As reported yesterday, we traveled through three days of Small Craft Warnings to get to Maine. After the perilous journey down the Kennebunk River at low tide, we decided to spend an extra day exploring the town.
On Monday morning, we woke to near-perfect weather (finally), and that meant unloading the eBikes and plotting trails.
Biking Kennebunkport
There are no bike trails in and around Kennebunkport, but it is a little village full of vacationers, and a lot of people ride bikes. Peter suggested Walker‘s Point, and as soon as I saw the road there was called Ocean Avenue, I said, “Let’s start there.”
Our bikes can get up to about 25 MPH, which means we can keep up with car traffic. This was good, since there are no bike paths on Ocean Ave.
The speed limit on Ocean Ave is 25 MPH, and I was doing 20 when some self-important woman in a Mercedes pulled up close behind me and honked her horn. I used hand signals to let her know she was #1!
Biking on Ocean Ave in Kennebunkport is a lot like Newport.
The local police guarded the entrance to the compound. We wondered who was living there, and I found this local report from 2018.
After Walker’s Point, we mostly detoured through private neighborhoods to get a feel for the town. We’d only done 12 miles when we got back to Dock Square and decided to explore the south side of town.
The Franciscan Monastery
About half a mile out of town, we came upon the Franciscan Monastery and went in to look around.
It’s a beautiful site with shrines honoring Saints and other Catholic historical events.
The first shrine we visited honored Our Lady of Lourdes.
Mrs. Horne was visibly moved. The story of Bernadette was an essential component of her Catholic upbringing.
There was another shrine dedicated to those who died for the freedom of Lithuania.
The shrine also portrayed carvings of the crucifixion and hosted a tiny piece of wood from the Cross of Christ.
The highlight for Mrs. Horne came at the Shrine honoring Saint Anthony.
Mrs. Horne tends to lose things, and Anthony is the Patron Saint of Finding Lost Things, hence her love for Saint Anthony!
After the monastery. we continued to ride southeast on Beach Ave. This is undoubtedly the best bike route in Kennebunkport.
Photos don’t do this spot justice, so I shot a brief video.
We’d logged almost 20 miles when we returned to town, and it was time for lunch.
Batson River
Batson River is a Gastropub that kept popping up at the top of restaurant reviews, so I wanted to try it. It’s an unusual venue that offers multiple levels of dining.
7.0% | 16oz | $8
The signature style of our region is true to form in this rendition, with a dynamic malt profile that features light Pilsner malt, oats, and wheat for a pillowy soft body.
Their signature dish is the Duck FatFried Cornbread. Unfortunately, the crew was famished when it arrived and it was decimated before I could take a photo.
hot honey, bourbon maple butted
Here’s a better photo I found on Yelp.
This is an obscenely good dish. It’s drizzled with local honey and served with soft butter. It was so decadent that I think it would make a great dessert topped with a dollop of whipped cream.
baguette, caramelized onion, mushroom, american, au jus
Mrs. Horne was very impressed with the Caesar. Not only was the “Small” a decent lunch portion, but it included White Anchovies.
romaine, grana, anchovy, aleppo pepper, lemon, crouton, shaved parmesan, dressing
I found a lot of enticing options on the menu but opted for the Blackened Haddock Tacos.
mango pico, red cabbage slaw, jalapeño,
cotija cheese, chipotle aioli
It delivered great Mexican flavors and perfectly cooked flaky haddock with a hint of blackening.
After lunch, we asked our server about Italian restaurants in town. She was unequivocal; her #1 pick was Wandby.
Monday afternoon was the first nice afternoon of the trip, so we uncovered the Skydeck and lounged listening to the Donovan Channel on Pandora.
Wandby Landing
It turns out Wandby is almost a mile out of town. This was probably a good thing because we needed the exercise.
It has a very country vibe, situated in a wooded clearing.
Shortly after we sat down, a rather tipsy woman came up babbling about Peter’s Vineyard Vines Edgartown shirt. She claimed to be friends with Matt, the owner, and brought him over to introduce us.
According to our inebriated friend, Matt’s Soux Chef earned his cooking chops at The French Laundry.
Based on the quality of the food, I suspect this may have been the most truthful thing she said!
Beef and Pork Ragu Alla Bolognese, Parmesan
Walnut Pesto, Garlic Scapes, Swiss Chard, Ricotta, Parmesan, Aged Balsamic
Every morsel was culinary perfection. My only criticism was with the portions. Peter’s Tagliatelle was a decent dinner portion. Mrs. Horne’s Tortelleti was a tad smaller, but my Gnocchi was a small appetizer portion.
Sweet Onion, Spring Peas, Tuscan Ham, Fontina
I doubt it was 8 ounces of food. We considered ordering another dish but instead asked for a bread order.
It, too, was obscenely good. For some reason, it wasn’t on the menu. If we’d started with this, my little plate of Gnocchi would have been perfect.
I noticed a man next to me at the bar’s Branzino, and that portion was massive – probably a pound and a half.
Matt checked back with us to see how we enjoyed dinner. I suggested he offer a larger portion of gnocchi at a higher price, and he disappeared and returned with pizza!
This is truly one of the best restaurants we’ve found anywhere. The menu options are limited, and the portion sizes are inconsistent, so next time, I’ll consult with our server before ordering.
Parting Shot
I apologize in advance for the following photo. I just can’t resist.
I asked our inebriated friend to pose for a photo on the way out, and she did not disappoint!
For the first time since May 12th, the evening was warm enough to sit outside after dinner.
Next Up – Boothbay Bound
Love reading your Travel Blog, Dave! Could have done without that last photo. Rather frightful and having trouble getting it out of my mind!