BikeToEat's Recent Activity
Chowhound Post
Boston to Bar Harbor, ME: chow advice?
Second Duck Fat for lunch on the way to BH.
For Saturday lunch you could go to Little Notch Bakery and Cafe in Southwest Harbor. They have great bread, soup, salads, pizza, and good sandwiches. Veggie friendly as well. They are bit pricey as lunches go, but portions are big.
You will likely need dinner reservations for Friday night. Things are still crowded enough. If you want to go a bit lower price-wise, try Cafe This Way for dinner. A few have said on this board that the food has slipped a bit recently, but I have not experienced it.
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Lunch in Westwood
Siam Lotus for good Thai food. Route 1 Southbound side in Norwood. It's about a 10 minute ride from where you are working, if there is no traffic.
Chowhound Post
Ginger Beer in Maine- Stewarts, Goslings or Barritts
Cap'n Eli's ginger beer is available at Hannaford. I think it makes a good D&S. Their website lists store locations, http://www.captneli.com/rootbeer.php
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What are the best and coolest food businesses and farms in Coastal Maine? From Rockland north through DownEast.
Mandala Farm in Gouldsboro - They use Norwegian Fjords (ancient breed of horse) to do most of their farm work and grow a variety of vegetables, raise pigs, chickens, and milk cows all with sustainable practices. If you have read about sustainable farming in Omnivore's Dilemma, you know how they farm. www.mandalafarm.com
Chowhound Post
Bar Harbor/Acadia Area Steak?
An added benefit to Havana is that they use locally raised, grass-fed beef.
You might also want to check out Red Sky in Southwest Harbor. I've not had steak there, but the food in general is excellent.
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Canton Ma.
Mai Place on Rte 138 - good Chinese and excellent sushi. The Globe did a review of them a few years ago: http://www.boston.com/dining/globe_re...
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Enotecca, Bouchon, L'Atelier, Fiamma & LOS - Trip report
After lurking on this board for a while before my business trip to Las Vegas , I made reservations for dinner at these restaurants and had some great eating. It didn't start out so well, but ended up great.
Enotecca
Had a bad dining experience here. The bread was burnt. We were told some story about it being a traditional, tough crust for carrying into the mountains, but it tasted like charcoal. Service was terrible; noise level was really, really loud. The meal was saved by the vinegar maker's salad and the gemelli pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe. Both were delicious. The pork shoulder was ok but not great. We ordered a side of brussel sprouts which the waiter forgot and finally brought out after we had finished the rest of our meal. They were also black, not caramelized, but burnt. The waiter apologized and comped them. The waiter also forgot our wine order. Not our best meal.
Bouchon
The warm, toasted pistacios they bring out with the bread is a very nice touch. Frisee salad was delicious. I had the roast chicken with wild mushrooms and savoy cabbage. The waiter described the long process of salt packing, brining, sous vide cooking and finally roasting the chef goes through for 3 days to make this roasted bird. It was good, but not significantly better than other roast chickens I've had. The mushroom/cabbage mixture was very tasty, though a bit over salted. The noise level here was also very loud. Inexpensive wines by the glass and carafe were good.
L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon
We went for the winter tasting menu (5-course, $75), labeled the Club Menu at the restaurant. As others have reported, we had to ask for it specifically. The waiter only provided the regular a la carte menu and the more expensive 6-course tasting menu ($148). The winter tasting menu was fabulous. Each course was expertly prepared and beautifully presented. DC and I both had the hanger steak as the choice of the 3rd course and then got one of each of the desserts (tarts and ice creams/sorbets) and shared both. My favorite courses were the langoustine in brick pastry, deep fried and the cheese course. The langoustine meat was sweet and juicy inside the crisp crust. Cheeses were a nice selection of creamy cow, hard sheep and blue cow, all served at the peak of their maturity. We had a bottle of 2004 Chateau Neuf de Pape ($95) to accompany the meal. Excellent. We enjoyed it so much we went back for a second meal before we left.
