It’s a true mark of spring when owners Rick Hirsch and Jean Kerrigan open the doors to the deck of Round Pond, Anchor Inn Restaurant (www.anchorinnrestaurant.com), and Fri., May 8 is the magic day.
The much-loved restaurant, which becomes a central gathering spot each year for returning “summer people” and locals alike, will open for its 22nd summer. The seasonal restaurant’s team will continue its tradition of offering fresh, seasonal menu options, warm service, and a genuinely relaxed dining experience.
“We wait for this day all winter,” said Hirsch, owner and chef at the Anchor Inn, and its sister restaurant, the Damariscotta River Grill (www.damariscottarivergrill.com).
“Our spacious indoor and outdoor decks are perfect for outdoor dining, and the views of Round Pond Harbor are just lovely. Being here creates a whole new inspiration for a chef, and we’re looking forward to a season of great new recipes and the opportunity to entertain new friends and guests who’ve been visiting us here for more than two decades now,” he said.
The Anchor Inn has always been a regional favorite and recently was featured in The Boston Globe’s “Where They Went” feature. DownEast.com also directs travelers to the welcoming restaurant (www.downeast.com/node/8376), known for its authentic, savory, New England cooking and Hirsch’s top-notch Maine seafood specials.
Mother’s Day marks the first official event of the season, and Hirsch and his team are gearing up for the big day. The dinner menu will be served from 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., and, as always, mothers receive a free dessert with their meal.
Mother’s Day is just the beginning of a season of enticing food at Anchor Inn. Well known for its creative menu, guests enjoy specialties including Anchorpasto, a hearty pasta dish featuring marinated mushrooms, artichokes, roasted tomatoes, smoked shrimp and mussels; a savory Mediterranean Turnover with mild goat cheese, artichoke hearts and fire roasted tomatoes in a flaky puff pastry; and a cool roasted vegetable salad.
Anchor Inn also is pleased to offer a variety of fresh seafood options, including New England chowder, Maine lobster stew, crab cakes, and scallop peepers – a mouthwatering appetizer of barbeque marinated sea scallops wrapped in bacon and broiled – as well as locally caught Muscongus Bay lobsters cooked in a variety of ways.
Chef Hirsch has long been committed to purchasing locally grown ingredients and supporting nearby farmers, producers, and fishermen. At both of his Maine restaurants, he serves dishes that feature fresh Maine lobster and fresh oysters from the Damariscotta River, supplied by Pemaquid Oyster Co. Chef Hirsch also prepares seasonal dishes with wild mushrooms from Oyster Creek Mushroom Co., and a variety of fresh produce from Morning Dew Organic Farm.
For further information about the Anchor Inn or to schedule an interview with chef Hirsch or general manager Jean Kerrigan, contact Ann Ewing at Front Burner PR, LLC at 699-5500, ann@frontburnerpr.com.
For more information, sign up for the Anchor Inn newsletter at www.anchorinnrestaurant.com/anchor-inn-restaurant-newsletter.html.
