Moody's 'Is Authentic Still'; 4 Stars For Ribollita; And More

Moody's Diner in Waldoboro begins and ends John Golden's Saturday outing to the mid-coast, chronicled on his blog for The Portland Press Herald, The Golden Dish. He and a friend stop in for breakfast before going on to Camden and Rockport, then return for lunch on the way back to "the big city." Highlights are: "deliciously crusty corned beef hash," a cheese-infused sausage called Cheddarwurst, and two old-timey sandwiches on white toast - turkey and ham salad.

I grant you that Moody's is hardly a palace of gastronomy to make this the focal point for a food foray. But what's more wholesome and hearty than good diner food? Besides, Moody's no-frills New England cooking is authentic still.

Another stalwart, "quiet and unassuming" Ribollita in Portland, gets four stars from Shonna Milliken Humphrey in The Portland Press Herald. Despite her displeasure with soggy polenta-crusted calamari, she finds that "Ribollita's long-standing reputation is well-deserved."

While Middle Street in March is not a sun-filled Italian avenue, nor is the Ribollita experience more than it ever claims, it is abundant and rich in flavors from the birthplace of Italy's Renaissance masters — making spring seem just around the corner.

A few years after a first not-so-great experience with Bonobo, the Map & Menu bloggers decide to give it a go again and are happily surprised by both the food and the value.

The Lunch for Two special has to be one of the better food deals in town – a pizza, and two salads for $20 – so we ordered the Peruvian (blue potatoes, ricotta and bacon), two caesar salads, a glass of wine, and my still-all-time-favorite Maine Beer Co. Peeper. Our meal was fantastic! The bacon on the Peruvian wasn't overpowering, and the garlic crust was delicious. We had no trouble polishing off every last bite.

Kate McCarty of The Blueberry Files blog and fellow blogger Vrylena try the new lunch menu at Bresca, finding it "more than a mid-day obligation to refuel oneself for the rest of the day." She opts for soup and salad, with mostly good things to say:

A good butternut squash soup is hard to find, as it can be overly sweet or fall flat. But this soup was well rounded, a thick puree full of well-balanced flavor. The popcorn was beyond me, as it quickly grew soggy, and then compressed into my molars as I ate it, but oh well.

· My Day At Moody's [TGD]
· You Can't See Italy From Here, But You Can Certainly Taste It [PPH]
· Bonobo Pizza [M&M]
· Lunch at Bresca [TBF]

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Moody's Diner

1885 Atlantic Highway, Waldoboro, ME 04572 207-832-7785 Visit Website