Fiamma
Three of us dined here. The star appetizer was the crispy calamari with basil, perfectly cooked, crispy and light. All three entrees were great, linguini with sautéed prawns, smoked bacon, tomato, basil, roasted garlic -butter; pan-seared sea scallops with swiss chard, braised cannellini beans, and speck; and grilled pink snapper with roasted vegetables, toasted pine nuts, and vin cotto. Panna cotta for dessert was good but nothing special. Definitely would dine here again. Very reasonable prices for Las Vegas.
Lotus of Siam
We really enjoyed our meal here. The nam kao tod (sour sausage and crispy rice salad appetizer) was very interesting and terrific as was the tom yum kung (hot and sour with shrimp, lime juice, lemon grass & straw mushroom). Our favorite was the sea bass som thum with thai green papaya salad. It was so light and tasty. My DCs loved the chicken red curry, though I wasn't as wowed. LOS has a great wine list, too.
It was a great eating trip. Thanks for all on this board for words of advice about these restaurants. It made our trip!
Chowhound Post
What are the best bacons made in New England, especially Maine?
I've purchased bacon from Sunset Acres Farm at farmers markets in the summer. They don't make it, but I think it is cured by Curtis Meats in Warren, ME. The bacon is pretty good. It does have nitrates in it, though the minimum required by state laws, based on the folks at Sunset Acre. I'd contact Bob there and ask him.
Chowhound Post
Great Chinese between Norwood and N. Attleboro?
Mai Place in Canton has good Chinese, good sushi, too. I'm not sure it's open tomorrow.
I'm not a fan of Golden Abacas. Mandarin Taste is fairly good.
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locally raised ham for xmas
Don't know if it matters to you, but the hams from Harrington's contain nitrates.
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Cafe This Way Closed?
Thanks for posting the link. Agreed that it is definitely Miguel's. Interestingly, the original owner just bought it back from the Acadia Corp a year ago and now it's back on the market. He also owns Havana, Rupununi's and Guinness & Porcelli's.
Chowhound Post
Cafe This Way Closed?
Thanks for providing the link. Agreed that it is Miguel's. The original owner bought it back from the Acadia Corp just a year ago. They also own Havana, Guinness & Porcelli's, and Rupununi's.
Chowhound Post
Cafe This Way Closed?
I looked today and could not find it on Craig's list in Maine. It would be ashame if it changed hands. Cafe This Way is currently closed for the winter.
Chowhound Post
Good Wine Buys for under $10.00?
There are some great deals, though sometimes not as good as Costco prices, at Bin Ends Wines (www.binendswine.com). They deliver wine free within MA if you buy 12 bottles. or more. The convenience of the delivery is great. I've ordered wine online and have had them deliver it within the hour! At times they have some older wines that are hard to find elsewhere. The deals I have gotten on <$10 bottles are real values.
Chowhound Post
Not to Misses in Dedham
Other options include good Thai food at Siam Lotus in Norwood on Rte 1South, excellent sushi and good Chinese at Mai Place in Canton on Rte 138 South, and middle eastern food at Byblos in Norwood (excellent baba ghannouj).
I had dinner at Isabelle last week and hadn't been there in years. I was very pleased with my meal there. Appetizers, salads, and entrees are quite large, so even though the prices are on the high side, you can eat there economically. Wine pours by the glass are also big, probably 200 ml.
Chowhound Post
Local Fresh Turkey
I braved the monsoon on Tuesday and there was still a long line, but the wait wasn't too bad, 20 minutes or so.
Chowhound Post
Local Fresh Turkey
We bought a 14-lb turkey from Owens this year. It was terrific. Lots of good turkey flavor in both the white and dark meat. The bird came very clean, no extraneous feathers or bits of tissue and very little fat in the cavity. There was also very little fat in the roasting pan after it was cooked. The per pound price was $3.59. The line to pick up the turkeys was long but moved along pretty quickly. I think I had read online that Owens feeds their birds all veg. feed and no antibiotics, but there were not any signs in the store that mentioned this.
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Bar Harbor in the off season
Cafe This Way is closing for the season on Oct 19, so johnbycz will be too late for them. Two Cats is open year round.
