Old-fashioned food and hospitality at Lansing's Rogue's Harbor

Close your eyes at Rogue's Harbor Steak & Ale, and you can just imagine travelers and townsfolk of an earlier era relaxing over a thick-cut steak, a steaming bowl of soup, and a tankard of ale. Open your eyes again, and a look around the dining room -- which features lots of wood and period decorations -- will reveal travelers and townsfolk relaxing over a thick-cut steak, a steaming bowl of soup, and a tankard of ale. The days-of-yore atmosphere of this 1830s landmark is unmistakable, and fits well with the straightforward, honest fare.

Eileen Stout, who owned the building but rented it to the restaurant's owners before taking over the business five years ago, is proud of the many renovations in that time. The building's appearance, no longer rough, shows that "someone cares about the place." We were most impressed by the extensive work upstairs, on the (relatively) new bed & breakfast with its comfortable-looking rooms, antique furniture and fittings, and such modern conveniences as air conditioning and a communal fax machine and refrigerator.

The facelift extends indoors, as well. A new menu at Rogue's Harbor, introduced this spring, features a mix of the restaurant's indispensable favorite dishes and new items that fit well. They couldn't have done away with the Chicken Riggies without a fight; it's a hearty rigatoni dish with plenty of sautéed chicken breast chunks, tomatoes, onions, olives, and pepperoni in a creamy white sauce, and it's heavenly! The chefs get free reign over each evening's specials, as well, adding further variety to a menu that could otherwise inspire one to order the same dishes for each meal.

Also familiar to frequent visitors to Rogue's is the infamous Ale House Munches appetizer, a dippable combination of beer-battered, fried onion rings, zucchini slices, and mushrooms (or any one of the three).

Among the newcomers to the appetizer menu are the spinach spring rolls, crispy rolls filled with mozzarella and spinach, and cut in half. We enjoyed these and the fried calamari, both of which went well dipped in marinara sauce. The calamari wasn't all that flavorful by itself (it needed the marinara), but was nice and tender.

The soup of the day was a thick and hearty New England clam chowder, with corn, bacon, and generous chunks of potato making up a delicious soup anyone but a Boston chowdah purist could enjoy.

Next up was the soy ginger shrimp salad, an imposing mound of food that included orange slices, crispy oriental noodles, sweet pea pods, and mixed greens, lots of tiny shrimp, and a tangy soy-ginger dressing. This or another Rogue's Harbor salad would make a plentiful light supper or lunch, or could be split along with an appetizer or two to make a complete meal for two. (Smaller house salads come with each entrée, but we elected to skip those after enjoying their larger cousin. Try the cranberry apple vinaigrette on yours.)

To say that the new house sirloin was the least impressive of our entrées is unfair; it's a delicious sirloin-lover's steak, cut thick and cooked just right (we ordered ours medium rare) and accompanied by perfectly done sautéed zucchini. The flavorful steak didn't need the tangy steak sauce it rested upon, but those who appreciate steak sauce will be all set. Non-carnivores should try the fresh garden burger with lemon garlic mayo, and there are always pasta dishes or other vegetarian options.

Outshining the sirloin were two seafood dishes, about as different from one another as seafood dishes can get. The simple and tasty Shrimp Tuscany featured large, juicy shrimp and vegetables served with melted provolone cheese over angel hair pasta. The best dish of the evening, though, was the new Scallops Brewster, a remarkable concoction of plump sea scallops and thick slices of Bermuda onion in a country-style mustard sauce, with whole-grain rice. The mustard sauce manages not to overpower the flavor of the scallops and onions, and this dish is perfectly suited to mopping up with the fresh, warm multigrain baguette with sunflower seeds that came to our table.

The scallops also went well with a glass of McGregor cabernet franc, one of many regional wines featured at Rogue's Harbor alongside their out-of-state counterparts. "I'm really devoted to Finger Lakes wines," says Eileen, and the list of wines available by the bottle or, in many cases, by the glass, proves it. Among her favorites is the Treleaven chardonnay, a fruity, mature wine from King Ferry, just a few miles up the lake.

Dessert, a tough choice between a perfect apple crisp (which had a hint of maple) or the berry cobbler, should be accompanied by a cup of the rich, dark coffee or flavorful espresso, served with a twist of lemon peel.

Rogue's Harbor is open 11am ­ 10 pm Tuesday through Saturday, and Sundays 11am - 9 pm. Lunch is a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers, and Sunday brunch (11­3) features French toast, omelets, and selected dinner entrées. Expect to pay $6-10 per person for lunch, and $7-20 (or more) for brunch or dinner.