The Chef The Gardener - Saco

To start, I had the onion soup, which had a wonderfully flavorful broth despite being vegan. I decided to add cheese, and I do not regret that choice at all—delicious! For my main course, I had the short ribs. They were flavorful, tender, and a generous portion! The sides featured whatever was fresh and local, which I appreciate. My husband's chicken was also delicious, and the quality of the meat was top-notch, sourced just down the road. Overall, I highly recommend this place for dinner if you're in the area. It’s a far better experience than having your twentieth overpriced lobster roll!

On a recent Saturday evening, I made a reservation, but when my friend and I arrived, the restaurant was quite empty—just the two of us at first. Over time, more patrons trickled in, but I don’t believe reservations are strictly necessary. We were quickly welcomed by our waiter, who was friendly and knowledgeable. He went through the menu with us, which featured an extensive wine list—mostly options you’d find at your local grocery store—so nothing very surprising there. They also had a few seasonal cocktails on offer. The dinner menu included a fair selection of dishes, notably pork, seafood, and a couple of vegetarian options. My friend ordered the salmon while I opted for the haddock florentine. As a farm-to-table establishment, their vegetable sides consisted of a zucchini, green bean, and turnip medley alongside mashed potatoes. While we waited for our entrees, we were served complimentary cheddar biscuits with maple butter. Unfortunately, the biscuits were extremely dry, and even the butter couldn’t help. When our meals arrived, I found my haddock to be decent, yet it felt like it was missing something. The vegetables were cooked and seasoned perfectly, but the mashed potatoes were just lacking. My friend’s salmon, which was broiled, had very charred, hard edges and was rather dry. Overall, I wasn’t particularly impressed with dinner, especially considering the prices, which ranged from $17 to $30 per dish. Given the quality and flavor combinations we experienced, I didn’t feel the meal was worth the cost. However, I’ll definitely continue to return for lunch, as that seems to be where they truly excel.

While searching for a coffee shop, I came across this place and knew we had to try it. We turned back for an hour, and it was well worth it, forgetting all about the coffee shop. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted and seated. The menus were presented along with an overview of the restaurant, including specials and some off-menu items. We were even offered wine tastings before placing our orders. Here’s what we tried (photos posted): the Pan Seared Pork Belly was fabulous, the Maple Grilled Steak was also fabulous, and the Portobello Wellington was nearly perfect—if I'm being picky, the dough could have been a little more golden, but overall it was still fantastic. We also enjoyed the eclair dessert, which was fabulous. Beyond the exceptional food, which is not something you find just anywhere, it's clear they take great pride in their service. The timing and temperatures of our dishes were spot on. The balsamic flavor complemented our main courses beautifully, aligning with our preferred taste. We had the chance to see some of the wines and treats available for the upcoming Halloween Wine Tasting and enjoyed casual chats with the staff. I will definitely return if I make it out this way again. Our meal, which included an appetizer, two main courses, wine, beer, and dessert, came to $90 after a 20% tip. A note for future visitors: be cautious when approaching, as we initially missed the entrance since it’s a bit tucked away. Also, it’s a cozy restaurant with only a few tables, so calling ahead is highly recommended.

I've been excited to try this place for a long time and unfortunately it just did not live up to my expectations. I got the Pan Seared Scallops with lobster risotto in a sherried beurre blanc. Sadly the risotto was flavorless watery. I was so disappointed as I love risotto. The scallops were ok, nothing special. One pet peeve was the messy presentation with, what is I assume, paprika all over the rim of the plate. However the dessert was amazing. I got the profiterole, and it was simply divine. The atmosphere is cute and the service is great. The sting of a $27 sub-par scallop plate is going to stay with me and I may not go back.

Love, love this place! Always fresh and seasonal items for the menu, the unqiue martinis, excellent wine selection and friendly staff make this a must stop! Perfect for date night-this is the secret of the locals...