For over 15 years, Blue Moon Market and Café was a natural food store and casual restaurant. But in the fall of 2010 it morphed into Blue Moon Evolution, an elegant but unfussy lunch and dinner restaurant complete with refined table service, candlelight, white tablecloths, fresh flowers, and a superb locavore fine-dining menu. Much more than a glorified café, it’s worth seeking out this new Moon.

The Gallant family, with mom Kathy at the lead, has been passionately pursuing healthful eating since Blue Moon’s inception in 1995. Gallant has implemented progressive details into menus along the way, including introducing humanely raised animal products and pioneering the use of local items in a fine-dining setting. Chef Ted McCormack, educated at Johnson and Wales and Le Cordon Bleu, procures all manner of foods from several dozen area farms.

Gallant is committed to educating the community about our food supply. With holistic health and wellness counselor Tracey Miller she’s launched the Food and Health Forum (foodandhealthforum.com), a local-sourced dinner and speaker series, that, she says is “designed to inspire conversation about what we eat, where our food comes from, and how it affects our health.” Taste is now a sponsor of the series.

Boards, items served on polished wooden planks, are one of the eatery’s signatures. The Cheese Board offers an ample trio of New England cheeses, like a creamy Vermont Brie, Maine raw Cheddar, and sheep’s milk feta from New Hampshire. Accompaniments include local honeycomb and house-made apple-pear chutney. The Vegan Board would also delight a raw foodist, with raw sunflower pâté, marinated vegetables, and flax–sundried tomato crisps. TheCharcuterie Board serves up house-prepared pasture-raised meat delicacies with whole-grain mustard and toasted baguette slices alongside.

A Ratatouille Tart starter, laden with local veggies like eggplant, zucchini, and tomato and local Cheddar, is baked in a flaky crust made with whole-wheat pastry flour from New Hampshire’s Brookford Farm. In season, there’s also a savory Pumpkin Tart. The Farmhouse Greens salad is a treat of Meadow’s Mirth organic greens tossed with slightly sweet roasted shallot vinaigrette and topped with a perfectly poached Brookford Farm egg and two rashers of Kellie Brook Farm sugar- and salt-cured bacon (no nitrites here).

For entrees, Kellie Brook Farm Pork and Roasted Pear is a pan-seared, pecan-crusted pork loin. Grilled Trout comes with roasted wild mushrooms and horseradish crème fraîche. Free-range Statler chickens raised in nearby Northwood for Blue Moon Evolution are used in Andrea’s Chicken Under a Brick, a sublime dish simply seasoned with parsley, sea salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Local Grass-Fed London Broil is grilled to order and served with red wine reduction and Great Hill Blue cheese.

The dessert menu is short and sweet. The Creamy Cashew Cocoa Torte is fully vegan and made with raw ingredients. Crème Brûlée flavors vary—a special Gingersnap version is made with 80 proof Snap Gingersnap liqueur for a spicy kick.

Blue Moon Evolution offers wine by the bottle, glass, and half glass—a nice option, especially if you’re interested in trying more than one variety. Creative bartender Lenny Willis, a yoga instructor by day, concocts original cocktails like the Precocious Pear, with Maker’s Mark Bourbon, muddled poached pear, lemon juice, and spiced simple syrup. The Beetnik After Dark contains organic beet-infused tequila, Lillet, Cointreau, lemon, and agave. Local beers offered include two that are gluten free, and also worth a try are the honey wines from Moonlight Meadery of Londonderry, New Hampshire—great with the Cheese Board.

A full three-quarters of Blue Moon Evolution’s menu is gluten free, including delicious crusty, chewy French-style bread delivered upon request. There are numerous choices for vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists, and conscientious omnivores. —

Blue Moon Evolution
8 Clifford Street
Exeter, N.H.
603-778-6850

Ian Thomas doesn’t set out to create a signature dish—it’s more an act of spontaneity, a dash of chance.

As the Executive Chef of The District restaurant explains, anyone can create an elaborate, beautiful-to-look-at dish—but it takes “real genius” to craft something that’s straightforward, yet elegant and, most important, delicious. “The simplest dishes usually become the signature ones,” says Thomas, who is most inspired by French and Asian fare.

