Newicks Lobster House, So. Portland, ME

Newicks Lobster House recently opened in South Portland, Maine, just down the street from the Maine Mall, and also on the same street as a competing seafood restaurant, The Weathervane. While the Weathervane is a large, national chain, Newicks is a much smaller group with locations in Dover and Concord, New Hampshire, and this brand new store in South Portland, Maine. Newicks has been serving seafood at their flagship location in Dover since 1948, and did have a restaurant on Broadway in South Portland for 31 years until they were forced to close two years ago, when profits dropped and restructure of the corporation become necessary.

Now at 200 Gorham road, in a building that once housed a T.G.I. Friday's, Newicks is back by popular demand in a much better location. The large gift shop which welcomed patrons to the Broadway location is missing, but the facility is much nicer than the old restaurant.

There were several lobster choices on the menu, including lobster pie, baked stuffed lobster, lobster tails, and lobster rolls. Salmon, swordfish, shrimp, smelts, and clams were also listed, although I suspect the Red Tide problem along the east coast may have made clams unavailable at this time. If you're not a fish aficionado, there were also offerings of steak and chicken choices as well as an assortment of burgers and other sandwiches. Appetizer choices besides the chowder were onion rings, crab cakes, breaded mushrooms, potato skins, and others.

Of course, when a place closes and reopens in a fancier facility, you have to wonder if the quality will be the same as before. Have no fear, the selection is as broad as ever, and no quality has been sacrificed. The menu offers tempting appetizers; my husband went for the seafood chowder which was served bubbly hot and brimming with shrimp, scallops, and chunks of haddock, and potato. He gave it a big thumbs up!

I wanted the broiled haddock dinner; luckily the helpful waitress informed me the dinner portion was 10 ounces, while the "Tide Me Ov er" portion was six ounces. The smaller portion was succulent, broiled in butter, topped with a lemon slice, and more than adequate for my appetite. It was served with an especially tasty coleslaw, and a choice of baked or mashed potato, house chips, or baked beans. (I thought the baked beans a strange side to go with fish, but they do serve steak and chicken also.) I opted for the house chips, which were tasty, crispy slices of fried potato, not at all greasy, and not too salty. My meal was priced at $10.49; the dinner portion was $12.99.

My husband ordered the baked seafood medly, which was a casserole of haddock, shrimp, and scallops, in a Newburg sauce, topped with bread crumbs. He said it was delicious and all but licked the dish! He, too, had coleslaw and a side of mashed potatoes. Fresh hot rolls were served with our meals.

The service was excellent; when my husband inadvertantly dropped his fork, a waiter brought a clean one without our having to ask. He said he heard the fork drop. There were some tasty looking desserts on the menu, including a peanut butter pie, but we decided to forego the goodies this trip. I have no doubt that we will be back to try some of the other menu offerings soon.