Maine is famous for its lobster and The Boathouse, part of the Kennebunkport Resort Collection, in Kennebunkport, Maine has a menu teaming with tempting lobster and seafood dishes along with "land-based" dishes to appeal to a wide variety of palates. The Boathouse opened in May 2018 on the banks of the Kennebunkport River, and if the restaurant was any closer to the water you would need to wear a flotation device while dining in this chic restaurant where Executive Chef John Shaw is the talent in the kitchen.
The Boathouse
We had an excellent dinner at The Boathouse located inside The Boathouse Waterfront Hotel on Sunday, October 21, 2018, where the ambiencewas warm and inviting in the chic, contemporary, clean-line space where walls of windows provided views of the Kennebunkport River. During the warmer months, guests can enjoy cocktails on the deck or sit on the sofas flanking low tables. Inside the restaurant, tables were nicely spaced for privacy, with small tablelamps and fairy lights in the ceiling warming the ambience.
Maine Oysters
We began our dining experience from the raw bar with a selection of local Maine oysters from the Damariscotta River, Norumbega oysters, which were extra-large oysters with a nice brininess, Otter Cove oysters, which were medium in size, very briny yet had aclean, sweet finish, and Pemaquid oysters, which were medium in size, had a nice balance of brininess followed by a sweet and lemony finish, and were our favorites. Paired with a glass of 2016 Paul D. Gruner Veltliner, Wagram, Austria, and a glass of 2016 Comte dela Boisserie, Vouvray, France, we were off to an excellent start.
Lobster Spring Roll
Maine is lobster, and for our next course, we had the Lobster Spring Roll made with mango,cucumber, mint, cilantro, and cabbage, with citrus dipping sauce drizzled on the plate, which was an innovative and very tasty take on lobster. (Executive Chef John Shaw graciously shares the recipe in the Chefs’ Recipes section.)
Lobster Raviolo
We continued with a main course of Lobster Raviolo, which was open-face tender house made saffron pasta, cubed local squash, and a generous amount of lobster meat, in a sun-dried tomato cream sauce. Also wonderful was the Seared Shrimp and Scallops, presented as succulent shrimp and golden crusted scallops on a plentiful mound of lobster fried rice with sesame egg and baby Shanghai bok choy.
Seared Shrimp and Scallops
Taking a detour from the sea, we had the Beef Rendang made with Maine Pineland Farms braised short rib that had a nice crispy exterior that yielded to succulent and tender beef presented with turmeric sushi rice, crispy fried Brussels sprouts, and pickled eggplant that was absolutely delicious. Executive Chef John Shaw has spent a lot of time traveling in Asia and this dish showed his travel influences as he deftly combined exotic flavor profiles with local ingredients to create a most memorable dish.
Beef Rendang
We ended the evening on a deliciously sweet note with Plantain Spring Rolls which were deep-fried spring rolls filled with plantains cooked with brown sugar, and presented with coconut caramel, and vanilla ice cream.
Plantain Spring Rolls
Our memorable dining experience began with the gracious front of the house team, continued with the professional and knowledgeable wait staff, and finished with Executive Chef John Shaw delivering well-crafted, innovative, and beautifully presented dishes.
The Boathouse Restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily and is open Monday through Thursday from 12:00 pm until 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am until 10:00 pm, and on Sunday from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm.
Debra C. Argen and Chef John Shaw
The restaurant celebrates Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm. The restaurant has a special New Year’s Eve (December 31) celebration: Champagne & Caviar Party! Check their website for additional information.
The restaurant is closed Thanksgiving Day (the third Thursday in November), Christmas Eve (December 24), and Christmas Day (December25).
Tempt your palate in the Chefs’ Recipes section where Executive Chef John Shaw graciously shares his recipes for Lobster Spring Rolls with Citrus Dipping Sauce, and Tuna Poke Bowl until you can personally visit the restaurant.
Chef John Shaw
For more information on The Boathouse Restaurant or to make reservations, please visit their website: www.boathouseme.com.
The Boathouse and The Boathouse Inn are part of the Kennebunkport Resort Collection.
The Boathouse
21 Ocean Avenue
Kennebunkport, Maine 04046
Telephone: +1-207-967-8225
Website: www.boathouseme.com
Read more about our experiences in Kennebunkport, Maine in the Destinations , Hotels and Resorts , Chefs’ Recipes , and Adventures sections.
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