Tag Archives: food

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A carnivore’s dream.

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Every once in a while we throw the cooler in the car and head out on a pilgrimage.

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We drive two hours south to a little town in New Hampshire that houses one of our favorite places.

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Part tavern, part butcher shop… it’s always worth the drive.

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Husband likes the bar, where antiques hang over your head.

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And the food?

Oh my…

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My Banging Shrimp were crispy, spicy, sweet and delicious.

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Husband’s French Onion soup was rich, hearty and had steak in it as well.

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I started with a beer but switched to an alcoholic Dreamsicle.

Gin, orange liqueur, lemon creamsicle simple and orange juice with a sugared rim.

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The Real Burger King Burger for me. Ground filet mignon and ribeye with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, smoked bacon and truffle aioli.

Seriously, one of the best burgers ever.

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Filet mignon with mashed potatoes and baked beans for the spouse. The gravy was to die for and made from roasting their prime rib.

Along with the excellent tavern, there’s a massive butcher shop filled with steaks, chops, chicken, sausage and deli salads.

There’s also a wonderful selection of local craft beer.

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Batson River’s cans are quintessentially Maine.

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There were also a few weirdos.

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I was very tempted to buy some …

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But our beer fridge is bursting at the seams as it is.

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We did come home with a few things for the grill though.

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Their house marinated steak tips are da bomb.

👍

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Happy as a clam.

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Working up an appetite walking around the lighthouse made us more willing than usual to try an unassuming little local spot for lunch.

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Yes, it was called the Happy Clam.

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And to be honest, he did look happy … so we ducked inside.

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The raspberry frozen daiquiri? Awful.

Clearly the clam wasn’t drinking that.

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Seeing the German flag proudly displayed out front and learning that the owner’s wife hailed from there, I took a chance on the schnitzel fingers appetizer.

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And oh my…

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Was I ever glad I did. Perfectly cooked, light and flavorful with the most delicious mushroom and thyme sauce. I haven’t had any this good since my Austrian mother passed away.

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Husband went with a puréed lobster bisque which was equally as good.

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And though I felt like I should have ordered the aforementioned bivalves, I opted for a fabulous crabmeat roll instead.

Totally stuffed, we stepped out of there happy as the namesake clam.

Until my husband spotted a yard sale…

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And bought a fistful of old wooden hangers and rulers.

I wasn’t so happy then.

🥴

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A mooooving experience.

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Still at the fair, and still admiring old farm equipment.

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Well, one of us was.

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While he was doing that I wandered over to meet some geese.

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With strict instructions not to feed or pet, I stood and photographed.

Next up was the youth calf competition.

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If you’ve never seen one of these, you really should.

Taking care and responsibility for livestock is a full time job and these youngsters were doing their best to show off their accomplishments.

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If you’re showing momma?

Better bring baby along.

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Such sweet faces!

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I do love cows.

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After the show we wandered a few barns.

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Always my favorite part of the fair.

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These are Belted Galloways, but we call them Oreo cows… for obvious reasons.

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At the end of our cattle tour, the husband stopped to talk to one of the owners and her daughter.

Husband likes to talk.

Husband was raised on a dairy farm.

Husband talked for over an hour.

Husband talked to so many people for so long we didn’t see the other half of the fair, I didn’t buy a fried dough and when he finally stopped chatting…. it was time to go.

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Back over the bridge of flowers to a small town seafood restaurant we always try to visit when we’re in the area.

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It doesn’t look like much.

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And the atmosphere is more family style diner than anything….

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But the clam chowder is to die for. Thick, rich, creamy and chock full of clams … it’s almost a meal in itself. (deckhand lemonade with Tito’s, because yes… they serve alcohol)

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The meals are always amazing, and their fresh seafood is cooked to perfection. I had a massive platter of fantail fried shrimp with baked potato and cole slaw, husband had a garlic butter broiled haddock with butternut squash and a bowl of cottage cheese. Neither of us went away hungry.

Two soups, a cocktail, a beer and two more than ample seafood dinners for $82. In our neck of the woods that amount barely gets you past appetizers.

🥴

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The final hop.

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Our last Boothbay Harbor stop was the Boathouse Bistro as seen on the left.

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It’s a rustic three story restaurant with three floors that are usually packed with summer tourists as it has the best food in town.

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We always land here, on the glassed in second floor.

But along with the first, it was closed… and empty. The same disturbing trend we’d seen all day.

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Three places that are always bursting with tourists… weren’t. Tariffs and bad blood with Canada may not be affecting you… but they’re certainly hurting this area.

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Granted…. the top floor had a crowd, but the bar was empty and the bottom two levels were deserted.

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A shocking loss of prime season business.

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Saving the best for last, along with my pomegranate margarita I had blackened jumbo shrimp with fried balls of chorizo grits and smoky tomato sauce while the husband went with pan-seared scallops and crispy cornbread with an apple gastrique (apple cider, sugar, apple cider vinegar, calvados,thyme, chicken stock).

