Boothbay Harbor Fest

The Thistle Inn wins Best Taste Award

SUZI THAYER
Tue, 09/12/2017 - 11:30am
Thistle chef-owner Dick Reid’s winning tasty bite was butter-poached lobster with truffled (Thistle) Newburg sauce, on a pan-seared saffron risotto cake, with microgreens, and a port wine reduction.SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
Kaler’s chef Michael Morrissett’s second place winning bite was a gourmet mac and cheese. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
Lori and Steve Reynolds were seen everywhere something was happening during the 10-day event. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
Ben Betts entertained the crowd with his steel drums at the Boothbay Harbor Inn. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
At Fisherman’s Wharf, Chef Stephen Richards served a smoked salmon belly, mascarpone stuffed gruyere with maple,cracked black pepper cured cold smoked salmon with olive oil whipped ricotta, smoked salmon roe and hot smoked salmon pickled onion cintronette. Yes, that is a mouthful. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Award-winning chef Stephen Richards started the day off right at Fisherman’s Wharf with “A study in house smoked salmon.” It tasted even better than it looked. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register.
Glasses from Cold River Distillers were being sold for people to take from place to place to get refills of cocktails. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
Mixologist Cathy Heaton served a killer cocktail at Fisherman’s Wharf. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
Owner-chef Dick Reid shows off his winning tasty bite: butter-poached lobster with truffled (Thistle) newburg sauce, on a pan seared saffron risotto cake, with microgreens, and a port wine reduction, at The Thistle Inn. SUZI THAYER/Boothbay Register
The Whales Tale served a hearty seafood chowder as its featured taste treat. It paired perfectly with the Cosmos. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Pier One Pizza joined the Harborfest tasting this year, with offerings of its handmade pizza. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Mo Greenleaf entertained the happy tasters at Fisherman’s Wharf on Saturday morning and Caper’s in the afternoon. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
The food wasn’t the only attraction at the Whale’s Tale. Most of the staff were decked out for a decades theme party. Lexus, pictured here, was a ‘70s showstopper. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Laura Francis served up a delectable seafood chowder at McSeagulls on Pier One. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Two time Harborfest best taste winner, Stacey McLellan served lobster, fresh tarragon, roasted garlic and Meyer lemon ravioli, topped with a brown butter Meyer lemon sauce at Caper’s. McLellan said she has no plans to give up the Harborfest crown. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Jenny served up her signature Cosmos at the Whale’s Tale, which coincidentally matched her groovy dress. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
The drink contest featured a bevy of tasty beverage sips, with the support of Cold River Distillery. McSeagulls served a frosty Cold Pineapple Rivah. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register
Harborside Tavern, at the footbridge served up cheddar jalapeno biscuits with cider-braised pork and crispy apple. SUE MELLO/Boothbay Register

    This year’s Boothbay Harbor Fest, organized and overseen by event planner Lori Reynolds, was another big success. The 10-day event brought visitors from all over Maine and beyond, to enjoy all Boothbay Harbor has to offer: Great shopping, music, ocean views and food.

    At the top of the list of favorite events at Harbor Fest is A Taste of Local Flavor. For $15, participants got a passport to enjoy bites of local chefs’ signature recipes, music, and camaraderie at 14 restaurants, pubs and inns in the harbor over a three-day, two-night food extravaganza.

    This was the fourth year for the foodie event. On Sept. 1, The Mystic Mermaid hosted a kickoff party that featured radio station 92 Moose.

    At noon Sept. 2, passport holders began making their way from one restaurant to the next one on the agenda, with a shuttle transporting them from one side of town to the other.

    Participating restaurants went all out with their bites, some being much bigger than just a taste, and most being over-the-top in flavor and originality.

    Along with the delectable food, each participating restaurant offered its own special cocktail, made by mixologists using sponsor Maine Distilleries Cold River’s vodka or gin. There was live music at most of the establishments to enjoy while sampling the hors d’oeuvre-style bites and cocktails.

    Participating restaurants were The Thistle Inn, Harborside Tavern, Caper’s Deli, McSeagull’s, Mine Oyster, The Mystic Mermaid, Pier One Pizza, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Kaler’s Restaurant, Tugboat Inn, Boothbay Harbor Inn, Cod’s Head, Boothbay Lobster Wharf, and The Whale’s Tale & Seafarer’s Pub.

    After all the food had been tasted, the music had been played and the drinks drunk, passport holders were asked to vote for their favorites, and their favorite overall experience.

    And the people chose: Best Taste 1st Place: The Thistle Inn; Best Taste 2nd Place: Kaler’s Restaurant; Best Cocktail 1st Place: Boothbay Harbor Inn; Best Cocktail 2nd place: The Whale’s Tale & Seafarer’s Pub; 1st Place Best Music: Boothbay Lobster Wharf, with Junction 27; Best Music 2nd place: The Tugboat Inn & Restaurant, with Cattle Call; and Best of the Fest: Harborside Tavern.

    The Thistle Inn chef Dick Reid’s winning tasty bite was butter-poached lobster with truffled (Thistle) Newburg sauce, on a pan-seared saffron risotto cake, with microgreens, and a port wine reduction.

    Kaler’s Restaurant chef Michael Morrissett’s winning bite was a gourmet mac and cheese, made with noodles boiled in Sam’s Summer Ale, a smoked gouda cheese sauce, barbecued french onions, topped with an arugula salad tossed in a jalapena-infused white balsamic vinegar dressing nestled atop a piece of freshly baked bread.

    Tasting sponsor of the event, Edible Maine, was on hand with a photographer to capture delectable moments. Other sponsors included First Federal Savings, Brown’s Wharf Inn, Flagship Inn, Greenleaf Inn and Topside Inn.

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