup, and other farm-grown products for sale.

GETTING THERE: If traveling from the north, US 7 to VT 7A is the most direct route. From Boston, take I-91 to Exit 2, then VT 30 north to Manchester. From Albany, New York (the closest major airport if renting a car), take I-90 east to NY 787, then north to US 7 to VT 279 (Bennington Bypass), which turns into US 7. Get off at Exit 4.

ON THE ROAD

While Manchester may be synonymous with Orvis (802-362-3750), the outdoor gear retail giant, and designer outlet stores, this southwestern Vermont town has much more to offer visitors. Take some time to explore this community, which encompasses both Manchester Center and Manchester Village, before you hit the road.

Manchester Center is where you will find the stores, a mix of name-brand outlets, and local shops, including Manchester Woodcraft (802-362-5770), seller of Vermont-made wood products since 1950, and Mother Myrick’s Confectionery (802-362-1560), famous for its buttercrunch toffee, chocolates, and Lemon Lulu cake. The Northshire Bookstore (802-362-2200), a well-stocked independent bookstore with a knowledgeable staff, sells both new and used books along with audiotapes, CDs, and gift items.

If outlet shopping is in your plans, it’s worth a stop at the Manchester Visitor Center, located at 4802 Main Street at the roundabout, to pick up the Manchester Designer Outlet Coupon Savings booklet. It’s also available at some of the outlets and online.

Orvis was founded by Charles Orvis in Manchester in 1856 to sell fly-fishing equipment, and today it still carries a wide selection along with sportswear, home furnishings, luggage and travel accessories, and an assortment of products for dogs. You can learn the fine art of casting at one of its fly-fishing schools, or visit the American Museum of Fly Fishing (802-362-3300), adjacent to the Orvis flagship store, to view displays of fishing rods and reels, flies, photos, and paintings. Some items in the vast collection date back to the 1700s.

Manchester Village is more genteel with its stately mansions and inns, including the famous Equinox Resort and Spa (802-362-4700), which has hosted a number of U.S. presidents, among them Ulysses S. Grant and Theodore Roosevelt. The 1822 Bennington County Courthouse is here, as is Hildene (802-362-1788), the Lincoln family home.

After exploring Manchester, jump on VT 30 North at the roundabout. Allow time to stray off the main route, as many noteworthy attractions can be found on secondary roads. The first is the Southern Vermont Arts Center (802-362-1405), a left on West Road for 2.5 miles. As you head up the 0.8-mile curvy drive to the center, you’ll pass a small pond and several large sculptures displayed in the fields and woods. Picnic on the grounds or have lunch at Café Sora (802-367-1028), which serves Japanese homestyle cuisine Thursday through Sunday. Except for special exhibitions, admittance to the Yester House Galleries and the Elizabeth de C. Wilson Museum and Galleries is free.

Zip back to VT 30 to continue to Dorset. Stop at J. K. Adams (866-362-4422), a kitchen supply store that was founded in 1944 and today is world renowned for its handcrafted cutting boards. These and other wooden products are made in Vermont from sustainably harvested hardwoods. In winter, the local farmers’ market moves from Adams Park in Manchester Center to this location, with a number of food and craft vendors setting up booths in the store’s warehouse.

Soon after the store, look for a parking area on the right for Dorset Quarry. In summer it will be packed with cars, as this is a popular swimming hole. It is the oldest marble quarry in the country, founded in 1785 by Isaac Underhill, and was in operation for 130 years. Marble from this and other area quarries was used for the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C., the New York Public Library, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, among other notable buildings. Today the property is privately owned, although the owners allow locals and visitors to swim in the quarry.

Continue your local history lesson at the Dorset Historical Society’s Bley House Museum (802-867-0331) at the corner of VT 30 and Kent Hill Road. Artist, educator, and longtime resident Elsa Bley willed her house to the museum. Exhibits provide an insight into the area’s many long-gone industries, including the marble and iron industries, Harmon Mint (Republic of Vermont coins), and Fenton Potteries, an early nineteenth-century business.

