Tag Archives: Travel

The Quarry is a Magical Place: Monson, Maine

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience in Maine, look no further than The Quarry restaurant in Monson. This cozy spot has earned its reputation as one of the top restaurants in the state, and it’s no surprise why they’ve been named a finalist for the prestigious James Beard award in the hospitality category.

Owned and operated by Marilou and Bill Ranta, The Quarry is a labor of love for the couple. They’ve poured their hearts and souls into creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that feels like home to their guests. Whether you’re looking for a romantic date night spot or a place to gather with friends and family, The Quarry is the perfect choice.

One of the most unique things about The Quarry is their dedication to feeding the artists from the Libra Foundation. The foundation, which supports a wide range of artistic endeavors in the region, sends artists to The Quarry to enjoy delicious, asian influenced meals as they work on their craft. This commitment to supporting the local arts community is just one of the many reasons why The Quarry has become such a beloved spot in Monson.

Of course, the food itself is also a major draw. Whether you’re in the mood for a steak, seafood, or a delicious vegetarian dish, you’re sure to find something that tickles your taste buds on their flexible multi-course tasting menu. The menu changes frequently but I have included photos from our recent visit below, as well a few shots of one of their charming Airbnbs.

But it’s not just the food that makes The Quarry stand out – it’s the whole experience. From the cozy dining room to the friendly staff, most of which is family.  Every aspect of The Quarry has been carefully crafted to make guests feel welcome and at ease. And with the James Beard award nomination, it’s clear that others are taking notice of the magic happening in this small Maine town.

If you find yourself in the Monson area, make sure to stop by The Quarry for a meal you won’t forget. And if you’re not in the area, it might be worth planning a trip just to experience this unique and special restaurant.

Perfect Bread & Butter

Amazing Duck with pickled apple and five spice

Curried Squash
Amazing Scallops,special of the night.Wow!
Such a creamy torte!
Mussel and pine

Elda, World Class Yum

Elda is a warm welcoming space, filled with talented crafts people, creating delicious and beautiful food. There are no words to describe how many flavors of the: ocean, forest and farm are infused into every sip and bite of their one choice tasting menu. I must stress, how much I appreciated their modern less formal mode of service. A confirmed fan of alcoholic fermentation, I loved how inventive, satisfying and over-the-top tasty the non-alcoholic pairings are. At least one member of your party should order. There really isn’t anything more to say, except that if you love fine dining, you should immediately take the next car,train,or plane to Biddeford,Maine.

Mussel and pine

Crown Jewel Brings Brilliant Summer Fun To Diamond cove

So much of what makes Maine special centers on the ocean and all the wonderful things that go with it. With this in mind, my wife and I decided to take a journey on the Casco Bay Ferry and visit the Crown Jewel, a perfectly sweet shop and delightful restaurant on Diamond Cove run by the same creative team that produced Flanagan’s Table.

Following our boat ride, which was filled with beautiful views and the wonderful scent of ocean air, we disembarked at Diamond Cove. From there, it’s just a short stroll past beautiful old growth trees to the restaurant and its small shop.  So cool, so bright, fresh and summery! I love this restaurant’s modern yet tropical design. It seems a perfect match to the dream that island life represents.

We began with the deviled eggs.  This jazzed-up version featured chorizo and olive to give the creamy delites a nice smoky-savory flavor.  We of course had to have oysters, both the raw served with a hyper-local beach rose mignonette and the full of crunch fried sliders served with a  tomato jam.  One might think we were finished at this point, and we were delightfully content.  However, the beauty of a menu full of small bites and shareable plates is that it makes it possible to have it all!

Next up was an artfully-plated shrimp ceviche that tasted even better than it looked (and it was very pretty): great spicing, and the toasted almonds added a lot with their flavor and crunch.  So very good, but even better for me was the carrot lox with everything spice vinaigrette and rye crumble.  Delightfully crunchy, salty, plus dill!  It’s nothing like lox, but then again it is. All the same tastes are there, but in a new way. Yum, yum yum!  Opposite in almost every way, but equally over the top delicious was the shrimp toast made with slab bacon and lemon aioli! So deeply satisfying! I came dreadfully close to licking the plate, but by that time we’d made friends with the couple at the next table. So I managed to refrain, but only as to not embarrass my wife. We followed that by sharing the gnocchi verde, which was spectacular!  The pea purée was just so full of the flavors of summer, and the gnocchi had such a wonderful texture. Happy, happy! For dessert we had the brown bread egg custard, with ginger candied raisins, maple-brown butter powder, and vanilla creme. So very, very good! Absolutely the perfect way to bring  a quintessentially Maine dining experience to a close.

Like Flanagan’s Table before it, this space fills up fast, so best to make a reservation.

Shrimp Cerviche

 

A view of Maine Island life

Deviled Eggs

Oyesters with beach rose mignonette

Oyster Sliders and Shrimp Toast!,

Gnocchi Verde

 

Brown Bread!

Tempo Dulu: Exploring The Splendors of The Far East

Entering the newly renovated Danforth Inn to dine at Tempo Dulu is a magical experience. The noise from nearby State Street fades away, and then suddenly you’re someplace else. It’s like being swept away to a private club filled with  expats gathered together  in some distant eastern land. This is particularly true of the lounge area, which owner Oscar Verest says was inspired by the Weyang club in the Shanghai Hermes.

Décor aside, we had heard and read many good things about bartender Trevin Hutchins and made sure to leave time for a stop at the bar. I am so glad we did! The Jakarta made with: bourbon, amaro, sweet vermouth, and absinthe could have been merely enjoyable. Instead, due to a beautiful bit of theatre and food science, it was amazing! Trevin takes the extra step of applying fire to a substantial pile of Five Spice, which he then covers with a glass, putting out the fire and collecting the delicious smoke. The cocktail is poured into the smoke which somehow remains in place, creating a smoky, sweet, bourbon masterpiece. My cocktail was so good it inspired me to take my first video ever!

Having established that Tempo Dulu is a sanctuary designed to soothe and nourish the senses, we moved on to one of several small elegant dining rooms to begin our feasting.  For our dining pleasure we chose to go with Chef Lawrence Klang’s  tasting menu, a seemingly endless array of intense full-flavored dishes( menus). Overseen by Maître d’ Elizabeth Tozek, the service throughout our 3 hour experience was truly exceptional.  Having consumed two bottles of water and one exceptional Maine wine (Cellar Door), my wife noted that service was so discreet that our glasses stayed full seemingly without any intervention.

Then there is the food! The wonderful  food: foie gras, lamb, lobster, halibut, squid, and more in one meal!  I could go on at length about the richness of the flavors (So rich!), the incredible textures and scents(OMG!), but I  would need to write a book to do any  justice to the 13 plus dishes we sampled. Instead I will say that I absolutely loved, loved my meal and left very happy, happy! Furthermore, despite its relatively high prices, I believe Temp Dulu to be a fantastic value!

A few photos from our evening out:

Quail Egg as an amuse.

Quail Egg as an amuse.

Green papa soup, lemongrass, tomato confit

Green papa soup, lemongrass, tomato confit

Rijsttafel: multiple dishes served family style as a third course(not counting amuses).

Rijsttafel: multiple dishes served family style as a third course(not counting amuses).

 

 

Trio of Indonesian desserts

Trio of Indonesian desserts