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The husband and I went out for a booze filled leisurely lunch the other day at a place I’ve been wanting to try for a while. It’s the sister restaurant to one of our favorites so I had high expectations.
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Right across the street from LL Beans in the busy village of Freeport…the Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro is always packed with a long wait to be seated. We thought showing up at 2:00 in the afternoon would afford us some elbow room, but no. There was a 45 minute wait for a table which made my husband take a direct route to the bar.
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My husband does not wait well. Or at all to be honest.
No matter, I started with a lovely cranberry sage margarita which though tasty, was served in a disappointingly small old fashioned glass.
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And if I ever wondered why I was having a hard time finding vintage beer, wine or whisky crates… one look behind this bar provided the answer.
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A spiced pear margarita was round two…. and was served alongside my crab “cake” appetizer. I ask you – how can a tiny round lump of crab ever be considered a cake? These balls were delicious, but at $23 were a bit of a pricey nibble.
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Lunch was a wonderful 4 mushroom funghi pizza for me and a shrimp scampi for the husband. His lunch portion contained 4 shrimp for $29. I’d hate to see the dinner.
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For me the best part was cocktail #3.
APPLE OF MY EYE
apple infused captain morgan white rum
lime juice * cinnamon simple *
white cranberry juice
Ooh la la! It might sound like a weird combination but it was alcoholic apple pie in a glass. Be still my heart!
For the husband this was the kicker –
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I don’t care for cheesecake, but it did sound divine.
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He said it was literally the best cheesecake he’s ever had… and that’s saying something because he loves the stuff.
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With tip, a $218 lunch.
Christ. That’s what I used to pay for two weeks worth of groceries when we got married. How times change..
🥺
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River's world..... 
Yowsa! That’s a pricey meatball!
For us, the days of the 3 “martini” lunch are over ~ but fun that you saved the best cocktail for last.
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I don’t mind paying for a nice meal, but it’s getting a little crazy.
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Even alka-seltzer can’t relieve that pain.
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$219??? For LUNCH??? Whoa Nellie! I’ve eaten in the most expensive restaurants in this town and never got close to that number, even with appetizers, drinks and dessert. I’m impressed. You may want to tell the chef that you can make a crab ball into a crab cake by pressing it down. It’s so easy even I can do it.
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The crazy thing is, while this is a nice restaurant it wasn’t anything I’d call high end. As for the crab, it wasn’t so much the shape as the quantity.
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Holy high priced cuisine River! Okay to be fair, I’ve spent that much a couple of times. But I haven’t lately because, you know inflation and shit. But as long as it was great and you had a good time, then it’s worth it.
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It was a good lunch, but I’m not sure it was that good.
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I’ll be packing my lunches….wow
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I’d like say those prices are rare up here, but I can’t.
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I paid $25 at the most for a good meal here. But then I usually have water with my meals.
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The cocktails always jack up the bill, for sure. But the crab appetizer alone is almost the same as your whole meal.
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ya. I love crab so I’d go broke in Maine.
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No idea what to say. Our weekly grocery bill is not that high, even with tkoday’s inflated prices…
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We’re two people… who apparently eat very well because our weekly grocery is almost three times that.
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Yikes. Even shopping at the Marine Al ost-Free Store? I would love to be your regular grocer, except a business person I could never be. Tried it once and lost my pants as wellas my shirt.
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Since they closed our local base 15 years ago, the nearest military commissary is almost two hours away… so we don’t go very often.
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I really like it when you share these meals. It’s interesting to visit places I might never visit otherwise. That dessert looked amazing.
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You’re probably the only one who likes the restaurant posts… but you’re quite welcome!
😉
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Keep them coming! ❤️
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I like these posts, too❤️
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Good to know. Thanks!
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That would be my lunch and dinner. It does look awesome. That cheesecake really has my interest. Sounds and looks wonderful.
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He’s still raving about it so it must have been good.
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Soooomewhere, I have a recipe for herb cheesecake, to be eaten as a dip. It was amaaaazing!
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Over $200 for that??!!?? Wow.
Lately I’ve been craving all the old “tastes like something else” shots/drinks… choc cake, oatmeal cookie, cinnamon toast crunch. Oh.. or Sex On A Pool Table (SOTB but with Midori instead of peach)!!
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Sex on a Pool table? I’m in. And we already have the table…
👍
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😁😁
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Yowza, no thanks 🤣
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“The Big Barn” restaurant might be the go-to restaurant from now on. Get some fab recipes, cook in the house and deliver it out there so you’re dining out. Might be cheaper. Might not!
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Me cooking is the thing I’m trying to avoid….
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Yikes. That bill total is Special Occasion territory for us.
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I knew it wouldn’t be cheap going in, but for lunch? It even surprised me…
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Yikes! I am generally OK with rising prices, but I don’t like having the price increase while the portions are getting smaller.
“There was a 45 minute wait for a table which made my husband take a direct route to the bar. ” <- I love that man you're married to.
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The husband won’t wait for a table. Ever. If the bar isn’t available, he’ll leave and try another restaurant. No patience whatsoever. Unless we’re at a yard sale or flea market… then? He’ll spend 3 hours going through one box.
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Hahaha
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Why wait for a table when you can make a beeline for the bar? Tara and I never have a problem grabbing a seat there if there’s a wait. And sometimes just because. Plus ,you tend to get your drinks quicker that way.
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My husband is a talker. He likes to chat up the bartender…
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