A New David's, David's Opus Ten In Kennebunkport

Chef David Turin is adding two more restaurants to his growing portfolio; David's Kennebunkport and the second David's Opus Ten will both be located in the new Boathouse Hotel & Marina, according to Meredith Goad of The Portland Press Herald. The hotel and restaurants are under construction by the luxury hotel group, Kennebunkport Resort Collection (Hidden Pond, The Tides Beach Club, et al.), on the site where the Landing Hotel and Restaurant used to be.

When David's Kennebunkport opens on May 15, it will have 200 seats and a water view from the harbor side of the Kennebunk River ... The 20-seat Kennebunkport version (of David's Opus Ten) will serve seven courses Tuesday through Thursday and nine courses on Friday and Saturday, just like the Portland restaurant.

This will bring the grand total of restaurant Turin owns to five; he also has his original David's, in Portland's Monument Square and David's 388 in South Portland.

On May 15, The Boathouse Hotel & Marina will open on a prime waterfront site on the harbor side of the Kennebunk River just steps from Dock Square in central Kennebunkport. The impressive structure is comprised of 12-guest rooms set above a new 200-seat restaurant, David's Kennebunkport, helmed by celebrated Portland chef and restaurateur David Turin. With panoramic windows, private balconies, an expansive outdoor deck and deep water dockage for patrons with boats, The Boathouse will become the newest waterside social haunt in Kennebunkport.

The Boathouse Hotel & Marina is the newest addition to the Kennebunkport Resort Collection's portfolio of boutique, luxury properties and restaurants in this iconic coastal resort destination. Centrally located in Kennebunkport, The Boathouse resides where local landmark The Landing Hotel and Restaurant previously existed.

To mark its debut, the hotel is offering a grand opening package exclusively for guests that stay at The Boathouse before July 15, 2013. The Summer Ahoy package is available at a very special rate of $399 (based on double occupancy), which includes two nights' accommodation in a brand new guest room, a Boathouse bag filled with goodies, a one hour golf cart tour of Kennebunkport (weather dependent), and cocktails for two at David's Kennebunkport. Guests can book by calling 877-266-1304, or visiting www.boathouseme.com.

David's Kennebunkport; David' Opus Ten
The focal point and hub of the downstairs social space is David's Kennebunkport restaurant where patrons can converse over cocktails and food while taking in the glistening water views. Diners can sit at an arched mahogany bar made of reclaimed wood from The Landing or moving past the bar area, at tables positioned alongside the floor-to-ceiling windows that open up for al fresco dining during the summer. Additional outdoor dining is available on a wrap-around deck. The kitchen is set behind an expansive shelving of wine bottles, with subtle openings allowing guests to catch a glimpse of the energy of the kitchen.

"David's Kennebunkport will be David Turin's 11th restaurant opening in his 30-year career, and we are so excited to bring this talented chef to the area," said Kennebunkport Resort Collection managing partner and creative director Tim Harrington. "David's cuisine is rooted in tradition with contemporary influences from the surrounding Maine bounty and his world travels. It's a perfect complement to the other great restaurants in town, in a truly magical location."

Executive Chef Turin has put a creative twist on classic coastal menu items. Highlights include: steak and lobster white pizza with garlic butter grilled steak, lobster, roasted tomato, caramelized onion, goat cheese, arugula, cracked pepper, parmesan, lemon and parsley; ginger and scallion crusted salmon with wasabi mashed potatoes and sesame snow peas, asparagus, and a balsamic glaze; and pepper crusted sushi rare tuna with sesame peanut soba noodles, Szechwan citrus dipping sauce, and sesame asparagus.

Within David's Kennebunkport will be David's Opus Ten, a 20-seat restaurant with its own chef-demo area and fixed price, multi-course menu with optional wine pairings. Epicureans will delight in this restaurant-within-a-restaurant concept and enjoy seven courses Tuesday through Thursday or nine courses on Friday and Saturday. With only one seating offered per evening, the menu is fluid based on chef's inspiration and availability of seasonal fish, meats and produce, offering a symphony of flavors. Sample menu items include butter poached lobster with risotto cake, citrus truffle, and mixed greens, lamb saddle with lamb pressé, sweet potato hash, and kale braise, and for dessert, lemon raspberry sorbet with frozen basil infused vodka.

Nautically influenced design
Envisioning a chic, nautically inspired atmosphere, Tim Harrington worked with noted Portland designer Tracy A. Davis of Urban Dwellings to create a space reminiscent of the interior of a sophisticated yacht. Inspired by the waterside location, the hotel's public spaces are layered in shades of pearly white, crisp blue and smoky chocolate fabrics, stylishly accented by hand-blown glass fixtures and modern artwork. The reception area is outfitted with plush sofas and wing chairs creating comfortable social spaces for guests to linger over cocktails and leaf through substantial Taschen lifestyle books. The check-in desk, inspired by Kennebunkport's history as a shipbuilding and fishing village, is suggestive of the hull of a boat. Expanses of dark wood paneling serve to unite the public spaces and complement the yacht-like atmosphere.

A lustrous staircase leads guests up to the 12 guest rooms on the second floor. In the rooms, Davis extends the color palette from the social spaces again utilizing wood paneling to add texture, accented with white walls and shades of blue. Rooms exude warmth and elegance with custom headboards, mahogany cabinetry and rich geometric carpeting. Generously oversized windows and private balconies with cozy seating encourage guests to enjoy a good book or soak up the sweeping views. Thoughtful in-room amenities include Maine-made Cuddledown bedding, Keurig coffee makers, Turkish bath linens, and iPod docking stations.

Just steps from town, The Boathouse offers easy access to Kennebunkport's collection of shops, boutiques, restaurants and the beach. For additional information and reservations, please visit www.boathouseme.com or call 877-266-1304.

David's Opus Ten

22 Monument Square, Portland, ME Visit Website