Maine Stay Inn ~ An Insider's Guide to Kennebunkport

Ocean views from every window, a wonderful selection of great food, remarkably reasonable prices, excellent service, what else

Labels: Restaurants Near Kennebunkport

Located just a short drive from the Maine Stay Inn on Mile Road in Wells, Varano's Italian Restaurant is like an extension of Boston's North End. The food is awesome.

Many of our summer guests ask what we do in the winter in Kennebunkport, one answer...we go to Varano's.

I'm not a wine drinker but, I do know that Varano's has a fantastic wine list as well as a full bar, if you prefer something other than wine.

Dinner for us begins (every time) with a basket of their warmed up Italian bread and a plate of olive oil. I mix in some of their parmesan cheese with the oil. Already I feel obligated to tell you about the one negative comment I have for this otherwise fine restaurant. The problem is, the bread and oil (with the parmesan) is too good. You eat and eat and if your not careful, you'll fill up before the entree arrives. Only once have I made it to dessert (and those of you that have read these posts before know, I love dessert...just one spoon please).

After ordering the salad soon arrives. Hold the onions and the salad is very good with an Italian vinegarette dressing. When the salad arrives we're I'm usually ready for another basket of bread.

For Janice, the entree is most often the Chicken Marsala. This dish is a boneless breast of chicken sautéed with mushrooms and prosciutto in a butter and Marsala wine sauce. It comes with a side of Penne pasta which I usually get to eat. How is your meal Janice? No need to ask, she gets it just about every time.

For me, the entree is most often the Veal Bracciolettine (aka Veal Brac). This fantastic meal is veal rolled with prosciutto, spinach, and mozzarella cheese, sautéed with mushrooms in a butter and Marsala wine sauce. The same dish is made with chicken. I've had both and they are both really good. This meal also comes with a side of Penne pasta, I eat mine too.

I have also tried the Chicken and the Veal Parmesan. I have had each multiple times. They are both great.

For dessert...only once, not because it wasn't awesome but, because of all that darn bread. But that one time we did have dessert, we both had the cannoli. It really is just like being in the North End. They don't fill the pastry in advance like so many places. They fill them fresh just for you and therefore, the pastry is nice and crisp. The filling is wonderful. I really need to stop eating so much bread.

The service is great (hey, I told you they keep bringing me bread) and the prices are very good as well.

Ask us at The Maine Stay for directions to our favorite Italian Restaurant. It's not too far away.

Labels: Restaurants Near Kennebunkport

Now that I have expanded my horizons and begun to review restaurants outside of Kennebunkport, I have lots of culinary experiences ahead (and I love to eat).

The Steakhouse just reopened 2 weeks ago. Can you guess how many times Janice and I have eaten there since it reopened? I'll give you a hint...it's not once, it's not twice.

The Steakhouse is a great restaurant and when they reopen for the season it becomes the talk of the area.

Of course the thing to order when one visits any steakhouse is steak. Janice always gets the Petite Filet. I have had the filet on several ocassions but, I certainly would never order the "Petite" anything. Their filet mignon is awesome.

Back to the beginning, they serve every table a basket of crusty rolls. They are excellent! Next, the salad. The salads are generous and fresh. I can't say I have tried anything but one flavor of dressing, for me it's blue cheese and, make it extra blue cheese please. So far everything is excellent.

Now for the entree. I have tried a variety. You already know about the filet, I have also had their Lobster Scampi, the Chicken Parmesan and lately, I have moved onto the Teriyaki Sirloin Tips. Each and every one of these has been exceptional.

Now let's move on to dessert. Only one choice...for me it's Strawberry Shortcake. Don't look at the dessert menu, just get the Strawberry Shortcake. It's a great finish to a great meal.

Now, onto the bad news...if you go to The Steakhouse on a weekend night or, you go on any night in the summer or fall, you better get their at opening time (4:00 pm in the summer) or, you will wait and wait and wait. No reservations are accepted and you'll be burning up some of your vacation time wondering if they skipped over your name.

You've been warned.

Come to the front desk at The Maine Stay, we have maps that will get you there.

Labels: Restaurants Near Kennebunkport

Just up the road from Kennebunkport, on Route 1 in Wells, is one of the most popular eating experiences in Southern Maine. Drive by The Maine Diner on any summer day, at just about any time of the day and, the line at the Maine Diner spills into the parking lot.Those same waiting lines are seen year round, including the winter season, at each meal hour.

My sister, Judy will often drive up to Wells from Southern New Hampshire on a summertime weekend day, arrive in time for a late breakfast at the diner. After a day at the beach, she returns to the diner for an early dinner.

It's this kind of devotion by loyal customers that cause these waiting lines to expand each year.

On our latest trip to the diner, Janice ordered what she usually gets, breakfast (The Maine Diner serves wonderful breakfasts all day long). A three egg cheese omelet with homefries. I ate the homefries, they are great.

For me, on this trip it was the "Jim Nantz" meal. What's the Jim Nantz meal? It's the "Dale Arnold" lobster roll with a cup of The Maine Diner's famous seafood chowder. The seafood chowder was overflowing with scallops, clams and shrimp and it was delicious.

The Dale Arnold lobster roll is a toasted hot dog roll with warm lobster stuffed inside and piled high on top. It was the most lobster I have ever had in a lobster roll. A cup of warm butter is served on the side. You can dunk your lobster into the butter or pour it on your roll. Warning...don't pour too much on the roll, it will fall apart. It is a very different lobster roll than any I have ever had but, it certainly was delicious. I opted for the potato salad side dish. They have great potato salad. The other choices are potato chips or cole slaw. I'm not real big on cole slaw and hey, I can get potato chips anywhere.

Janice and I have been to The Maine Diner many times. All the food is good home cookin'. The service is always friendly and the prices are reasonable. Try it, you too may go back for more later that same day.

Stop by the front desk at The Maine Stay and we will give you a map to The Maine Diner.

Labels: Restaurants Near Kennebunkport