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Eggspectation is a restaurant with locations in the US, Canada, and India.  They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.  I have been to Eggspectation for breakfast and lunch.  Both meals were quite good.  The breakfast menu is extensive as one would expect from the name of the restaurant.  They serve really great breakfast smoothies, although be forewarned they are quite pricey.  The smoothies make a great treat every once and a while.  They are made with fresh fruits and fresh squeezed juices.  I highly recommend the tropical teaser, it has mango, pineapple and banana mixed with orange juice, yummy!  The breakfast goods are good.  They do everything from the usual eggs and bacon to fancy crepes and a number of different eggs benedict dishes.  They have something for every taste.  The lunch menu is quite extensive with burgers, sandwiches, and salads.  The lunch and dinner menus are sorely lacking in vegetarian options. 

On the weekend the lines can be quite long for breakfast.  Expect a wait, especially if you have a big party with you.  It is much less busy at lunch. 

The restaurant is large with a little bit a of a warehouse feel to it.  The seating is comfortable, if you can I would recommend sitting in one of the booths.  At the Eggspectation here in Maine you can sit outside during the summer months.

Serving: Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily

Vegetarian Options: Few on the lunch and dinner menus, more on the breakfast menu

So let’s get back to Bar Harbor, I want to finish up yesterday’s post on eating in Bar Harbor.  One place I love to go and grab a breakfast is Cafe This Way.  They also do dinner, although I have to admit I have never been for dinner.  The breakfasts are fantastic. (If you have a vegan with you, then I highly recommend the breakfast aptly named, The Vegan)  The vegan breakfast is a great tofu scramble with mushrooms, onions, broccoli and potatoes served with unbuttered toast.  They also do oatmeal, granola, eggs benedict, monte cristos, pancakes, etc.  You can even get some of the usual breakfasts with vegetarian bacon or sausage.  The dinner menu, which I have not sampled is equally as eclectic.  They serve everything from lavish bread pizza to tofu scallops to surf and turf.  This is a great place to check out if you are mixed eating family, as your vegetarian and vegan party members won’t feel odd with plenty of choices for them to eat on the menu.  The breakfasts are relatively cheap at $4.95 to $7.25.  The dinners are priced like other local restaurants at $10 to $18 a plate. 

Vegetarian Options: Yes, many on both menus (even vegan options)

Serving: Breakfast and Dinner with extended summer hours

One of my favorite places to visit in the world is Bar Harbor, Maine.  I have had the chance to stop into many places on my visits to this quaint little town.  Here’s a rundown of some of my Bar Harbor favorites.  Like many coastal towns in New England, Bar Harbor has a number of little restaurants and shops to visit.  If you are ever lucky enough to stay at the Bar Harbor Inn, then I would suggest doing so.  This place is pricey, but it has wonderful views of Frenchman Bay.  Each season they offer packages that include room, breakfast, and dinner, and other add bonuses.  I got the opportunity to go there for one of these packages and it was one of the nicest places I have stayed.  So now on to the food.  The dinner at the Bar Harbor inn is formal, but the dress code is not.  When we visited we had the roasted red pepper raviolis in a cream sauce.  It was delicious.  The pasta was clearly handmade and the sauce was delicate and not too garlicky.  They also serve the classics that people have come to expect in New England, lobster, steak, scallops, etc.  The dinners come with a choice of appetizer, main course, dessert and drinks.  The dinner was excellent, but my favorite meal had to be the Sunday brunch.  It was so delicious.  They had the biggest display of fresh fruit I have ever seen.  They also had fresh baked goods, pancake, omelet, and waffle stations.  All the things you would usually expect with a brunch.  The staff is extremely friendly and the views of Frenchman’s Bay are stunning.  It looks like a pinkies up kind of place, but feel free to wear your blue jeans and a T-shirt, they don’t care.

One place I always visit on my trips to Bar Harbor is the Opera House Cafe.  This little hole in the wall cafe is a relaxing place to unwind.  The coffee bar serves the usual drinks like lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso.  They also have tea and hot chocolate.  The thing that makes this place really unique is the atmosphere.  When you walk in the signs tell you that snacks are help yourself, it’s the only coffee shop I have ever been to that has an honor system.  You pay for everything when you leave.  It’s a really fun little place, there are board games everywhere.  It’s very clear that they want you to stay a while.  On my first visit there I accidentally left my purse at one of the tables, I called back the next day frantic.  They had placed it behind the counter, awaiting my call.   

There are lots more places to talk about and I don’t want to drag this piece on too long, so check back tomorrow for part two of my Bar Harbor eats posts.

