We made a reservation, though we certainly didn’t need to as only six or seven other tables were filled during our stay. Lucky us. Our server was lightning quick with our pre-dinner wine and our post-dinner dessert, as well as with bringing and finalizing our bill.
We started with the wine list, which offers several options in the red, white and sparkling categories. There’s also a ful bar and folks around us partook of beers and martinis. We chose a South African pinotage, which was dry for a pinot blend but our palettes adjusted to it as we went along.
Joe’s offers a handful of appetizers but be sure to try the Boathouse crabcakes, which are light and tender without much cake ($9.95). There’s also New England clam chowder ($5.50/$6.95), soup of the day ($4.95/$5.95), two salads and mussels cooked in wine and cilantro. The Caesar salad ($6.50) came in a large enough bowl to serve as a meal if paired with another app.
I had a tough time choosing my entrée, because there were several appealing regulars, plus two possible front-runners on the specials menu. I thought about the Atlantic fra diavlo, which combined mussels, shrimp, scallops, haddock and half a lobster over pasta ($27.95), but balked when I inquired if the lobster came in the shell. (It does.) Instead, I went with the Haddock Gabrielle, which was topped with cheddar crumbs, shrimp and lobster sauce. At $22.95, it was accompanied by tender rice and a great mixture of veggies, including summer squash, zuchini and broccoli. The haddock was melt-in-your-mouth tender and the topping very flavorful with tiny Maine shrimp covering the fish. My only complaint was that it might have been a little hotter.
The two other eaters in my party chose from the specials board – the ribeye with mashed potatoes and the cajun pasta with mussels and scallops. The ribeye was a large piece of meat and was cooked to match Marc’s medium request. The cajun pasta was a large portion topped with red peppers, spinach and scallions (Stacy asked for the mushrooms to be omitted). She also asked that the dish be “not too spicy,” then wished it had a little more fire, but enjoyed it nonetheless.
Other entrée options include the filet mignon ($24.95), Aussie Grille (jumbo shrimp, marinated chicken and anduillie sausage ($24.95), lobster fettuccine ($23.95) and a couple chicken dishes.
Joe’s sits right at the edge of Casco Bay at South Portland’s Spring Point Marina, so it goes without saying that the prices will be a tad high. We knew we had racked up a hefty bill but couldn’t pass the dessert choices, all of which were homemade on the night we were there ($5.50). The peanut butter cup pie was light and luscious (it tasted just like my mother’s peanut butter fudge!), with an oreo cookie crust, a thick peanut butter filling and chocolate drizzled on top. Marc tried the lemon berry cake and wasn’t disappointed either.
Even though we lingered over our wine at the start and our desserts to wrap up the meal, we were in and out in less than 90 minutes thanks to the quick work of the kitchen staff and the stellar service. The bill was a big Ouch! at $170 (with tip) for three, but it was well worth it for the casual, friendly atmosphere, well-prepared meals and terrific view, even on a cold winter’s night.
Joe’s Boathouse is located at Spring Point Marina (at the end of Broadway) in South Portland. Hours are 11 am-3 pm Mon.-Sat. for lunch, 5-9 pm Sun.-Thu. & 5-9:30 pm Fri.-Sat. for dinner, and 9-3 for brunch on Sun. Call 741-2780 or go to www.joesboathouse.com.
— Karen Beaudoin