As spring starts to finally creep into life along Mid-coast Maine, one sure sign of spring is the reopening of Larson’s Lunch Box in Damariscotta. A local mainstay for almost 50 years, current owners, Barb and Bill Ganem, are busy preparing to open for their sixth season. This year, they are excited to announce some new changes to their existing menu.
After much contemplation, the Ganems have decided to move away from fried foods and add some new healthier alternatives. They know it will be a shock to many not to have fries and onion rings at the Lunch Box. It was not an easy decision to remove these items but over the past few years they have noticed that more and more customers are moving away from fried foods and requesting healthier choices.
New side dishes will include Red Bliss potato salad, Greek pasta salad, Tabbouleh, Southwest black bean salad, Maine shrimp cocktail, coleslaw and baked beans. In addition, they have added a charbroiled boneless, skinless chicken breast replacing their breaded chicken tender sandwiches. The only fried food on the menu will be their very popular haddock patty sandwich and fried zucchini.
In addition, most of the new sides they have chosen will be priced lower than the traditional fried foods making eating out more affordable. The Ganems credit their reasonable prices as the main reason they stay very busy throughout the season despite a slow economy.
“We are always excited to be open again,” said Barb. “It’s great to see everyone after a long winter. We are very excited about our new menu. Of course, many of the regular favorites like burgers, hot dogs, American chop suey, lobster rolls and crab rolls will always be available.”
Of course, no meal is complete without a great dessert. The Lunch Box is also excited about carrying delicious cookies this season from The Bakery, also located in Damariscotta.
They hope to finalize their new menu soon and have it posted at Larson’s Lunch Box and on their website, www.larsonslunchbox.com, by opening day, Sun., May 1.
