Saturday was our fifth day in Boothbay. We had low expectations since it was essentially an unplanned layover on a rainy day.
We’d never wandered all the little shops before, so that became the morning’s highlight. We picked up gifts for the grandkids and a few kitchen items for Amazing Grace.
Lunch at Mine Oyster
We could not be any closer to Mine Oyster without being on solid land.
I kept an eye on the live entertainment schedule all week.
As soon as I saw Dave Gagne at noon, I knew that was where I wanted to be on Saturday afternoon.
Peter and I sat at the bar in front of the stage, waiting for Dave Gagne to arrive.
Peter ordered the Salmon Dip and Chips.
Smoked Salmon, cream cheese, sour cream,
red onion, capers, tortilla chips
Around 1:00, Mrs. Horne wrapped up her shopping trip and joined us. Before she sat down, I asked the bartender, “What happened to Dave?”
He said, “He’s playing outside on the deck.”
And off we went!
As we walked to our table, Dave was playing Louis Armstrong’s version of Wonderful World.
As you may know, in February, Mrs. Horne lost her 100-year-old mother. Wonderful World was her favorite song!
Although it was cool, clammy, and a little breezy on the deck, it was pleasant enough, and almost all of our lunch selections were cold.
Spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber roll topped with tuna,
green onion, jalapeño, ponzu, chili, Tobiko and sesame
Tuna, avocado, cucumber & Tobiko
On the way in, I spoke to the Shuckmaster about the differences between the oysters he served. We concluded the best pick for me would be the Norumbegas.
They were plump and briny!
Friends After Six Years
In 2018, we were in Edgartown on our almost new Back Cove 41 – Vigilant when we spotted the first Sabre 45 we’d ever seen.
We exchanged plasantries but never even exchanged names. I may have mentioned this website, and they may have discovered it, but that’s it.
Fast Forward to 2022. We were at Wentworth-By-The-Sea, and the boat next to us was LULU – the same boat, and this time, we more formally introduced ourselves to Vernon and Lynn.
Early Saturday morning, LULU docked at Boothbay Harbor Marina, and this time, we invited them over for cocktails aboard Amazing Grace.
And it allowed us to try the Bite Board Mrs. Horne had bought in town.
We chatted for over two hours about family, our boating habits, and how we all ended up where we are. They shared an incredible story about getting out of South Africa, living in Canada, and eventually the US.
We exchanged contact information, and perhaps we’ll meet up later in the season.
1901 Harborside Bar & Grill
We were booked to dine at the 1901 in 2022 but canceled at the last minute. We decided to try it on our fifth and final night in Boothbay in 2024.
The restaurant does have some nice awards going for it.
As you enter, you will see the sushi fish on display.
The 1901 is located just before the footbridge and very much feels like it’s right on the water.
I made reservations on Yelp and noted that we’d prefer to sit at the bar. Sure enough, we were escorted to three stools looking into the bar and kitchen when we arrived.
Our server’s name was Khan, and he was quite charming.
The 1901 offers a lively bar scene, and we instantly engaged in conversation with the couple next to us.
Mrs. Horne creatively constructed a healthy meal amid the sea of fried and saucy alternatives!
Soy Ponzi, white truffle oil, and scallions
cucumber, seaweed, sesame seed
Peter couldn’t decide on his dish, but someone mentioned a big fresh tuna in the kitchen. Peter ordered a custom-crafted seared tuna dinner.
I, too, was having difficulty picking a dish. At times like this, I often go to Yelp and look at customers’ photos of food to help me decide.
The photo of the Beef Ribs on Yelp looked very tasty.
Photo Courtesy of Yelp
Sadly, when my dish arrived, it looked quite different.
Braised beef ribs, grilled veggies, mushroom risotto, au jus
It was more of a stew. It did have great flavor, and the risotto saved the dish, but overall it was disappointing. The ribs weren’t beef ribs or short ribs but backbones, generally only used for Korean Ribs or soup.
Although it wasn’t what I expected, it was still a decent dish. But in light of the use of inexpensive back ribs, it was overpriced at $39.
The folks next to us also allowed me to photograph their dishes.
The 1901 offers a unique topping for sushi.
I would have ordered the Sea Scallops if I hadn’t gone with the Beef Ribs.
parmesan risotto, English peas, and citrus vinaigrette
As soon as I saw these, I knew I’d ordered them in error. The menu didn’t say that the scallops were perfectly seared! Maybe next time…
POSTSCRIPT: Plan C
During our get-together, Vernon mentioned that our next destination (Coveside Marina) didn’t offer water or electricity. We have a generator, but our onboard water pressure pump failed in Kennebunkport, and thus, we needed to connect to municipal water for water pressure.
I immediately canceled Coveside and started exploring our alternatives for Sunday
As I went to bed, the list was down to five ports.
- Stay in Boothbay
- Portland
- Dolphin Marina
- Rockland
- Camden
Check back tomorrow to see where we ended up!
Hi Dave, just an FYI.. my sushi topping also had fresh tuna and salmon. It was absolutely delicious!
I’ll update the post