Sea Fare
Dimillo’s local ingredients and fresh seafood bring in waves of
locals and tourists
The dining rooms at Dimillo’s Floating Restaurant and Marina (25 Long Wharf, 207.772.2216; dimillos.com), one of the largest floating restaurants in the country, offer a combination of Down East and Italian specialties framed by spectacular views of Casco Bay.
“We try to take regional cuisine to the next level,” says Chef Melissa Bouchard. “When you have access to some of the world’s greatest seafood, you have to give it center stage.”
Bouchard began preparing salads at Dimillo’s in 1998, while working her way through school studying to become a medical assistant. She progressed to line cook and then sous chef, and in March of last year was promoted to chef. She supervises a kitchen crew numbering between 40 and 60, depending on the season. During a busy day in the summer, Dimillo’s serves more than 1,200 meals.
“It was important for me to get a college degree, but I always wanted to cook,” Bouchard says. “I’ve been in the kitchen since I was 11, when my mom taught me to make finnan haddie. I learned early on that ingredients are just as important as execution.”
If seafood takes center stage at Dimillo’s, lobsters are the headliners. The restaurant prepares more than 300 on a typical day. In addition to being served whole, the crustacean is available out of the shell as Lazy Lobster (sautéed in butter and sherry) or a lobster pie (baked in Newburg sauce with seasoned bread crumbs). There is a large selection of simply broiled fish and shellfish, as well as the popular Fisherman’s Platter, a fried assortment of haddock, scallops, shrimp, clams, and onion rings. Italian specialties showcase Dimillo family recipes, such as the recently added Sicilian rib eye steak, which is marinated in red wine, house dressing, and spices before cooking. Throughout the menu, the emphasis on local ingredients is strong.
“The reemergence of regional cooking has changed everything,” says Bouchard. “In the 1980s, many restaurants relied on frozen materials. Today, if we don’t make it here, we buy it from our neighbors. We make all our own dressings, sauces, and breadcrumbs and butcher our own fish and steaks. But we use bread from a local bakery. All our seafood comes from vendors who have been approved by a food safety program.”
Perhaps because of that focus on local flavors, Dimillo’s is just as popular with locals as it is with tourists. Patrons enjoy gathering on the decks in warm weather with a cocktail or a glass of wine, sharing appetizers, and watching the sunset. It’s a good venue for those who want to trade the familiar burgers and chicken wings for crab cakes, steamed clams, and haddock chowder.
The sense of community also appeals to Bouchard, whose family has lived in Maine for over a century. She believes that her work ethic is due to her Down East background, and that her neighbors are completely unique.
“They enjoy life and enjoy a good meal,” she says. “They work hard, and they’re not wasteful. In a way, they’re like the salt in the ocean.”
— Mark Spivak
Four More to Try
1
Bibo’s Madd Apple Café. 23 Forest Ave., 207.774.9698. In Portland’s Arts District, Culinary Institute of America grad Bill Boutwell creates dishes like grilled dukka-crusted salmon and spring rolls with fried portabella, artichoke, and apple wood–smoked goat cheese.
2
Great Lost Bear. 540 Forest Ave., 207.772.0300. As the slogan proclaims, “good times are in the air” at this local hangout, perhaps because of the 57 microbrews on tap — 15 of them from Maine.
3
The Roma Café. 769 Congress St., 207.773.9873. Located in a faithfully restored 19th-century mansion, Portland’s most romantic restaurant serves Italian specialties in a Victorian atmosphere.
4
Walter’s Café. 15 Exchange St., 207.871.9258. A favorite since 1989, Walter’s blends the unusual (oxtail and scamorza eggrolls) and local specialties (Maine peeky-toe crab cakes), with a focus on pasta and fresh fish. — M.S.