And in The District’s case, simple and signature are synonymous with fresh and local. The Portsmouth restaurant, which opened its doors in July 2011, has wholeheartedly dedicated itself to using in-season, from-scratch ingredients grown, raised, and caught locally. Menus change with the seasons, using fruit, vegetables and meats culled from roughly a dozen farms in New Hampshire and Maine, as well as seafood from area fishermen. The restaurant even enlists a local mushroom forager.

“We say we’re seasonal—no joke, our food menu changes twice a week,” says David Takis, who co-owns the restaurant with Kelly Gove. “If we can’t get it fresh and local, we won’t have it on the menu.”

Coming in from the bustle and din of Portsmouth’s Congress Street, visitors are greeted by a warm and welcoming atmosphere—soft hanging lights, a polished concrete bar, muted redbrick walls featuring a rotation of local artists. And when the weather’s right, The District offers patio dining. It’s open for lunch and dinner.

For a starter, you might consider a Goat Cheese Salad with seasonal fruit, drizzled with 18-year-old balsamic dressing. Or there’s a Farmers’ Market Salad, bursting with local lettuce and vegetables. Other staples include Crab Cakes. The Braised Short Rib Taco has Asian flavors, with a Korean barbecue sauce, house-made kim chi, and an apple slaw.

For the main course there’s the sumptuous Rib Eye Burger—available for both lunch and dinner—served with perfectly melted Maine cheddar cheese, a side of delicious hand-cut fries, and the restaurant’s Farmers Reserve ketchup, with the choice of a fried egg or maple-cured bacon as add-ons. Beyond that, there’s an ever-changing medley of chicken, duck, beef, and seafood dishes mixed and braised with in-season vegetables, sauces, and other sides.

Signature spring ensembles may include a Tuna Tartar, with edamame, red onion, and fresh herbs. Spring Lamb Pierogi, meanwhile, features wild Vermont ramps and a Chantenay carrot sauce. Then there’s the Butter Poached Local Cod, served with a sorrel puree and fresh morel mushrooms.

Desserts offer heady seductive enticements, like the Belgian Chocolate Overload, a rich espresso brownie served with stout ice cream, a pistachio truffle, and hot chocolate. Carrot cake is transformed in a Butterscotch Trifle, layered with pumpkin mousse. Warm Gingerbread has a rich molasses flavor that matches well with the accompanying bourbon eggnog ice cream. Definitely worth saving room for.

As for drinks, The District serves local beers, including several from Peak Organic Beer in Portland; Smuttynose Brewing Company and Redhook Brewery, both in Portsmouth; and Berkshire Brewing Company in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. The wine list includes similarly local names and changes four to six times a year, according to Takis.

When it comes to cocktails, the springtime Rhubarb Mojito is popular, a fresh mixture of pureed local rhubarb, clementine vodka, cane sugar, local mint, fresh citrus soda water, and Sprite. “It’s a really refreshing cocktail, great on the patio,” says Takis. Other signature drinks include the District Martini, made with Cold River Gin and garnished with a Gorgonzola-stuffed olive, and the X-Bellini, a mix of X-Rated Fusion Liqueur, prosecco, and seasonal fruit. Thomas notes that most cocktails are garnished with fresh local basil or other herbs often grown in his or other chefs’ gardens.

Visits to farmers’ markets and informal chats with local growers inspire Thomas, a graduate of Atlantic Culinary Academy’s Le Cordon Bleu program. “We are a from-scratch restaurant,” he says. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

The District
103 Congress Street
Portsmouth, N.H.
603-501-0586

Photography by Tony Scarpetta

After Congress Street meets Middle Street heading away from downtown Portsmouth, it becomes Islington, and veers slightly off the beaten path. But it’s worth exploring those extra few blocks to discover The Kitchen.

Open since May 2011, The Kitchen occupies the former Celebrity Sandwich space. Like that eatery, The Kitchen is a relaxed, casual, and visually interesting space, but that is where their similarities end. “If you compare us to any past or existing deli or sandwich shop, you don’t understand what we are doing here,” says Matt Greco, who co-owns the eatery with Michael Prete. “We grew up in the deli meccas of southern Connecticut and New Jersey, both near New York City. That cultural background plus our global cooking experiences amount to this menu.” The menu he’s referring to includes breakfast, lunch, and early supper and reflects an international influence.

