A informal survey for the Orono area (Alfred: restaurant, move)

[libbykt]

I think it depends on the crowd that you are trying to attract. When you say Orono, my first thought is "college crowd" because that was my experience with Orono, and what we wanted at the time was lots of food for super cheap, with some music if we could get it. That being said, I do seem to remember that we had to go to Bangor for even a decent restaurant, and I don't consider Bangor to have world class dining. I guess when I was 20, The Pilot's Grill and Miller's were fancy.

[K-Luv]

Originally Posted by libbykt

I think it depends on the crowd that you are trying to attract. When you say Orono, my first thought is "college crowd" because that was my experience with Orono, and what we wanted at the time was lots of food for super cheap, with some music if we could get it.

Yeah, that is what I thought, too. The college crowd and typical Orono resident would want different things, for example a vegetarian/vegan (or at least organic) restaurant/cafe could be a gold mine with college students (minus the jocks and frats), but will probably flop with the typical resident.

[Lynn and Russ]

All good and valid points. We want some vegetarian items on the menu.

Have any of you eaten at the Bear Brew Pub? We ate there on Sunday and thought the food was good. We liked the atmosphere as well. Seems like a fun place.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Lynn and Russ

What is your favorite eating place in the area?

What do you like and dislike about it?

What kind of menu would you like to eat from?

How far would you drive to eat there?

Do you prefer a quiet setting or one with entertainment of some form?

Any other thoughts or comments?

Thanks for your time.
Lynn and Russ

Generally, I prefer pub/tavern style places, particularly Irish. I went to Paddy Murphy's in Bangor not long ago, it seemed "OK", but like they were trying to put too much "class" into a pub atmosphere...and there was no "bangers & mash" on the menu.

Basic foods done well at a reasonable price usually work for me. I'll sometimes opt for a more expensive entree like Filet Mignon if it's available.

I don't like:

1) A huge portion of mediocre food at a [relatively] high price. I'm a good eater, but I don't want to be taking half of it home. I'd rather have a smaller portion of *good* food at a reasonable price.

2) Places that try to be "high falutin" with a whole bunch of fancy "crap" on the menu like "Arugula and bean sprouts with fennel and pine nuts and a raspberry viniagrette dressing"- gimme a salad with Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, onions, plenty of cukes and a little radish, with a choice of French, Thousand Island or Italian dressing.

Don't put some kind of fancy sauce and mushrooms on my Filet- a good piece of meat *cooked right* (the way I ask for it***) doesn't need any additions, they only detract from it.

***(I went to a well-known chain restaurant and asked for "medium rare", they said "we don't do anything less than 'medium well'". I'm usually pretty laid-back and "laissez faire" but in this case, I think I am persona non grata in that particular establishment. Other places I've been don't seem to know what constitutes a particular degree of "doneness", when I ask for medium-rare, I don't want something that I could use to re-sole my work boots.)

Sometimes, I just want a good burger even if Filet is on the menu, but I don't want it so huge that I can't bite into it without it slipping out of the bun and juice all over my face and hands.

Don't over-cook the onion rings! Dark brown and cut-the-roof-of-your-mouth crunchy doesn't work- lightly golden is nice. (But never, ever, cook them in the same fryolater that is used for fish.)

I've been known to go to a "fancy" joint and drop a couple/three hundred bucks for dinner for two once in a while, but mostly I'd rather see prices under $10...though what with the price of fuel and general inflation these days that could be hard to do in the near future...and my head is still stuck back in the time when I could get a burger, fries and coffee for $1.25.

Distance- that depends on whether I think it's worth it. when we found this place that did an out-of-this-world Eggs Benedict, my wife and I used to get up on sunday morning and drive 120 miles for breakfast. But, not so much anymore- more financial commitments resulting in less disposable income, plus time constraints, plus the price of gas, plus the fact that *I* can cook a lot better than some of the cooks in some of the places I've been to (and other people think so too...no, I don't want to own/run/work in a restaurant, BTDT, failed miserably and lost a lot of money...been thinking of trying it again but I'm not there yet) PLUS, the fact that I can't have a smoke in a lot of places (most now?) means I don't go- I've walked out of two places in the last month, where I used to be able to smoke, because they went to no smoking. I want smoke with my coffee and smoke with my booze, having to go outside like some sort of pariah doesn't cut it, especially when it really isn't necessary. (No one probably wants to hear my rant on *that*, so I won't bother...suffice to say that separation and the proper air-handling/filtration system would alleviate the alleged concerns of effects on non-smokers.)

