Resetting Expectations

Every year we come to Maine we make sure to secure a reservation at Primo, one of our favorite Restaurants. It is wildly popular and usually does not disappoint. Primo is one of the original Farm to table restaurants, with the farm right behind the restaurant. This year we made sure to go during Carter’s visit along with her friend Estelle.

We went early tonight so we could walk around the gardens and admire their perfect rows of many types of lettuce, and Swiss chard and fennel. They do grow a perfect garden. Then there are the chickens and the pigs. So many chickens doing their best to peck up every possible bug. Estelle and Carter loved the whole array of animals.

We enjoyed a drink and some oysters in the barn bar before checking in with the hostess for our seven-thirty reservation. It was more than a little wait for our table. Eventually we were seated close to eight. Getting a table did not mean getting a waiter. That was another twenty minutes. Thankfully one of the helpers mistakenly brought us bread that a different table had ordered. It was well after 8:30 before we placed a drink order.

Our Australian waiter made a half apology about keeping us waiting, but is dripped with insincerity. The rest of his service lived up to our first impression. Thankfully his slowness was not indicative of the chef’s talents.

Our food was divine. Carter and I both had the poached lobster risotto adding to our lobster totals for the vacation. Russ had the octopus and the fig pizza and Estelle the bolognese. The time between our starters and our mains was so long I was ready to go home before the risotto arrived. We couldn’t even consider dessert because that would have taken us into the next day.

We were so late leaving the restaurant we only saw one car pass us all the home for three miles.

My suggestion to ourselves next year is that we don’t come on the Saturday of a long weekend, that we come for an earlier seating and pray for a non-Australian waiter. Nothing against Australians in general, just not this guy.

I know that getting staff this year is tougher than normal. I just need to know that is true for even the finest places. I’m adjusting my expectations.

Lobster Count: 12