I’ve long been a fan of the Damariscotta River Grill. Between the happy hour deals to the meal that I’m pretty sure convinced my parents I made the right choice moving to Maine, the River Grill cemented itself near the top of my list of local eats pretty early on.
Imagine my delight when I realized there are not one, not two, but half a dozen varieties of eggs Benedict on its brunch menu.
Earlier this month, my good friend (and now coworker!) Erin Dodge and I ventured over to check out the relaunched offerings. While we both lean toward the traditional brunch beverage of mimosas, we decided to instead try the “brunch punch.” The ingredients were intriguing – Irish whiskey, calvados, pineapple, green tea and cinnamon syrups, apricot bitters, and nutmeg – so we weren’t quite sure what the end product would taste like.
Apple pie, we agreed. The drink tasted like the best apple pie I’ve ever had, and I would love to learn how the bartender landed on this exact combination.
Drinks in hand, we made quick work deciding on entrees. Erin ordered the South of the Border, a three-egg skillet with chipotle black beans, tomato, caramelized onions, scallions and cheddar, while I decided to go with the Maine crab and Swiss Benedict over the smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese Benedict.
To balance out the savory of our dishes, we also ordered the crepes Suzette, which features four crepes soaked in Grand Marnier, caramelized sugar, butter, and orange sauce with a whipped cream topping. Based on our server’s positive reaction, we figured we made the right decision.
In retrospect, we probably could have split two dishes because the portions are no joke. The table next to us ordered the French toast, and we brought our conversation to a halt just to gawk at the sheer size of the serving. (The person who ordered it had the same reaction.)
However, there were no regrets when our food arrived. I love a good perfectly poached egg, and the crab was just the right amount of sweet to balance the hollandaise. As an added bonus, the hot sauce offered to compliment the sizeable scoop of home fries was Maine Gravy, a local favorite! I hadn’t tried the Boothbay Blues sauce before, but now I need to buy a vat of it.
If you’ve ever thought brunch needed a dessert, the crepes Suzette is an absolute must try. Sweet and citrusy, it offered the perfect final note to the morning’s meal.
The Damariscotta River Grill offers brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, giving you two chances in a week to work your way through the Benedict menu. As the entire upstairs dining room filled up with familiar faces as Erin and I enjoyed our meals, I would recommend making a reservation just to be on the safe side.
Bottom line: You won’t leave the Damariscotta River Grill’s brunch hungry or disappointed.
The Damariscotta River Grill is located at 155 Main St. in downtown Damariscotta. For more information, go to damariscottarivergrill.com or find the River Grill on Facebook.
(Maia Zewert is looking for the best eggs Benedict and cup of coffee in Lincoln County. To make a suggestion, email her at mzewert@lcnme.com.)
