Last Friday was a gorgeous evening and neither of us felt like cooking. We had been out a bunch that day so we also didn’t want to leave our dogs Sadie and Oscar at home once again. So, we hopped in the car and headed up Route 1 in Wells looking for a great outdoor space to eat with the pups.
Our first thought was Congdon’s food truck court. However, we were more in the mood for table service. As a result, we continued up the road until we came to the Bitter End.
The Bitter End in Wells
Leah had eaten there before to celebrate a friend’s birthday, but I had never tried it. The Bitter End has a large outdoor space that feels like a cross between a restaurant and a lawn concert venue. We arrived on the early side (about 5 pm) which is common for us when we go out with the dogs. We find it best to go before the place is most crowded.
You know that The Bitter End is a comfortable place to dine the moment you walk into its outdoor patio area. There is whimsical, seacoast-appropriate decor everywhere. Atop one wall of the garden sits various outboard engines. In another corner is an upright wooden dory, surrounded by bright green Adirondack chairs, near lobster buoys on the fence. The outdoor bar is decorated with pulleys, riggings and floats.
Fantastic Food and Great Music
As we sat down, the staff quickly brought us a water bowl for the pups. The Bitter End’s menu offers the key items that you would expect from a restaurant on Maine’s coast. There are fried clams, a lobster roll, fish and chips and a couple of broiled fish and mixed seafood choices as well. The selections are rounded out by a variety of salads and some great looking meat dishes including pulled pork, steak and burgers, a pasta bolognese, as well as a gyro.
The woman at the table next to us ordered the gyro. I used to live in a Greek neighborhood in NYC and this dish looked as impressive as anything I saw there.
What we ordered
Leah opted for a rice bowl with grilled salmon. Since I’m currently researching a future post on the best fish and chips in southern Maine, I chose this old standard. Neither disappointed.
My fish was lightly battered and golden brown. The generous portion was crisp on the outside without being dry in the center. Fried fish can get pretty heavy, but with its very light battering, this dish avoided that pitfall. It was served over fries with slaw. I normally don’t bother with the slaw, but this batch was clearly freshly made without too much mayo. It was great.
Leah’s rice bowl (which I sampled) was a misnomer. It was an ample portion of red rice, black beans and avocado topped by perfectly seasoned grilled salmon (chicken and prawns were also an option). The entire dish was spiced without being overly spicy — perfect for a warm summer night.
We shared the Maine Blueberry Crumble for dessert. We had to. Blueberries are Maine’s official fruit. It was a warm pastry packed with blueberries and topped with vanilla ice cream. Yum.
After Dinner Entertainment
The evening’s band, Fugitive, was about to start on a stage out at the far edge of the lawn, perhaps 50 yards from us. They were outstanding, playing a mix of standards from the likes of Neil Young and America with some Barenaked Ladies in the mix as well. Considering our family had taken a Barenaked Ladies fan cruise about 15 years ago, we sang along.
The outdoor locale was perfect for enjoying both music and conversation. The band was loud enough to enjoy without overwhelming the space. The Bitter End offers an outdoor bar, where you can purchase a drink and take it with you to the lawn to enjoy the concert.
After dinner we shifted to a couple of Adirondack chairs on the lawn to enjoy some more entertainment. Soon though, like small children, the pups got antsy. So, we headed out to avoid disturbing other guests. While the Bitter End welcomed our furry friends with open arms, I think next time we might leave them home so that we are free to linger a bit more and enjoy an after-dinner drink while listening to some great live music.
If you’ve enjoyed the band Fugitive in Southern Maine, let us know. While listening to them, Leah pulled up their Facebook page and discovered that they’ll often play at Feile, the Irish restaurant in Wells where we play pub trivia.
Free and Cheap Things To Do in Southern Maine
Here are FREE and cheap things to do in Southern Maine in the coming week.