February at Natalie’s is filled with several special occasions. Of course Valentine’s Day is on everyone’s mind, and we will have a special Romance Menu on Valentine’s Day and the weekend following (and our a la carte menu will also be available), but before we get to that, we’ve got an Ice Bar Dinner planned.

We’re opening our love themed Ice Bar, featuring a martini luge and specialty cocktails, on Thursday, February 9. Beginning that night we will also offer a special three-course dinner, including a cocktail poured down the martini luge, for just $49 per person (tax, tip not included, advance reservations required). We will also be offering our gourmet bar menu and several love-inspired cocktails.

The same weekend, on Friday, February 10, Camden is celebrating 100 Years of Broadway at the Camden Opera House. Join us for dinner before the show, or make an overnight out of it and take advantage of our package offering premium seating at the Opera House, a three-course dinner and of course our Champagne Breakfast.

The weekend of February 9 is also the weekend of the US National Toboggan Championships. Cheer for the Royal Dutch Toboggan Team, and member Oscar Verest, co-owner of Camden Harbour Inn and Natalie’s. It’s a fun weekend, filled with the thrill of fast slides down the toboggan chute, a costume contest and team camaraderie.

Stay in touch on Facebook or through our website to learn more about our special dinner plans.

We’ve reopened Natalie’s this week with renewed energy and a new menu and are looking forward to sharing these new dishes. Many of the dishes feature wintry ingredients: root vegetables and hearty meats that are roasted and braised, flavors that are familiar to the palate but treated in different ways.

It’s shrimp season in Maine and we are celebrating the arrival of Maine shrimp with two delicious and very different dishes, our popular Maine Shrimp Risotto with Meyer lemons (recipe in our last blog, below), and Gumbo, made with Andouille sausage, Maine shrimp and Lobster Fricasse for a uniquely-Maine approach to this New Orleans specialty.

Other new dishes include first course options of a Winter Fowl Terrine or Beef Ravioli. Both dishes appeal to that wintry craving for robust flavors; the Beef Ravioli is comfort food at its finest.

For salad lovers we have a Beet Salad with Stilton. If you haven’t tried beet with Stilton yet it’s a wonderfully flavorful combination.

For new entrees we have Roasted Maine Lobster with yellow curry and coconut rice, adding a touch of the tropics to the Maine delicacy; Butter Poached Halibut; Seared Duck Breast with crushed Jerusalem Artichokes, Broccoli, Rainbow Potatoes and Kumquat Marmalade; and two new duos - a Duo of Beef featuring Seared Ribeye and Braised Beef Cheeks, and a Local Lamb Duo.

In addition to our a la carte menu we also offer a three course menu for $53 per person. This three course menu features select items from our full dinner menu. In addition, diners are welcome to indulge in the Chef’s Five Course Tasting Menu, available nightly. For this treat, Chef Geoffroy Deconinck prepares a series of dishes with gourmet surprises along the way, making for an unforgettable culinary experience.

To conclude your meal we’re currently offering a daily changing selection of sorbets, Nougat Glace, Warm Chocolate Cake, Traditional Creme Caramel and as always, a selection of International Cheeses.

We hope to welcome you to our restaurant soon.

Bon Appetit!

Maine shrimp are a little known delicacy - and they are in season now. Here at Natalie’s, Chef Geoffroy Deconinck has been known to make a delicious Maine shrimp risotto. Guests love it, so we’ve asked him to share the recipe.

Meyer Lemon Risotto with Maine Shrimp
(makes approximately 10 first course portions)

1 lb of Maine Sweet Shrimp
4 Meyer lemons
1 lb Arborio rice
6 oz unsalted butter
3 oz diced onion
2 oz lemon juice (Meyer preferably)
3-1/2 cups (or more) of vegetable stock
3 oz of Mascarpone cheese
Zest of 2 whole lemons
Chopped herbs: parsley, dill, chives

Process:
Wash the 4 Meyer Lemons, wrap them individually in tin foil and bake them in the oven at 350 degrees until tender. Strain the whole lemons through a sieve and reserve the obtained puree.

