Showtime and dinnertime worked out nearly perfectly last night in the city of Portland.

We went to the opening of the new Tom Veilleux Gallery last night, an extraordinary if not overly ambitious calling for Portland’s art scene. It’s a showcase of major art offerings that were stunning. The show offered a breathtaking array of American artists of the 20th century including featured artist Will Barnet and other names like Rockwell Kent, Zorach, Homer, et al. It was quite sensational and a must-see for any art lover, whether you can afford the prices or not.

Afterwards, we stood on the street corner of Market and Middle wondering where to eat. It wasn’t hard to decide on Natasha’s—right in front of us across the street.

I reported on Natasha’s a while ago and was very impressed with the fare. Last night was not disappointing by any means. The restaurant is cool and comfortable, though the seating is a bit cumbersome if you are placed at one of the banquettes, the tables positioned so far from the bench that you need a pillow propped behind your back in order to reach the table without dribbling food and drink.

We unfortunately were served by a newly installed waitress who was seriously lacking in any expertise whatsoever. She was sweet and earnest but completely incompetent. She was at a loss to explain a single dish on the menu, and I’ve had such qualms here before, feeling that the restaurant is a bit rudderless without someone on premises in command.

That said I love the food and the coconut shrimp starter is sensational. My main course of duck breast was well conceived in theory, served with gnocchi made with parsnip puree that was absolutely delicious. My only qualm was the duck was served nearly ice cold.

Still the cooking is very good, and it’s a fine place for lunch or dinner, even now with the throngs of tourists cramming the Old Port streets.

Farther a field we had a few hit and misses in coastal dining Down East. By chance we booked a cottage at the Lookout Inn in Brooklin and reserved a table at their restaurant.

The inn grounds are absolutely stunning, reached by driving down Flye Point Road off Brooklin’s Main Street, to come upon one of the best seaside settings anywhere along the coast.

The inn itself is a ramshackle 150 year old structure that looks more firetrap than hostelry. For enthusiasts of authenticity, it’s perfection. But for those who want a peaceful night’s sleep in a bed that won’t send you off to an orthopedic surgeon, you’ll find every kind of backbreaking discomfort that the human body cannot withstand.

We chose the Lookout because we were traveling with our dog and the hotel is pet friendly; various cottages on the property offer other such accommodations. Our cottage was nearly unlivable, though. For the price, about $200 per night, it was hardly a bargain. It was clean, however, so we didn’t leave covered with bed bugs. The one saving grace was dinner at their restaurant.

From the bread course, to the much needed cocktail to the excellently prepared fish (the whitest halibut I’ve ever seen) to the well made desserts, the meal was excellent. If you’re in the area this is a good place to dine. The room was packed with summer residents, a fairly substantial looking cast of characters—some in blazers and striped ties, a few Hollywood types to the basically well-heeled -- from the nearby waterfront estates that dot the gorgeous coastline. We even managed to overhear some tinseltown gossip about how one well-known female rock star of a certain age never goes anywhere without her toolbox, which substitutes as a handbag.

The tumbledown quality of the inn counter pointed by the influx of raffish, stylish patrons was an intriguing mix.

Brooklin nonetheless remains one of the veiled gems of the Blue Hill peninsula, and every time I see one of those ramshackled pine-paneled seaside seasonal cottages for sale under $1 million, I’m tempted.

I’ve stayed and dined well at other places in the area, notably the Pilgrim’s Inn (also pet friendly) and the Goose Cove Lodge in Deer Isle, where their homey oceanfront dining room is another lively spot of local characters enjoying hearty meals. When I was there several weeks ago I had an excellent version of turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes and peas and carrots as my main course and loved every morsel of it. The Goose Cove is also on a stunning piece of waterfront property, and the pet-friendly cottages are many steps above the Lookout, though hardly luxurious by standards. Prices for the food are reasonable, but an oceanfront cottage is nearly $400 per night—in campy little quarters, with comfortable beds.

After Brooklin we drove up to Bar Harbor--but not without stopping at Trenton Lobster, the place just before the Mt. Desert bridge.

By the time I’ve traversed the ever-maddening route 1-3 to the bridge and the rigors of driving through Ellsworth traffic, Trenton Lobster is a good place to stop for a respite before encountering the crowds of Acadia.

I always order the lobster salad sandwich. It’s not a lobster roll but rather a well made and extremely flavorful salad served on gooey but delicious white bread.

I’m not a Bar Harbor fan but when I’m there I always go to Benbow’s, the natural foods store in town that roasts and sells the finest coffee in Maine. I buy it in Portland at the Whole Grocer, but at the store there’s more variety and different beans and roasts. Their coffee is also available by mail order. Go to www.benbows.com

I didn’t get a chance to go to Havana in Bar Harbor, a wonderful restaurant nor did I find the time to go to XYZ in Southwest Harbor, where that establishment serves the only real Mexican food in Maine.

I’ve enjoyed XYZ in the past, though bumping into my neighbor in Portland the other day who spends much of the summer in Southwest he summed up XYZ perfectly by saying “. . . after three or four of their excellent Margarita’s it all tastes good.”

On the way back down the coast we took a detour to Bagaduce Lunch in Brooksville, that clam shack on the Bagaduce River that’s a virtual landmark in the area. The setting is pretty, the fried clams are wonderful and they have some very filling onion rings that make the stop worthwhile.

But if it’s a greasy spoon I’m after then I just have to pop into Just Barb’s, in Stockton Springs. The locals call it Just Awful.

Well, I disagree. It’s a rough and tumble place where the diners have less teeth than usual, without a trace of an Ipana smile. Still it’s down home cooking that can be very satisfying and remains a perfect roadside stop for breakfast or lunch.

From there it’s the South China Road towards Augusta-- the preferred route back to Portland in the summertime to avoid the relentless bottleneck of Route One from Belfast south. The one culinary attraction along that road—an excellent byway with numerous double passing lanes--is John’s Ice Cream in Montville. I haven’t tried it yet. I’m usually too full from breakfast at Just Barb’s, but others have told me it’s great.

On another trip recently, this time from the mid-coast back to Portland, we took advantage of the hour and stopped in Bath to have dinner at Solo Bistro.

Front Street in Bath is awash in gentrification, rendering the main street as an attractive strip of good-looking upscale shops. Adding to the allure is Solo Bistro, which I’ve wanted to try for a long while. It reminds me of Francine’s in Camden.

One first course served there that I’d gladly have many times over is the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Cakes in a spicy red pepper sauce. The taste is quite unusual and lingering. In fact the restaurant is so attractive that one like it would do very well in Portland. I wonder how well it’s received in the quieter confines of Bath?

My main course that evening was a brined pan-roasted pork chop that was one of the most flavorful and tender examples I’ve had. Cooking pork correctly is tricky in order to keep it tender. It was done perfectly.

The kitchen is a little slow, manned by a solo chef (is that how they arrived at the name?) who needs some assistance. He is apparently a Fore Street graduate but definitely has his own style. The homemade ice cream, for example, which I had, was an utterly creamy, rich rendition. If you’re looking for someplace new to go, Solo Bistro fits the bill admirably.

Other establishments on my list for summer dining include The Chebeague Inn, which I hear is serving brilliantly prepared food. Then, of course, I yearn for another wonderful meal at Primo in Rockland—still the best all around dining establishment in Maine--the much touted The Edge in Lincolnville and I’ve been urged often enough to try the Robin Hood Free Meeting House on the Georgetown Peninsula. Perhaps an early dinner there tonight is in the offing with enough time to drive back to Portland under the setting sun.

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