BENN CONGER INN - ELEGANT DINING IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

There are three distinctive features at Benn Conger Inn that will leave lasting impressions - what a mansion, what a hostess and what a chef!

The mansion sits resplendent on top of a hill on West Cortland Street in Groton, minutes from Ithaca in the picturesque Finger Lakes region. Was it the magnificent view that influenced Benn Conger to build his home here in 1921? Very likely.

The Colonial Revival mansion is as illustrious as its original owner, a state senator, banker and industrial pioneer (he founded the company later known as Smith-Corona), but part of its historic past surrounds its most colorful guest, mobster Dutch Schultz who was known as a bootlegger and numbers racketeer. Even today the inn is a show stopper with its imposing white columns and its 18 acres of impeccably groomed grounds.

And the proverbial 'icing on the cake' is her husband - multi-talented executive chef Peter van der Meulen, a former television whiz from New York who was instrumental in launching Nightline. There are no secrets to this chef's talents who simply says he loves cooking. We feel compelled to warn you that Peter's culinary repertoire will have you salivating as you read the menu and the presentation will be very attractive, but it's his Mediterranean inspired cuisine that will probably leave you momentarily speechless.

The restaurant is open to the inn's overnight guests staying in the three suites and two bedrooms, but dining reservations are welcome and many guests arrive from Ithaca, Skaneateles, Syracuse and even New York City. Dinner is served in three beautifully decorated dining rooms or in the airy conservatory, where the view through the Palladian windows rivals the menu specially designed for us. The rear dining room features an imposing wall mural entitled Italy by Sidney Moonchild, a Groton artist and designer.

The hot soupe du jour (corn and shrimp chowder) prepares the appetite for the sensational eclair de champignons sauvages - puff pastry, chevre, shiitaki, portabella and crimini mushrooms with herbed butter. Oyster Rockefeller is simply divine, followed by a salad and tangy raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Alison is the exquisitely professional proprietaire, lingering only long enough to offer suggestions from the wine list and check on her guests. The cellars feature a 'who's who' of the world's finest vineyards - bordeaux, burgundies, superb Italians and Californians, plus a Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and a Finger Lakes Gewurztraminer from Trealeaven. No wonder Benn Conger's wine list has retained its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 1987.

Our dinner wines include Vosne Romanee, Muscadet de Sevre et Maine, Graves, Chateau Olivier and Gerwurztraminer, Trimbach, all carefully chosen to compliment each course by our gracious hostess.

The Mediterranean accent and cooking artistry evolves with ravioli neri con ripieno di aragosta al sugo di mare. Who would think this dish that literally rolls off your tongue just trying to say it in one sentence translates into a delicious combination of shrimp, scallops and mussels with tomatoes and basil in shallot cream, elegantly served over "black" lobster-filled ravioli?

Cotolette di agnello con lamponi e menta is another of Peter's specialties which deserves accolades galore - garlic, rosemary and crushed peppercorns embrace a rack of lamb to harmonize with raspberry-mint salsa, you'll be singing and dancing praises long after the meal is over.

And what's dinner without those irresistible desserts? We had to try the triple berry tart, creme brulee and profita roll. Utterly daring, but definitely enchanting and delicious with our herbal teas.

Now we've met Peter and Alison, isn't it time you did too? And remember, you can book Dutch Schultz's suite if you plan to visit Groton.