The breakfast menu features an extensive list of unique plates and quick takeaways to start the day. Migas Taco is a Tex-Mex breakfast of scrambled eggs, Cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, beans, pickled red onions, and crispy corn tortilla strips. Breakfast Burritos please every preference from the Plain Jane (eggs, Cheddar, and potato) to the complex and hearty Black Bean Burrito. The substantial fresh fruit­-filled Stuffed Brioche French Toast comes with lemon-thyme butter and maple-rum syrup. Meat lovers may celebrate the morning with Three Little Pigs, bacon-wrapped sausages, two eggs, home fries, and toast, with a side of sausage gravy. Try the unusual Heffur and Juevos: two scrambled eggs accompanied by parsley salad and roasted marrow bones, served with crostinis.

Greco and Prete reveal their extensive and expansive experience in their afternoon menu as well. With the exception of the sandwich bread sourced from a local bakery, these two chefs make everything from scratch with flair and creativity. Sandwiches reflect a world of flavors, like Vietnamese Bahn Mi, French bread topped with chicken liver pate, pulled pork, and marinated carrots. The Italian Tuna is filled with artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, olive oil-cured tuna, and lemon. Curry Turkey hints at Madras cuisine with curried mayonnaise moistening roasted turkey, cucumbers, and cilantro. The sub-style Po Boy has mounds of crispy fried Maine shrimp with Creole spices and roasted red pepper mayonnaise.

Hefty burgers are made with 80 percent lean Angus beef (plus a veggie Black Bean and Sweet Potato Burger), and several varieties of Hot Dawgs come with toppings like baked beans or sauerkraut. Not to miss is the Bolognese Sauce, available on both an individual Grilled Flat Bread Pizza or bucatini pasta. Greco’s super secret recipe includes beef, veal, and pork, with a persistent orange background from Grand Marnier and orange zest.

Salads include Classic Cobb, Caesar with optional chicken or steak additions, and the elegant Rocket Salad: Bitter baby arugula, tangy goat cheese, mild pine nuts, and seasonal fruit tossed with balsamic-agave reduction vinaigrette. For sides, try Spudsters., This upscale twist on Tater Tots is a fun and indulgent side dish any time of day: fried quenelles of mashed potatoes dredged in your choice of seasonings (BBQ, Garlic & Parm, Creole, Salt & Pepper) and served with exceptional dipping sauces like Truffle Ketchup and Smoked Paprika Aioli.

The Kitchen’s house-made ice creams are a sweet way to get a final portion of vegetables into your daily diet. Green Bliss is a playful combination of kale, banana, and agave. Butternut Squash Ice Cream combines with baked apple Indian Pudding as a dessert special. Other desserts include cookies and mini cupcakes.

The White Barn Inn restaurant is certainly a special occasion restaurant – and December is an particularly special time to dine here, as it’s open on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Grand Chef Jonathan Cartwright, who originally hails from Great Britain, oversees the kitchen. Cartwright has been with the White Barn Inn since 1995 – and he says the dining public has changed in 16 years. “When I first came, people dined for energy,” he says. They might have a meal before going out for another activity. “Now the meal is the main event.”

The restaurant is located in two converted nineteenth-century barns (yes, painted white). The ambiance is a blend of rustic and elegant, with natural wooden walls decorated with vintage farm tools combined with white linen tablecloths and crystal. Then there’s the food. The restaurant is open daily for dinner, with a four-course prix fixe of $103. Courses include an appetizer, intermezzo (such as Roasted Red Pepper Sorbet or Local Seafood Minestrone), entrée, and dessert.

Each course offers a choice of six to eight items, and the menu changes almost weekly, although certain signature dishes are always available, like a Beef Tenderloin, with varying preparations. Not surprisingly (this is Maine, after all), lobster shines, as in the appetizer Lobster Spring Roll with a Thai Inspired Spicy Sweet Sauce and the popular entrée Steamed Maine Lobster Nestled on a Bed of Homemade Fettuccine with Cognac Coral Butter Sauce.