Visiting Hildene

Hildene (802-362-1788; open 9:30 AM–4:30 PM daily), 1005 Hildene Road, Manchester. As a boy, Robert Lincoln, oldest son of President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, summered at the Equinox Hotel in Manchester with his mother and brother Tad. His fond memories of exploring the Battenkill Valley came into play when he decided that he wanted a summer home in the country where he could escape from his demanding schedule as president of the Pullman Palace Car Company. So in 1903 he hired Shepley, Rutan, and Coolidge, a prestigious Boston architectural firm, to build a 24-room Georgian Revival mansion that he called Hildene for “hill” and “valley.” Construction was completed in 1905. He would spend the next 21 summers here with his wife, Mary.

HILDENE, ROBERT TODD LINCOLN’S SUMMER ESTATE

Today his 412-acre estate is open to the public. Start at the welcome center and museum store in the historic Carriage Barn for an introduction to the family and its history, the estate, and the restoration of Sunbeam, a 1903 Pullman car. You can tour the home and its elegant formal garden of European-influenced parterre design that Jessie Lincoln, Robert’s daughter, created for her mother—as well as other gardens, the observatory, and the farms. The 1,000-pipe Aeolian organ in the front entrance hall was a gift from Robert to his wife and is played daily for visitors. In summer, Jessie’s restored 1928 Franklin roadster is on display at the house.

Sunbeam was used by President Theodore Roosevelt’s press corps in 1912 during his presidential campaign. You can walk through the car and learn about the African American Pullman porters, their day-to-day work schedule, and the challenges they faced. The exhibit includes a timeline spanning the century from President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to the Civil Rights Movement and March on Washington in 1963.

Transportation is provided to these attractions and the farms. Hildene Farm is a solar-powered goat dairy and cheese-making operation where you can watch as artisan cheeses are made. The Dene includes a greenhouse, composting facility, apple orchard, vegetable gardens, and songbird sanctuary with a floating boardwalk that crosses a wetlands area. Hildene also has 12 miles of walking trails, with interpretative signs along the Farm Loop Trail.

The museum’s collections also focus on everyday life with artifacts, photos, and memorabilia from schools and generations of area families. Playbills and photographs from the Dorset Playhouse (802-867-5777), located on nearby Cheney Road, are on display along with artwork created by Dorset artists between 1885 and 1950, a period when the town’s pastoral setting was a magnet for creative individuals.

Just past the museum, turn left on Church Street, which loops around the historic Dorset Town Green, which is ringed with uniformly white clapboard homes sporting dark green or black shutters, all on the National Register of Historic Places. Stop by the Dorset Union Store (802-867-4400) for deli sandwiches, homemade cookies, fresh-brewed coffee or iced tea, and other snacks, then settle in at one of the picnic tables on the small green for lunch. Another option, though pricier, is the Dorset Inn (802-867-5500) across the green. Ask to be seated outside, weather permitting.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURES AT THE SOUTHERN VERMONT ARTS CENTER

DORSET PLAYHOUSE

Before jumping back in your car, visit 3 Pears Art Gallery (802-770-8820) adjacent to the store. This beautifully curated gallery offers a mix of works by local and regional artists ranging from fine art to ceramics, artisan jewelry, and garden art. Back on VT 30, continue north for 2 miles to VT 315 West, which leads to the Merck Forest & Farmland Center (802-394-7836). It’s 2.5 miles to the entrance road and another 0.3 mile to the visitor center, where you can get a map and purchase farm-raised meats and produce, maple syrup, and Vermont-made gifts. The center has a number of rustic wood-heated cabins to rent throughout the year, as well as lean-tos and tent sites, but its primary focus is to educate visitors about the sustainable management of woods and farmland through workshops, demonstrations, and other activities.

Visit the 62-acre working farm to see the sheep, pigs, and other livestock or pick berries in season. More than 30 miles of recreational trails are open for hiking, horseback riding, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. In early spring stop by the sugarhouse to learn how maple sap becomes syrup as part of the farm’s certified-organic sugaring operation. The center also manages a 3,100-acre forest.

As you leave, turn left, then follow VT 153 for 5.5 miles to the Consider Bardwell Farm (802-645-9928) in West Pawlet, where you can purchase raw-milk artisan cheeses made from both goat’s and cow’s milk.

