photo: Matt Baldwin Salmon topped with salsa is served over a bed of greens at the Mountain Magnolia Inn in Hot Springs.

CITIZEN-TIMES CORRESPONDENT

HOT SPRINGS - When we arrived at Mountain Magnolia Inn for dinner, the sun was shining through the rain and a magnificent rainbow made an arc just over the inn. That was a magical beginning for a very satisfying dinner at this beautiful retreat in Hot Springs.

We had a choice of inside or outside seating but in this case, there was no question. The outside porch, with floral tablecloths and fresh flowers on the tables, offered a breathtaking view of the mountains and the inn's lawns bordered in blooming perennials.

If you go Restaurant: Mountain Magnolia Inn, downtown Hot Springs, 622-3543, www.mountainmagnoliainn.com Type of cuisine: American creative Price range: About $13 to $22.95 Hours: 5:30 to 9 p.m. daily dinner, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for Sunday brunch Ambience: Historic, romantic, outdoor seating available Service: Attentive but timed for leisurely dining Signature dish: Seasonal foods since the menu changes regularly

What others say: Kurt Dohmann, 38, of Charlotte, said the green beans amandine were "probably the best I've ever had." Paul Rice, 41, of Harrisburg, had the portabello dish and said, "It was like a party in your mouth the flavors were so good." Diane James, 55, of Monroe, Ga., at the inn to plan a September wedding for a family member, said, "My dinner was excellent. The clam chowder was out of the world." The upshot: The inn offers refined, fresh and nicely presented food but not fussy fare. The setting is beautiful and romantic. It's well worth a trip to Hot Springs.

Before we were seated, we strolled the lawn and walked through the inn, built in 1868 and occupied by members of the Rumbough family until 1988, and read about the inn's rich history. Pete and Karen Nagle of Charlotte bought the house and began restoring it in 1997 to open it as an inn.

While you may want to treat yourself to a stay in one of the inn's several guest rooms, you can still experience the inn as we did, with just a leisurely meal. The menu, which changes regularly, is limited but offers enough variety to suit most tastes. On the evening we visited, there was trout, shrimp, beef, pork, chicken and a grilled portabello mushroom dish for vegetarians.

My meal began with a house salad with homemade ranch dressing but I couldn't stop at just one sample of my husband's Baltimore Harbor Clam Chowder, indulgently rich with cream and chunky with skin-on potatoes and vegetables. A basket of sliced egg bread topped with sesame seeds was served with a whipped butter and roasted red pepper spread.

I was tempted by the pan-roasted pork chop with Madeira wine and fresh Bing cherries and I wavered on the Carolina mountain trout with white wine butter, fresh Roma tomatoes and scallions. I finally settled on the roasted herb chicken breast stuffed with fresh basil leaves over island berry pilaf. The combination of the mild chicken with its cheesy stuffing and the slightly sweet rice dish studded with blueberries, dried cranberries and apricots was ample but done with a nice light hand, leaving enough appetite for dessert.

My husband had the large and juicy grilled Gulf shrimp surrounding creamy risotto with fresh spinach. He gave it a thumbs up.

If I had any complaints here, it would be that the green beans served with my entree were tough and underdone. Crisp- tender beans succeed when they are smaller and less "beany." Also, I found a small blue hole through my chicken and blue is an alarming color in food. It probably came from a blue toothpick used to secure the chicken as it cooked. A plus was that the entrees were served on very hot plates, a nice bit of attention to detail that many restaurants overlook.

The meal ended on a high note with a puff pastry filled with caramelized apple slices and topped with vanilla ice cream.

The inn offers a very nice wine list with many wines by the glass, and several beers. Since you're making a drive to get there, reservations are a good idea.

Call Carole Currie at 658-1914 or e-mail her at Carolecurrie@aol.com.