and shopping was what we set out to do and we accomplished both very successfully. Noone really did much time on anything but lobster rolls that I could find, so I am on about the whole lobster, because we ate it every day for lunch and dinner - you would have thought we would be sick of it, but not at all. Bring it on! The lobster shacks are like I know Fish %26amp; Chips places to be, order, get a number, try to find a table before your number is called.
Having never been before it is a bit boggling trying to figure out where to go, where to stay, whew. So, in hopes of helping someone else, esp a lobster lover, here is what we did.
We stayed in S.Portland at the FAIRFIELD INN MAINE MALL for the first few days as it was Memorial Day Weekend and we felt we could wing it for the rest of our time (8days total)., Great location, easy access to shopping, Starbucks and the freeways. We arrived very late and were starving,
Front desk recommended SEBAGO BREWING COMPANY and now we do too. Our flight staff were all there and seemed to be regulars. Great food, (try the scallops wrapped in bacon) nice atmosphere and they close at 1:00 AM.so you better finish your drink by 1:15 or it is gone! We hung out there a few nights, great music and a better place to play dominoes than the hotel rooms (What can I say. we are way past the nightclub scene and it was a good mix of people of all ages.)
Day 1 Headed north to Haraseekat. Caught an unbelievable sale at Cuddledown and then to the HARRASEEKAT LOBSTER SHACK for lunch by the water.. Small lobster was $14.95, the place was packed and the owner was kind enough to show us how to get every sweet morsel of meat out of that shell! (All these years I thought I knew what I was doing!) All in all, a good experience so we will give it 5/5.
Freeport Outlets were good but very spread out - LL Bean takes up 2.5 blocks. You will need to buy comfortable shoes if you aren%26#39;t wearing them. Enough of shopping. We stopped for a quick refreshment at JAMESON%26#39;S TAVERN- great tap selection and the bacon wrapped scallops were almost as good as Sebago (which produces a great beer).
Went for dinner to New Harbor to SHAW%26#39;S FISH %26amp; LOBSTER (a bit overrated as the movie %26#39;Messsge In A Bottle%26#39; was made there, which I guess they thought was a good reason to jack up the prices of everything) I originate from the West Coast and was a bit thrown off by the %26#39;necks%26#39; on the Littleneck Clams (Steamers) ended up giving them to the next table. Lobster here was $19.95 and was the smallest that we had on the whole trip, but the flavour made up for it. (4/5) Again, the place was packed.
Day 2 Headed South to Kittery Outlets which is spaced out in mini malls (again, the comfortable shoes please) We had lobster at the WEATHERVANE -over $20.00 and the worst of the trip - very watery and not very flavorful. (1/5)
The most unusual experience was at the CLAM SHACK in Kennebunkport...we decided to get big lobsters. This is how we found out that the smaller ones are tastier. These were tough, but may have been slightly overcooked. The %26#39;tables%26#39; are wooden crates outside - on the plus side, you have to lean over so far, there is no spillage(2.5/5)
Day 3 - felt we had not had enough of the north so back we went this time to Boothbay Harbor. Note that if you miss your exit, it can be a v-e-r-y long drive. Here we finally got with the program at KALER%26#39;S CRAB %26amp; LOBSTER and ordered twin lobster for $24.99 and Snow crab legs for $16.99 and shared. Table by the window(4.5/5) Excellent.
Day 4 Stayed in S. Portland to avoid the parade traffic. Went to EGGSPECTATIONS (4.5/5)for breakfast after buying out the Bass Outlet Shoe store across the street.
Dinner at the LOBSTER SHACK in Maine. Nice location, though far and hard to find. $24.99 for one lobster!! Robbery., we thought.
Day 5 South again, Old Orchard Beach area BAYLEY%26#39;s LOBSTER for crab and or lobster roll . Forget everything you have heard or read - these were exquisite. Later hit KEN%26#39;S SEAFOOD shared a Lobster Salad 3/5 and twin lobsters (I know! too much of a good thing!)
Day 6 We moved to Ogunquit. Stayed at the Grand Hotel. We live in Puerto Vallarta so did not care about waterfront. Took the penthouse, bedroom and living room with bath in middle make great private sleeping quarters and the deck is huge. They have gotten bad rep about noise level, but the only thing we heard were birds. Staff were really great - went the extra mile consistently. Highly recommend the penthouse rooms.
Perkin%26#39;s Cove. Hmmm if your name is mentioned on the Gilmore Gilrs tv show, as Barnacle Billy%26#39;s was, then you can charge $30.95 for the same lobster. We had mussels and (raw) bacon wrapped scallops and commiserated about how much we missed SEBAGO BREWING CO. Also, after we ate we wanted to check out some other restaurants, MC%26#39;s host was a rude dude with a %26#39;tude, so never went there.
Day 6 If you are in Ogunquit, you will seriously want to eat at WILD BLUEBERRY INN. It even sounds good, doesn%26#39;t it! Today we took a lobster break., and %26#39;wined and cheesed%26#39; on our balcony.
Day 7 Around the York area, there is a place called the MAINE DINER where we had lobster pie, cheddar broccoli poppers and homemade blueberry pie. We had to do it, but we were sorry. Very deliciously heavy and intensely rich.
For dinner, much, much later, we ended up at THE OARWEED in Perkins Cove. The lobster was stlll a bit pricey, but very good. And for our last lobster meal we say 5/5 overall.
Day 8 Right back to the WILD BLUEBERRY INN for breakfast and then on our way back to hot and humid PV (where the lobsters are tough and without claws and the shopping ..ahem, but whoa we%26#39;re not complaining cuz we can go on vacation for those things)
As a side note, you might think of cholesterol and weight gain and just plain richness from all that lobster. Turns out that lobster has less cholesterol than an equal portion of chicken or turkey. We both lost weight!- we didn%26#39;t really need the butter, the lobsters were so sweet and flavorful on their own, and as I said earlier, we could easily do it all again - and will, next Memorial Day weekend.
Eating lobster in Maine ( Lobster Tales)
Thank you so much for the reviews. This will come in very handy when we vacation there in Sept. I%26#39;ve printed it off, and it will be my official ';Lobster'; bible.
Eating lobster in Maine ( Lobster Tales)Sue--print this one out for your trip, too:
…mainetoday.com/dining/…001547.html
Ooh - thanks MicheleS. I can%26#39;t wait. We%26#39;ve been trying to get to Maine for 3 years, and ';things'; kept coming up that made us post-pone our trips. One of our dogs is recovering from surgery, and things are looking good for a Sept. 18-26 vacation to Maine. Our oldest son will be flying home from Kentucky to join us for this trip, so it will be extra special. Whoopie!!
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