The 300-acre farm has a most fascinating history. It was started near the end of the Civil War by Consider Stebbins Bardwell, who established a cheese-making co-op in 1864, the first in Vermont, on his farm near the New York border. The idea of collecting milk from area dairies to make cheese at one central location was considered a novel concept at the time. The farmer-members of the West Pawlet Dairy Association, as it was known, later began sending their cheese by rail to Boston, New York City, and other out-of-state markets.

Today owners Angela Miller and Russell Glover make all their cheeses by hand, using milk from their herd of Oberhasli goats and from Jersey cows on neighboring farms. Many of these award-winning cheeses are named after local places—Dorset, Rupert, Mettawee—with one of their newest offerings, a tangy cow’s-milk cheese called Experience, named for Bardwell’s grandmother. You can buy cheese at the self-serve farm store and are welcome to take a self-guided walking tour of the farm, visit the pastured animals, or enjoy a picnic on the grounds.

ENTRANCE TO THE MERCK FOREST & FARMLAND CENTER

Mount Equinox

No one is quite sure how Mount Equinox got its name, although a common belief is that “Equinox” is derived from a Native American word, akwanok or ekwanok. Another story links it to a scientific expedition led by Captain Alden Partridge, director of the American Literary Scientific and Military Academy, which later became Norwich University (802-485-2000). Partridge believed that outdoor experiences were integral to education, and so, with a troop of cadets, he climbed the mountain to make some barometric observations. The date was Sept. 19, 1823, around the time of the autumnal equinox.

But whatever its origin, there’s no question that experiencing the 3,855-foot mountain, which towers over the village of Manchester, is an absolute must when visiting the area. The 914-acre Equinox Preserve (802-366-1400) on its eastern slope has more than 11 miles of well-maintained trails that cut through different forest habitats, home to a variety of bird and wildlife species. Although many of the trails traverse the lower elevations, the 3.1-mile Blue Summit Trail will take you to the top of Mount Equinox and its endless panoramic vistas.

Pick up the “Trail Map and Guide” at the Equinox Resort and Spa (802-362-4700), which owns much of the preserve’s conserved land. Parking is available behind the resort. The trail system also may be accessed from the Southern Vermont Arts Center (802-362-1405) when open.

Instead of hiking, you can drive to the summit on the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive (802-362-1114). The tollhouse is on VT 7A in Sunderland. The 5.2-mile road twists its way to the top, with picnic areas and pull-offs for the views along the way. At the top of the Saint Bruno Scenic Viewing Center, you can learn about the history of Mount Equinox, the Carthusian Monks who own the mountaintop, the Sky Line Inn that once stood here, and the Mount Equinox Annual Hill Climb sports car race. Be sure to heed the instructions given when you pay the toll to prevent an overheated engine or smoking brakes on the way down.

After your farm visit, continue on VT 153 to VT 30 and then head south to Pawlet, where you’ll take VT 133 (off to the left). Follow this until you come to a Y, where you’ll go right on Danby-Pawlet Road for 6 miles. Turn right again on Brook Road, take the next left onto Danby Hill, and then a slight left to return to Brook Road. When you get to the T in Danby, take a right, then a quick left on Mount Tabor Avenue, which will bring you to US 7. Head north to Brooklyn Road, the first right-hand turn.

This is Green Mountain National Forest Road 10, a 14-mile seasonal road that winds through the scenic Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area (802-362-2307). Deer and other wildlife are often spotted along this road, which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

At the end—the first stop sign on this entire route—turn onto Little Michigan Road. You’ll pass by the Landgrove Inn (802-824-6673; see Best Places to Sleep) before reaching the Landgrove Town Hall. Take a right on Hapgood Pond Road. Follow this for 2 miles to the Hapgood Pond Recreation Area (802-362-2307), a Green Mountain National Forest site where you can picnic, swim, and camp. Returning to the main road, turn right and continue to the village of Landgrove, then go 6 miles east on VT 11 to Londonderry.

