Thisilldous Eatery presents GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

harraseeket LUnch & LoBster company

36 Main Street, South Freeport, Maine 04078

207-865-4888 • www.harraseeketlunchandlobster.com

There is little better on a day trip than a bit of Surf & Turf. This month’s stop on the Great All American Diner Run had its start just a few miles east of the Presidential Range in New Hampshire and just west of the Granite State’s border with Maine.

Shira had whipped together a big loop ride that would spin us along some of the prettier backroads bearing ever eastwardly in direction and finally to the sea. Along the way, there would be mountain gaps, long stretches of forest, a quick pass through a desert of sorts and then finally pulling up to a quaint New England pier with a combination of pleasure and working boats tied up to the docks. Welcome to Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company!

Riding up I drank in all the coastal Maine flavors – the view, the smell, and the taste of the Atlantic which would stretch a few thousand miles over the horizon to the town of Fisterra, the furthest point west in Spain, just north of the border with Portugal.

I think Shira would have liked to take all the credit for this find, but the tip really came from Connie, the innkeeper at the Candlebay Inn – one of Freeport’s neatest inns and a long-time supporter of Backroads.

If you are looking for a place to call a basecamp in this region, this is the spot - candlebaymaine. com tasty places to take your bike cookies, brownies, Shain’s of Maine Ice Cream, and of course, their famous whoopie pies can be had. You can also take live lobsters home with you. In keeping with Harraseeket’s tradition, you are welcome to bring your favorite beer or wine to enjoy with your meal, but not maybe on the bikes, right?

Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company is a familyoperated restaurant, that has been serving up lunch and dinner from May to October since 1970. As we said they are located on the beautiful South Freeport waterfront in South Freeport, Maine, and they are a true operating fishing business. Harraseeket has long been considered a local landmark for natives and visitors alike. For over 40 years, the Coffin family has strived to maintain a small-town family atmosphere, and it shows. Here you can enjoy the freshest seafood, literally “off the boat” inside at their comfortable dining room or out in the fresh Atlantic air under their canopied deck on classic picnic tables taking in the views of the beautiful harbor and the fishing boats bringing in their daily catch.

We were told they had the “Best” Lobster rolls in the region – a big statement here on the coast of Maine – and we’ll tell you they did not disappoint.

In addition, you can order delicious Maine shrimp, clams, scallops, and fabulous homemade desserts using handed-down family recipes.

While most went for the “Lobsta Rolls” I went for the real deal and ordered up a very large lobster that I got to approve before he dropped into that great hot tub in the sky. Deeeelicious!

Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster has been featured on TV shows like Rachel Ray, numerous articles in papers from Massachusetts and New York, Downeast Magazine, New England Magazine, and Favorite Lobster shacks… and now the pages of Backroads. We tell you… it was our pleasure.

Next time you are running along the Maine Coast stay a few days at the Candlebay Inn and check out Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster Company – you will not be disappointed. ,

Not to be outdone, our friend Mark ordered a lobster of equal titanic size and heft… and then had a lobster roll too. Simply genius!

Others, and we had a lot of folks rolling up to the dockside parking lot at Harraseeket, ordered the full and complete Seafood Basket – that seemed to have a bit of everything.

For those of you who would wish to stay more turf, than surf – Harraseeket offers burgers, chicken, hot dogs, roast beef, turkey, and other such land-based sandwiches. But, seriously, we think you should go Ocean or stay home. A good burger you can get in Anytown, USA, but for real, salty, oceany seafood – best go to the sea. They also offer up dessert – if by any chance you have room and desire and pies,