Maine Sunday Telegram: 4 Stars for Boone's Fish House

Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room, the newest of chef Harding Lee Smith's four Rooms, received four (out of five) stars from Shonna Milliken Humphrey in the Maine Sunday Telegram. The overhauled waterfront space, where the original Boone's opened over a century ago and that the controversial Smith re-opened last month, "is impressive, with two completely remodeled levels of gorgeous wood floors and exposed beam ceilings," writes Humphrey.

Her party sits outside upstairs where the people watching is good but the decibels can be high because of the neighboring docks and patios: "Not just loud, but like a weird and impromptu parking lot fiesta, part frat party and part wedding reception." For starters, the Tuna Tartare and Oysters on Piggy Back are hits. The latter "were fat, breaded and fried oysters topping a layer of pork confit" served on crostinis.

For main courses, Humphrey says to stick with the seafood:

While the six grilled sea scallops with Buerre Blanc were enormous with a robust woody flavor, the Fried Oysters won our table's "best in show." These fried oysters were priced at $21 for a 1/2 pint and a full pint for $25, so it made sense to order a mammoth brown bag full of them. While we got a hint of the preparation with the Oysters on Piggyback appetizer, nothing prepared us for the brown bag, neatly folded and tipped on its side with a massive show of lightly breaded oysters spilling out. Add a tartar sauce and spicy mayo, and we happily kept plucking and dunking.

The Carpet Bagger Steak (a wood-grilled ribeye stuffed with oyster saute) doesn't live up to expectations. Ordered medium, "What arrived was extraordinarily well-done. Tasty, but chewy." Pies, both blueberry and raspberry peach, were deemed good. Service was attentive without being intrusive. [MST]
· All Coverage of Boone's Fish House & Oyster Room [~EMAINE~]
Boone's. [Photo: Foursquare]