Three days in Maine...not enough! But what a lovely, welcome change from Florida’s heat and humidity in July.

      Our destination this time was for tiny, beautiful Boothbay Harbor and the Lawnmeer Inn. This quaint inn, of 32 rooms, was all freshly painted in yellow and white and was a true haven of tranquility, especially after our previous week in New York City!

      Tucked away at the water’s edge on the serene island of Southport, it’s just a five minute drive across a unique swing bridge to the mainland and bustling Boothbay Harbor. The Lawnmeer Inn is the oldest operating inn in the region and for over 100 summers people have found rest and refreshment at this old white clapboard, yellow shuttered inn.

Jim and Lee Metzger (with Spike)

      Wonderful owners Jim and Lee Metzger were on hand with handsome companion Spike the, what else, Maine Coon cat, to welcome us, along with long-time wonderful Assistant Innkeeper, Donna Phelps. I had met Jim and Lee on a plane returning from England a few months before. Having one of their homes in Englewood, Florida, they knew and enjoyed Taste Dining &Travel magazine. They told me that they also owned an old inn in Maine and, coincidentally, that was where we were planning a Taste travel article for the following summer. Nothing like a little business to help pass those awful hours flying trans-Atlantic.

      After settling into our cosy, comfortable ‘country style’ decorated large room, we were ready to walk the grounds and enjoy a waterside aperitif in the comfy Adirondacks. So pleasant.

      Our first dinner was reserved at nearby Christopher’s Boathouse, perched on the edge of another tiny inlet in Boothbay. The view was great and alongside the restaurant was a long deck for those warmer lunch times. Owners Chris and Marie have their well-run and popular restaurant open all year and have been operating very successfully at this location for over six years.

      They used to work in the Florida Keys, and in Maine for many previous successful seasons also. Next door is their Wine Cellar and Specialty Food Store with some outstanding wine selections and specializing in artisan and gourmet cheeses, smoked fish, paté and spice rubs, as well as gifts and an interesting and weathered art gallery.

      The main dining room was warm and inviting clad in wide pine planks and having cozy, soft, discreet coloured lighting. Our first plates were the Award Winning Lobster and Mango Bisque and the Summer Greens and Duck Confit. Both were absolutely delicious, refreshing and imaginative.

      Chris’ bisque won the “silver award” from the Maine Lobster Council’s Maine Chef’s Competition. It was served with hot and spicy wontons, pine nuts and coconut. The salad included dried cherries and orange and was tossed with a Port and Chévre vinaigrette topped with fried onions.

      Our second plates were the delicate wood-fired Grilled Maine Scallops, diced tomatoes, chiffonade of basil and garlic, tossed with pasta in a Balsamic Cream topped with marinated white anchovies and and Parmigiano crisps. Also enjoyed was the tender, smokey flavoured Grilled Venison Flat Iron Steak, with fingerling potatoes and charred red onion and fig compote.

      I love writing these travel articles, remembering the wonderful meals we have had inspire me to get back in the kitchen with these great ingredient ideas from great chefs, hope it does you too!

      Nice touches like French butter in tiny pots with the freshest breads, fresh flowers and a sorbet refresher were all part of the attention to detail that makes such a difference.

      Christopher’s offers a very good cheese board, with eight international cheeses as well as seven delectable sounding ‘sweets.’ These are accompanied by a varied selection of dessert wines, cognacs, ports and sherries. We shared a Lavender Scented Créme Brulée, which was gorgeous—different and fragrant.

      The efficient service and excellent standards to complement the great meals coming from the kitchen makes Christopher’s the justifiably popular restaurant it continues to be. Congratulations!

      The next morning we had a late breakfast, with fresh baked muffins on the porch overlooking the inlet and had a further look around Lawnmeer, celebrating its 104th year. Most of the rooms are air conditioned, all have private baths, cable television, are individually heated, decorated and are smoke-free. The Waterside Dining Room and Sitting Room have fireplaces, and coffee is available complimentary all day. The Lawnmeer dock is just perfect for launching your canoe or kayak.  

      Dining at the Inn is very popular with Island residents and advance reservations are recommended. It’s a wonderful place for a wedding and Lawnmeer is booked solid over the summertime weekends. Visit their web site for great information, directions, suggestions and reservations at www.lawnmeerinn.com They have some very helpful suggestion sheets at the Inn with information on walks, tours, drives, boat tours, rentals, golf, fishing, picnics, museums and shopping.