My family is big on going out to breakfast.  I think we go to breakfast more than we go to lunch and dinner combined.  One of the places that my parents love most is the Coach House Restaurant in Brewer, Maine.  When my husband and I go up to visit my parents, we almost always wind up at Coach House for breakfast.  I really enjoy the place, they recently redid the restaurant and it turned out very nicely.  This is not a tea and crumpets kind of place, but a good old fashioned home cooking kind of place.  The prices are reasonable and the serving sizes are substantial.  They serve New England coffee, one of my two favorites, the other being Green Mountain.  The wait staff is friendly and they love to tease the regulars.(This is quite usual in Maine and can make your dining out experience a lot more fun). 

The serve a pretty extensive breakfast menu, as well as lunch and dinner.  The specials board changes daily and often includes good old fashioned dishes like corn chowder.  The breakfast menu includes everything from eggs and bacon to blueberry pancakes.  They also have a children’s menu for the little ones.  I have never been for dinner, but the lunches are quite good. 

Vegetarian Options: Yes, although more limited on the lunch and dinner menus

Serving: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

O’Naturals is a restaurant that prides itself in the use of organic and natural foods.  The menu includes sandwiches, salads, asian noodles, soups, breakfast and baked goods, and pizza.  They also have a kids menu with mac n’ cheese and some of the usuals that kids enjoy.  One of the best features of the menu is the create your own salad, where you pick your own greens, vegetables, toppings and dressing.  The soup is good, I recommend the carrot ginger soup.  The pizzas are only available after 4 pm on the dinner menu.  It is not a fancy place, you order your food in a cafeteria fashion, but the food is good and it is suppose to be “fast-food”. 

The story goes that the founders of the company were tried with the lack of healthy options for their kids when they traveled, so they created O’Naturals.   I think it’s a great idea and it works really well.  They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  The hours are extended for summers.  They are located on Exchange street in Portland. 

The winter hours are:
Mon-Thurs 7:30am-7:30pm
Fri-Sat 7:30am-8:00pm
Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Serving: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

On the web at http://www.onaturals.com/

In the mood for some pizza?  How about pizza for a wood-fired clay oven? Flatbread pizza serves up nicely browned, thin crust pizzas daily in their very own wood-fired clay oven.  The pizza choices are tasty.  Not sure what you want, then try one of their daily specials.  They have special veggie and carne options that change weekly.  A word to the wise, if you want a vast menu with lots of options this is not the place for you.   What you see if what you get, these guys specialize in pizza and that’s about it.  They do carry one salad with organic lettuces and a ginger-tamari vinaigrette dressing.  The drinks are what you would expect beer, lemonade, soda.  The lemonade I had was sweetened with maple syrup, I thought it was delicious.  So if you just want a great pizza, check this place out. 

Flatbread pizza is located on Commercial Street in Portland.  The company also has other locations throughout New England.

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Open daily for lunch and dinner.  Call for hours at your local Flatbread.

On the web at http://www.flatbreadcompany.com/Home2006.htm

If you are lucky enough to visit Acadia National park, then you are pretty lucky indeed.  Acadia is one of the most beautiful parks in America.  If you get a chance to go anywhere during your visit, go visit the adorable little town of Bar Harbor (it is one of the towns that surround Acadia).  Bar Harbor is a fun mix of eateries, shops, and hotels. One of my favorite eateries is Two Cats Cafe.  My husband and I love to go there on our frequent visits to Acadia in the summer.  The Two Cats Cafe is a funky little place with fabulous breakfasts.  During the busy summer months you can eat outside. They serve a large variety of things including omelets, pancakes, smoothies, and muffins. The muffins and breads are baked each day onsite, in the Two Cats bakery.  The restaurant prides itself in using the best ingredients, they even grown their own herbs. The atmosphere is fun and inviting and the coffee is excellent.   I believe they also serve lunch, but I have never been. 

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Two Cats Cafe is attached to the Two Cat Bed and Breakfast. 

If you are from Southern Maine you probably know the restaurant, Dry Dock, in the Old Port.  The Dry Dock is a salty mix of all things Maine, no sense of pretension here.  Dry Dock is a very simple place with a great daily specials board.  The first thing you notice when you walk into Dry Dock is the lack of formality, more bar than bistro.  It’s a great choice for some good old fashioned greasy snacks.  One of my favorites is the veggie burger daily special.  You never know what you are going to get until you get there, hopefully, you are lucky enough to get the chili version.  Yummy!  The burgers are plenty big and the side of fries is nothing to sneeze.  Many of my friends highly recommend the seafood dishes.  One of my dearest friends really likes the crab dishes.  They make a mean black bean veggie nacho and the onion rings are fabulous.  The bar serves many beers on tap.  They also carry the usual suspects in drinks including soda, lemonade, and iced tea.  The dessert menu is delicious and inexpensive.  The next time you get the chance to visit Old Port you may want to stop in to Dry Dock.  If you visit in the summer you may even get a chance to sit outside.

