But of course! As soon as the new edition of Moon Acadia National Park is on the printing press, the changes begin rolling in, and nowhere more so than in Southwest Harbor, Maine, where restaurants are playing a dining version of musical chairs.
• The Common Good Community Kitchen: I’d heard rumors that changes might be afoot last season, and I fretted that my favorite on-island place of popovers might disappear. It hasn’t. Instead, it’s moved from its Seawall location to downtown Southwest Harbor. It’s moving into the location formerly occupied by Chow Maine Asian Specialties, which in turn is moving to the former JayDub’s next door. Find all in plaza just off Main Street, on Clark Street (site of the old post office).
• DeMuro’s Top of the Hill has closed (sniffle, sniffle; loved this place). The owners will be concentrating their efforts on their other Southwest Harbor restaurant, The Upper Deck at Dysert’s Great Harbor Marine. Looking for that place to really up its game now that the owners are no longer spread between two restaurants.
• Moving into the former Top of the Hill is Rogue, brought to you by the folks who ran the popular Town Hill Bistro, which closed a few years ago. A June opening is planned. (For now, Rogue is updating info on the old Town Hill Bistro page, but I’m sure that will change soon).
Outside of Southwest Harbor, another notable change is at the Asticou Inn, in Northeast Harbor, which is now being managed by the Acadia Corp. (which lost the Jordan Pond House contract last year in a highly controversial decision). Expect lobster stew, crab cakes, housemade ice cream, and of course, popovers, served on the porch overlooking the dreamy harbor. Mmmmm!
Got all that? I’m sure there will be more changes as the season gets going. Stay tuned! And yes, I’m back after a long winter hibernation.