Although an interesting drive, note that this road is closed in winter. Your alternate route to Hapgood Pond would be to head south from Danby on US 7 with a stop at Emerald Lake State Park (802-362-1655) in East Dorset. Once back in Manchester, travel east on VT 30/11 for 9 miles, and then take a left into Peru. Turn left on Hapgood Pond Road to access the recreation area.

Or skip this side trip to the pond and just continue on VT 11 through Peru to Londonderry to visit the Taylor Farm (802-824-5690). This working dairy farm is open for tours and wagon rides (sleigh rides in winter). The farmers make artisanal cheeses that are for sale through mail order and at the farm. Try their Maple-Smoked Farmstead Gouda, Chipotle Gouda, or Green Mountain Nettle, the last made with dried nettle leaves.

From Londonderry you have two options to return to Manchester. VT 11 travels through Peru past Bromley Mountain (802-824-5522), which is as well known for its summer Mountain Adventure Park as it is for its family-friendly winter skiing. Or take the longer route, heading south on VT 100 for about 7 miles through South Londonderry. At the intersection of VT 100 and VT 30, go right on VT 30 through Bondville to connect with VT 11 to return to Manchester, where you can continue south on VT 7A to Arlington past Mount Equinox.

NORMAN ROCKWELL COUNTRY

Not long after you cross the Arlington town line you will come to the Sugar Shack (802-375-6747), a gift shop and bakery that houses the Norman Rockwell Exhibition. This impressive exhibit showcases many of the illustrations and paintings the artist did when he lived here from 1939 to 1953, including his Saturday Evening Post covers. What makes this exhibit stand out is that many of the artworks are paired with the photos from which Rockwell painted and the written remembrances of the neighbors and townspeople who modeled for him. The exhibit also includes memorabilia and an interesting film about his life.

DETOUR

At Londonderry, take VT 100 north for 5 miles to Weston. On the way you will pass D. Lasser Ceramics (802-824-6183), worth a stop to watch artisans at work turning out brilliantly colored vases, dishware, and other pottery pieces in more than 30 different color patterns.

Weston is home to the world-famous Vermont Country Store (802-824-3184), begun in 1946 by Vrest Orton and still run by the family today. The sprawling store, which includes four buildings, has an eclectic inventory of household goods, health products, clothing, bedding, and more, with many products that evoke nostalgia. The founder’s creed that every product sold must “work, be useful, and make sense” still holds true today. Bryant House Restaurant (802-824-6287), in a historic 1827 building adjacent to the store, caters to the traveler interested in traditional New England fare, including Yankee pot roast, cod cakes, clam chowder, and chicken potpie. Mildred’s Dairy Bar, open summers only at the back of the restaurant, offers lighter take-out fare. Across the street, the Weston Village Store (802-824-5477), in operation since 1891, sells Vermont products, from cheese and homemade fudge to maple syrup and specialty foods, along with puzzles, games, and souvenirs.

VERMONT COUNTRY STORE, WESTON

The Weston Playhouse (802-824-5288), the state’s oldest professional theater, is located on the Weston Village Green. Its first summer stock production was in 1937, featuring a then-unknown actor named Lloyd Bridges. Today several shows are produced each summer season. Patrons can dine before the performance at the playhouse, which has partnered with the Hartness House Inn and Tavern (802-885-2115) in Springfield to provide farm-to-table cuisine with a different menu for each production.

Before leaving Weston, check out the trio of museums—the Old Mill Museum and dam, the Craft Building, and the Farrar-Mansur House—that constitute the Museums of Weston (802-824-3119). Each depicts life in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Weston. The Craft Building, the town’s first firehouse, houses a Concord coach that the Weston Cornet Band used as a bandwagon from 1880 to 1930.

For a spiritual experience, visit the Weston Priory (802-824-5409) 4 miles north of the village. Stay on VT 100 until you come to VT 155. Just after you turn onto this route, look for a small sign for the priory. The Benedictine monks invite visitors to walk the trails and the labyrinth by the barn chapel. The public also may attend daily worship services.

If you miss the turn for VT 155, you will end up in Ludlow, home to the Okemo Mountain Resort (802-828-1600), offering year-round outdoor adventure.