Dice the onion and stir until translucent in 1 oz of melted butter. Add the rice and cook (continue to stir) for about 5 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and reduce it. Add 2 oz of the lemon puree and the vegetable stock 1 cup at the time (every time the rice has absorbed the liquid). Cook on medium heat, stirring continually with a wooden spoon. You want your rice “al dente”

After using all the stock taste the rice, it should be ready or almost done (in this case add more liquid)

Stir in 1 lb of Maine shrimp, the rest of the butter and Mascarpone

Season and add more lemon juice if needed

You want the risotto loose, so check the density before serving

Once the shrimp are cooked, add the lemon zests and the chopped herbs

Serve immediately.

The Maine shrimp season is short and sweet, so get them while you can and take advantage of this cold-water treat.

Bartender and mixologist Tom Laslavic recently had one of his cocktails included as part of a select number of cocktails that highlighted local ingredients around the country featured on a travel website, called Sharing Travel Experiences. Tom has created an entire series of Maine Made Cocktails and is still adding to the list of delicious concoctions. The website selected his Maine Apple:

Maine Apple

Here is how you can make yours at home:
1 oz Bartlett Apple Brandy
1 oz white cranberry juice
1 oz Fiddlers Reach Honey Wine (from Bath, Maine)
1 1/2 oz Crown royal whiskey

Mix ingredients, shake with ice, strain into chilled martini glass. Simple and delicious.

Another from the series that would be perfect for New Year’s Eve is his cocktail Mountains Meet the Sea:

4 kumquats
3 large sage seaves
1/2 lemon
1 1/2 oz Back River Gin
1/2 oz St. Germain Elderberry Liquor
2 oz Cellardoor “The Perfect Stranger” from Lincolnville’s Cellardoor Winery
Splash of Prosecco

Muddle Kumquats, sage and lemon, add gin, elderberry liquor and wine.
Shake and double strain into chilled snifter, (no ice) splash with Prosecco and enjoy.

Next time you stop in at Natalie’s, ask Tom what’s new from his Made in Maine series.

As many of our guests know, the owners of Natalie’s and the Camden Harbour Inn, Raymond Brunyanszki and Oscar Verest, are from the Netherlands. Christmas is celebrated a little differently in the Netherlands, with a visit by St. Nicholas, or Sinterklaas, on December 5. This is the day that children wake up to find that the hay the left in their wooden shoes for Sinterklaas’ horse has been replaced with sweets and toys. The Dutch begin to decorate their homes and prepare for Christmas Day beginning on December 6. Christmas itself is celebrated over two days, December 25 and 26.

There are many traditional foods eaten during this time and one of the most popular snacks are bitterballen. This bite sized savory treat can be made with a filling of cheese or meat which is then battered and fried and usually served with mustard for dipping. It’s designed to be eaten in one bite of hot deliciousness, with a crisp exterior and flavorful interior.

Bitterballen are not on the menu at Natalie’s, but we are serving them as a bar snack right now. Join us at the bar, let our award winning mixologist Tom Laslavic make you a cocktail and enjoy a Dutch treat, right here in Camden.

Happy Holidays!

At Natalie’s restaurant we celebrate New Year’s Eve with two festive menus: a five course menu that is available at 5 pm and an 8 course menu at 8 p.m. Both of Chef Geoffroy Deconinck’s menus start with an oyster (we will substitute something equally divine if you don’t like oysters) and include options of House Made Salmon Gravlax served with dill, crushed pepper and horseradish cream or a Cauliflower Veloute with saffron, apple and croutons; pumpkin risotto; and for a main course, Butter Poached Halibut accompanied by spinach puree, a medley of rainbow potatoes and Thumbelina carrots or Pan Seared Beef Ribeye, Braised Cheeks, celery root puree, glazed pearl onions and bordelaise sauce. For dessert, both menus offer a traditional New Year’s Eve dessert of Nougat Glace and Exotic Fruits.

The 8 course menu also offers a third course option of House Made Beef Ravioli Tomato with confit, broccolini and Parmesan foam or Pan Seared Sea Scallop with braised endives and preserved winter black truffle, a sixth course of an international cheese plate and for a seventh course, Chocolate Mousse with a berries coulis.

