Arrows

Description:

• When owner/chefs Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier opened Arrows in a gray farmhouse outside town in 1988, they quickly put Ogunquit on the national culinary map (and it's still ranked among the nation's top 15 by Gourmet magazine). They've done so not only by creating an elegant and intimate atmosphere, but also by serving up some of the freshest, most innovative cooking in New England. The emphasis is on local products -- often very local. The salad greens are grown in gardens on the grounds, and much of the rest is produced or raised locally. The food transcends traditional New England fare and is deftly prepared with exotic twists and turns. The menu changes nightly, but among the more popular recurring appetizers is the house-cured prosciutto -- hams are hung in the restaurant to cure in the off season. Entrees might include some interpretation of lobster; wild salmon in four preparations (including a portion steamed with pine needles); roasted squab in a "crystal lantern" with tangerine and fermented black beans; or halibut cooked three ways. The wine list is top-rate. Note that there is a moderate dress code: jacket preferred for men, no shorts allowed.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Very Highly Recommended 2010