      At midday we were booked for a harbour sail on the Bay Lady. There wasn’t much wind but it was a very pleasant way to spend some time, see delightful scenic areas of interest, meet a few people and hear local tales from the young skipper who said they had sailed next to George Bush, Sr. the day before. Bay Lady is a 31 ft. Friendship sloop, part of the Balmy Days Cruise Company. It was a nice quiet change to enjoy some peaceful time sailing on the calm waters of Boothbay.

      On our return to Lawnmeer, owner Jim made some spare time to kindly drive us around the Southport Island to Damariscotta and Pemaquid Point. From the mid-point of the coast of Maine north, the jagged, ice-age indented coastline would stretch out to 3,000 miles if straightened. An hour drive around one tip of a peninsula to the next would only take a few minutes by boat. This makes for some very pretty scenic views and gives rise to the necessity of Maine’s 12 picturesque lighthouses.

      Most of Boothbay is seasonal, due to the very cold weather and we learned that the occasionally visible black pipes we saw running overground, are to carry the island water supply from Boothbay Harbor in the summer. Because the area is founded on granite it is impossible to bury the pipes far enough underground so as not to freeze. Lawnmeer closes for winter on Columbus Day weekend, which is when the water supply is shut off! Look out if the cleaning is not done! The granite is also the reason the Inn has no pool.

      We passed a little local school, a boatyard, Hendrick’s Hill Museum, a bakery and General Store, the Yacht Club, Brenda’s Lobster Shack, (good for lunch), Newagen Town Landing and then we stopped for a closer look at the beautiful All Saints By-The-Sea Episcopal Church. Perched on the edge of the bay this tiny chapel is surely exposed to the elements, good and bad!

      Returning via Robinson’s Wharf where you can watch lobster boats bring their catches home we passed over the narrow Southport Swing Bridge once again, this being the busiest in the state of Maine! Our evening meal was spent enjoying the local Thai food at the Talay Thai, located right near Christopher’s Boathouse.

       After breakfast we drove the island and headed for the Pemaquid Lighthouse built in 1827 and it’s fascinating museum, with its record of shipwrecks, famous catches, fishermen and tales. It also housed the preserved shell of the most enormous lobster we are ever likely to see, 28 lbs!, which may have been 45 years old. Now lobstermen are not allowed by law to keep any older/larger lobsters.

      We then had a light lunch at Shaw’s, famous for it’s lobster and crab rolls, and passed the time watching the lobstermen coming in and out. We also visited the Marine Resources Aquarium, a great spot to experience Maine’s marine life first hand.

At 1PM we were booked on Cap’n Fish’s (no kidding), Combo Tour and spent two and a half hours soaking up the sun, tranquil scenery and marine information.
	This very professional outfit runs Puffin and Whale Sea Watch schedules also. The large boats were in excellent condition and very clean. We used the rest of the afternoon to shop some of the great little stores around Boothbay harbor.

      The Lawnmeer Restaurant was our evening destination, and very soon after we were seated, it was full. Always a great sign! The relaxed atmosphere and the happy, loyal staff, (a few here for many years), were some great ingredients for a good evening.

      Our ‘Before Dinner’ choices were the Salmon and Sweet Potato Chowder, nice combination, and the flavourful textures of the Lawnmeer Inn Venison Paté, served with herb mustard and Cornichons by Dan, long-time server here, taking good care of us.

      The Grilled Pork Tenderloin, with Maple Mustard Glaze and Basmati Rice was the best we’d ever had and the Lobster Strudel with Leeks and Mushrooms was very light allowing the soft lobster flavour to shine. Chef Bill Edgerton (above), here for over 14 of Jim and Lee’s over 15 years at the Inn, obviously knew his stuff.

      The Dining Room was large, cosy and inviting for up to 100 people. It overlooked their lawns on the cove edge and the beckoning Adirondack chairs coupled far enough away from each other to covet whispered secrets.

      The Lemon Cheesecake with Wild Blueberry Sauce thankfully is no secret and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth. Always such a pleasant find—a good restaurant within a good hotel.

      After fond farewells the next morning we were off southward to other adventures. We loved Maine, Boothbay Harbor and the Lawnmeer Inn...great finds in Maine!

                           

CONTACTS:

Lawnmeer Inn and Restaurant PO Box 505, West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575 1 800 633 SMILE (7645) www.lawnmeerinn.com
Christopher’s Boathouse 25 Union Street, Boothbay Harbor 1 207 633 6565
Talay Thai 28 Union Street, Boothbay Harbor 1 207 633 0025
Balmy day Cruises 1 800 298 2284
Cap’n Fish’s 1 800 636 3244