We got and got going a little before 9:00. We walked the ¼ mile to the Log Cabin Restaurant, a real log Cabin that seats hundreds. Remember one of the main businesses historically in this area is logging. We both ordered Corned Beef Hash with poached eggs and whole wheat toast.
After breakfast we fetched our bikes and rode them next door to the Bar Harbor Campground and took the shuttle to the Acadia National Park and then a shuttle to the top of the Loop Road on Cadillac Mountain. When we disembarked from the bus the bus driver said, “ It is downhill from here.” And it was. We rode back down the hill in the direction we had come until we intercepted a carriage Road that led us to the route we wanted to take at Duck Brook Road and circled Witch Hole Pond and Breakneck Pond and ended our route at Eagle Lake, which took about 1 ½ hours of moderate biking.
We then took the bike shuttle back to the Village Green and returned our bikes at 11:30. When we got clear of the bikes Suzette said, “I would like a beer.”
I looked next door at 15 Knox Rd. and saw it was the Atlantic Brewing Company. We walked the 20 feet to the brewery. We ordered beers and I ordered a salad with Avocado, cranberries, goat cheese, mixed greens, red onion slivers, and a horseradish Dijon dressing that was so thick it did not flow. I went downstairs and requested a container of olive oil, which the waitress brought to us as we sat on the roof patio, enjoying the fresh sunny weather. I added olive oil to the salad and it made the dressing slightly less viscous.
After we finished our salad we walked to the harbor and then on a path that circled the downtown until we came to Grant St. As we walked up Grant St. we saw an antique store that Suzette wanted to look in. Soon she came out and got me out of my chair to look at a pin made with the same type of links that are in the hollow silver bracelet from Taxco I bought her several years ago.
We then walked back to the Village Green and took the shuttle back to our motel. I napped and we both took showered and then drove to the Mount Desert Island Winery. We bought a tasting and soon discovered that the winery grows none their own fruit. It buys grape juice in bulk and makes wine from it by fermenting it. It also has a tendency to over ferment its wines, probably because it buys cheap juice. The Apple cider sold t the winery was better, made by others We finally found one item made byte Winery, pickled Fiddlehead Ferns and bought two bottles for 7.95 each.
We continued driving around the middle of Mount Desert Island, through East Harbor, to Seal Harbor where Martha Stewart has a home, and took the Acadia Park Loop Road to Sand Beach, and finally, to Bar Harbor, arriving at the Havana Restaurant at 5:30. There were few customers so we were immediately seated at a table near a window. Soon our waiter brought us an amuse Bouche.
Wikipedia defines t as follows: “An amuse-bouche (/əˌm(j)uːzˈbuːʃ/, French pronunciation: [aˌmyzˈbuʃ])[1] or amuse-gueule (/əˌm(j)uːzˈɡəːl/, French pronunciation: [aˌmyzˈɡœl]) is a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre.[2] Amuse-bouches are different from appetizers in that they are not ordered from a menu by patrons but are served gratis and according to the chef's selection alone. These, often accompanied by a complementing wine, are served both to prepare the guest for the meal and to offer a glimpse into the chef's approach to the art of cuisine.”
The amuse Bouche was a cube of avocado on a small wooden spoon accompanied by a pistachio cream and dusted with a sprinkle of black Himalayan salt.
We each ordered appetizers. Suzette ordered the Spring Rolls, which are fresh oysters and oyster mushrooms rolled in phyllo dough and deep fried, cut in half and served vertically on a small puddle of aioli surrounded by a soy Miso sauce. The spring rolls were wonderful, especially dipped in the two sauces. I ordered mussels steamed in a Court bullion of parsley, small slices of Fresno chili, water, and wine. The mussels were plumb and juicy and raised locally in Frenchman’s Cove on MDI.
We decided to stay with the seafood theme, so we could share a bottle of white wine Suzette ordered the scallops and I ordered the Arctic Char. The owner/sommelier helped us pick a bottle of Sancerre for $39.00 that was delicious, very dry with good tannins.
When the entrees came we were again impressed. The scallops were large and bright white on a bed of four or five different types of cherry tomatoes and cornbread croutons drizzled with a chili infused oil. Suzette and I thought the chili oil overheated the dish and that the scallops were not a successful dish. My entrée was better, a wedge of charcoal grilled char on a bed of mixed quinoas with locally grown yellow squash slices steamed and tossed in butter with streaks of a red bell pepper sauce decorating the plate, simple and delicious
Things really got interesting when we reached dessert. We both agreed that we wished to split the flourless dark chocolate torte and order a cognac. I decided on a Courvoisier VSOP, but saw two interesting entries for Bartlett Winery and Distillery’ Apple Eau d’ Vie and Pear Esau d’ Vie. The Apple was sensational, not too dry and not too sweet, so we ordered a glass of it. I also ordered a cup of decaffeinated coffee with milk.
We enjoyed the dessert course the most of all the courses. The chocolate torte was rich and super dense, like the way my chocolate Baked Pudding recipe turns out if I do not add whipped extra egg whites.
It was a really successful meal, perhaps the best of the trip at a restaurant.
Bon Appetit
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