Sat: We drove as long as cipollini napped, which was Freeport…fantastic because we could make our pitstop at Maine Beer Company. We grabbed a few seats under the tent, put in a pizza order and ordered a flight sampler of 8 beers. Pizza was fine, a little too floppy for us and too heavy on the cheese, but the flavor was there (lots of leftovers). Beers were exemplar. Our rental house was a 5 minute walk to Mitchell Point Lighthouse, which was fantastic and perfectly rustic-chic with a great kitchen to boot, although we didn’t really do much cooking, except for toasting things up and schmearing avocado on them, or warming up breakfast pizza. Dinner the night we arrived was a mistake – the Dip Net, a Linda Bean production. We both ordered the trademarked perfect lobster rolls. For me, the addition of dill added a weird sourness that spoiled my lobster roll.
Sun: Breakfast at home, lunch at Luke’s Lobster at Tenants Harbor. The original Luke’s – we’ve been to one of the Brooklyn locations and B works once a week close by the Boston Back Bay location so has been to that one a couple of times. We loved the very chill vibe, outdoor seating at picnic tables on the harbor is always key with a restless toddler in tow. Really good lobster rolls (although no tail meat, but it’s still a steal at $16-ish). Outstanding fries and potato salad. Nice young earnest staff.
Mon: We drove to Pemaquid for the best meal of the trip at Pemaquid Seafood. B’s large lobster roll was ridiculously yuge, while my small-sized one was perfect paired with a cup of lobster stew. Great location (we ate outdoors at one of the picnic tables), very low-key, friendly locals and tourists. One of the lovely young 90-year-olds dining next to us told us that the place isn’t as it used to be – it’s a big operation now. BYOB.
Tues: Check-out day. Cipollini woke up near Portsmouth/Kittery, so we decided on Geno’s, which we’ve been to in the past. Not the best food in the world, but my lobster roll and fish chowder and B’s salad topped with lobster were fine. To us, the best thing about the Geno’s is the convivial feel. We were sitting on the deck and cipollini decided to drop his binky into the shallow water. EVERYONE in the place was talking about it, especially when it got attacked by a crab. Some teenagers at the neighboring table offered to retrieve it but ultimately, B waded in and grabbed it. As requested, we signed the guestbook with a short note about the episode because the staff gets together at xmas time and reads through the comments. It made everyone’s day on an otherwise sleepy Tuesday.
