If a restaurant has been around for more than 20 years, its owners must be doing something right. That is certainly the case at The Inn at Sugar Hill, a landmark area restaurant that has not only withstood the test of time, but excels on a daily basis.

Since Larry Boylan transformed the single-family, Mays Landing house into a bed and breakfast 22 years ago, he defined The Inn at Sugar Hill as a place where locals and travelers can mingle with Boylan's great food and conversation being the centerpiece.

A lot has changed since 1987, but at its heart, The Inn at Sugar Hill is very much the same.

"The key to my success being here so long is that I give customers what they want," said Boylan, who is also the 65-seat restaurant's chef. "That is not necessarily what I always want, but I always cater to my customers."

Many of Boylan's top-selling dishes, including his Chicken Christina, chicken breast stuffed with a garlic and her cheese, wrapped in a puff pastry and baked; and his Sugar Hill jumbo lump crab cakes, were best-sellers when the restaurant first opened.

"The Chicken Christina, which is named after my wife, we actually took off the menu 10 years ago," Boylan says. "To me, it's a dated dish that's not done that much anymore. So we put the recipe in our newsletter for people and told them, 'We're taking it off the menu, but if you want to make it, here's the recipe.' There was actually a letter campaign for us to put it back on. So we did, and it continues to be a great seller. It's a pain in the neck to make and it's certainly not en vogue, but we sell a lot of it."

Boylan, doesn't let his customers' traditional tastes hamper his creativity, but he admits it does restrict him.

"I would really be more creative if I could be," he says. "I tried and the customers have rebelled. As much as I love to do creative stuff and bring people new and more trendy, cutting-edge type of cuisine, I have to also realize I have an older clientele to some extent. So we do some things to appeal to the younger people, who love the new stuff, but the older people want their crab cakes, their surf and turf and the traditional menu items."

While Boylan does change some things to keep traditional items fresh - for example, the filet is now being served with a balsamic onion confit - he also does have some modern touches on his menu and really kicks it up a notch with his specials.

"We actually have a printed specials page every weekend because one thing I hate is when servers rattle off five or six specials without prices," Boylan says. "I often forget what they tell me, and I know there is usually something good there. So we use the specials to offer more choices and some creativity. It keeps me excited, too."

Boylan is also offering blackboard specials in his newly remodeled tavern. Previously, both of the Inn's two porches that face the water were dining rooms. Now, one of the porches has been completely transformed to a lounge with more bar seating, raised tables, a new fireplace - one of nine in the Inn - a couch and live music on Fridays and Saturdays.

He is particularly proud of his latest blackboard concoctions that change regularly: Thai seared scallops with sweet potatoes, mangos, scallions, coconut milk, lime juice and cilantro; Caponata Spread with roasted eggplant, peppers, onions, tomatoes, capers and goat cheese on an artisan roll; and saut�ed Angus Beef and Victory Stout casserole with pearl onions, bacon, parmesan cheese, mushrooms and a potato crust, all ranging from $4.50 to $12. The regular menu even offers a small plates section to show the restaurant stays on top of trends.

"It used to be where every year I would come up with a new menu that would appeal to me, but not anymore," Boylan says. "We change out items seasonally, but we use the specials to be adventurous, and it's working at the bar, especially. We used to offer ostrich as an entr�e, but hardly anyone would order it. But as an appetizer for 8 bucks, people will give it a whirl. Our Thai scallops would never go over as an entr�e, but they work great for an app. People are willing to be adventurous when it comes to small plates or appetizers."

Boylan is particularly creative when it comes to desserts, which are all homemade. Check out the trio sampler: a miniature cheesecake; a miniature Black Forest brownie with port wine drunken cherries; and a mini House Dessert, a puff pastry filled with a vanilla mousse, sliced strawberries and bananas and served on a bed or pureed strawberries, drizzled with caramel.

"We are very proud that we make them right here," Boylan said. "The House Dessert has been on the menu since Day 1. We even have small plate desserts, which are miniature versions of our larger desserts, because some people just need a little taste. They don't need that big slab of cheesecake sometimes. I am diabetic, so I am not allowed. But if I can get a two or three bites, I am all over that, and my wife will let me get that."

While the great food, staying relevant and making renovations certainly helps keep The Inn at Sugar Hill one of the area's top restaurants, Boylan says there's one more crucial aspect.

"Interaction and paying attention to your customers is paramount," Boylan says. "On my specials menu, I have a chef's note with each special that may say, 'This tuna is as fresh as I've seen lately' or 'This one's my wife's favorite' to offer more interaction. I can't always get to every table, but this makes it a little more personal."

When we go to a party, I am relatively quiet. Put me in my restaurant and I talk to everyone. That's my stage. At 51, I came to the conclusion why I am in the restaurant business. This is how I reach out and touch the human beings, and it's cool. I really like it. I think this is why a lot of people get into this business, even though they won't admit it. For me, it's not about feeding a lot of people. If I wanted to do that, I would buy a McDonald's franchise. You can go out and get something to eat anywhere. But to feel welcome and offer an intimate experience like we do, that's a blast."

The Inn at Sugar Hill

WHERE: 5704 Mays Landing-Somers Point Road, Mays Landing

WHEN: Open 4 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays; open 3 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

HOW MUCH: Appetizers range from $6.50 to $10; salads $6 to $17; small plates $14 and $15; entrees $17 to $31; desserts $3.50 to $10.

SERVICES: Major credit cards accepted. Liquor license. Disabled access through ramp through front door. Catering available. Takeout available. Children's menu. No smoking.

MORE INFO: Call 609-625-2226 or go to www.innatsugarhill.com. For catering, call 609-625-2021.

BETWEEN YOU AND ME: Looking to save a few bucks? Check out the Sunset Menu from 4 to 5:30 p.m. daily. The $15.95 price includes crab bisque or salad, choice of entr�e, dessert and coffee.