Jay B.
Yelp
The thing is...we've been meaning to check out a number of seafood restaurants around the Portland area for years now. Typically, this is done by first previewing the menu to see what strikes our fancy.
Well, I'm here to tell you - DiMillo's struck SEVERAL of our fancies! And just like the title says, it's literally on the water.
In terms of ambiance, the restaurant is an actual ship, which you can see if you notice the horizon of the view slowly bobbing up and down. However, you never feel any significant rocking (similar to a cruise ship). So, no worries about getting sea sick during dinner. It's not that kind of boat. Also, the ocean views are spectacular! If you've never eaten seafood by the coast before, you seriously need to check this out.
As for the food, well...let's just say it was a total lobster fest for wifey and I. Though, it was not without a minor hiccup or two (more on those in a bit). But first, we have..
Deep-fried lobster tails: Near as I can figure, they serve you anywhere between 8 to 10 ounces of pure Maine lobstah tails. Picture two 5 ouncers split down the middle, de-shelled, and deep fried to perfection. Lobsters were tender and flavorful like the sea. I'd expect nothing less from the great state of Maine.
But honestly, the real MVP of the evening was wifey's lazy lobster entrée. Almost everything about this dish was perfect; tender, buttery, savory goodness that melts in your mouth the way a good crustacean should.
Only thing that was missing.....was seasoning. May I ask....WHY?? Look, I get it. The ocean supposedly seasons the lobster meat for you. Except....you still gotta give it a lil somethin' somethin' prior to placing them in the broiler, steamer, or deep fryer.
So, after adding copious amounts of salt to her dish, I made it a point to sample a couple pieces and....hot damn!! This one's a 9 out of 10 for me, whilst the deep fried tails were an 8 out of 10. Turns out, I prefer baked to fried. Who knew? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You might be wondering what the other minor hiccup is with DiMillo's. Well....to probably almost no one's surprise, it was the crab cakes.
This sort of thing used to bug me a lot more than it does now. But these days, whenever I get a subpar crab cake, I just take it with a grain of salt (sometimes literally) and remember that I'm in New England--not Maryland. If you don't know what that means, allow me to break it down.
Ideally, the best crab cakes I've had (and I've tried several renditions) were primarily structured with like...98% lump crab meat whilst keeping the breadcrumbs to the minimum. The crab to breadcrumb ratio at DiMillo's, however, was more like 40/60 to the breadcrumbs' favor. I thought we ordered a crab cake, not a crumb cake.
Needless to say, the crab cakes themselves were quite bland with a serious void of crab meat which could have resembled cat food, had it not been for the little bit of seasoning and spices applied in there. If you pair it with their remoulade sauce (which was blended brilliantly, btw), it starts to taste somewhat edible. Oh well. At least they tried, I guess? Ultimately, it's a 5 out of 10 for me.
As for our waitress, she was a delight. I just wish she had came back to check on us a bit more frequently. Though it was somewhat busy in the restaurant, this was still a Monday evening. Not hardly as crowded as it must get during peak hours on weekends.
It's worth mentioning we basically had to book a table in advance, as time slots were quickly filling up according to their website. There is a dedicated parking lot for this and other surrounding restaurants in the area, but it's paid parking. Good news is....DiMillo's will validate your ticket at the front desk. Just be sure to carry it with you and DON'T leave it in the car.
One other caveat regarding the restaurant's physical location: right before parking, you'll possibly notice a giant sign up front with the restaurant's namesake on it. Only....you probably won't know where the building itself is at first. So, here's a hint: it's tucked in the way back by the water. Just keep walking toward the docks and you'll see it.
Overall, not a bad experience for a first night out on 'staycation'. We will most certainly return here one day. At which point, I shall become #TeamLazyLobster once more! As of now, I'm giving DiMillo's On The Water 4 tender, buttery plates of lobstah meat WITH seasoning out of 5.