After visiting the Sugar Shack, head south into the village and turn right onto VT 313 West (opposite the Arlington Inn). The road winds through a pleasant residential area before hitting the countryside. Continue for 4.4 miles to Covered Bridge Road. You can’t miss it, as the barn-red covered bridge, known as the Arlington Green Covered Bridge—or the West Arlington Bridge, depending on whom you ask—is situated right on the road. Take a left through the 80-foot lattice truss bridge, constructed in 1852, one of the oldest surviving covered bridges in Vermont.

On the other side you will pass by the Chapel on the Green (West Arlington United Methodist Church), built in 1804. Directly ahead are two white farmhouses. The one on the right was Norman Rockwell’s home for the 14 years he lived in Arlington and is now the Inn at Covered Bridge Green (802-375-9489; see Best Places to Sleep). The roadside historic plaque shares information on the renowned artist and illustrator and some of his famous works.

Take a left on River Road, a well-maintained dirt road that follows the Batten Kill—kill being the Dutch word for “river.” You can cut back to the main road on Benedict’s Crossing or take this road back to VT 313. You may see anglers casting for trout or kayakers lazily paddling down the river. In the meadows it’s not uncommon to spot a flock of wild turkeys.

The Arlington Community House, built in 1829, is just past the turnoff for VT 313 West. This Federal-style brick building was deeded to the Arlington Community Club by children’s author and former resident Dorothy Canfield Fisher, who inherited it from her Aunt Martha Canfield. It originally served as the town library. Fisher is buried in the St. James Episcopal Church Cemetery directly across the street.

ARLINGTON GREEN COVERED BRIDGE

INN ON COVERED BRIDGE GREEN, FORMER HOME OF NORMAN ROCKWELL

East Arlington Road, your first left-hand turn, will take you to Sunderland Hill Road, where you can drive through the Chiselville Bridge that spans Roaring Branch Brook. The lattice truss bridge was built in 1870. Continue along this road until you see Hill Farm Road on your left, which will take you past the Hill Farm Inn (802-375-2269) and an old church and cemetery. A left at the end of the road connects you with VT 7A again.

Or, after going through the bridge, retrace your route to Old Mill Road. Take a left and follow this a short distance to the Village Peddler and Chocolatorium (802-375-6037), where you can learn about the history of chocolate and how it’s made, sample chocolate, and view exhibits of old-fashioned metal molds and chocolate sculptures. You can make your own chocolate bar or choose from the display cases of chocolates and homemade fudge.

DETOUR

Continue past the Chocolatorium on Old Mill Road to Kansas Road, then Kelly Stand Road, a right-hand turn. Note that this unpaved road, also known as the Stratton-Arlington Road, is closed in winter and only maintained from June 1 to November 1. It’s the main gateway to the southern end of Green Mountain National Forest and spectacular in autumn for leaf peeping.

Outdoor enthusiasts especially will enjoy this 16-mile route, as it follows the Roaring Branch River (great fly-fishing!) and provides access to two picturesque ponds. To reach the secluded Branch Pond, look for the Branch Pond Access Road and be prepared for a short portage from parking area to water. Grout Pond (802-362-2307), a 1,600-acre year-round Green Mountain National Forest recreation area, offers fishing, swimming, picnicking, and camping. Eleven of the 17 sites are walk-ins, with some accessible by boat. Hiking is excellent here, with 10 miles of multipurpose trails that link to another trail system. For a pleasant, flat-terrain hike that you can complete in one to two hours, take the 2.6-mile Pond Loop Trail.

Just before the entrance to the Grout Pond Recreation Area, you will find the Stratton Pond/Stratton Mountain Trailhead. Hike the 3.6-mile trail to the historic fire tower for 360-degree views. On a clear day you can see mountain ranges in four states. Continue for another 3.5 miles to Stratton Pond, where you can swim or camp. The entire loop is about 10.6 miles. Note that you also can access the summit and fire tower via the scenic Stratton Gondola from Stratton Mountain Resort (802-297-4000).