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Bar Harbor Eats
The pub with the best food that fits your description is most likely McKay's. Not sure what your price range is, but McKay's does have a wide price range. www.mckayspublichouse.com
For more upscale food and prices, try the Burning Tree in Otter Creek. The last night they are serving this season is on 10/11. You will need to call ahead for a reservation as they will most likely be very busy. They specialize primarily in seafood. If you go, make sure to try the seafood (shrimp, scallops and crab) fritter appetizer. It is delicious. The restaurant is casual, but has no bar or pub area.
Search this board under Bar Harbor or MDI to find other reviews. Most places are open at least through Columbus Day weekend.
Chowhound Post
Chili Verde, Tomatillos or not
The tartness of tomatillos depends on their level of ripeness. The riper they are, the sweeter they will be. As they ripen they also turn more yellowish in color.
I recently made a chile verde with tomatillos and it was a bit too tart. There was also poblanos, onions, garlic and pork in the recipe. I added some ground cumin, which gave it an earthiness that contrasted the tartness well. This is probably non-authentic, but it tasted good to me!
Chowhound Post
Pizza and Ice Cream in Bar Harbor
How's the pizza at LIttle Notch Bakery in Southwest Harbor? It's probably pricey, too. Their sandwiches are great, but I've not tried the pizza. I've heard it's good and it looks good.
Chowhound Post
Bar Harbor & Boothbay Harbor, ME
I had recently tried Town Hill Bistro and was sorely disappointed. I thought the menu concepts were good, but the execution very amateurish and woefully under-spiced. My review: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/545127
As for your list, I'd replace Town Hill Bistro with Red Sky in Southwest Harbor. I like Burning Tree and Havana and think they are keepers, in that order. I think that Red Sky and Havana are equals. I haven't been to Ports of Italy and Boat House Bistro, so can't compare them with the others. My experience with Mache was so long ago that I don't think it would be appropriate.
Chowhound Post
Bar Harbor & Boothbay Harbor, ME
Check out the Morning Glory Bakery for breads, sandwiches, quiche, soups and baked goodies. It's a good stop for a light breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack.
I'm a real fan of Cafe This Way breakfast, particularly their blueberry pancakes...light and buttery and real maple syrup. I think they are only $5.95 for two dinner plate sized pancakes.
I agree that Burning Tree maybe more expensive than you would want. But it is terrific.
You'll find that dress is casual almost everywhere, so you needn't worry about that.
In Southwest Harbor, Little Notch Cafe has great pizza and very good sandwiches. A bit on the pricey side, but servings are big and you can make it fit in a tight budget. I am fond of the chicken focaccia sandwich with aioli and roasted onions. Their breads are very good, though pricier than Morning Glory.
I'll second the BH Farmers' Market on Sundays. The breads and biscotti from Firefly Farm and goat cheeses and meats from Sunset Acres are very good. There are farmers markets in other towns (Northeast Harbor, Southwest Harbor) on different days, with many of the same farmers. Check out the local paper for days and times. There's also a Wed morning farmers market in Bar Harbor in the Reel Pizza parking lot next to the town green.
Chowhound Post
Bland But Strongly Flavored Foods
Egg drop soup.
Lentils simmered with some curry powder and onion. You could serve this with some rice for complete protein. Lentils are the quickest cooking beans.
Tofu in broth with soy.
Chowhound Post
What to do with a ton of green tomatoes?
The original Moosewood Cookbook has a Mexican Hot Sauce recipe that calls for either red or green tomatoes and lots of them. I haven't made it in a long time, but it may pretty good enchiladas, though probably not authentic. I vaguely remember that there may be a recipe in the same cookbook for chile rellenos using green tomatoes rather than peppers.
I have as many tomato plants as you do and I fear they won't turn red either!
Chowhound Post
Bar Harbor & Boothbay Harbor, ME
Burning Tree (just south of Bar Harbor in Otter Creek) is excellent, especially if they have the deep fried, goat cheese stuffed squash blossoms with smoked tomato jam. They sell out fast. I think BT is usually open until Columbus Day.
