Max M.
Yelp
Food was fresh, tasty, and well presented.
Staff: pleasant and knowledgeable.
Ambiance: in a tiny, former residence, simply decorated (note: piped-in recorded music was played way too loudly, despite requests to lower the volume).
Small tables crowded in a doll-sized space. Old, worn, rather uncomfortable chairs.
I'm quite familiar with and understand fine restaurant economics in this era of inflated wholesale prices, staff shortages, and competition from nearby eateries with lower standards.
These days restaurant profit margins are often paper thin and sometimes nearly non existent. It's not an easy business.
Newmans does clearly care about offering a quality product, and it has priced its menu to reflect that care.
Yet one must ask: why cater to only the 1% (or less) of tourists willing and able to pay exorbitant prices while on vacation? The check for two of us -- appetizer, entree, wine, no dessert, plus tip -- was nearly $300. Whew!
(Many quite good, gourmet restaurants add at least a few relatively modest wines to their lists, knowing not everyone has the means or interest in $100 bottles. I understand wine markups, but when a patron must search to find even a $70 bottle in a tiny beach restaurant, the scales aren't well balanced.)
Overall: Newman's is a nice place with very good food and a polite staff ... but be prepared to dig quite deeply to pay for it. The evening's final tab will not be designed for the budget-conscious or the faint of heart.