Vegetarian Options: Yes, including the delicious daily veggie burger

Serving lunch and dinner.  Outside seating available in the warmer months, kid friendly.

If you have ever had the pleasure of visiting my home state of Maine, then you no doubt have been down Rte. 1.  Off of Rte. 1 in Freeport there is a great little restaurant.  It is actually the cafe of the Freeport Inn.  This may sound funny, a great little cafe associated with an inn, but trust me, you want to stop here.  This little cafe makes some of the best breakfast items in the state and at a reasonable price.  If you are coming during the height of tourist season be ready for a pretty long wait, but one that is definitely worth it.  In the summer they put free coffee outside because they know you are going to be there a while.  Once you make it past the crazy line and into this tiny little restaurant you are going to find a pretty extensive breakfast menu.  Some of my personal favorites are the belgian waffle with seasonal fresh fruit (they cover this waffle with a ton of fresh fruit, yummy!), blueberry pancakes (when in Maine you have to eat blueberries, I think it’s a state law), they also have a great buffet on the weekends with all the usual suspects.  The wait staff is classic Maine, friendly, crusty, and incredibly funny.  The wait staff is also very quick and efficient.  This place really tries hard to make you happy and they succeed spectacularly!

While this place is known for it’s breakfasts, you may want to stop in for lunch or dinner, when the crowd has subsided.  I enjoy their lunch and dinner options.  The pasta primavera is an excellent choice with tons of vegetables in a light garlic oil.  Their homemade soups and baked goods are also a good choice.  They have options for vegetarians and carnivores alike.  Keep in mind, if you just can’t resist breakfast, they do serve some breakfast options all day long.

Check out this link to get a look at the sample menu.  http://www.freeportinn.com/cafe-menu.html 

Freeport Inn and Cafe

32 US Rte. 1 Freeport, Maine 04032

Vegetarian Options: Yes

Serving: Breakfast, lunch and dinner - All year - Check for extended seasonal hours

Today, I am introducing a new section to the blog, restaurant reviews.  My intention is to review not only local restaurants in my home state of Maine, but also chain restaurants that many people across the country frequent.  I think this could start a great discussion among restaurant goers and give people an idea of what is out there.

So, today’s restaurant review is for Panera Bread.  Panera is a chain company started in 1981 with headquarters in Missouri.  They currently have 939 bakery-cafes in 37 states.  602 of these cafes are franchised, the others are company owned.  Okay, so enough on the background, let’s get to the good stuff.

Panera is a fun little place to grab a quick breakfast or lunch.  The breads are baked fresh daily and are excellent.  My favorite bread happens to be the asiago cheese loaf.  This bread has a great outer crust with a nice, chewy crumb.  I find it to be an excellent accompanyment to any pasta dinner.  The tomato basil loaf is also an excellent choice especially for sandwiches.  This bread has less of an artisan style than the asiago cheese loaf. 

If you are coming in for breakfast, the choices are vast and delicious.  Panera makes a large variety of breakfast goods including: danish, bagels (again try the asiago), bear claws, scones (the orange is excellent), croissants, muffins, etc.  Many of these dishes are not geared toward those on diets, but there are some options available with lesser fat and calories.  One of my favorite lower cal options is to get a triple berry lowfat muffin and a small fresh fruit cup.  They carry lots of options for drinks including:  fresh squeezed orange juice, tea (Republic), coffee, soda, water, etc. 

If you are going for lunch or dinner, I highly suggest trying one of the many soups they offer. If you are a vegetarian you will be pleasantly surprised with the variety of vegetarian soups they offer.  I would suggest trying the Vegetarian Garden Vegetable. They also have salads and sandwiches.  The sandwiches are excellent and they offer a number of fresh vegetable choices.  For parents, they offer sandwich combos that include and apple and juice, rather than the usual chips or fries. 

Overall, Panera is a great place to grab a quick bite.  The lines can get pretty busy during lunch, but they work hard to get you through fast.  The restaurant is nicely decorated and they give away free wi-fi for those of you interested in having a business meeting  off-site. 

Serving: Soups, Salads, Baked Goods, Drinks

Vegetarian Options:  Yes, surprising how many in fact

Call your local Panera for hours or check them out on the web at www.panera.com.