The offerings include a full range of vegetarian, seafood, poultry, and red meat, often not the usual choices, with pheasant and venison on the menu. There are creative uses of ingredients, as in the Variation of Yellowfin Tuna trio (Coconut and Cucumber Marinated, Tartare with Tomato Caviar, and Seared with Sesame Seaweed Salad). Desserts include creative takes on the requisite flourless chocolate cake and crème brulée, plus exotic plates like Pineapple Carpaccio with Coconut Lemongrass Panna Cotta, Lime Sherbet, and Citrus Salad. In addition to the four courses are a few mini courses, complements of the chef. There’s an amuse bouche to start, plus a pre-dessert, and finally a plate of petit fours.

There’s also an elaborate the nine-course Grand Chef’s Tasting Menu for $140, and wine parings are offered as well as wine by the bottle or glass.

The White Barn Inn is one of the few area establishments open for Christmas dinner, three courses for $89, and carolers serenade diners. “We go a little more traditional for Christmas,” says Cartwright. Entrees include Roast Goose and Beef Wellington, with desserts like Baked Alaska and Christmas Pudding, a nod to Cartwright’s British roots.

New Year’s Eve is a no-holds barred occasion – the $290 price tag includes six courses (“We use caviar, we use truffles, things like that,” says Cartwright), dancing to a live band, plus midnight champagne, when the doors to the kitchen open and staff and guests toast the new year together.

White Barn Inn
37 Beach Avenue
Kennebunk Beach, Maine
207-967-2321

Everyone loves a cozy neighborhood joint where they can have a few drinks with dinner and catch up with pals. But you’ll find more than that at Phat Cats Bistro in Amesbury, Massachusetts, where everything—down to the crunchy lemon-pepper oyster crackers that adorn the fish chowder—is made from scratch.

Although Phat Cats Bistro has been open since 2007, it still flies a bit under the radar, tucked away in a residential area outside Market Square. “We’re located just a couple blocks out of the downtown,” says Pastry Chef Christina Johnson, who co-owns Phat Cats with Chef Paul Eastman. “A lot of times people don’t know we’re here.”

Wander those extra blocks and you’ll be in for a treat. The decor is warm and comfortable, with exposed brick walls, a tin ceiling, charmingly mismatched furniture, and a wide, curving bar. “It’s nice being outside of town,” Johnson says. “We’re in a neighborhood area and we get a lot of neighborhood people,” which is fitting, since she and Eastman live right across the street.

The menu offers the chefs’ interpretations of classic comfort foods and New England specialties. The Calamari starter is thinly sliced  and lightly fried, served with a zippy chipotle dipping sauce. Another standout starter is the Baked Blues, squares of crunchy crostini topped with bacon, shallots, and rich, melted blue cheese, served with house-made spiced nuts. The New England Potato Cakes are light and tasty fish cakes, heavier on the fish than the potatoes, despite the name, with generous chunks of local haddock. They’re served on a bed of pickled vegetables, which provides a tangy complement.

The potatoes in the fish cakes and throughout the menu come from Heron Pond Farm, just up the street in South Hampton. “They’re by far the most delicious potatoes I’ve ever tasted,” Johnson says, and she’s right. Creamy and sweet, they accompany dishes like the Bistro Steak, thinly sliced hanger steak cooked rare with mushrooms. A pan-roasted version of the steak is paired with wild shrimp in the Surf and Turf Risotto, a multigrain combination of Arborio rice, red rice, and barley. The Black Angus Beef Short Ribs are fall-apart tender, braised in local beer and served with a thick reduction. And the customer fave Lazy Lobster with Pillows is fantastic—sauteed lobster with house-made ravioli in a vermouth cream sauce. The savory Herb and Cheese Scones are a nice accompaniment.

Daily specials include different fish choices each night. “People that come in on a regular basis don’t even look at the menu,” Johnson says. “They just go right to the specials board.” Some visitors might also go right to the bar, since Phat Cats runs monthly wine and beer nights, pairing wines with $5 tapas on the fourth Thursday of each month, and local beers with beer-friendly selections on the second Thursday. Other popular bar selections include the Sangria, the Phat Cat Cosmo made with cranberry puree, and the pomegranate-orange Merrimack Martini.

