Restaurant Week in Boothbay Harbor Kicks off with the Crowning of the Claw Down Chefs of the Year!

Claw Down in Booth Bay

Boothbay Harbor, Maine (September 20, 2012)—The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce announces Micah Jones of Brown’s Wharf Inn as the Judge’s Choice Award in a blind judging competition for the Claw Down Chef of the Year. Fiona Dunlap of the Newagen Seaside Inn & Restaurant was voted as the People’s Choice Award winner of the Claw Down competition event that kicked off Restaurant Week in the area last night. The Judge’s pick, Executive Chef Micah’s bite, was a “Polenta & Truffle Lobster Bite” fresh lobster meat served over a sun-dried tomato and polenta cake, finished with lobster sauce and truffle oil. Executive Chef Fiona’s bite was a Petite corn cake topped with native corn puree, Maine lobster, butter sauce and candied tarragon.

Booth Bay Claw Down Photo: Ted Axelrod

Attendees at the event enjoyed savory lobster bites from 17 local Chefs while sipping on wines from Central Distributors and M.S. Walkers last night at the historic Boothbay Harbor Opera House. Each chef’s lobster bite was in a blind judging contest and the attendees also voted on their choice for the Claw Down Chef of the Year. Judges for the event included Meredith Goad, writer of the Portland Press Herald “Soup to Nuts” column; Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council; and Kelly Patrick Farrin, 2010 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year and chef at Primo restaurant in Rockland. Lynn Archer (a.k.a The Queen of Clubs), owner of Archer’s on the Pier and the Brass Compass Cafe and winner of the “Lobster Dekkah” challenge on the Food Network Show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” emceed the event along with Mike Rovin of 94.9 WHOM.

Claw Down at Booth Bay Photo: Ted Axelrod

Part of the proceeds of the sold out event will go to the Boothbay Region Community Resources and help the Chamber in its efforts to bolster local businesses; serve as guardian of the region’s economic well-being; advocate on behalf of area businesses; and promote avenues of tourism for the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan, Newcastle, Southport, Westport and Wiscasset.

This event kicked off “Restaurant Week” in Boothbay Harbor which runs from September 22—28, 2012. Restaurant Week is a celebration of the cuisine scene in the Boothbay Harbor Region. From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, including an appetizer, entree and dessert for the special price of $24.95 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Restaurant Week participating restaurants include:

Crowd at Claw Down Photo: Ted Axelrod

Andrew’s Harborside Restaurant

The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar

Boothbay Harbor Inn

Boothbay Lobster Wharf

Brown’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf Inn

Kalers Restaurant

McSeagull’s Restaurant

Ports of Italy

The Rocktide Inn

The Tugboat Inn & Restaurant

The World is Mine Oyster

Sponsors for Restaurant Week include Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and Seagate Motel.

The Claw Down event was hosted by the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration and in conjunction with the Maine Lobster Promotion Council’s Lobster Lover Celebration (lobsterfrommaine.com) an effort to promote buying and eating more Maine lobster to support the industry. Event sponsors included: Central Distributors, 94.9 WHOM “Classic Hits & Today’s Favorites” from “Continuous Lite Rock.”, Maine Lobster Promotion Council, Boothbay Region Greenhouses, The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Marshall Tent & Event Rental, Jim Taliana, Ted Axelrod Photography, Lobster Maine, M.S.Walker Inc. and Hammond Lumber Company.

Media Contact:

Angie Helton

Northeast Media Associates

141 Brigham Street

South Portland, ME. 04106

nema@maine.rr.com

www.nemediaassociates.com

207.653.0365