Boston Restaurant Blog -- May, 2006

Every Memorial Day, I head up to Acadia National Park in Maine, sometimes with a big group, and other times with just one or two people. This year, there were a few of us up there, enjoying the beautiful weather that settled over New England just in time for the weekend.

On Friday, we headed up Route 95, then down Route 1A, stopping in Ellsworth for lunch. We hit the Riverside Cafe, a neat little breakfast and lunch spot in the center of town. Ellsworth has several decent-looking restaurants along its main street, but the Riverside Cafe looked pretty inviting, and it did turn out to have good food, including excellent Hungarian beef soup and a very good pastrami sandwich.

After spending the afternoon along the Ocean Loop in Acadia National Park, we headed to the Lompoc Cafe, which is one of our favorite restaurants in Bar Harbor. Hidden on the back streets of this funky tourist town, the Lompoc is nevertheless a popular spot (especially with locals and college students), and for good reason; everything here is fresh and healthy, including the excellent chicken and white bean burrito, the persian plate, and the goat cheese salad. And the beer selection at the Lompoc is top notch, with such outstanding beverages as Coal Porter and Bar Harbor Real Ale. Oh, and there is a bocce court on the premises, which is a very nice touch. After the Lompoc, we headed over to Ben and Bill's Chocolate Emporium to get some tasty ice cream (which we would repeat the following night).

On Saturday morning, I took a walk around sleepy little Northeast Harbor, where we stay every year, then we headed back to Bar Harbor for breakfast at Jordan's Restaurant, which is a wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot in the center of town. Jordan's is friendly, quick, and cheap--three important qualities in a breakfast place, for sure. After leaving Jordan's, we headed to Thunder Hole to watch the waves and soak up some sun, then strolled the gardens at the Asticou Inn before heading to lunch at the Docksider Restaurant in Northeast Harbor. The Docksider has always been one of my favorite seafood shacks in New England, and it did not disappoint; the steamers, tuna, chicken, and other dishes were all delicious, and the ice cream wasn't bad, either.

After a pleasant afternoon spent at Pretty Marsh (we didn't see any marsh there, but it WAS pretty) and Eagle Lake, both in Acadia National Park, we went back to Bar Harbor one last time to try another restaurant on the back streets of Bar Harbor called Mama DiMatteo's. This restaurant was a dream come true, with amazing dishes such as macaroni and cheese with fresh lobster meat and veal ravioli with prusciutto. I'm not sure whether I liked the Lompoc Cafe or Mama DiMatteo's better (they are within shouting distance of each other, by the way), but I can't think of too many other places I'd rather go to in Bar Harbor then these two restaurants.

Monday morning came too fast as usual, and after a good breakfast at The Main Sail within the Kimball Terrace Inn in Northeast Harbor, it was time to hit the road. We took Route 1, which is the coastal route, through Camden, Rockland, and several other coastal towns, stopping at the incomparable Moody's Diner along the way. Moody's Diner, which is located in the small town of Waldoboro (a few miles east of Damariscotta and Wiscasset), is one of the best diners in New England, and surely one of the most popular. This classic diner has been around since the 1920s, and is part of a complex that includes a motel and a gift shop. Our meals there were very satisfying, and very easy on the wallet.

Sadly, another great trip to Acadia National Park is over. But I'll be thinking of some of the restaurants we went to for a long time to come, especially the Lompoc Cafe, Mama DiMatteo's, and Moody's Diner. I'll certainly be thinking about all three of them as I try to work the pounds off at the gym this week.

Related Blog Entries: Bar Harbor restaurants, Maine restaurants

Posted by MH, Boston's Hidden Restaurants, on May 29, 2006.
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2 COMMENTS:
dz said:
I am surprised to see that you have made several trips to MDI and Acadia and not mentioned the Jordan Pond House. This lovely restaurant, the only one actually within the national park, is the best on the island. While known for tea and popovers served on the lawn on summer afternoons, it also has the best lobster stew in all of New England and homemade ice cream that is absolutely melt in your mouth delicious.
A trip to Mount Desert Island is not complete without a visit to Jordan Pond.
Posted on 5/30/09
CNK said:
Colonel's burnt down last year. Docksider is still the best.
Posted on 5/28/10

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