Mainely Food (Part 2)

Let's see, where were we?  Hiking up the South Bubble.

The Bubbles are 2 distinctive small mountains at the end of Jordan Pond in Acadia.  If you've seen a picture from Acadia, it's possible that it includes them:


The Bubbles (on left) as seen from the shores of Jordan Pond.

The Jordan Pond House houses a gift shop and restaurant where you can eat on the lawn looking at this incredible scene.  The food is very good--they're known for their lobster stew and popovers, but incredibly expensive.  We used to eat there for lunch after hiking in the morning, but it just got too pricey.  Now we pack our lunch or snacks, bring a blanket and sit on the grass to wind down from our hike.

The hike we were winding down from was the South Bubble (the one on the right above).  It was a beautiful day and the views were incredible.  South Bubble features "Balance Rock"--a boulder that, from the Loop Road below, looks like it's teetering on the edge of the mountain.  Obviously, it's not.  But as boys do, Jake wanted to see if he could move it. 

We brought our lunch up there and ate it looking down over Jordan Pond to the lawn of Jordan Pond House.  Doesn't get much more picturesque than that.

We took a lot of nice hikes through the woods, up and down mountains, by the ocean and lakeside.  All of them beautiful in their own way.  At low tide, we walked out over a sand bar in Bar Harbor to Bar Island (should have stopped at a bar afterward!).  We hiked the first trail MB & I ever did in Acadia back in '99.  And Jake spent much time frolicking in the 57 degree water on Sand Beach.  (Made my feet hurt just walking in it.)

But back to food...

When President Obama visited Bar Harbor with his family last summer, he got ice cream at Mount Desert Island Ice Cream.  And for good reason.  Gourmet magazine named MDI Ice Cream one of the top 25 ice cream places in the US earlier this year.  Being big fans of Owowcow Creamery, we had to check it out.

Like Owowcow, everything at MDI is made in small batches with fresh (sometimes local) ingredients.  As for flavors, creativity runs rampant.  Mary Beth got a cone of Mexican Chocolate and Jake, Nutella.  I couldn't decide and got a "flight" of 4 flavors.  I chose to go with the most interesting ones I could find (it was a tough choice): Chocolate Orange--deep dark chocolate with real orange flavor; Salt Caramel--really tasty and the saltiness was great when tasted with the Chocolate Orange; Blackstrap Banana--molasses and bananas together was very good; and, the one that grossed MB & Jake out, Blueberry/Blue Cheese/Fig/Walnut.  OK, it was very weird with a very prominent blue cheese flavor, but it was really good.  Not something I'd like all the time, but was worth the try.



Maine Crab Cakes



Actually, that ice cream was our lunch for the day because we were going to Cafe This Way for dinner!  As I've said before, this is one of our favorite restaurants anywhere.  The ultimate in casual fine dining, you can schlep in there with your hiking boots, t-shirt and shorts and sit down for a perfect meal.  Their food is always great--sauces perfectly balanced, seafood perfectly cooked.

Cashew-Crusted Halibut

Here's the run-down:  As an appetizer, I got Blackened Scallops with corn cream sauce, tomatillo salsa and tortilla strips.  Mmmm....  MB got Maine Crab Cakes.  Mmmm....  Linda got my favorite app there, The Littlebit, which is melted Asiago cheese, fresh bread, roasted garlic, roasted red peppers and olive tapenade.  I forget what Pete got. 

Lobster Rolls Three Ways

For dinner, I went with the Brazilian-Flavored Shrimp, Scallops and Mussels in a tomato-coconut sauce.  Incredible.  MB: Lobster Rolls Three Ways--traditional, Asian and Southwestern (the latter was her favorite).  Pete and Linda got the same: a huge piece of Cashew-Crusted Halibut with Cajun tartar sauce, garlicky spinach and mashed potatoes.  One of the great things about Cafe This Way is their kids' menu.  It's not Mac & Cheese, burger, hot dog, etc like most places.  They actually offer grilled chicken (which Jake got), pasta, shrimp, fish and more. 

We shouldn't have, but some of us got dessert.  I had Key Lime Cheesecake--very light and tasty.  Pete got their amazingly chocolaty Chocolate Mousse.  And Jake had a really great brownie as part of his dinner. 

