The approach to Marker 37 winds through a few backroads and small marinas in Chester — a trip that doesn’t suggest much at the end of the road. Carry on, faithful foodies, because a hidden gem awaits.

The Connecticut River has many charms — abundant wildlife, tidal influence, and spectacular views. Any meal by the river, for me, is a treat, and you’ve got to love a place that’s accessible by boat. Marker 37 brings that combo to the next level: Sit on the covered patio and you can enjoy riverside breezes as boats come and go, or sit indoors and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a seat without a great view.

We tried Marker 37 both ways — indoors on a day that demanded air conditioning and outdoors a day before Hurricane Henri blew into the region. Both dining areas offered a comfortable space in which to dine, but while the weather holds, we highly recommend the al fresco experience first.

We first visited Marker 37 famished and weary from a day of errands. Several options from the appetizer menu sung out to us, but we whittled down and started off with onion rings ($9; served with a buttermilk dipping sauce) and New York Sirloin Crostini ($12), a construction of ribboned steak, baby spinach, aioli, pickled red onion, and thick shreds of Asiago cheese atop toasted baguette slices. It’s a nice combination of ingredients that perhaps could have used a bit more aioli, but we found the saltiness of the thin and crispy rings complemented the crostini well.

We took two very different paths for our main dishes: For me, Korean beef tacos (two for $16; served with sides of guacamole, grilled asparagus and tomato salsa and fried wonton chips); for the mister, the Guacamole BLT ($15; served with fries or salad). The menu describes the taco filling as “spicy Mandarin ginger beef, Purple Asian Slaw, and Sriracha Crème Fraiche.” Mine were certainly satisfactory, but I didn’t detect much spice in the beef or sriracha in the crème fraiche amid the overly generous dollop of cabbage. I could’ve used a little more zing overall and spent more time with the wonton chips — a fun change-up from the usual tortilla chips — and very good salsa with mild heat.

As for the BLT, we think guacamole makes everything better. When you pair it with a thick pile of perfectly rendered bacon and well-sourced lettuce and tomato between two slices of multigrain bread, you’ve got a winner. The accompanying fries were fresh, crispy and most enjoyable.

Dessert was not an option after that meal, but we partook on visit number two. We blame the magic of the outdoor dining experience for the indulgence. Allow me to work backwards when I hereby recommend the house-made Mousse Duet ($8), in which a generous serving of white chocolate mousse meets with the milk chocolate variety, charmingly presented in a tumbler with a piccolo cookie and nectarine-infused whipped cream. All of which was delicious, from the rich cocoa flavor of the milk chocolate mousse to the creamy, nuanced white chocolate mousse. It’s possible I’ll never settle again for non-nectarine-infused whipped cream because it adds such a lovely light flavor note to already yummy whipped cream.

I promise we did eat a proper meal before dessert time. The mister opted for the Marker 37 Burger ($18; served with fries or a salad), a patty topped with sharp Vermont cheddar, caramelized onions, bacon, lettuce and tomato. A tasty mix of ingredients for sure, but the potato roll on which the burger is served didn’t hold up well to the load. It didn’t help that the burger, ordered medium rare, arrived medium instead. These things happen, but an $18 burger should not leave anything to be desired.

My Chicken Milanese entrée ($24) left us with no doubts or desires because it was excellent. When the side salad — in this case, a summery mix of heirloom tomatoes, arugula and fresh mozzarella — is JUST as great as the main attraction, you’re onto something special. Our server recommended combining a forkful of the salad with a bite of the panko-crusted chicken and, indeed, the sum of the parts was delicious. The butter-and-capers sauce on top of the crispy and tender chicken added a great layer of flavor to the chicken, while complementing the greens and mozzarella beautifully. Recommended.

Come fall, the views at Marker 37 are only going to get better. The well-curated menu offers plenty for most palates and the desserts and house cocktails make for a great date night. We look forward to returning and sharing the magic with our friends soon.

Marker 37

Chester Point Marina, 72 Railroad Ave., Chester 

(860) 579-3737, www.markerthirtyseven.com

Cuisine: Contemporary American with New England accents, including a raw bar with local oysters and seafood apps and entrées; options for land-lubbers include steak and chicken entrees, flatbreads; and salads

Atmosphere: Beach-house chic but not pretentious, with clean lines and tasteful decor. Wweeping views of the Connecticut River and boats bobbing in the marina are cherries on top.

Service: Very friendly; needs a little more coordination. We experienced longer than ideal waits to order our main courses after drinks/apps on both visits, and on our first visit, we had to flag down waitstaff to fill empty water glasses and bring small plates that didn’t arrive with our apps. 

Price: Expect to drop a few dollars. Appetizers start at $9; two Korean beef tacos will run you $16; and current entrees run from $19 (Tempura Fish & Chips) to $28 (Stonington Sea Scallops). Our house cocktails were $12 apiece.

Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday; 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; closed Tuesdays

Handicapped access: A rocky parking lot leads to a smooth, concrete ramp to the entrance. The interior and patio offer abundant space.

Credit cards: Accepted

Reservations: No