Sandy Summer

My wife and I sat at the chef’s counter. We were greeted by our waiter who explained the menus to us. It was Portland wine week and they had a perfectly paired wine menu for each menu item offered as well as the prix fixe and a La carte menus. We were staying in Ogunquit and I had to drive back, so I didn’t order the wine parings but, I really wanted it. My wife ordered a glass of Andre Clouet Brut Nature Champagne which was very good and a second glass later as well. We both had the Charred Cucumber with sesame and green garlic as an amuse bouche. I normally can take or leave cucumber but this was an outstanding start to our meal. We ordered the Cured Halibut with Green almond, sorrel and horseradish. I am not a fan of halibut but, this uncooked cured version was so tender and balanced I loved it. This shows the true greatness of the combined talent in this kitchen. To get me to absolutely love things I don’t like. We then received the Grilled Asparagus which was cooked on a Japanese Binchotan Grill, with a Ramp sauce Gribiche, croutons and smoked trout roe. The asparagus were slightly Smokey and tender, salt from the roe, creaminess from the egg yolks in the sauce. Once again, spectacular. We added on the Lobster Roll as an appetizer. The roll was the best croissant so flaky and buttery and the lobster claw meat must have been Sous vide with butter with a touch of chives. This lobster was perfectly cooked. The only other time I had lobster cooked this perfect was at EVO a sister restaurant to Twelve. The Parker House Rolls came with a smoked pecan butter, fried shallot and pepper jelly to share, for our main course we ordered the Atlantic Cod which came with a carrot bisque, Jonah crab and fennel, and the Chicken which came as a thigh with sunflower seed crust, tender and juicy breast with Hakurei Turnip, sunflower seed and herb sauce, and chicken jus. For dessert we ordered the Roasted Rhubarb with buttermilk ice cream and crispy sourdough bread crumb and the Chocolate Sundae which had a super rich chocolate ice cream that was so creamy with not a single hint of ice crystals, sweet miso caramel and slightly bitter Urfa Pepper. The flavors, balance and textures of every dish was amazing. I can not compliment them enough. The talent list and resumes at this restaurant are simply amazing. Learning from Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Daniel Humm, and Sean Brock to name a few. You need to try this restaurant! Thank you to the staff. We will be back.