If you are ever in Bar Harbor, go to Cafe This Way.  I mean it!

Next time, we'll finish up the trip with a beautiful hike, a newly found dinner spot in Bar Harbor and Breakfast at Grumpy's.

Kids & Food

For some parents, getting their kids to eat is a real chore.  There are many kids who only eat a very limited menu--chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, potatoes, etc.   You know the usual list.

As I've said before, we've been fairly lucky with Jake as an eater.  When he's in the right mood, he's open to trying different things--and usually likes them.  He doesn't go for the typical kid foods--he doesn't like cheese (so no mac & cheese, pizza), sauces (so no pastas with sauce), potatoes (except the occasional French fry).  But he loves veggies, fruit, fish, meats, plain pasta. 

An article from boston.com talks about how to get kids--specifically toddlers--to eat a wider variety of foods and not be so picky.  It talks about how many experts believe that a child's taste can begin before birth.  Flavors such as carrots, garlic and vanilla can be transmitted from the mother to the baby and form a liking to those things in the child. 

Jake has only tried lobster once, but he's
getting closer to eating it. 

It's believed that a child needs to try a food up to 20 times before determining whether they like it or not.  And texture can be a factor in whether a kid likes a food or not.  That's part of Jake's biggest problem with most foods that he doesn't like--he doesn't like smooth, gooey or mushy foods.  Cheese, mashed potatoes, sauces--all fall under this category.  I think eventually he'll learn to taste these things.

The biggest factor, however, in determining if a child is picky or not, is the parents' eating habits.  If the kid sees his parents eating a variety of foods, he'll be more interested in trying those things.  If parents are adverse to trying new things and making a variety of foods to eat, the child will follow suit. 

And many restaurants help to further this problem.  What's on a restaurant's kids' menu so often?  Pizza, burgers,  hot dogs, mac & cheese, chicken nuggets.  Not very healthy.  Not very adventurous.  One of our favorite restaurants, Cafe This Way, in Bar Harbor, ME, has a great kids' menu.  There are healthy and interesting options--broiled fish, grilled shrimp, chicken, pasta with fresh sauce, quesadillas, etc.  Why should kids not be offered good stuff? 

Do your kids eat interesting things?  What are some of their favorites--that would surprise many people?  Write a comment and let me know.  Check out a previous blog post with more information on this topic.

It's All About ME (conclusion)

Our last Thursday at the cottage just didn't start the way we wanted it to.  We wanted to leave early for our final trip to Acadia, but didn't get out of the house until later.  Then, we realized that our photo card was filled--yeah, we took a lot of pics--so we had to stop at a Radio Shack (the 3rd store we tried--the others were sold out of them) to buy one.  All they had was a huge one for $30-some.  On our way out of the parking lot, we were rear-ended by some guy anticipating the green light.  No damage, but you know how it is.  Just not what you want to deal with. 

The plan was to hike the South Face of Cadillac Mountain--the highest mountain on Mt. Desert Island.  It's a rather easy hike that we'd done before, but it's relatively long (3.7 miles one way).  We weren't sure if it would be too much for Jake. 

On the way up Cadillac.

The day was beautiful--sunny, warm, breezy.  It looked like things would be turning around for us.  Alas, the photo card didn't work for some reason.  So not as many pics of the trip up the mountain as we wanted.  I only had a little bit of film left in my non-digital camera.

But that, as it turned out, was the last of the problems for the day.  The hike was great--beautiful views, nice weather.  And Jake did great.  I may have carried him on my shoulders for a half-mile--probably less.  The rest he did on his own two little legs.  The apples and homemade trail mix helped give him energy.

The good day continued with our second trip to Cafe This Way.  Our server was Tony, who we've gotten to know over the years--Jake always looks forward to seeing him.  We found out, unfortunately, that it was Tony's last season in Bar Harbor before moving to Chicago.  Good luck, Tony!

