Everyone knows that the restaurant business is difficult. Now imagine starting a new  restaurant while purchasing and refurbishing a large country inn. Now you have some idea what kind of challenge faces Juan and Gloria Florin, the new owner of the Jackson House, located approximately four miles west of downtown Woodstock  on Route 4.

Mr.  Florin, who hails from Argentina, purchased the property after a long and  careful search for the perfect inn. In addition to adding four new rooms,  he built a new restaurant, opening the Jackson House's dining to the public for the first time (breakfast there had long been the stuff of legends under  the previous owners, but it was only for guests). While the mood of the inn is quaint, the dining room is airy with high ceilings, although it maintains  the acoustics of an intimate space. There are huge windows overlooking lit gardens. And sultry jazz gently seduces the diner.

The menu itself was small and a bit too heavily slanted toward red meat, but the chef's  choices were excellent. After ordering we were given a small seafood sausage  topped with bright crimson caviar that seemed to pop in my mouth, as though each bite were its own fireworks display.

Our  table then had appetizers such as grilled sea scallops with morel mushrooms,  a lobster and squash bisque, and gnocchi in a prosciutto and parmesan cream sauce. Execution was outstanding. Following the appetizers, we were treated   lso of the highest quality: grilled Chilean sea bass on a bed of angel hair  pasta, salmon topped by a cider sauce, and an outstanding beef fillet accompanied  by rösti potatoes and a mushroom strudel.

The dessert menu was also somewhat small, but was highlighted by one of the best crème brûlèes I'd ever tasted. Unfortunately, the restaurant has yet to perfect all aspects of its presentation. For instance, when our waitress poured our water, she  mistakenly filled our wine glasses. Consequently, one member of my party who was not having wine was constantly having to remind other members of the waitstaff not to pour wine in her water glass. Also, there were several misspellings on the menu (such as crème fraîche). And finally, there was a long delay between the end of our sorbet course and the arrival of our main course. It seemed to take a bit of the momentum out of our meal. I chalked it up to the European-styled service, others at my table were less generous.  But at these prices ($38 prix fixe), things should be perfect. Alas, this is Vermont, where things are not perfect (that is part of its charm).Will they be at some point? Probably not. Will I eat at the Jackson House again? Absolutely.