Dessert, Johnson’s specialty, is a must at Phat Cats. Chocophiles can revel in the Chocolate Hangover Cake, a triple threat of chocolate-mousse-filled chocolate layer cake, topped with ganache, plus a berry compote for balance. Refreshing for warmer weather is the Seasonal Fruit Tart, fresh fruit in a shortbread crust.

Locally sourced ingredients, expert preparations, and fabulous desserts—it all adds up to the kind of atmosphere that Johnson and Eastman wanted for their bistro: casual comfort with great food and drinks. As Johnson says, “If you’re by yourself, if you’re with a group of people, you can feel very comfortable coming here." 

Phat Cats Bistro
65A Market Street
Amesbury, Mass.
978-388-2777

It takes a sharp eye to discern the understated sign that hangs amid the attractive clutter of business shingles along Shore Road in Ogunquit. But 98 Provence Bistro is a place well worth seeking, especially if you have a hankering for French fare like pain au chocolat or crispy friture de grenouilles. Tiny, well-tended flower beds lead to the front door. When you pass through that door, you’ll be transported to the French Provençal countryside.

The dining room is charming and comfortable. Overhead beams, a magnificent stone fireplace, honey-colored wide-plank pine floors, and colorful French tablecloths set the tone. A number of painted plaster roosters are displayed strategically around the space.

Chef Pierre Gignac studied at Institut d’Hotelerie et Tourisme du Quebec and has been cooking French country food at 98 Provence, which serves breakfast and dinner, since he, his sister Johanne, and their respective spouses opened the place in 1995. Breakfast fare includes croissants, Eggs En Cocotte (baked with cream, leeks, and Gruyere), and Buckwheat Pancakes with smoked salmon and crème fraiche.

For dinner, each item is listed in French, with a translation. Crispy Frog’s Legs with Stewed French Lentils and Parsley Aioli is a distinctly French appetizer. The moist, blond-crusted frog legs rest on a neat bed of lentils stewed with basil and carrots and sweetened with a touch of sherry vinegar and veal demi-glace. A lighter starter is the Spring Garden Vegetable Soup in a robust chicken broth sporting a colorful confetti of fresh fava beans, carrots, peas, onions, red bell peppers, and chives.

Given the eatery’s coastal town location, seafood is naturally on the menu. Maine Lobster Parmentier with New Potatoes and Parmesan boasts lobster meat topped with Parmesan mashed potatoes and layered with artichokes in a neat stack. Sea Scallops Sauteed Grenobloise with Cauliflower Cream are lightly seared fresh jumbo scallops with a zippy browned butter, capers, and citrus accents. Not to be missed is the Fisherman’s Soup with Local Seafood and Flavors of Provence. Gignac says the soup is so popular he never takes it off the menu, no matter the season.

Land is well represented on the menu as well. The hearty Slow Braised Lamb Shank with Vadouvan Curry and Chick Pea Gnocchi, is subtly complex, with earthy flavors and tender lamb. Vadouvan curry is a French interpretation of the milder Masala-style curry, an appealing blend of turmeric, cumin, curry leaves, and coriander with a French shallot accent. Baby Chicken Breast with Pistachio and Stewed Leg with Niçoise Olives is a complex layering of flavors, including porcini mushrooms, tawny port, brandy, red wine, lardons of apple wood–smoked bacon, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary. In the French spirit, there’s a trio of prix fixe three-course dinners.

Pastry Chef Michele Cross concocts delicious desserts. The Chocolate Hazelnut Moelleux with Espresso Ice Cream is a rich compact cake crumbly with hazelnuts and chocolate nibs, accompanied by the perfect portion of house-made coffee ice cream. The Nougat Glacé is a sublime, ambrosial dessert of desserts that is beautiful to behold. This true nougat is a frozen blend of whipped cream and Italian meringue inlaid with broken bits of candied almonds and dried fruits. An entourage of fresh berries, raspberry coulis, and a few perfect strips of candied grapefruit zest surrounds it.

