PORTLAND, Maine — Mike Urban makes a good point on the first page of his new book. “Maine,” he writes, “is lobster and so much more.”
The range of the state’s food is captured in “Unique Eats and Eateries of Maine,” Urban’s guide to 84 different places where he found something tasty. In researching the book, Urban put more than 6,000 miles on his car. He clearly knows the territory.
For anyone passing through Kittery, he recommends Bob’s Clam Hut, “Maine’s unofficial welcome wagon,” where 10 deep-fryer units turn out prodigious amounts of fried clams.
In western Maine, Le Mu Eats is an unlikely find, a small place in Bethel where chef/owner Sayvepen Sengsavang serves food that reflects the blend of Laotian and southern cooking with which he grew up. The restaurant’s counter alone sounds worth the trip. It’s made of thousands of epoxied chopsticks.
Looking for something to eat Down East? Urban likes Lunch on the Wharf in Corea, a lobster shack whose bait shed has been converted into a small dining area.
Hitting the fourth point of the compass, Urban heads north to Aroostook County and Dolly’s in Frenchville, where the Acadian fare includes ployes, poutine, and chicken stew made with spiced pork -- all of it, he says, well worth the drive.
Want to learn more about the food Urban discovered while driving thousands of miles around Maine? Watch our interview.