ME - Eating at the Maine Diner

[Andy M.]

http://www.mainediner.com/


Suzanne and I had a couple of days free this past week and took a couple of day trips to enjoy the brief glimpses of summer weather with which we have been blessed amidst the ever-present rain.

One of those days we headed north to Maine and drove along old Route 1 through the little towns that dot Maine’s southern coast. We stopped to check out a couple of beaches and gift shops (can’t go home unless we have something for our grandchild). As hunger became our primary concern, I suggested we try the Maine Diner in Wells. Suzanne agreed. We had seen the Maine Diner advertised frequently on a local restaurant show called the Phantom Diner. The Phantom had given it a great review.

First of all, it’s not like some of the diners Guy Fieri visits on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. No gourmet dishes or eclectic blends of cuisines, just diner food.

In case you’re in a hurry, I’ll tell you up front, I wouldn’t recommend it and I won’t go back.

We ordered onion rings as an appetizer and they were not what we are accustomed to. We like rings with a light crispy batter, almost tempura-like. These were over crispy and hard coated.

I’m a sucker for soup so I ordered a cup of Venus De Milo soup (sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?). It was an onion soup like broth with chunks of ground beef and tomato in it. It was a tasty soup but I think it could have been made very interesting with a better use of herbs and spices.

Suzanne ordered a Diner burger, a cheese burger with sautéed onions and mushrooms. She liked it.

I ordered a Reuben sandwich. It was just OK. The fries we only acceptable.

I didn’t feel like I could eat at a diner and not have a piece of pie. Blueberry is my all time favorite, so I ordered a piece of blueberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This was the worst mistake of the day! If this pie had come out of my oven at home, I would have trashed it and the recipe I used to make it. The filling was dry and the crust was soggy, doughy and white.

I am disappointed. When I go to a new place, especially one so highly regarded, I want it to be great. I want to be able to rave about it. I want to see it on Food Network and say, “That’s right, it IS a great diner!”.

Oh well. The lobster roll we had on Cape Cod the day before was fantastic!

[elaine l]

Went there for the same reason as you. Saw the ad on Phantom and was not pleased with the place.

[QSis]

Where'd you get the lobster roll on the Cape, Andy?

Lee

[GB]

We were just up there last Sat Andy. We did not go to the diner though. We have been there once before and that was enough for us. We enjoyed our meals, but there are much better places around there than the diner.

Part of your problem is that you got a deli sandwich. You should have gotten what the Maine Diner is known for...their lobster pie. It is delicious, but nothing that you could not get at a million other restaurants up there.

[Andy M.]

Lee, It's on the road near the Cape Cod Canal State Park on the mainland side of the canal. I believe you can see it up the road from the park building.

It has a name like the Lobster Shanty or Shack or some such. It's a drive up place with picnic tables outside for seating.

[Andy M.]

GB, you're probably riight but the lobster dish wasn't what I was craving.

[babetoo]

don't you just hate get all jazzed up about a place and then are so disappointed?


babe

[Michael in FtW]

Originally Posted by babetoo

don't you just hate get all jazzed up about a place and then are so disappointed?

I hate getting all jazzed up to go to a place and then find out that I really didn't have to wear a tie or sportcoat ... although I do usually wear a sportcoat with my jeans - just not a tie.

[GB]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

Lee, It's on the road near the Cape Cod Canal State Park on the mainland side of the canal. I believe you can see it up the road from the park building.

It has a name like the Lobster Shanty or Shack or some such. It's a drive up place with picnic tables outside for seating.

I am pretty sure I know that place. When you walk in is there a counter set back where you can buy live lobsters, but then a further counter more in front where you can place your lunch or dinner order?

if that is the place then we really enjoy it. The Phantom Gourmet has also reviewed that restaurant with a good review.

[Andy M.]

The place I'm talking about you can't walk into. You walk up to a window and order, they bring your food to the window on a tray...

It's on the road that runs along the canal near the big parking area for the State Park.