Other after-dinner delights include an extensive cheese selection, nearly a dozen cordials, several ports and sherries from the bar, and coffee drinks from the barista.

Photographs: Courtesy of 98 Provence Bistro

Robert’s Maine Grill, located on busy Route 1 in the heart of outlet country, is a large restaurant that specializes in individualized attention. Five years ago, Michael Landgarten opened the restaurant as a kind of upscale companion to his Bob’s Clam Shack. “At the very, very beginning, we were a little more fancy, higher end,” says Eileen Conlon, Director of Organization Development. “That shifted a bit with time. People were nervous to come in off the strip. Now we advertise that flip flops are welcome.”

The space is light and airy, with seats for 238 and room for another 32 on the back deck – a quiet oasis overlooking Spruce Creek, hidden from the traffic and sprawl of stores. The food is all about Maine. Conlon says they aim for “excellent food, excellent service – but casual, a place where families can come and get traditional Maine food tweaked to make it more up to date.”

One of those tweaks is the extremely popular Seafood Paella. Served in a cast-iron pan, this rice dish is loaded with haddock, mussels, shrimp, and chorizo, with a kick from jalapenos. TheLobster Cobb Salad includes bacon, blue cheese, and avocado. Executive Chef Brendon Blethen enjoys making the most of local ingredients. He grew up in Kittery, and his brother and nephew are both fishermen. “One item I may put on the menu for the fall,” he says, “is our Lobster Mac and Cheese.” The luscious dish has been a special over the summer, made with nearby Pineland Farms Smoked Cheddar, and response has been very favorable.

Meat doesn’t get short shrift here – the burgers are excellent, and the Turkey Sandwich, served on When Pigs Fly cranberry bread, is one of the more popular lunch items. Also at lunch, Conlon says. “I almost always have the salad – the Summer Salad, with fresh grilled local vegetables and Great Hill Blue Cheese vinaigrette dressing, is just a great salad. If you want can add chicken, shrimp, haddock. It’s a nice meal.”

Desserts come from local bakeries Beach Pea in Kittery and Bread and Roses in Ogunquit. There’s also the popular housemadeBlueberry Crumble, great topped with vanilla ice cream.

Part of the customer service focus includes an allergy friendly menu. Gluten free items are noted, and many dishes can be made to accommodate both allergies and personal taste. “We pride ourselves on being able to adjust our menu in the moment for people who have allergies or intolerances toward certain foods,” Blethen says. “We can offer almost every dish gluten free. We’re getting a lot people that come back because they’re very impressed with our ability to take of them from appetizers through desserts.”

This accommodating attitude extends beyond special diets. Robert’s aims to please, and succeeds, with great food, great service, and a great atmosphere.

Executive Chef Dan Rean has been working with Jay for several years. "What makes a meal great is the best, freshest ingredients," Rean says. "I try not to change them too much so those ingredients shine through." While the menu reflects the seasons, there are dishes that stay year-round, namely the Osso Bucco (Madeira-braised veal shanks) and Chicken Saltimbocca (with prosciutto, Fontina, and sage).

In the summer, Kreckow says they try to lighten up the offerings, and have several seafood and veggie choices. Napoletana has grilled eggplant, portobellos, and other vegetables with goat cheese, polenta, red sauce, and pesto. Seafood Fra Diavolo includes scallops, shrimps, and mussels. A nice summer dessert is the Lemoncello Cake, served with blueberries. And the Tiramisu is always good.

Radici takes beverages seriously, with more than a dozen wines available by the glass, and a number of refreshing cocktails like Floradora (Hendrick's gin, lime juice, raspberry syrup, ginger beer) and Radici Rum Punch. Sunday brunch has the tempting make-your-own Bloody Mary bar.

Restaurants often have a reputation as revolving door of employees, but that's not the case at Radici. "Most everyone has been here for years and years," Krecklow says. "It sounds a little corny, but everyone cares about the end product. Making the customer happy is the biggest thing for sure. We have a good time, but are also serious about what we do." And what they do is make very, very good food, accompanied by terrific service.

The 75-seat restaurant is open for dinner nightly, with brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.