THE BLUEBIRD RANCH
FAMILY RESTAURANT
Lower Main Street (Rte. 1)
Machias ME
(207) 255-3351
Open Daily
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
I've come to the conclusion that lobster rolls aren't all that big a thing in the Down East section of Maine (the coast above Bar Harbor). Rather seafood is more about stews, chowders and broiled or fried seafood - all from local waters.
At The Bluebird Ranch I had one of the two best clam chowders I've ever had. The other is from the Wooley Pond Marina (see the Memories Page). Blueberry Ranch's chowder is milk based and packed full of whole clams complete with bellies and diced potatoes. The milk is perfectly flavored with clam broth. Had I known how good it was I would have ordered a bowl and passed on my sandwich.
Then again, how does one pass up a sandwich christened "Ice Storm 98 Delight?" Turns out there was a bad storm in the winter of 1998 and power was off for days. The Ice Storm 98 is a strip steak sandwich served on a bun and topped with mushrooms and onions - one of the few items they were able to turn out during the storm. Mine came with a side (mountain) of homemade onion rings.
One quest for the 2001 trek to Maine has been blueberry pie. The one served at the Blueberry Ranch is "2 crusted," packed with blueberries, a great crust and the best yet.