If you’re tired of the tried and true, then head over to Natasha’s, a Portland eatery that I’ve never cared about, though I know it has its many fans.

The new chef at the helm used to be at one of my favorite restaurants in Maine, Havana in Bar Harbor.

I thought he had taken over the range at Mim’s, which we went to first last night. I happened to mention to our waitress that we were excited about dining there because of their new chef in residence, only to find out that he was at the sister establishment, Natahsa’s.

Perhaps it was a bit rude, but we left and walked over to the other place. And I’m glad we did because we had a really fine meal.

The restaurant, though, seemed to be rudderless. Our waitress was wonderful but there was no host or hostess and it all seemed kind of haphazard. Absentee ownership at restaurants is bad, and that was certainly the case at Natasha’s.

Our server said their manager never showed up. In all the best, popular and successful restaurants in town—Five-Fifty Five, the Front Room, Caiola’s, Fore Street, Back Bay Grill, Uffa, Local 188, Bar Lola, Kathadin-- either the chef or proprietor or both hold sway. As far as I know the actual owner of Nataha’s or Mim’s is not firmly stationed at the helm at any particular time.

But that’s another issue.

What was successful was the food, and I suppose after all is said and done that counts.

The Asian influences are still evident on the menu but so too are touches of Latin tastes under the direction of Chef Jesse Souza. The dim sum platter is still the best in town, which is served as a helping for two to share. It’s a great beginning.

My main course was bourbon-honey brined chicken served with glazed sweet potatoes. Perhaps a good dish for winter, but it went down easily in the well air-conditioned, very comfortable and attractive room. My friend had a pasta dish that was also finely done.

Along the way the chef sent out some of his specialties because our waitress informed him that we were a fan of his Havana days. One of them, scallops scented with truffle oil over a bed of extraordinary risotto, was amazing.

I’m not in the mood to dissect each and every dish, other than to say, go there, try it and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. There’s no other menu like it in town.

Other than this new find, my gastronomic travels have been fairly limited lately. I’ve been happily holed up on the island of North Haven for most of the month, where good food is found at home. But if you happen to be on the island, there are—surprisingly—some choices for dining out.

The first stop of interest occurs before you board the ferry at Rockland for North Haven. For many of our remote Maine islands, meeting ferry schedules is a chore, if not an art. North Haven only has three ferries a day so planning is essential.

Before boarding, with a few hours to kill, we discovered the very popular Rockland Café on Main Street. In all the years that I’ve visited Rockland, I’ve never known about this place.

It’s an authentic greasy spoon in the best sense. At breakfast I saw huge platters of egg dishes and humongous pancakes being passed around. I opted for their breakfast specialty of fishcakes and baked beans.

Gaining a few unwanted pounds after having this dish is a certainty but at least it’s worth it. The fish cakes are delicious, perhaps made with too much filler, but they’re awfully good. The baked beans, a bit on the sweet side, were also well done.

Another time I had the buttermilk pancakes, which are some of the best I’ve had. They’re enormous, done on the grill and emerge with crispy edges, which I like.

There are actually two restaurants on North Haven, HJ Blake’s, a causal eatery on Main Street that’s very popular with locals, and Brown’s Coal Wharf, right in the heart of the little village and located at the edge of the wharf with a water view that a would-be homeowner would have to ante up many millions of dollars to have and enjoy.

The Coal Wharf is a straightforward menu with the usual choices but so far I’ve had terrific meals there, both at lunch and dinner.

Adding to the culinary pleasures found on the island—in addition to it being the most beautiful island in Maine--is their little farmer’s market held at the ball field each Saturday morning. What makes this market different is that everything there must be native to the island.

My favorite stop includes the stand that sells island made baked goods. What’s available are such sweets as berry pies, sheet cakes, coffee cakes, little pound cakes, flavored with lemon or cherries and pecans, cookies, custard or cream pies and wonderful cupcakes.

Everything hails from the best kind of American home baking, old-fashioned renditions--wholesome and hearty like the greatest collection from an ancient issue of Ladies Home Journal. The woman who prepares these down-home delicacies used to bake for one of the local eateries but now prefers just to sell at the weekly farmer’s market.

There’s a small vegetable stand, which is limited, subject to a very short growing season. But everything is organically grown. The herbs and greens are brilliant with clear flavors and scents and the line of islanders forms immediately and all is sold out instantly.

My other stop at the market is at Sheep Meadow Farm. This is lamb raised right on North Haven, off Crabtree Point Road. All the chops and roasts sell out within minutes and it’s some of the best lamb I’ve ever had.

When I get back to Portland I’ll begin traveling around the state returning to some of my favorite places along the Mid Coast, the Blue Hill peninsula and finally up to Winter Harbor and Arcadia. I’ll report back soon.

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