What a difference a day makes—in this case about 45 of them in which the Pig and Poet at the Whitehall has emerged as a seriously fine place to dine in the tourist-heavy coastal town of Camden. I went when it first opened in early June (see June 12 write-up) to experience the new iteration of this inn and its restaurant. Dinner was good enough but basically uninspiring. But I vowed to return to give it a second chance later in the season.
A commanding presence on Route 1, the Whitehall and Pig and Poet are thoroughly inviting
And I did earlier this week to savor a superb meal in what is now the jewel in the crown of the stunningly refurbished Whitehall (formerly Whitehall inn). By Camden standards it’s not as luxe and lavish as the nearby Camden Harbour Inn, a Relais & Chateaux lodging facility. But Pig and Poet’s chef, Sam Talbot, lives up to his exalted reputation in the dishes that he prepared that evening. His resume includes stints on the TV series, Top Chef, and pegs in some of New York’s trendy hot–spots including the founding chef of the Surf Lodge in the Hamptons’ billionaire paradise of Montauk, New York.
The sunken front porch is perfect for cocktails before dinner at Pig and Poet
Camden is full of exciting dining haunts now. Chefs Chris Long and Shelby Williams hold court at the well-appointed Natalie’s, serving their punctiliously beautiful haute fare; and then there’s the indefatigable Brian Hill, whose long running Francine Bistro started it all in a town whose culinary claim was nothing more than chowder, clams and lobster. His meticulously creative rendering of farm-to-table dining is pure magic.
On that first visit, the restaurant and inn had just opened and growing pains were as creaky as warped floors. Also, Talbot was new to Maine, not yet up to speed with the Mid-Coast’s great resources that make it a treasure trove of true farm-to-table dining.
This time my meal was as superb as a report card with straight A’s. The large, stylish dining room was abuzz with a very contemporary well-heeled looking crowd as the town itself was seriously packed with summer visitors and seasonal residents.
A charming corner in the lobby; the bustling bar at the restaurant
I stopped here for two reasons: to break up my trip Downeast the next day and to re-visit Pig and Poet. The hotel was nearly full but I managed to get a room. The rooms, however, though re-done to the nines, are still a bit pokey. Bedding is very plush and comfy, but you have to be careful where you book. A room facing the front along Route 1 could be noisy. I settled into a first floor room facing the rear garden and it was certainly comfortable and spacious.
From start to finish I lustfully dove head long into Talbot’s exciting menu. There were so many dishes that intrigued, I wanted them all—and wound up having two appetizers, two entrees and dessert. Talbot happily obliged my excess by making the portions smaller.
I sat at the bar, whose bartender and waitress, Sarah, helped me with the menu choices. By 7:30, the bar had filled up with sophisticates from a cross section of the country–Washington DC, Boston, New York and Texas.
The lamb bacon was a complexly flavored and textured dish on which to start the meal. This cut is one of the newest fangled devises that butchers are carving out for inventive chefs. It’s cut from the saddle, using the flap meat that’s sliced in a cross between thick cut bacon and ribs. The meat was set in a sweet rub and grilled until fall-off-the bone tender and served with a yogurt sauce.
Lamb bacon with yogurt sauce and pickled peppers
The fried green tomatoes had a delicious cornmeal crust and served with Talbot’s penchant for crab meat, little artful dollops that accent many dishes in surprising ways.
Classic fried green tomatoes with a dollop of crab meat
Since I couldn’t decide between the two entrees I ordered both—the buttermilk fried chicken and squid a la plancha.
The fried chicken was a revelation—unequivocally the best I ever had, and I’ve had some classic examples of this southern favorite. Talbot, who’s from North Carolina, said he’s been making this dish for years. He brines it in coconut milk for a day followed by a 24 hour brine in buttermilk. What emerges is meat that’s extremely succulent and juicy. The skin is a marvel of crispness, with a sweetness that’s tantalizing. It’s served with potatoes fried in duck fat and laced with kale chips; and the entire plate is one big serving of deliciousness.
The best fried chicken with duck-fat fried potatoes and kale chips
Onto the squid, it was another remarkable dish. Tender and sweet it was cloaked in a confit of vegetables, pistachio pesto, squid ink and a little side ramekin of baked cornbread, which was rich and delicious. The confluence of so many flavors conspired to render a fine dish indeed.
Squid a la plancha with vegetable confit and corn pudding
The Camden-Rockport-Rockland dining scene offers great dining options and Pig and Poet has entered exalted this territory superbly. Over the next several weeks I shall be visiting several more Mid-Coast restaurants. Stay tuned.
Rating: 5 well-earned stars
Ambiance: great bar seating, hipster cool dining room
Tables: spacious, well spaces in a very commodious dining room
Noise: energetic
Service: excellent
$$$: expensive, about $85 per person with cocktails/wine, tax and tip
