Dining at the Sea Glass restaurant at Cape Elizabeth’s Inn by the Sea is a unique experience, and we don’t use that adjective lightly. The windows offer a stunning view of Crescent Beach and the ocean beyond, with specially managed habitat between the restaurant and the sea for the endangered Monarch butterfly and Cottontail rabbit. Derrick Daly’s beautiful gardens draw an astonishing array of birds — so many that the inn is on the Maine Birding Trail map. We saw 10 bluebirds here — in January!
Oh, and yes . . . the food is amazing!

Linda
One of the best things that came out of our Harvest on the Harbor experience last fall on Portland’s waterfront was meeting Rauni Kew. Over a sampling of delicious bites from Sea Glass restaurant, we chatted about our travel writing while Rauni told us about Inn by the Sea. She quickly suggested that we visit, and in January we did. The inn and spa were magnificent, and now it’s time to tempt you to visit their restaurant.

Sea Glass offers a culinary experience you won’t soon forget, while enjoying an ocean view in their dining room or al fresco on seaside decks. Their renowned chef, Mitchell Kaldrovich, came here from California to open this restaurant in 2008. His goal was to make the most out of produce from neighboring farms (Alewives Brook Farm is just down the road), and capitalize on the freshest seafood available locally.

Our dinner was a very special experience — from the welcoming and knowledgeable server, to the last bite of dessert. Soon after we were seated, out came warm focaccia bread with dipping oil, followed shortly by an amuse bouche (bite-sized hors d’oeuvres) of fig and balsamic reduction served with crostini. Delicious. The chef prepares a different one every night.

I went with the Chef’s Winter Salad in lieu of an appetizer. It was an incredible combination of bacon, spinach, goat cheese and fried shallots. Just amazing.

The handmade gnocchi (with truffle roasted mushrooms) was a big temptation, but I ended up ordering the grilled Angus Filet Mignon. I still got to taste the roasted mushrooms, (and they were incredible), as they came on this dish as well. The charred flavor from the grilling really came through and was accompanied by a smoky steak sauce. With Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and blue cheese butter-wilted spinach (so yummy because they retained their crunch), this was a feast!

While sharing a family-style dinner at Gorman Chairback Camps in March, we met a family from Cape Elizabeth. They live a short way down the road from Sea Glass and told us that they’ve enjoyed many meals here, especially when extended family is visiting. Even the teenage/early-20s kids lit up when they heard us talking about Sea Glass, and went on to describe some of the wonderful things they’ve enjoyed there.

My mind is still on that gnocchi, and I’ve got to experience the outside seating when it’s warm enough, so I’m planning to return in the summer. I don’t think I’ll have to twist George’s arm.

George
No she won’t. But I’ll be going for the lobster gnocchi!

For our January dining adventure, I had to try Chef Kaldrovich’s signature dish: Gulf of Maine Seafood & Lobster Paella. It was presented in a stunning display that included flowers in the center, and included lobster tail, clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari, with a surprise ingredient — spicy chorizo — something that helps the seafood maintain its distinctive taste. It was one of the best entrées I’ve ever eaten.

We enjoyed a very reasonably priced ($36) bottle of an Argentinean Malbec — Crios 2010 — that matched well with our meal.

My scallop appetizer looked like it was going to lift off on wings, and came with a fried potato chip and parsnip puree. Amazing! The scallop was perfectly seared.

Trying to do my best for you by achieving a thorough understanding of the menu, I also had a beet salad, a cool refreshing start to the meal that included crumbled goat cheese and lightly marinated beets — definitely not your typical pickled beets!

While the Peanut Butter Buster Parfait beckoned for dessert, Linda prevailed and we got a selection of sorbet and gelato — admittedly a great finish for a remarkable dinner.

Our server at dinner, Vanessa Helmick, is an interior designer, and it was a special treat to get to know a bit about her and the other very friendly service-oriented staff, including Bella Ham who served us at breakfast.

Did we tell you about breakfast?

Oh my. Lin had the classic Eggs Benedict, and raved about it. I went for the superb braised corned beef hash, presented with eggs on top and housemade English muffins. The crispy-fried hash, full of small bits of corned beef and potatoes, was soooo good.

This was accompanied by fresh juice and a special blend called Coffee by the Sea, prepared for Sea

Glass by Coffee by Design. And I know it’s hard to believe I was hungry after the previous night’s dinner!

 

IF YOU GO . . .

Sea Glass, Inn by the Sea
www.InnbytheSea.com, 799-3134
Dining here is a delight, but so is a stay at the inn. In return for a $35 donation to Habitat for Humanity between now and May 25, The Inn by the Sea offers some of its rooms at half the regular rate. It’s really nice to be able to walk to dinner! The inn offers many special programs, including tours of their gardens featuring native Maine plants.
The hours at Sea Glass change slightly with the seasons, but generally they are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Saturday and Sunday brunch is served from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Breakfast is served Monday through Friday, 7 to 10:30 a.m. Lunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner is 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. During summer, dinner is 5:30 to 10 p.m. daily.

Visit George’s website: www.george
smithmaine.com for travel tips, book reviews, outdoor news and more.

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