After Grout Pond the road turns back to pavement. Travel 4 miles and take a left at the Stratton Meeting House. Follow this until you get to VT 30, where a left-hand turn will take you to the Stratton Mountain Resort. Popular in winter, the resort also offers a number of fun activities in summer, including golf, yoga at the summit, and an outdoor concert series featuring world-class musicians. Continuing past the ski area, you can take a left onto VT 30 at Bondville and head back to Manchester.

In winter, or if you’d rather stick to paved roads, after visiting the Chocolatorium, return to VT 7A and take a left. Follow this to VT 313 East to pick up US 7, heading north to Manchester Depot, where you can catch VT 30 into Manchester.

Best Places to Sleep

WILBURTON INN (802-362-2500), 257 Wilburton Drive, Manchester Center. Guests are greeted by Jetson, a friendly cavalier King Charles spaniel, and innkeeper Melissa Levis, who runs this historic, dog-friendly hilltop inn with brother Max. The Tudor-style mansion has 11 spacious bedrooms with additional guest rooms in several outlying buildings scattered about the 30-acre property. Guests can visit the Museum of the Creative Process (802-379-6350) on the grounds or play tennis, swim, or follow the Sculpture Trail to view the massive art installations. Every Wednesday in summer is Farm Night, featuring outside dining with music and artisanal vegetarian cuisine from Earth Sky Time Community Farm (802-384-1400), owned by another brother, Oliver Levis. The inn also hosts several special events throughout the year, from murder-mystery weekends to doggie slumber parties. $$–$$$.

LANDGROVE INN (802-824-6673), 132 Landgrove Road, Landgrove. This 18-room inn on a quiet backcountry road is the perfect place to unplug. In fact, there is no cell service here but no shortage of activities either, as the 32-acre property has tennis courts, an outdoor pool, and hiking and cross-country skiing trails. Innkeepers Tom and Maureen Checchia established the InView Center for the Arts (802-824-6673), in a studio behind the inn, which offers multiday art workshops. The early nineteenth-century inn has rooms to fit every budget, from deluxe with king-sized bed, fireplace, and Jacuzzi tub, to economy with double bed and shared bath. Special lodging and meal packages are offered for workshop attendees. A full country breakfast is included, although coffee, cold cereal, and fresh fruit are available on a self-serve basis for guests who want to get an early start on their day. $–$$$.

INN ON COVERED BRIDGE GREEN (802-375-9489), 3587 River Road, Arlington. The inn, run by Clint and Julia Dickens, has seven nicely appointed guest rooms, each with private bath, in the main house, once the home of Norman Rockwell. Pets are allowed in the two housekeeping cottages, one that was converted to a small art studio for Rockwell’s son, Jarvis, and the other the artist-illustrator’s studio. The latter, which sleeps four, has two bedrooms and baths, a full kitchen, and a living room with a wood-burning fireplace. In the fall the cottages have a three-night minimum stay. The inn has sweeping views of quintessential New England—a covered bridge, white church, and dairy farm—as well as easy access to the Batten Kill for fishing and canoeing. $$–$$$.

Best Places to Eat

YE OLDE TAVERN (802-362-0611), 5183 Main Street, Manchester Center. The taproom, serving classic cocktails and its signature 1790 draft ale, opens at 4:30 PM. Restaurant hours are 5–9 PM. The inn, which dates back to when Vermont was still an independent republic, embraces its centuries-old heritage with stenciled walls, period-perfect furnishings, and a “bill of fare” that includes Yankee pot roast, chicken potpie, and other regional dishes. Steak, fish, and pasta also are on the menu. Portions are generous, and all entrées come with cranberry fritters with Vermont maple butter. An early-bird menu is available before 6 PM. $$–$$$.

THE CHANTECLEER (802-362-1616), 8 Read Farm Lane, East Dorset. Open Wed.–Sun. 5:30–9 PM. Considered one of the standout restaurants in southern Vermont, this eatery, with its European-influenced American cuisine, won’t disappoint. The setting in a renovated dairy barn gives it a casual-chic ambience, but the food is the star attraction here, with creatively prepared meat and fish entrées on the menu. Desserts are equally exquisite. Try the Bananas Chantecleer, premium vanilla ice cream covered with warm bananas and caramel-rum sauce. Reservations recommended. $$$–$$$$.