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Posts Tagged ‘Kennebunkport restaurants’

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Date Night: Kennebunkport Dining With (out) Kids

August 2nd, 2011 by avadmin

As a Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast that welcomes families, we understand that dining with kids is usually very different than eating out as a couple.  In the morning adventurous kiddos can enjoy our gourmet breakfast daily, or they can opt for cereal (yes, we even have Lucky Charms!).  And lunches at the beach are flexible enough to satisfy

Federal Jack's Kennebunkport

A view from the deck at Federal Jack's

even the fussiest of eaters.  Dinner, however, is another matter.  Fortunately, Kennebunkport Maine offers a plethora of family-friendly restaurants.
So if you’re looking to nosh with the little ones, Federal Jack’s Brew Pub and Alisson’s Restaurants are super casual digs within stroller walking distance of our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast.  For food with a view that’s a step up and walkable for even the teeniest of tots, check out the Arundel Wharf Restaurant.  When reservations are a must (especially with a large party) so your kids won’t have to wait too long for dinner, Lucas on 9 is an excellent choice. Plus, it is just down the road from Goose Rocks Dairy, the best spot for homemade ice cream in Kennebunkport. Lobster

Clay Hill Farm Ogunquit

A glimpse at the gardens at Clay Hill Farm

lovers will get a kick out of Nunan’s Lobster Hut, but don’t let that steer you away – hot dogs, PB&J, and grilled cheese are always available.  While not all children will enjoy the fusion style menu at Bandaloop, their macaroni and cheese has nearly universal appeal, allowing Mom and Dad to indulge in a great meal without alienating their tykes.
But every so often the idea of a dinner out without the little ones is incredibly appealing.  Fortunately, Clay Hill Farm Restaurant in Ogunquit has the perfect solution – Date Night!  Each Tuesday you can make your dinner reservation for 5:30, and enjoy a romantic dinner for two in a spectacular setting.  Your kids will be fed dinner and entertained on their Veranda with crafts and a movie until 8 pm.  For just $5 per child, it’s cheaper (and more convenient) than finding a babysitter.  Now if only they would brush their teeth and put them to bed too!

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Farm to Table Dining in Kennebunkport Maine

July 9th, 2011 by avadmin

Before Farm-To-Table dining became the new “it” thing for restaurants, several Kennebunkport Maine restaurants offered this to their patrons.  Just down the street from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast lies Bandaloop, a small, slightly funky restaurant that focuses on utilizing local ingredients and organic products.  Their menu changes regularly so as to accommodate the freshest seasonal ingredients.  A personal favorite, I could honestly eat at

Bandaloop Restaurant

Even the red door lets you know you're in for a fun, funky dining experience at Bandaloop!

Bandaloop any (and every) night of the week.  Not only is the cuisine good for you and the environment, the preparations are incredibly inventive (when was the last time you had an egg roll with sour port wine and balsamic reduction?).  Plus, you can mix any protein on the menu with any of the signature sauces, so if you’re craving Scott’s caramelized onion gorgonzola cream sauce but aren’t feeling a Maine ribeye, try it on a

Local farms at 50 Local

Today's list of local suppliers at 50 Local

bone-in pork chop or even fried tofu (and yes, he’ll even make it gluten free by coating it in corn starch!).
But if you don’t mind driving to dinner from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast, you can hit up 50 Local in downtown Kennebunk, just an 8 minute drive from Kennebunkport Maine.  A relatively recent addition to the dining scene in the area, 50 Local is owned and operated by a native of Kennebunk, and even offers produce raised right here in town!  Considering that there are only two farms (and one is more farmstand than farm), that is quite an achievement!
The restaurant who takes the cake when it comes to Farm-to-Table dining is Joshua’s Restaurant in Wells.  Joshua, the chef, was born and raised in a farming family in Wells that sold organic produce, which, to this day, supplies much of the restaurant’s produce needs.  When the farm cannot sustain the needs of patrons, Joshua and his family use other farmers in the area (organic when possible).  The small set menu allows for and ensures the freshest of ingredients are used, even in their homemade breads and ice creams.  The 6 mile drive from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast is so worth it.
Honestly, the dining options in Kennebunkport Maine (as you probably realize) are terrific, but these three restaurants truly stand out in terms of their commitment to providing patrons with the freshest ingredients grown as nearby as possible.  Our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast shares in this commitment, as we are working on obtaining more local ingredients daily – we’ve even planted an extensive herb garden this year!  But in the meantime, to satisfy the locavore in you, check out 50Local, Bandaloop, and Joshua’s for some incredible meals.

