Restaurants

A milkshake and some Poutine.

No one knows Maine like Hilary Nangle.

Even though this author of Avalon Travel’s Moon series Maine, Coastal Maine and Acadia National Park can’t claim native status (she moved to Maine in childhood), there are few place in this state that she hasn’t explored.  And she’s more than willing to head the furthest corners  in pursuit of the best trails to hike, the funkiest museums and, of course, the best food.  So when I asked her about great restaurants in Maine, I knew she’d find me something incredible.

And her pick?  The appropriately named Duck Fat.

“Chef Rob Evans won the 2009 James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef in the Northeast award for his upscale restaurant, Hugo’s,” she says.  “And just down the block is Duck Fat, his casual joint, where anyone can sample Evans’ fare without a hefty price tag.”

Read More »

Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine.

It’s always 5:00pm somewhere.  Isn’t that what they say? (Or maybe that’s just what I tell myself – but no matter.  We’ll go with it as it’s a basic axiom.  It is *always* 5:00pm somewhere).

But 5:00pm at the York Harbor Inn’s Ship’s Cellar Pub (known to locals simply as the Y-HI) brings with it Happy Hour.  And it is a happy hour that might make you the happiest yet.

The Ship Cellar’s Pub is a full-service pub with great food.  In fact, it has one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.  It’s thick, juicy and oh-so-delish.  But if you head to the pub on weekdays from 4:00pm-6:00pm, you may not even need to order that burger.  Instead, while having a great discounted drink, you can head over and sample some of the buffet on offer.

Read More »

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  And when you can get a delicious, hot, made-to-order breakfast at a great little restaurant, so much the better.

(What can I say?  I’m a Mom.  I’m not sure why having a uterus means I’m also in charge of elaborate breakfast making but so it goes.  I’m going to write a letter to someone about this one day).

I’m a big fan of breakfast joints.  Especially the little hole-in-the-wall variety.  When traveling, I’m always happy when a local points me to the place where the locals break their fast.

And one such place you can get a fabulous breakfast is Rick’s All Seasons Restaurant in York, Maine.  Mornings at Rick’s bring together lobstermen, locals, post-party teens and the beach’s tourists for their coffee and sustenance.  While you won’t find grits, that Southern staple that those south of the Mason-Dixon line insist are an integral part of a morning meal, just about everything else breakfast-y you can think of is on the menu.  Eggs of all varieties.  Pancakes.  Waffles.  Bagels.  Toast.  Bacon.  All the food is slightly greasy, a little salty and oh-so-good.  I’m starting to drool just writing about it.

My favorite?  The grilled muffins.  Sure, you could just get a regular blueberry or banana muffin and make do.  But where’s the fun in that?  At Rick’s they’ll cut it in half, slap some butter on it and throw it on the grill.  This creates a slightly crunchy, buttery breakfast dream come true.  Any guilt you feel after consuming it is miniscule in comparison to the pleasure.  Throw it next to some corned beef hash and eggs and you’ll have a meal that can power you for the rest of the day.

Like most local joints, Rick’s isn’t much on ambiance.  The chairs don’t match, the tables are scratched and you may find a little crusty something-or-other on your fork.  But the mix of customers and their incredible breakfasts will make it a place you’ll return to again and again.

———–

Rick’s All Seasons Restaurant
240 York St, #R
York, ME 03909

(207) 363-5584

Don't forget to buy your own relish to take home!

My husband is originally from York, Maine.  And since the day we met, there has not been a single time he’s bitten into a hot dog when he hasn’t looked up, sighed deeply, and said something to the effect of, “This is good but it’s just nowhere near as good as a Flo’s dog.”

For him, all hot dogs will forever pale in comparison to the steamed mini-dogs they serve in an delapidated old house along Route 1 in Cape Neddick, Maine.  Nothing will ever come close.  Not even the Flo-like dogs he tries to create at home.

Flo’s Hot Dogs is a bit of an area legend.  Open since 1959, the owners say the secret to a good hot dog is steaming both the dog and the bun – and making sure to add a generous amount of Flo’s secret relish.  Add some mayonnaise and raw chopped onion and – voila! – you have what my husband believes is the perfect hot dog.  (I prefer to avoid the raw onion and mayo, myself).

Read More »