Asian-fusion restaurant for unexpected fare like short ribs & foie gras offered in serene environs.
"WHAT: The college-town flagship of chef and restaurateur Cara Stadler, who counts dumpling whisperer among her many singular skills.
WHY: Stadler and her mother, Cecile, ran an underground restaurant in Beijing nearly a decade ago, when Stadler was only 21. They reunited in Maine, where the family often spent summers. The cooking skews pan-Asian, but zero in on the dishes with overtly Chinese influences to revel in the full measure of Stadler’s abilities. That means seared scallops bathed in XO sauce sharpened with Iberico ham, tangled greens with young ginger and sesame vinaigrette, and her standout dumplings in forms like open-faced shu mai filled with pork and shrimp. l ways to start the day. (So is a wedge of that plum and black pepper pie.) Lunch specials like the capicola sandwich with chile-infused honey, banana peppers, and chickweed on seeded focaccia are why you’ll be back by noon." [Eater]
Asian Restaurant / Restaurant
Website: Tao Yuan
Address: 22 Pleasant St, Brunswick, ME 04011