Best Restaurant in your Maine town? (Portland, Bangor: how much, place, steaks)

[peachie_in_maine]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

Paul gave me my first real job. I bussed tables and worked on the register between grades eight and 10 for something like $2.41 an hour.

Hey, that's really something. My smallest an hour was student wage of 2.18. I think I got more for mowing the lawn at home.

Tami~peachie

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by L-88

What memories the Fat Boys conjures up. I went there when it was first built in the middle 1950's. I was from Bath, and my mom and I used to go to Brunswick now and then in her 1951 Ford to go to church at St. John's.

We always stopped at the Fat Boy for lunch...$.45 BLT's with Canadian bacon on steamed burger rolls...double mayonaisse, please, $.25 cent burgers, $.35 cheeseburgers...great fries and shakes all delivered on those little trays that used to hang on the window.

By the time I graduated from Morse High in 1961, I had probably visited that place a thousand times. We would park way to the far right, pop a couple beers, order the great food, and try to pick up Brunswick girls.

The Fat Boy was the center of all the social life on weekends back during the 1950's and early 1960's. Everything started with the burgers and BLT's and commenced from there.

Thanks for the memory.

I'm in Brunswick tonight and Fat Boy is on my agenda tomorrow!
They also do a sock hop every July and the only cars allowed in the parking lot must be antiques, really nice show cars. Also a DJ playing 60's music and dance contests, you have to come watch the Twist contest! Every year the players are the same, and it gets pretty funny as many years when it gets down to the finals, it's the same few couple for the last 10 years. They also dress the part, lots of poodle skirts to be seen that night. Fat Boy reduces their prices for that night back to those of the 60's. Burgers .35 cents.
Very cool- everyone come check it out if your in the area.

[moughie]

Sounds like great fun, mermaid.
Enjoy yourself and diet when you go back to FL


Your description of Pat's haddock left my mouth watering--yummy!
Nothing better than a fried haddock sandwich....

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by moughie

Sounds like great fun, mermaid.
Enjoy yourself and diet when you go back to FL


Your description of Pat's haddock left my mouth watering--yummy!
Nothing better than a fried haddock sandwich....

This is definitely going to require a few extra laps in the pool each morning! Holy cow, I'm feeling much like a bovine. I definitely need to get a handle on this before I come back next month or it could be a long tubby summer!
(and the vodka isn't helping either, too much partying going on as well)

[peachie_in_maine]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

I'm in Brunswick tonight and Fat Boy is on my agenda tomorrow!
They also do a sock hop every July and the only cars allowed in the parking lot must be antiques, really nice show cars. Also a DJ playing 60's music and dance contests, you have to come watch the Twist contest! Every year the players are the same, and it gets pretty funny as many years when it gets down to the finals, it's the same few couple for the last 10 years. They also dress the part, lots of poodle skirts to be seen that night. Fat Boy reduces their prices for that night back to those of the 60's. Burgers .35 cents.
Very cool- everyone come check it out if your in the area.

Wow............ sounds like a greeeeeeeat time!!!!!
I haven't time to come to Brunswick.
So have a burger for me. My uncle goes to all the car shows. He's got a 1955 chevy (red and white) car. I'd be surprised if he doesn't go.

Tami~peachie

[starwalker]

We had to lunch between errands today in Bangor and stopped at Nicky's Crusin' Diner -- a place I had spotted on Union Street.

I don't think much of their website (it has a cool look but doesn't say much, like WHERE the place is, the HOURS or the actual MENU) but the do promote their "Crusin' Nights" (cool cars) and "Bike Nites" events <g>

But I did enjoy my meal. They have a variety of standard American fare and some not-quite old standbys (K had a panini...). I ordered a BLT (heavy on the L and T) and fries, 'cause I didn't read far enough to find out that their potato chips are freshly fried. K had the chips, though and we shared. The fries were standard restaurant fare, in my book (better than fast food but typical) but the chips were WONDERFUL! and the BLT was just right too.

I had deliberately ordered light as I had seen a brownie hot fudge sundae on the menu and had been hungry for one for some time. The brownie was more like cake, a little crusty on one side (the way mine turn out... ) but it the crunchy was offset by two HUGE scoops of vanilla ice cream and GOBS of hot fudge. I always order mine sans whipped topping, so I cannot report on that, but I can say "either start with desert or plan to share" as the portion was quite generous. I shared...

Service was just a tad slow at the outset but once things got going the waitress was appropriately attentive and her attention -- when I was ready to order the sundae -- was easy to get.

I will be stopping there again, when in the Airport area of Bangor.

[RANGER.101ST]

its not in my town but every time i get a chance i go to monson to eat at spring creek BBQ mmmmmmmmmmmmm good food.

[Maineah]

Fore Street Restaurant in Portland
Flatbread's pizza in Portland
Azure Restaurant in Freeport
Harraseekett Inn Restaurant in Freeport
Harraseekett Lunch and Lobster in South Freeport
Harmon's Lunch in Falmouth
And a new favorite The Back Street Bistro in Brunswick.

[Seaglass]

Red Lobster shouldn't even be discussed here--they're an out-of-state chain and the stuff they offer has virtually nothing in common with real, fresh, local Maine seafood.

There are lots of places in Maine to get great lobster, but for lobster rolls try the little corner variety in Castine (they were voted 'Best In Maine' not long ago). Actually, almost anything in Castine is good--especially the Castine Inn (name-checked by Gourmet magazine). Then there's Bah's Bakehouse, sandwiches at the T&C Market, and The Manor...truly something for everyone in that mix.

I'm really disappointed in the new Fisherman's Friend in Stonington--I think the original was better in every way. We ate twice at the new place last summer and the food was really mediocre, very slow in arriving, and very expensive for what we got both times.

The Whale's Rib Tavern at Pilgrim's Inn (Deer Isle), on the other hand, is consistently fabulous, and I love Lily's (Stonington).

I love anything from the Buck's Harbor Market.

El El Frijoles (L L Beans, get it?) is okay, but small portions and very expensive; I'm in Texas right now and we have killer Mexican food everywhere for five to ten bucks a person, tops.

Marlintinis in Blue Hill can be good, and it's a fun place to go; the Pantry in Blue Hill is good; and the food at the Blue Hill Co-Op, while very pricey, is outstanding (fresh, often local, organic) and made by people who really care and know what they're doing.

The Riverside in Ellsworth used to be fantastic, but it changed hands; if Barbara (one of the original owners, who still works occasionally) is cooking, though, don't miss it!

Way up north, the Elm Tree Diner in Houlton is a mainstay, with the best desserts, and at the opposite end of the state and the spectrum the Harasseekett Inn in Freeport is always terrific.

And--did anybody mention Governor's?

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by Seaglass

And--did anybody mention Governor's?

I ate at a Governor's in Bangor when I was up for a visit last fall and was decidedly underwhelmed.

Not that the food was bad, pricey or skimpy portions... just nothing special of note, to draw me back again.

Did I miss something and need to give them another try?