Chowhound Post
Dinner in Portland ME
If you really want to eat at Fore St, you can get in without a reservation, but you need to eat in their first seating at 5:30. They leave a third to a half of the tables for walk-ins. They start taking names at 5:00 PM. There are usually a few groups waiting to put their names in at 4:45. The restaurant area doesn't open until 5:30, but the bar opens at 5:00. You can also eat at the bar, it's first come first serve as well. Once it fills up there is a waiting list that the bartender keeps. If you are willing to wait a bit for a table, this is your best bet. The food there would likely meet your husbands dietary restrictions.
Chowhound Post
Norwood Dinner
For good Thai: Siam Lotus just south of the 4-Points on Route 1. Excellent tempura soft shell crabs special when available. Nice quite bar.
I also recommend Coriander Bistro in Sharon center. Solid French techniques and friendly service. No bar area, but a nice but small wine list.
Italian: Bon Caldo also south of 4-Points on Rte 1 has good food and a fairly good Italian wine list. Bar area is usually very busy.
Reasonable seafood, but not stellar is Finz in Dedham. The fish is very fresh. There is a bar area but I can't comment on bartender's drink making abilities. There's also a raw bar.
Mai Place in Canton on Rte 138 has great sushi at reasonable prices and good Chinese. Small bar area, but not too nice, and of course a sushi bar.
Bistro 712 in Norwood has gotten some good reviews on this board, but my one meal there a couple of years ago, was just ok. No bar area.
Chiara Bistro in Westwood is another good bet for Mediterranean fare. Bar area is warm and inviting with small plates available.
Chowhound Post
Town Hill Bistro on MDI - disappointing
I was eager to try this restaurant after hearing good things about it locally as well as a few mentions on this board. Although each dish was well conceived with an interesting combination of main ingredients, overall we found the food to be not expertly executed and woefully underseasoned.
Starters:
Blueberry-cucumber soup served cold with garnish of sour cream and crispy cracker-like strips ordered by my DC ($7, I think). Interesting idea but it needed some herbs, spice, lemon, to add depth. It came across as bland.
I ordered the crab and roasted corn over pea tendrils with Sungold cherry tomatoes ($9). This was the best dish we had. I was pleasantly surprised that the dish was served warm. The corn was nicely seared and combined well with the crab. There was a bit too much oil on the pea tendrils and they came across as somewhat slick and greasy.
Mains:
DC ordered the Asian BBQ salmon served in a mushroom broth with udon noodles ($18). There was very little BBQ sauce flavor in the salmon, which appeared to be baked. It would have been nice to have a bit of sear on the salmon. The mushroom broth lacked good mushroom flavor and was devoid of salt. DC asked for hot sauce and added quite a bit to the broth and on top of the salmon, and said it was much better that way. I had a taste and it was much better.
I had the pork sirloin cutlet scallopini served with smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms and spinach ($18). The pork cutlets were not pounded thin (isn't this the definition of scallopini?) and had a thick, mushy coating indicating way too much flour applied prior to cooking. The pork with bacon and mushrooms were served on a thin layer of uncooked spinach in a messy pile. It was not a pretty presentation, no browning on the pork, pale colors on the mushrooms and pork. The mushrooms were tasteless. The dish needed significant amounts of salt to bring out any flavor. Pepper would have been good as well, but there was none on the table. I didn't flag down the waiter for it, probably should have.
We decided against dessert after too many disappointments.
In general I felt like the meal was prepared by someone who has creativity but was just learning how to cook. I would have been even more disappointed if the prices hadn't been relatively inexpensive. For the same money, I would rather have a meal at Cafe This Way or McKays. I won't be back.
Chowhound Post
Bar Harbor? Or will we miss Five Islands too Much?
I agree with Mainegal. On top of it, there is an entire national park on MDI with tons of outdoor activities and great food. So, it depends on what you like to do, aside from eating. MDI is one of the most beautiful places whether you hike, bike, or kayak, or take the free, CNG-powered buses around the island just to see the sights. You should definitely search this site for "Bar Harbor," "MDI" and "Mount Desert" to read about the food.
MDI Ice Cream is great. The Seafood Ketch has pretty good fried clams, too.
The Oceanarium has a good lecture/show & tell all about lobsters, including the rare blue lobster (a genetic deviant).
