That the Dip Net in Port Clyde has had more exposure lately than one would expect for a funky little outpost on the edge of a dock is no surprise when you consider the reasons.

At first I had heard that the Dip Net had closed, which was a great disappointment because I was on my way up to Tenant’s Harbor to spend the week and always looked forward to having lunch there in good weather; and if not there were always a few tables inside to enjoy their unique menu.  The Old Dip Net went way beyond the norm, and was a delicious anomaly to dockside dining.

Fortunately I learned before the New York Times pounced on the story ( a slow news day?) that the Dip Next had indeed changed hands and was in full operation under the patronage of Maine’s very own Linda Bean, LL Bean heiress and Foreside resident. She bought the dock, the Dip and the Port Clyde General Store lock, stock and barrel.

Indeed Maine has suddenly become a culinary powerhouse in the eyes of a national readership promulgated by the New York Times, which seems to have a penchant for all things Maine.  And why not?  From Linda Bean’s controversial nose dive into the waters of the lobster industry to a stunning report recognizing the state’s largest city as a darling of gastronomy, it’s a wonder that the paper just doesn’t print a Maine edition.

I also got a few letters after the fact wondering if I’d been to the newly staged Dip Net.  Well, I have and here’s what I have to say about it. 

The entire operation is in full swing.  The General Store is better stocked than it’s ever been.  It still has the funky lunch counter and the salty Down East staff holding forth.  The outside dock and dining area is all spiffed up, too: new tables, new umbrellas and new waitresses, some of whom had too much hair, makeup and perfume  to sling and sell dining in the rough. 

But it’s not so rough anymore, is it?  As for the food, it’s perfectly decent and well prepared but nothing like Scott Yakovenko’s original Dip Net with his fabulous bouillabaisse, fish cakes with lemon caper oil or monk fish nuggets with chipotle aioli or his other signature dishes. The Old Dip Net was the irreverent and deliciously daring  providor for  lobster pound provender. 

The present Dip Net has all the basics, from lobster bisque to fried clam baskets.  I tried the bisque—an unremarkable example of what can otherwise be so good. And the fish chowder on another occasion was good enough but boringly textbook.  The lobster salad was lobster salad, and the  fried clams  were good, with high clam flavor, fat bellies and  decent breading.

I suppose if it weren’t for the view and setting there would be no need to travel all the way to the tip of the Saint George Peninsula for something that might be available along Route 1 and just as good.  But the waterside setting on a perfect summer or fall day makes the destination worthwhile regardless.

I like to think of the Saint George Peninsula as the gateway to the culinary wonders of the Mid Coast.  That 13 mile stretch from Route 1 through Tenant’s Harbor, Martinsville and Port Clyde is largely untouched and offers some of the most dramatic scenery along Moscongous Bay.  I’ve been going there for a number of years and have visited every restaurant on and around the peninsula. 

There’s no better than Miller’s Lobster or Waterman’s Lobster both for setting and simplicity and quality of the fare that’s served.  Alas they close at the stroke of Labor Day and I missed going there this time.

There used to be a fairly good restaurant in Tenant’s Harbor called Sul Mare, which prepared excellent Italian food. But the kitchen was very inconsistent, and in the height of the summer the dark, cavernous room was sweltering and nearly unbearable to eat in.  But when it was good it was fabulous. 

That’s now closed and in its place is the Clam Man, which opened towards the end of September.   I haven’t eaten there but walked in on opening day.  The menu is strangely centered on German fare.  The owner is German and the chef is local.  I don’t get it.  But it’s also meant to become a local year-round hangout, which are few and far between along the peninsula.  Maybe Schnitzel and Sauerbraten will be comforting  during those long, bleak winter months.  I hope so.

The other long-standing eatery is the Farmer in Tenant’s Harbor.  It epitomizes the term “family dining.”  The food there is about as basic as you can get.  It’s good, wholesome, and cheap and goes down very easily.  Don’t expect much in décor or ambiance.  There is none, but lots of back-slapping, plaid shirt camaraderie and local color give it some buzz.

Then there’s the Harpoon.  Never have I been to a more unattractive restaurant that was so much fun to go to.  The food is OK and prepared in earnest.  At this writing they’re closed for the season but the bar stays open a bit longer and serves killer hamburgers. 

The night I was there in late September, the place was packed.  The owner walks around the room stopping at each table because he knows everyone there.  I was probably the only nonlocal.   Our waitress was a teacher at the local high school and behind us were the principal and her family.  The young people who were eating there l stopped by to pay homage to their very affable educator.

If Saint George is just a starting point in a culinary tour of the Mid Coast, then what lies ahead for the rest of the area is chockfull of incredible dining and local food opportunities.  From the small family farms with their heirloom vegetables and heritage meats and poultry products, the region is a gold mine for the locovore.

The farmers markets from Rockland to Belfast are wonderful, and Chase’s Daily in Belfast is an incredible facility offering superb vegetarian dining all made from their farm-raised produce that is beautifully displayed in the store.

In subsequent posts I’ll cover all this in more detail including Rockland’s great restaurants, Camden’s top choices and the newest addition to the area--the Farmer’s Fare on Route 90 just off Route 1 in Rockport.  Here is an incredible farm-to table emporium that has become what the Portland Public Market intended to be but never was.

More to come. . . .