Booze: gotta be some good ales available- at least a Stout, a Porter, and a Pale or Amber, though even a regular Sam Adams is still far better than BudMillerCoors. There are a number of regional and even local brewers with some very nice selections in both keg and bottle. Guinness is nice for a Stout though it doesn't have to be that (but if you're going to serve it, it should be on tap with the proper nitrogen mix and correct pressure, the cans and bottles just aren't quite the same...never less than 55 degree serving temp and never, ever, ever in a frosted mug or glass).

Some people like lagers, I don't. A good wheat ale is nice once in a while, in the Summer, but I can't imagine it being a good seller.

Some decent whiskeys- Irish, bourbon (I like some of the higher priced single-barrels, but oddly enough Old Crow, which is a relatively inexpensive blend is quite decent), some good vodka (not Smirnoff!) No Scotch for me though, if I want that taste I'll just bury my face in Forest's peat bog and have a good chew.

Entertainment: after 9 or 10PM a lively band (bluegrass, Irish, Classic/oldies Rock) can be good, but not at 5, 6 or 7 when I want to talk with my dinner date- then some very soft instrumentals for background are OK. (Of course, I wouldn't object to the occasional nubile female and a brass pole either, but you'd have to throw in some Chippendales for my wife.)

I've been to a couple of the Governor's, didn't like them, not the food, not the atmosphere.

[island mermaid]

Zymer, I think I've got to go to dinner with you and your DH when I come home. You've just described the perfect evening! All the way from the salad to the smokin' n drinkin' and pole dancin' Chippendales!

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

Yeah, that is what I thought, too. The college crowd and typical Orono resident would want different things, for example a vegetarian/vegan (or at least organic) restaurant/cafe could be a gold mine with college students (minus the jocks and frats), but will probably flop with the typical resident.

The Farmer's Market in Orono sells a lot of organic meats [beef, pork, chicken, rabbit, lamb] and produce. So there is a high demand for such in Orono.

Very few of the FM customers are students. I have had a few student customers, but in general the students don't have the money. Living on or near campus with cafeteria meal passes, their need for buying their own food is minimal. Few of them have access to their own cooking facilities, which also accounts for few of them buying at the FM.

I can see the college students flocking to the pizza and beer joints though.

The Orono [and Marsh Island] residents make up the primary customers at the Orono FM.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by Lynn and Russ

All good and valid points. We want some vegetarian items on the menu.

Have any of you eaten at the Bear Brew Pub? We ate there on Sunday and thought the food was good. We liked the atmosphere as well. Seems like a fun place.

good idea with the vegetarian items, .....that means french fries,,right?? (minus the gravy)

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Zymer

Generally, I prefer pub/tavern style places, particularly Irish. I went to Paddy Murphy's in Bangor not long ago, it seemed "OK", but like they were trying to put too much "class" into a pub atmosphere...and there was no "bangers & mash" on the menu.

Good point.

We have gone there a few times. The atmosphere is thick, but the menu is straight out of Dennys.

Other than: wall-hangings, whisky and a few of the beers, there is nothing Irish about the place.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

Zymer, I think I've got to go to dinner with you and your DH when I come home. You've just described the perfect evening! All the way from the salad to the smokin' n drinkin' and pole dancin' Chippendales!

LOL, no problemo...but that would be with me and my DW, the Chippendales are for her, so she doesn't get too put out if I get distracted by the Hooter's girls. It's only fair.

The no smoking thing may eventually force me to establish an "underground" joint...and if some people don't like the smoke, *they* can step outside for a breath of fresh air. Maybe start small with a few like-minded people coming to the house on a periodic basis and pitching in for the cost of brewing and cooking, plus a little extra, maybe once a month and go from there. Just a thought I've been having lately...eventually build a seperate building and make it more regular but still private. Maybe call it "Smoke'N'Joes.

I was originally looking for property right off Route One, with an advance plan for that sort of thing, but I'm so far off the beaten path that I'm not sure I could attract enough customers to open a regular restaurant. There was one in NH that was off in the woods, but it was a high-priced, fancy joint that attracted wealthy customers and I couldn't go that route.

[island mermaid]

Sorry, I knew it was the DW! I apologize.

I think you can still smoke at the Legions, Elks and VFW's but not sure. Might want to check on that. But Smoke N Joes sounds good too!

I think there could be a market in your area for a real "Hooters"! LOL. God knows, their wings are amazing!