Now some of the food that the 6 of us ate: The Brie-Wild Mushroom Fondue again, Maine Seafood Spring Roll, Shrimp with 4 Sauces, the Littlebit (olive tapenade, melted cheese, roasted peppers, roasted garlic on a sizzling platter with fresh bread), Pecan-Crusted Halibut, Grilled Scallops with a Citrus-Fennel Salad, Asian Pecan-Crusted Chicken, Duck with a Blueberry Sauce and more.  Exquisite food, as usual.  Oh, desserts--MB & I shared Chocolate Pots de Creme and Jake devoured Blueberry-Basil Sorbet.  I forget what the others had for dessert.  I can't tell you enough how good the food is there. 

Friday was a rainy, lazy day.  Just hung out at the cottage for a while.  Walked the beach a little bit.  Got lobsters for one last truly Maine dinner at night.

After cleaning up, it was time to leave the cottage.  MB, Jake & I stopped at The Fish Net in Blue Hill again for our lunch.  MB got a fish burger and both Jake and I had one last helping of fried Maine shrimp.  (I should have counted how many of those things he ate on this trip.) 


MB & Jake in York Beach



One last night in Maine lay ahead of us--in York Beach--not far from the border.  We had stayed at the Candleship Inn one time in the past and decided to stay again.  It's a very nice place--one of those places some go to for a total relaxation stay--massage, yoga, etc.  While we didn't do those things, we did have a nice stay.  For a nice change of pace, we at dinner at Guac-n-Roll--a burrito bar.  It was very good and reasonably priced.  MB had a Mexican Pulled Pork Burrito, I had one with Chorizo/Guacamole/Rice/Salsa.  Jake had a deconstructed steak taco (he basically just ate the meat). 

Our last nice meal was breakfast at the Candleshop Inn.  Barbara (the innkeeper) and her cook (a Jamaican woman who's name I'm forgetting) presented a wonderful vegetarian spread: scrambled eggs (or tofu if you wished), fried plantains, apple cobbler, granola (you make it yourself), bagels, muffins, smoked salmon with red onion, capers and cream cheese, fresh fruit salad, etc.  The food is great, the people are friendly and helpful--another good place to stay if you're in the area. 

So that's it...a wonderful trip full of fun, food, nature, rest and relaxation.  I hope you enjoyed coming along for the ride. 

It's All About ME (continued)

Just like around these parts, there are farmers' markets all over the place in Maine and the small towns near where we stayed--Brooklin, Blue Hill, etc--were no exception.  We stopped by a very small (only about 5-6 tables) farmers' market in Brooklin (a very small village) and were bowled over by the great stuff--breads, veggies, jams and jellies.  We got some fresh mozzarella (actually from the seller's friend in Vermont), some fresh carrots and dragon beans (Jake has loved them since getting some at one of our local markets this summer), some incredible blueberry/blackberry jelly and a delicious whole-wheat baguette (one of the best breads we've ever tasted).  We were all set for our pasta dinner back at the cottage.



At the summit of Blue Hill Mt.



The next day was pretty relaxing.  We took advantage of yet another beautiful day to hike up Blue Hill Mountain, with great views of the village of Blue Hill and the bay.  We got to bed early because we were headed to Acadia the following morning.

Acadia is why MB & I have returned year after year to Maine.  If you've ever been there, you know what I mean.  Deep forests, mountains, ocean, lakes--it has it all.  There's really not much better than hiking up one of the many mountains, reaching the summit and just standing there to take in the breathtaking view.  We hiked up Connor's Nubble that day.  It was a little rough-going for Jake at the beginning as we had to follow the boulder-filled shoreline of Eagle Lake.  But we saw some loons and, once we left the shoreline and headed up the side of the small mountain, he was much better.  We worked up an appetite--good thing, too.  After hanging out at Jordan Pond for a while, we had reservations for Cafe This Way.

You've probably heard me talk about this restaurant before.  It is one of our favorite places to eat anywhere.  Comfortable, casual, friendly--you can go in your shorts and hiking boots and enjoy creative and delicious meals.  The menu is interesting--very hard to decide on what to order--and the flavors are incredibly well-balanced.  It's food that you'd expect in some fancy place, yet there we were with our hat head hairdos.  It's great.  We started going there the first year we visited ME--and their first year of operation--at the suggestion of Roy & Helene at the Ullikana B&B.  They have steadily grown bigger and more well-known, but never losing the feel that makes it so special.

