So we finally ventured around the corner to find out what all the fuss was about.  At first glance I was disappointed.  The Early American flair still lingers, with uninspired wall coverings and traditional decor.  Something just didn’t jive with the contemporary menu offerings and inspired cocktails.  But that simply didn’t matter once I tasted their food. The new menu offers small tapas-style plates, as well as “Maine Plates” (a.k.a. entrees). Their baby spinach and radicchio salad was light, yet filling, and offered a unique twist on your basic spinach salad with pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed vinaigrette.  The duck entree was equally divine, and although that is my go-to choice, it was very nearly upstaged by the vegetarian risotto.  With white truffle oil, it had body often lacking in vegetarian options.

With such an incredible menu, it’s hard to imagine that we had room for dessert, but we did!  The flourless chocolate torte was out of this world – and great for gluten-free folks – and made uniquely Maine with a Maine cranberry coulis.  It’s pretty dense, so you might have to take it home – or make room for that next half slice.

So the next time you visit Kennebunkport, add One Dock to your list of dinner digs.  For “in between” dining (not quite casual, but also not fine dining), it’s a must-try with nightly entertainment all summer long.

Beautiful Breads!

fish were done just right. The scallops?  Out of this world.  Despite being filled to the brim (the fresh, homemade bread – and it really is homemade, not just baked there – didn’t help matters), we couldn’t resist sharing the crème brulee.  With a distinctly salty undertone, it was the perfect end to an already perfect meal.

So for one of the best values around, make sure to add Joshua’s to your short list when visiting Kennebunkport, Maine and the Maine Stay Inn.

On cooler evenings, enjoy in our dining room.

delectable treat, served with freshly brewed coffee or tea.  In warmer weather, we often provide a refreshingly cold

Our wraparound porch - perfect for dining by candlelight

beverage or ice cream sundaes.  To make your Maine getaway extra special, guests can order a fruit and cheese platter, freshly baked bread and homemade spread platter, or a homemade dessert, all of which can be delivered to their room or suite.  When requesting a dessert delivery (kindly give us at least three days’ notice), please indicate a chocolate or non-chocolate preference.  Desserts will always be a surprise – you may receive creme brulee, chocolate dipped fresh fruits, or blueberry cake with lemon buttercream frosting.  The possibilities are endless!  And, for a second summer, guests may choose to enjoy candlelit lobster dinner at the Maine Stay Inn!  Enjoy 1 1/2 pound lobsters on the wraparound porch or in our dining room at a private table. Fresh salad, steaming baked potatoes (pile on the butter and sour cream!), and a homemade dessert await guests.

We look forward to serving you this season, and every season, at the Maine Stay Inn, your Kennebunkport bed and breakfast.

Enjoy Kennebunkport’s summer festival this June from the 2nd through the 6th.  Here’s a sneak peek at some of the Fine Living Festival‘s inspired events:

• Plein Air Painters Invitational
• Pairing Palates and Palettes Dinners
• Artist in Residence Program
• Domaine Carneros by Taittinger Festival Preview
• Guided wine tastings and discussions
• Twilight Soiree
• Children’s Festival
• Grand Tasting and Showing
• Don Stone Show Opening
• The Chef’s Gala

The Maine Stay Inn is the perfect Kennebunkport bed and breakfast inn from which to enjoy all the offerings of this incredible culinary and artistic festival, and also has the privilege of offering tickets to the celebration’s most popular events at a steep discount. Guests of the Maine Stay can gain access to The Festival Preview, Grand Tasting and Twilight Soiree for just $95!  Limited ticket packages are available, so make your reservations and reserve your seats today!

The portions at Feile were enormous, and a tremendous value – a 1/2 pound burger for just $8.  Salads were fresh and satisfying (I highly recommend the Arugula Salad with dried cranberries, spiced nuts, and blue cheese).  Appetizers can easily be shared by an entire family or enjoyed as an entree (with plenty to take home).

The staff is attentive, but not overly so, and the atmosphere is charming.  The dining room is intimate and vaguely romantic, while the pub boasts large flat-screens for sports viewing (although the sound is remarkably soft, and not disruptive to those seated in booths away from the bar).

Feile Restaurant and Pub is an excellent option for guests of the Maine Stay looking to enjoy a later dinner or those anxious to fill up before arriving.  It’s location is ideal – Route 1 in Wells – just about 5 miles from the Maine Stay Inn.  So now New England guests heading to Kennebunkport after work should no longer stress about finding a good, satisfying meal to start their getaway off right!

But for two weekends this spring, the White Barn Inn will import not just the best ingredients, but chefs as well!  For the weekend of April 9-11, master chef, Christoph Zangerl, will bring creativity from the five star Interalpen Hotel in Tyrol, Austria.  Then from April 23-25, another Relais and Chateaux chef, Joseph Lenn, will take the helm while he visits from Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee.

