Over the past few months, I’ve nibbled and sipped from Kittery to Fort Kent, Calais to Fryeburg, while researching the upcoming 2017 edition of Moon Maine. The research kept me too busy to post much beyond my Maine Travel Maven Facebook page, but now I’m making up for lost time. Below are some of my fave food finds from Kennebunk to Rockport (some brand spanking new, others new to me).
Empire Chinese, Portland
Empire Chinese Kitchen occupies the site of Portland’s first deluxe Chinese restaurant, The Empire, which operated from 1916-53 and allegedly was the inspiration for Edward Hopper’s Chop Suey, painted in 1929.
There’s no chop suey on the menu now. Rather, Empire Chinese Kitchen is a sleek and casual dim sum palace. I was smitten after one bite of the lobster dumplings. Wow! They were light as a cloud and screaming with lobster flavor.
Then the garlic green beans arrived, and oh my! I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to recreate those at home. Following those came the har gow (steamed shrimp dumplings), chive shitake dumplings, and steamed pork dumplings; each left me contemplating ordering more. I never even got to the rice and noodle dishes or the large plates, although I will return for the lobster longevity noodle.
Save room and order the honey walnut shrimp for dessert; they’re a sweet ending to a swell meal. Seriously, this is the kind of place that’s best enjoyed with friends willing to mix and share, allowing you to order a big selection. Open Wednesday-Monday from 11:30am.
Deb’s Bristol Diner, Bristol
For scratch-made home-style cookin’, you can’t do better than Deb’s Diner in Bristol. The biscuits alone are worth the trip, but if the morning special includes cinnamon-bun French toast, don’t miss it and know that it’s worth the wait. Deb’s omelets are masterpieces; I had a Greek one where the egg seemed to be only there to hold together the spinach, tomato, and feta; mmm!
The Bristol Diner has a handful of booths and a couple of tables as well as counter seating, so you might have to wait a bit for a table, especially in summer.
Nina June, Rockport
Maine meets the Mediterranean at Nina June, a casual trattoria and the latest restaurant from successful New York City chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author Sara Jenkins, a Camden native. Jenkins quietly opened in June, first offering only breakfast. About a month later, lunch followed. And in September, she dropped breakfast and added dinner. Now it serves only dinner.
Jenkins takes local ingredients and makes them sing with flavor. It’s Mediterranean comfort food at its best. Trust me on this: If the shaved brussel sprouts/Manchego cheese/beets/olive oil/lemon app is on the dinner menu, order it. Ditto for the grilled swordfish and the grilled hanger steak.