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Wells Beach Steakhouse: A Not Kennebunkport Restaurant Review

June 7th, 2011 by avadmin

Now that I’ve eaten at basically every Kennebunkport Restaurant, the foodie in me is hankering for some new fodder, so we headed out of Kennebunkport Maine to test out the Wells Beach Steakhouse.  Located on Mile Road, just off of Route 1 in Wells, we arrived just about 12 minutes after leaving our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast.  Since I’m not a

Wells Beach Steakhouse, a great Kennebunkport Restaurant alternative

Try the WB salad!

fan of beef, this seemed like an unusual choice, but the assortment of seafood sold me.

Once inside, a swishy lounge and bar, complete with glittering star-like ceiling lights, greets diners, and a friendly host led us to extraordinarily comfortable booths.  I mean really cozy.  The decor was impeccable, though some might find it a little on the dim side, with clean, modern lines.  The dinnerware matched perfectly, coming in a variety of unusual shapes, but all in a crisp white.

No meal is complete without a large quantity of green veggies (yes, that includes breakfast – we even serve light salads at our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast), so we started with salads.  The WB Spinach Salad was wonderful – baby spinach leaves, lightly dressed with apple cider-cranberry vinagrette, topped with shoestrings of radicchio, goat cheese, and paper thin slices of pear.  The creamed spinach smelled and looked absolutely delectable, though because it isn’t gluten free,

A salmon snapshot before it was gobbled up!

I didn’t have the pleasure of my own taste test.  But the arrival of entrees quickly banished that disappointment.

The salmon arrived perfectly cooked, boasting just the right crisping of those hearty omega-3s.  Always a fan of hollandaise, I asked for some on the side.  After tasting the red onion-dill aioli that is usually paired with the salmon, my request was entirely unnecessary.  I must admit, it didn’t go to waste (but mine is better!) and went incredibly well on sauteed spinach and even the spiced French fries.  The scallops were similarly well received.  But what about the steak?  Since Kennebunkport Maine lacks a great steakhouse, this was the real barometer of the quality of this newfound eatery.  Ding, ding, ding!  We have a winner!  The steaks were fabulous.

The only downside to this non Kennebunkport Dining experience was that I was too full for dessert!  Those who know me, that’s a real rarity.  But with exorbitant entree portions (though not enough for leftovers!), there was no hope to scarf down any sweet treats – not even Big Daddy’s Ice Cream, which we passed on our way back to our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast.  So if you’re looking for a great steak dinner or just want to see another part of Southern Maine, the Wells Beach Steakhouse is definitely one to add to the list!

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Best Places to Eat Lobster in Kennebunkport Maine

May 6th, 2011 by avadmin

Kennebunkport Maine is a quintessential Maine town, and when I think of Maine, I think of two things – lobster and blueberries.  But since nobody makes gluten-free blueberry pie, I’ll have to tackle lobsters (not that I mind, of course!). At age two, my parents decided to expose me to this New England treat and let me share my mother’s dinner.

Kennebunkport Maine Lobster Tree

Kennebunkport Maine gets creative with traps!

Unfortunately for her, I ate the whole thing.  That started me on the road to becoming a crustacean connoisseur.

Frankly, it’s pretty convenient that I find myself in Kennebunkport Maine – it keeps my appetite well satiated. Particularly at this time of year, the options for lobster abound.  So whatever atmosphere you fancy, I’ve got the spot for you.  Rather, Kennebunkport Maine has the lobster restaurant for you!

While not my preferred way to consume these crustaceans, many guests at our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast really want to experience incredible lobster in a fine dining atmosphere.  I suppose since somebody else will be laundering the table linens, go ahead and make a mess!  So if this is on your bucket list, we should make dinner reservations for you at the Cape Arundel Inn.  Here, get your lobster lazy-man style and enjoy the succulent meat while overlooking the Atlantic.

Another oft-requested item is lobster pot pie, and while I wouldn’t choose that variation (and not just because it isn’t gluten-free), the Kennebunk Inn is know for its lobster pie.  In fact, it was recently featured on the Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate.”  I must say, however, it sure wins bonus points for creative presentation, as a portion of claw is served poking out of puff pastry.

But for a purist like myself, lobster is best served by a shack.  Mabel’s Lobster Claw, a long-term staple in Kennebunkport Maine, is a more refined shack.  The menu offers a fair amount for non-seafood eaters and servers really do serve you, right at the table!  Unfortunately, you’ll pay for the ability to have options, so Mabel’s certainly isn’t a buget-traveler’s pick.  Nunan’s Lobster Hut, however, will bring you the cheapest and best around.  Granted, if you don’t eat seafood, the pickings are rather slim.  That said, the Nunan family has been lobstering in town for generations, and they know how to cook a lobster.  If you’re not in the mood to sit inside, take a trip down to our local fish market and ask them to cook yours for an instant picnic.  We’ll even supply the crackers!  Honestly, though, Kennebunkport Maine does lobster, so you really can’t go wrong.

