What: Mini-Honeymoon
Where: Ogunquit, Maine
Lobster Benedict at the Cove Cafe. Yup.Let me start this Search by apologizing for the fact that I haven't posted since February. I know that is very bad blog etiquette. But I got engaged in December, and I got married July 4th. So basically I was doing nothing but planning a wedding and running a catering company for about 6 months. I had no time!
But I'm back and happily married. It was a big, beautiful, crazy wedding. The event took place at
Skylight Studios, a really cool loft and roof top space on 36th and 10th Avenue. We had perfect views of the Macy's Fireworks display. It was a truly magical evening (ending with 4:00am room service at the swanky
Standard Hotel--a grilled cheese never tasted so good).
Planning the wedding was a fun, but very stressful process. We decided to wait a bit for our big honeymoon (we're leaving in less than a week for the island of Corsica), but felt that we needed to get away immediately post-wedding just to regroup. We chose Ogunquit, Maine for our mini-moon.
Ogunquit, Maine is a very beautiful place.
Ogunquit was gorgeous and wonderful. Just a 4 1/2 hour drive from the city and you are transported to a charming New England seaside town. The beach is huge. The water is crystal clear and Caribbean blue (and freezing). Everything about this place is great. Perfect place to spend a relaxing couple of summer days.
Expansive beach makes for some lovely relaxing days. The water is a bit chilly, but...refreshing?
Here's the thing about Ogunquit. Yes, it's charming. And yes, you can relax for hours on a beautiful beach. But Ogunquit has something very special about it--something we really did not expect that sets it apart from other relaxing beach vacations. INCREDIBLE food. We were constantly shocked at the quality of the food we encountered-- from blueberries, to maple syrup, to ice cream we ate unbelievably well. But best of all was the undisputed King of the Foodie Culture here in Ogunquit: Lobster.
Lobster roll at MC Perkins Cove. Perfection in a SandwichThe lobster in Maine is unlike any other lobster anywhere. It is very sweet and tender, briny and fresh and clean tasting. It is exquisite and delicate and perfect. Words do not do it justice. In most of the places we went to, the lobsters were small: about 1-1 1/2 lbs. This is really the best size to showcase the qualities of this delicious sea-creature. In one place we went, the lobster was so small, that the shell had not quite developed and I could effortlessly break through it with my thumb--it broke in my hands like a piece of parchment paper.
Lobster and Steamers dinner at Mabel's in Kennebunkport.
I ate lobster for every single meal we had in Ogunquit. 8 meals in a row. It was that good. I had it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had a lobster omelet, lobster benedict, steamed lobster, lobster rolls (some dressed with butter, others with mayonnaise), lobster salad, mushroom stuffed lobster, lobster pot pie, lobster casserole and lobster pizza. It was special every time I ate it.
Hearty Lobster filled Baked Casserole at Maine Diner
For the most part, I'll let the photos do the talking here. But I have to shout out one particularly memorable dining experience we had--at the French-Laundry-esque "
Arrows" restaurant.
Fried Prosciutto Wrapped Oysters at Arrows
Arrows is located about 5 minutes from the town of Ogunquit, in a farmhouse style building surrounded by beautiful, lush gardens. We went on a Tuesday night around 8:30 p.m., which is apparently late for Ogunquit dining. When we arrived (in the 1988 red Mercedes Limo arranged for us by the owners of our adorable bed and breakfast, Two Village Square) there was only one other couple dining. By the middle of our meal, we had the entire place to ourselves. Pretty romantic and awesome for the first night of our mini-moon.
Matt and I in front of our 1988 Red Mercedes Limo.
We went for the epic 10 course tasting menu. Each course was exquisite. There were Fried Oysters Wrapped in House Cured Prosciutto, Lobster Pot Pie with Morel Mushrooms and a Creamy Custard Sauce, Grilled Lobster with Lemongrass Butter alongside Butter Poached Lobster Claws with Red Curry, Red Wine Poached Beef Tenderloin with Yukon Gold Potato Salad, Prosciutto Wrapped House Smoked Trout with Frisee…it went on and on. One delectable bite after the next. Fine dining at its finest. The coolest part about the meal was that after the marathon eating session ended, and we asked for our bill we got a very special surprise. My sister and brother had called the restaurant and paid for the entire meal. Instead of a bill, we got a card that said "Congratulations. Love, your siblings!" Amazing. Maybe we shouldn't have gotten that extra glass of champagne :)
Outstanding Lobster Pot Pie at Arrows 
Arrows' Lobster 2 ways--butter poached with curry and grilled with lemongrass
Special dessert for the happy couple. This was one of about 4 desserts. God I'm stuffed at this point.
Here's a list of some of the other places we highly recommend in Ogunquit and the surrounding areas in Maine. Go eat some lobster!
Lobster omelet at the Cove Cafe: huge chunks of lobster, mushrooms and cheese. WOW.
Cove Cafe: Very cute breakfast and lunch place located in the lovely seaside area of
Perkins Cove. Get the Lobster Benedict and the Lobster Omelet. Oh, and the Blueberry Pancakes. Damn those were good pancakes.
Positively perfect blueberry pancakes with local maple syrup at the Cove Cafe
MC Perkins Cove: We loved this place so much we went back twice--once for lunch and once for dinner. For lunch, don't miss the fried calamari with fried chickpeas and the lobster roll. For dinner, lobster pizza and the simply steamed whole lobster. Probably the single best lobster I have ever had.
Delicate fried calamari with chickpeas at MC Perkins Cove
Maine Diner: Located outside of Ogunquit, in Wells, Maine. An AWESOME diner. Only in Maine do you step into what appears to be a regular old diner and find lobster dishes galore on the menu. I had a lobster roll (couldn't get enough of this perfect sandwich of big glossy chunks of lobster meat dressed lightly and served cold, with mayo or served warm with melted butter) and Matt had the lobster casserole: a big ramekin filled with chunks of lobster meat and stuffing and baked. Mmmmmm.
Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms at Mabel's
Mabel's Lobster Claw: In Kennebunkport, this is a cozy old restaurant/seafood shack specializing in lobster dinners with a big lobster and steamers, a baked potato and cole slaw. Also had a great clam chowder and lobster stuffed mushrooms.
Road Food Heaven: Clam Shack in Kennebunkport
The Clam Shack: Also in Kennebunkport, this is a must go to classic "Road Food" type place. Just a stand with some out door seating and a lot of hungry seagulls. We got another lobster roll--the best one we had during the trip (and believe me, there were many) and the fried clam strips. Oh, and some onion rings. And some fries. Delish.
Excellent fried seafood and lobster roll lunch at the Clam Shack. 
I am a happy wife.
He is a happy husband.
We are a happy, lobster filled couple.
Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 10:13AM 
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