The Restaurant Review: the critical eye for food finds

SARAH’S CAFE                                  

 Serving the people of Maine and far beyond for twenty-eight years, Sarah’s Cafe is a Maine-based fresh seafood restaurant that caters to any traveler or local. I have been eating at Sarah’s as long as I can remember, so my view may be slightly biased. The “homey” atmosphere and delicious array of food kept my family and I coming back for more in the winter or summer, when we would visit the scenic towns of Wiscasset, Boothbay and Damariscotta. The wooden accents on the walls and the all wooden tables, chairs and booths add a sense of warmth to the restaurant. Paintings hang down the center hallway that feature beautiful ocean scenes of Maine and whimsical views of nature. Inside glass, on the surface of the booths nautical maps are displayed, with an antique shade of ivory. It gave me the feeling that they are old. I got lucky, I was able to sit by a window, on the south end of the restaurant, overlooking the beautiful water of the Sheepscot River that flows past the place where the old shadows of the Hesper and the Luther once docked. We inadvertently set our dining time perfectly at sunset.

I would like to commend the wait staff on an excellent job. Looking around in the restaurant, every person was pleased and enjoying their food. We were seated and our menus were brought right away, and then with a smile we heard about the daily specials. The waitresses did not hover.  After ordering drinks they were back within minutes. And our food was ordered, after I could finally make up my mind. The menu spread over six pages, some front and back. Mexican, seafood, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, Italian, salads, appetizers, and their creation, a calzone like meal, Dories, Mateys, and Whaleboats can be found; the options are endless, it is almost a downfall you have a large variety of meals to choose from. I ordered a cup of Chicken Noodle Soup, which was one of the daily soup specials along with Haddock Chowder, or as Mainers would say, “Haddock Chowdah”, and Roquetford Potato Soup, with a Pesto Matey. All of the soups come with an inexpensive refill and an array of breads filled with spices, meats or cheeses.

When our food came, portions were just right on clean oval plates with a simple presentation. The food was the focal point. My Pesto Matey was filled with vegetables, cheese and pesto. Although it was very delicious and came to my table hot as if it was fresh from the oven, for an inexpensive price of $6.99, the flavors of the mozzarella cheese, pesto and mixed vegetables and the proportion of bread and cheese to the pesto and vegetables was a little overpowering. I had wished there was more pesto sauce and vegetables inside the Matey. Another person in my party ordered the crab cake special and the haddock and crab cake cheddar melt. The seafood in both dishes was cooked perfectly; the crab cakes had a golden brown crust on the outside and were soft and creamy on the inside, the haddock had soft and flakey texture. The freshly made tartar sauce was the perfect lemony and creamy compliment to the salty nature of the fish. After our meals were finished the waitress offered an array of desserts although our stomachs could not be stretched any further, and our stomachs turned out to be bigger than out check.

 

 

 

When I leave Sarah’s Cafe, I am positively satisfied that I have enjoyed a great home-styled meal straight from Maine’s shores that did not break my wallet. The scenic location, delicious array of types of food, affordable prices, and delicious desserts and drinks give Sarah’s Cafe * * * ½* 

Score: 3 1/2 out of 4 *

 

Route 1 – Wiscassett, Maine ~ Open 11AM-8PM