OK.  Here's what we had.  MB & I shared Wild Mushroom & Brie Fondue as an appetizer.  If I knew it was this good, I wouldn't have shared it.  Jake got a kids' meal--grilled shrimp, corn on the cob, applesauce and pasta (not the usual kids' menu).  MB had Maine crab cakes (3 of them about 2" thick) with garlic mashed potatoes (one of their specialties), butternut squash puree (delicious) and broccolini.  I had Brazilian Mussels, Shrimp and Scallops--with a sweet, spicy and complex Tomato/Coconut Broth with lime.  It was great.  MB & I shared Chocolate Mousse (excellent) and Jake got a Chocolate Chip Brownie with his meal.  If you go to Bar Harbor, you HAVE to go here.  Do you understand me?  You HAVE to!

OK.  Next time, more fried shrimp, Acadia again and LOBSTERS!

Good Restaurants

I just read an article from the San Francisco Chronicle that gave various people's comments (I assume that people in SF know who they are, because I didn't) about what makes a bad restaurant.  Let's just say that, although some of them made some sense--dirty floors, yucky bathrooms, rude waitstaff, etc--most of them were snotty.  You know, things like "when fried calamari is on the menu" (I know plenty of good places that offer this) or "when there's a children's menu, not children's portions--this means that the place caters to the family crowd and that's the opposite of fine dining" (try going to Cafe This Way in Bar Harbor, ME--a children's menu and incredible food).

Anyway, I thought I'd talk about what I think makes a good restaurant--and I'd love to hear what you think.  So chime in!

To me, cleanliness is a top priority.  Sure, there are greasy spoons that are a little grimy, but have good food.  But if I'm going to go out for a nice meal, I want the floors and silverware and dishes to be clean.  If it's not clean on the table, it's not clean in the kitchen.

I want a relaxed atmosphere.  Super fancy restaurants are fine--if the food is good.  But I'm much more apt to enjoy my meal--really enjoy it, if I feel comfortable and can be myself--not worrying about if I'm doing something improperly.

A good restaurant has a menu that's changing with the seasons.  If a caprese salad (tomato, mozzarella, basil) is on the menu in December, then I'm not so sure about that place--serve me tomatoes when they're in season. 

I want a place that gives you food that makes you feel good--fresh ingredients, homemade pasta, food made to order.  You know what I mean.  Real food--not something processed or pre-made.

I want to feel welcome in a restaurant when you walk in.  Have a server who genuinely wants to make your meal a good experience--and give you suggestions if you ask.  I want to be able to sit and take as long as I need to eat without feeling like we're taking up space for the next party. 

The bottom line with a restaurant, though, is the food.  I want good food that's worth the price I'm paying for it. 

Do I sound snotty, too?  I hope not. 

Some of my favorites...well, there are a lot of them.  A lot of great places just in our area.  But off the top of my head, here are some places where I'd go back again and again (some that I've done just that):

Cafe This Way in Bar Harbor, ME.  This may be our favorite place anywhere.  Relaxed and comfortable--you can dine in your hiking boots and shorts.  Staff that's always friendly (Tony remembers Jake from year to year--and vice versa).  A great children's menu with much more than hot dog or mac and cheese--real food.  And a menu that takes forever to order from--everything is great.

Buddakan in Philly.  Only been here once and it was probably the most expensive meal we've ever had.  But it was also the best prepared, most delicious food we've ever had--all served by knowledgeable servers in an exciting setting.  A great place to splurge for a special occasion.  Just perfect.

Domani Star in Doylestown.  Probably our favorite local restaurant.  Friendly, fresh ingredients, homemade Italian food.  Never had anything there that I didn't love.  Mmmmm....soooo good. 

Red's Eats in Wiscasset, ME.  OK, not really a restaurant, but it's universally known to have the best lobster rolls anywhere.  Basic--the lobster roll is a whole lobster's-worth of meat on a toasted hot dog bun (you can add melted butter).  But man, it's just the best.  We always stop there when passing through "The Prettiest Village in Maine". 

There are so many others, near and far, that I'm forgetting.  Help me out--where do you like to go to eat and why?