a road trip: Mainly MAINE

RER 8.11.16

At the beginning of summer, I thought it would never end.  And now it’s winding down, coming to a close, and school is right around the corner. But before it’s back to the books and #lalalessonplanning, foodie ventures went on an adventure— a road trip.

We started at Lena’s Café and Confections in New Haven, CT for a hearty brunch to sustain us on the road until our next stop— Clam Box for some good old fried seafood. There we ate deliciously fresh and friend clams and shrimp, while making friends with the locals of Ipswich, MA.

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Patience went a long way, as we drove around Portland, ME, waiting for two seats at the bar of Fore Street. We indulged in sensuous charcuterie including smooth duck rillette, creamy foie gras mousse, and lamb merguez; a luscious seafood sampler lying neat in a row with meaty bluefish, smoked mussels, a lobster claw doused in pesto, and a bright scallop ceviche; bone-in black bass with earthy mushrooms and fennel stuffing; super buttery bluefish with roasted roots and escarole; a side of beets; and desserts—a blueberry pie and a seasonal panna cotta. It was romantic and scrumptious.

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RER 8.11.16 

RER 8.11.16

After sleeping off the luxury of the night before, we scooped up some pastries at Standard Baking Co. on our way to check out a local lighthouse.

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A lunch crawl was in order, as we received many recommendations for Portland. We started strong at Eventide Co. at a shared table where we chatted with our neighbors while sampling oysters, curried lobster stew, and a sweet crab roll. Raves about Duckfat brought us there for tepid poutine and a melty milkshake. For our first lobster roll of the trip, we popped in Portland Lobster Company and relished the fresh undressed lobster on a long hot dog bun.

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RER 8.11.16

RER 8.11.16

A little out of the way, breathtaking, and mildly intimidating, we soaked up the view and some sun, while making a mess with our new-shell lobsters from Five Islands Lobster Co. in Georgetown, ME. Hands dirty and bellies full of sweet lobster meat and steamers, we headed to Bar Harbor, ME.

Once in Bar Harbor, we were again starving for lobster. Late night Side Street Café  had lobster stew, crab cakes, lobster mac and cheese, blueberry pie, and drinks a plenty.

RER 8.12.16

RER 8.12.16

A lucky call got us a coveted breakfast table at Two Cats Café where the colors jumped off of the tablecloth onto our plates from a blueberry smoothie with rainbow sprinkles, a lobster Benedict, a breakfast burrito, and delicious biscuits with pink strawberry butter.

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JAR 8.12.16

Right before boarding a nature cruise, we imbibed some adult beverages at Stewman’s Lobster Pound. A quick lunch at Gayln’s and a walk down the shore path prepped us for beautiful ice cream at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream. Too many flavors to chose from, too many desired.

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RER 8.12.16

Driving through Acadia National Park, chasing the sunset and winding paths up the inclines, we felt the thrill of the chase as the shadows grew longer and it was getting later. Beal’s Lobster Pier was the destination for a late dinner and at least a lobster roll.

Café This Way offered a comforting breakfast of corned beef hash, a smoked fish-filled omelet, and a skinny portion of cinnamon raisin French toast— all worth the wait.

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On a quest for the perfect humorous shirt to bring back home as a souvenir, the rain started coming down, heavy and cold. Hoping the rain would slow, we ducked into Morning Glory Bakery to pick up some snacks for the road back south: a cheesy bagel and a swirled bun.

For some reason, breakfast did not keep us sated for long, so when we came to Belfast, ME and discovered Young’s Lobster Shore PoundWharf, it was all in good time. At Young’s water is pumped in from the body of water right outside its back doors, you pick your own lobsters, and eat either in a hall over the rushing water of the tanks or outside on the wharf. Lobster with a view.

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As we neared Boston, the last stepping-stone to our road trip adventure, we planned a stop in Kennebunkport, ME, continuing our tasting of lobster rolls. The Clam Shack, set on a bridge, was quick and easy, but a tasty snack to hold us over.

The journey continues. Stay tuned for scenes from Boston and updated links to yelp reviews for the eateries we explored on our foodie venture.

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8.25.16

RER 8.12.16

Bon Anniversaire: La Panetière

RER 8.4.16

Opened in 1985 by Jacques Loupiac, La Panetière is celebrating its 31^st Anniversary this year. The French restaurant has been serving Rye, New York, from a handsome house built in the 1800’s for thirty-one years, and their reputation for modern French cuisine remains stalwart.

 Entering La Panetière is like arriving at a retreat in Provence, complete with foliage clinging to the face of the 19^th century home, the charming colorful Provençal décor filled with folklore, and a delicious twist on classic French cuisine. The restaurant is intimate and romantic, cozy like a lovely cottage; however, the food is refined and elegant while the team is knowledgeable about the dishes and wine. There is a focus on the highest quality seasonal ingredients and authenticity inspired by the southeastern region of France.

To commemorate the anniversary, Loupiac and his team put together a veritable birthday party including a special six-course prix fixe dinner with a wine pairing option and an accordionist playing tableside. La Panetière regularly offers both a lunch and dinner prix fixe, but this menu was especially created and presented between August 2^nd and 4^th to celebrate its anniversary.

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The first course comprised of a ring of thinly sliced scallops dancing around a bite of briny sturgeon caviar in a pleasant pool of bittersweet grapefruit aspic. Fresh tomatoes and cleansing celery dotted the scallop carpaccio completing the fresh and clean flavors.

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A petit Hudson Valley foie gras flan was the second course of the special anniversary menu. It was both savory and creamy, complex without pretension. The flan was light as air grounded in earthy simmered mushrooms.

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The sizzling casserole of Maine lobster achieved a lovely balance, with raw almonds adding crunch and bite to the buttery succulence of the lobster tail peeled from its shell at the table. The green beans remained fresh and lively, bringing even more brightness to the aromatic third course.

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Veal filet mignon medallions rounded off the savory courses combining fragrances and malleable textures. The meat was tender and buttery, the curry was like a soft hum, and the vegetables were soft but not lost in the hearty quinoa.

The fifth course, a sweet course, piled summer fresh cherries in Greek Yogurt with a tingling mimosa jelly and Kirshwasser cappuccino. The summery dessert was refreshing, light, and not too sweet, but it was also decadent and layered with unexpected flavors.  

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To end, a caranoix cake, a mix of pecan nougat and caramel with nutella mousse, appealed to luxury. The expertly layered chocolaty dessert was decadent but not too heavy or overwhelming despite a variety of textures.

La Panetière offers an escape to the south of France in the middle of Rye using delectable food, superb service, and a warm atmosphere, all reminiscent of Provence. Here’s to more years of excellence! Joyeux Anniversaire!

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8.16.16