Southwest Harbor, MDI - July 2011

[BobB]

We just came back from a week on MDI, staying in Southwest Harbor. There are two restaurants of note in the town, Red Sky and Fiddler's Green. Both are good, but we give the nod to Fiddler's Green - excellent food and friendly staff, with a delightfully eclectic menu. Where else can you get both well-marinated boquerons and a hand-ground burger with excellent fries? And both my wife and I loved their tuna sashimi plate served with seaweed salad. We also tried their "farm to table pig," which is slow-cooked for 18 hours to the falling-apart stage. The pig itself was wonderfully tender but could have used a bit more flavor. But it was redeemed by the very tasty pickled vegetables on the side (and a word of warning - we split one order and even then I could barely finish my portion while the wife only got through half of her half - this is a LOT of meat!)

Red Sky gets lots of press, but I have to say we were underwhelmed by the experience. I had the lobster bisque to start, which was underflavored and underlobstered, followed by the baby back ribs, which were tender but a bit too sweet - and they committed the unforgivable (to this barbecue fanatic) sin of braising the ribs first before grilling them. Wife had the mussels, which were very good, and the roasted quail, which was also sticky sweet. The chef here clearly has a sweet tooth where meat is concerned.

Not a bad place but to my mind they're just a bit too full of themselves. It also draws a much more homogeneous Brooks Brothersy crowd than Fiddler's Green, at least the night we went - I swear that every button-down shirt on the whole of Mt. Desert Island was eating there that night. So we went back to Fiddler's Green a second time, and again it didn't disappoint.

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Fiddler's Green Restaurant
411 Main St, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

Red Sky
14 Clark Point Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

[3catsnh]

Haven't made it up there this year yet. We liked both places but had a great experience at Red Sky. I don't eat meat though! My favorite in SWH is Sips though. Is it still there?

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Red Sky
14 Clark Point Rd, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679

[BobB]

It is, but we didn't get a chance to check it out.

[rockblogsterbdn]

Next time you're there, try having a cocktail at the Boathouse at the Claremont. It's one of the prettiest, most low key bars in Maine.

[Passadumkeg]

I agree, I used to work there and up in the maine dining room.
BobB, you doo-rock, next time up here let me know! I'll make suggestions, or we can go out. I prefer FG too.
ps I used to live on Seawall Road.

[BobB]

Sorry, Pass - I would have but I thought you were living in Texas these days.

[Passadumkeg]

New Mexico, but Ellsworth for June, July and part of August. Next time.

3 cats, Sips is still open, all year too.!!!