So that makes April a perfect time to visit Kennebunkport and the Maine Stay Inn – for a chance to experience incredible cuisine with a new flair.  Take a taste of Austria or the American South without ever leaving New England.  Remember, we’re always just 86 miles from Boston!

Summer Gardens at On the Marsh

offering two gourmet cooking classes this spring. Join executive chef, Jeffrey A. Savage on Sunday, April 25 and May 2, 2010 for “The Insider’s Culinary Experience.”  After enjoying gourmet breakfast at the Maine Stay Inn, head over to On the Marsh for a four hour culinary adventure – and take home recipes exclusively for attendees.  You will learn techniques for creating an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  After enjoying the meal you’ve prepared, take a sampling home to share with your family!

This incredible culinary opportunity includes food, wine, and class materials.  Aprons will be provided.  On the Marsh will limit classes to six students, so book today.  Class cost is $120.

And, if you invite five friends along, you’ll receive the lesson absolutely free!  So bring along five of your girlfriends for a weekend at the Maine Stay – relax, rejuvenate, and reconnect – and on your way home, indulge in an incredible culinary experience to cap off a fantastic weekend.

Enjoy gourmet gluten-free breakfast at the Maine Stay!

The prospect of going on vacation can be very nerve-racking for someone following a gluten-free diet.  Will I be able to eat anything?  If there are gluten-free options, will they be any good?  Will there be anyone who can help me figure out how to eat safely?  Rest assured, the Maine Stay is here to help!

The innkeepers of the Maine Stay Inn, Judi and Walter, have over a decade of experience with gluten-free eating, because their daughter, Johanna, also on staff at the Maine Stay Inn, has a gluten allergy. For that reason, guests of the Maine Stay Inn following a gluten free diet can eat without worry – but please let us know in advance!

But breakfast is only the foundation of a gluten free vacation – what about lunch and dinner in Kennebunkport.  Not to worry – we’ve got you covered!

Bandaloop, a favorite of everyone at the Maine Stay Inn, offers a multitude of gluten-free options.  As part of their menu, you can pair any protein source with any of their signature sauces, and most of these are gluten free.  Make sure to ask your server, just to be safe!  My personal favorite “safe” option at Bandaloop is grilled salmon with their caramelized chili coconut curry sauce.  It comes paired with a medley of the freshest vegetables and turmeric rice in a bath of Thai-style curry sauce.  Delish!  But the truth is, everything on the menu is incredible, and many of the options are Celiac safe.  Their salads offer great options for lighter fare.  If you’re looking for something a little richer, try their bone-in pork chop with caramelized onion-gorgonzola cream sauce.  But the gluten-free options don’t stop here – Bandaloop’s Creme Brulee is always incredible, and a recent discovery – their raspberry-lime crisp – is also wheat-free (their oats aren’t certified GF, but if you regularly handle rolled oats, then this is a tasty treat that is normally a no-fly zone).

For more casual fare, try Pier 77′s The Ramp – this small restaurant takes excellent care of all its patrons and is attentive to the needs of gluten-free eaters.  Their hand cut French Fries are out of this world, and their Beet and Spinach Salad is just as delectable.  Add perfectly seared salmon, and you have a healthy meal safe for gluten-free eaters.

But even gluten intolerant people sometimes want ultra casual food in a fun environment. And you normally wouldn’t even consider a Brew Pub, but Federal Jack’s, the local pub (which serves lunch and dinner daily), offers quiet a few gluten-free options.  But the most important thing about gluten free dining there is to tell your server. Tell them what you would ideally like to eat and have them ask the cooks what your best options are.  As a frequent eater at Federal Jack’s there are good options.  Salads, as you well know, are good choices, and they have a variety of GF salad dressings.  They key to eating as safely as possible here is to ask for dressing on the side – that way there is no contamination from crouton crumbs or other ingredients – they’re packaged separately from other foods.  Usually safe, french fries and potato skins are out, but sweet potato fries are in.  Their house rice is Celiac friendly, and a great side to their safe meats – even burgers (not the buns, of course) are safe, as they are filler free.  Looking for something lighter?  Federal Jack’s vegetarian chili is safe and fantastic. Even their dessert menu has choices for Celiacs – check out their Crema (similar to a creme brulee, but no burnt sugar on top, with flavors varying weekly) or even their brownie sundaes – they keep gluten free brownies in the freezer.

Some other area restaurants that easily accommodate gluten free patrons include The Cape Arundel Inn, Pier 77, Mekhong Thai, The Kennebunk Inn, Nunan’s Lobster Hut, and On The Marsh. As with any restaurant, make sure you server knows that you cannot eat gluten and that they convey this to the chefs.

The Maine Stay Inn, with its experience in gluten free cooking, is the perfect bed and breakfast inn for a safe and healthy getaway. So book your vacation at the Maine Stay Inn and Cottages in Kennebunkport, a small town unlike any other, offering a plethora of dining options for those with gluten intolerance,  and treat yourself to a safe and healthy getaway.