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Pizza Pies in Kennebunkport Maine

April 29th, 2011 by avadmin

At our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast, I regularly get asked where to find the best pizza in Kennebunkport Maine. Since I could never eat enough lobster, I can’t imagine looking for pizza when visiting a seafood mecca (Maine does

Pizza at Grissini, a Kennebunkport restaurant

Try a thin crust pizza and salad for a delicious dinner in Kennebunkport Maine!

supply over 75% of the nation’s lobsters).  It doesn’t help, however, that I am gluten-free.  But I seem to be overruled – people just have to know where to find the best pizza pies around.

Hands down, the best pizza comes from Grissini, a restaurant not far from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast in Lower Village Kennebunk.  The upstairs trattoria offers sophisticated Italian dining, while the lower level houses the “Grotto,” a cozier and more intimate space.  When dining downstairs, you can choose from two menus, choosing fine or casual dining, or some combination of the two.  But Grissini’s basement is the only place you can order their amazing pizza.  With its thin, delicate crust and perfect application of gooey cheese, I briefly considered going for the gluten (or maybe I should say “glutton”!).  Nevertheless, with its crisp and non-doughy crust, wood fired and baked to perfection, even the lightest of eaters should have no trouble polishing off a small pie.  So if you’re looking for a delectable dinner with an elegant atmosphere, look no further than Grissini.

Sometimes, though, nothin’ but a pizza and beer will do.  Just off Route 1 in Kennebunk sits Sebago Brewing Co., in the former home of a brick-oven pizzeria and Italian restaurant.  Sebago Brewing is well-known for its Maine-made brews, but its Kennebunk location is the only one to offer “Flatbreads.”  Essentially individual-sized pizzas fired in their brick oven in a variety of flavors (with and without traditional marinara sauce), these are perfect for sharing or for those who can’t (or won’t) compromise!  But don’t enjoy their local beers too much – you can’t walk back to our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast.

Sometimes after a long soak in the tub, a phenomenal afternoon nap, or a great game on TV , visitors don’t feel up to walking to dinner in Kennebunkport Maine.  Instead, delivery calls.  Looking for take-out?  Try Lower Village Take-Out for pizza and your favorite fried food.  But be forewarned – they don’t deliver every night of the week!

On a gluten-free getaway?  Duffy’s in downtown Kennebunk offers gluten free pizza crusts with any of your favorite toppings!  They can be a little dry, so be sure to ask for extra sauce, but if you need to join in on the junk food action, Duffy’s will hit the spot.  And best of all, it’s just around the corner from Dairy Queen – the perfect ending to a pizza dinner.

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Ryan's Corner House – A New Kennebunkport Maine Restaurant

April 22nd, 2011 by avadmin

Ryan's Corner House - Kennebunkport Restaurant

Ryan's Corner House is the Newest (and Cutest) Restaurant in Kennebunkport Maine!

After a winter’s worth of anticipation, Ryan’s Corner House, the newest Kennebunkport Maine restaurant, has finally opened, just steps from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast.  This Irish Pub is the real deal, serving up plates of Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, and loads of potatoes!  The atmosphere is definitely cozy, with the bar and mixed height tables filling every spare inch.  In other Kennebunkport restaurants, this might feel cramped, but at Ryan’s Corner House, with its friendly staff and jovial patrons, the feeling is entirely welcoming.  That said, I can’t wait for the weather to be warm enough for their patio seating to open!

The noise inside is punctuated by fiddles and jigs and more than a few jolly Irish accents – and, yes, they are real.  The Ryan family moved to Kennebunkport Maine from Ireland less than two years ago.  And speaking of families, theirs was all there – mom, dad, two kiddos, and an uncle or two – the whole shebang.  Obviously I am rather partial to family businesses, but there is something incredibly homey and comfortable about walking into a restaurant where everyone is pitching in – even two little guys on school break.  Okay, there was a lot more socializing from them, but it absolutely adds to the experience! Plus, the kids have the inside scoop on what to order!

So down to the food:  For genuine Irish fare (with a few Maine staples interspersed for good measure) and great comfort food, Ryan’s Corner House is a must.  The potatoes are real, and real delicious – fried or mashed (there’s none of that “potato product” here), and the portions are large enough to last even the heartiest eaters two meals.  If you’re hankerin’ for leafy greens, this probably isn’t the spot for you (although their are salads on the menu), but if you need a stick-to-your-ribs meal or the ultimate grilled ham and cheese, head directly from our Kennebunkport Bed and Breakfast to Ryan’s Corner House.

PS – I still think a Reuben sandwich needs to be on the menu, even though it was patiently explained to me that neither Reubens, nor corned beef, are actually Irish.  But I want one, and I know that these guys can do it right and get all the cheese to melt, even in the middle!

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