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Both tapas were excellent, and came with a view.

❤️

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Still hopping.

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Our second stop on the toddies and tapas tour of Boothbay Harbor was McSeagulls, just to the left of our first… Mine Oyster.

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Unassuming places from the front…

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Lovely waterfront spots in the back.

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Can you guess which glass of craft beer I raised?

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Once again we found a popular summer tourist restaurant/bar nowhere near capacity. It was a shock… this area is usually jam packed.

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A bowl of creamy tomato bisque for the husband…

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Some calamari for moi.

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And a groan worthy fish pun for the rest of you.

😉

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Always up for Otto’s.

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One of our favorite restaurants is an unassuming little spot housed in an old building in the once deserted but now having a mini renaissance, downtown area of Augusta, Maine’s capitol.

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Otto’s by the River isn’t on the river per se, and the only way you’re able to see the water is if you sit on their side deck and swivel your head.

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But the interior is amusing enough for us.

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And we usually sit at the bar.

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On this particular day peach Crown Royal slushies were on special and they were so delicious my beer loving husband actually joined me.

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Otto’s makes the best crab dip I’ve ever had… so I stuff myself with that and have to give up a big meal for a chicken Caesar salad.

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Husband’s pan seared scallop Alfredo was decadently rich.

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So if you’re ever hungry in Augusta? Give Otto’s a try.

😊

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A garage no more.

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Have you ever eaten in a garage?

I mean an honest to goodness previously grease stained filling station?

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Thankfully the grease and transmissions are gone and a Wiscasset, Maine landmark restaurant once known as Le Garage (clever, no?) is now Water Street Kitchen and Bar.

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It’s a great place to drop in for a craft cocktail…

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Fresh basil limeade with Tito’s please.

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A cream of asparagus soup for the spouse…

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And some spicy Cajun shrimp for me to start.

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Never let it be said their bartenders don’t go the extra mile for top shelf.

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We were happily drinking and schmoozing so I didn’t photograph our entrees, but dessert was a delight.

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Creamy limoncello cake for the win.

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On the way home?

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We marveled at the tourists who don’t know any better and wait on endless lines in the heat at Red’s Eats.

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Their lobster is frozen and comes from Canada.

No self respecting Mainer would be caught dead there.

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The miracle ends… with a good meal and cocktails.

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Yes, we actually had a three day yard sale.

Friday was busy.

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Saturday was busy.

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And since my husband was enjoying telling people about his treasures so much?

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We sold on Sunday as well.

The sale was a resounding success with many people complimenting us on its cleanliness, its organization and the diversity of items offered.

Yay us.

It was a massive amount of work, but it paid off.

And I mean that literally.

We made $2,249 over the course of three days!!

💰💰💰

Yes, you read that correctly. We raked in more than twenty two hundred dollars for… nothing! No expensive electronics, no gold jewelry and the only furniture we sold was a wicker chair for $20. To say I was astounded is an understatement. I was expecting maybe $400.

If there’s anything better than people coming to your home, paying you for things you no longer want and taking them away? I don’t know what it is.

Color me pleased.

❤️

Pockets stuffed with cash, we broke down the sale at 3:00pm. I filled the car with my unsold items that were destined for donation while the husband packed his unsold treasures in boxes and returned them to the cellar. No, he wouldn’t donate any of his things.

Miracles only go so far.

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We showered, dressed and headed to one of our favorite restaurants for a well deserved meal.

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Royal River Grille never disappoints.

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Best clam chowder around and I was so hungry I only photographed it when I was through. The husband had lobster bisque but I didn’t photograph that either.

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My cocktail was a blueberry lavender cooler – blueberry infused vodka, lavender simple syrup, lemon juice, lavender bitters and lemonade.

My dinner was a delightfully flavorful panko crusted haddock with crispy leek and charred scallion aioli on garlic Parmesan mashed red potatoes with honey truffle toum sauced green beans.

Heaven!

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The husband had a barrel cut filet mignon with the Parmesan mashed potatoes and a sinfully rich creamed spinach.

We rolled out of there stuffed and satisfied.

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Past the dead fish metal sculptures that flank the entry…

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And a weirdo Finnish half speedboat/half cabin cruiser. Top speed 48 knots. They go for about $450k if you’re interested.

😉

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Let’s play.

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Because it won’t take much of your time.

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As a bread lover, this is a tough one for me. I’ve enjoyed cheddar bay biscuits and breadsticks, but the quality isn’t always consistent. CB’s biscuits used to be divine but have shrunken to almost elvish proportions over the years. And while the rustic brown loaves are tasty…

I think I’m going to have to say Texas Roadhouse yeast rolls for the win. They’re always fresh and the accompanying honey butter sends these over the top on my yum-o-meter. Ironically, I don’t care for the cocktails or the food at that restaurant so we rarely if ever go…. but I fondly remember the doughy goodness.

Disclaimer – I’ve never tried A or C.

How about you?

Which chain restaurant bread gets your vote.

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