Andrea K.
Yelp
At the recommendation of a fellow Yelp Elite friend, we decided to check this place out during a trip to Maine. And, boy, we are sure glad we did.
Ambiance: My husband and I arrived on a dark and rainy evening, so we did not see the grounds very well, though we hear they are beautiful. What we did see at the entryway inside, though, showed that there was a lot of care and detail put into the surroundings. We appreciated the fast and friendly valet service. Otherwise, it looks like the parking is a little bit further up the drive, which did not sound pleasing in the rain. Be sure to check for reservations a month or more out so you are prepared when the reservation site opens up. We arrived 10-12 minutes early, and the hostess helped get drinks from the bar for us while we waited. The bar has only a handful of chairs at it, so it was crowded with a few other groups waiting for their table, too. We appreciated the host's attention to service in this regard. We were seated pretty much right on schedule. The tree chandelier coming down from the ceiling was spectacularly beautiful. I appreciated learning that the wood used to build the restaurant was from the trees that were cleared from the land. It was a nice added touch to include slices of the trees inside the walls for decor, too. The service for our 4-course meals was a bit disjointed. Courses were timed well at first, but it hit a wall after our third course. It seemed as though staff were buzzing to get early and entree dishes out for quite a while, so attention on our desserts was delayed. Our meal took about 2.25 hours, which was a bit long.
Food: To start, we enjoyed the fresh foccacia bread with dipping oil. It was seasoned beautifully and had a delicate density. Since the menu changes based on seasonal ingredients, diners are likely to have unique culinary experiences. The plating of the dishes showed great attention to detail and balance. For our first course, we enjoyed the Butternut Squash Soup (with scallop, caviar, picked apples, spinach, and hazelnuts) and Roasted Carrots (with dates, tahini, pomegranate, spiced nuts, and yogurt). For our second course, we had the Japanese A5 Wagyu (with lobster, caramelized onions, and truffle mashed potatoes) and the Fettuccine (with lobster, citrus beurre blanc, confit tomato, and lemon crumble). Our main course dishes were the Duck (with five spices, sweet potato puree, brussels, squash, and mushrooms) and the Heritage Chicken (with parsnip puree, broccolini, maple bourbon carrots, and black cherry jus). We rounded out our meal with the Chocolate Cake and the Creme Brulee. Our server also gave us a free Doughnuts dessert because "he personally loved them and wanted us to try them," but we think it was likely a way of acknowledging how long our desserts took without actually saying it. The star dishes of the night were the chicken and the wagyu dishes. They were to die for.
Overall, we would definitely return for another round during another season so we can experience even more of their creative culinary offerings. It would be good to see it the grounds in daylight, too.