To add to the festivities, guests who dine at Natalie’s on New Year’s Eve are invited to join in the New Year’s Eve party with live music, dancing and hors d’oeuvres as well as a champagne toast at midnight.

Reservations are accepted through opentable.com or give us a call at 207-236-7008. And if you’d like to spend the night, be sure to take a look at our sumptuous two-night New Year’s Eve package at the Camden Harbour Inn.

We hope you will join us to ring in the New Year!

With winter upon us our thoughts turn to delightful evenings spent indoors, preferably somewhere cosy and warm, with good food and fine wine. A fireplace would be lovely too. Well, at Natalie’s we’ve got all that and more, just waiting for you.

Executive Chef Geoffroy Deconinck recently introduced a new menu and we’re certain there enough tempting items on it to encourage you to visit us one evening soon.

For appetizers Chef is offering a winter salad of Vegetable Crudités and Citrus Segments in a Grapefruit Vinaigrette; a Butternut Squash Soup; Seared Scallops with Braised Endive and Black Truffle Sauce, and the ultimate winter temptation: Baked Local Apple with Blue Cheese, house made Duck Prosciutto and Candied Walnuts.

The new menu main course options are Butter Poached Lobster with a winter truffle crust, celery root, rutabaga and shellfish foam; Roasted Monkfish with cauliflower, cranberry beans, kale and matelote sauce; Roasted Long Island Duck Breast with wild rice, squash, confit leg and cranberry marmalade, and what has quickly become a signature dish of Chef’s - Beef Duo with seared Rib Eye, Guinness braised short ribs, onion puree, parsnips and jus de braisage.

Natalie’s also offers a 3 course tasting menu and for a very special dinner experience we have a five course Chef’s Tasting Menu with items that are not featured on the a la carte menu.

As always, dinner at Natalie’s begins with a light amuse-bouche and the meal concludes with a mignardise.

If you are in the mood for something a little more casual, we also offer a bar menu, the perfect excuse to enjoy a cocktail from our award-winning (and included in the The American Cocktail) bartender Tom Laslavic and a delicious dish. Bar offerings include oysters, lobster bisque, Guiness braised short ribs, lamb bolognese, our Moroccan lamb burger with frites and spicy aioli and a selection of cheeses.

Bon Appetit!

Natalie’s Executive Chef Geoffroy Deconinck was recently invited to the TV studio at WCSH-TV (our NBC affiliate) to appear on the popular daily show, 207. Chef Deconinck shared a recipe that he felt was perfect for the holidays, something that kids and adults alike love, crepes. The recipe is from his mother and is very similar to a recipe that children learn how to make in Chef’s native country of Belgium.

Chef shared an alternate version with us as well, you can make these crepes with a mix of beer and milk for a more savory crepe. We were lucky enough to sample both and have to agree, the savory one made with beer has a truly intriguing depth of flavor. The crepes made with just milk were delightful, perfect for dessert or snack. Both were impossible to resist.

The best thing about crepes: they are delicious with jam, a dusting of powdered sugar, fresh fruit and whipped cream, nutella, maple syrup, or even chicken, vegetables or leftovers.

We have crepes occasionally on our breakfast menu at the Camden Harbour Inn for our overnight guests, they are always a popular choice.

Here is the TV clip and the recipe.

Christmas is a time to celebrate, indulge and share the joy of the season with your friends, family and loved ones. We love Christmas in Maine. The evergreens stand tall against the blue sky, the ground may be dusted with white snow and the crisp air is rejuvenating. Mt. Battie, with its Star of David shining above the village, is a heart warming sight.

The entire village of Camden is decorated for the holidays. The shops lights are a welcoming sight and here at the Camden Harbour Inn, we have tens thousands of white lights decorating the porch and adding their delightful glow to the Inn and the harbor below from a glorious old tree on the front lawn.

Indoors, the custom made red chairs in our dining room make Natalie’s feel especially festive accompanied by our Christmas ornaments, poinsettias and Christmas tree.

Executive Chef Geoffroy Deconinck has planned a tempting five course gourmet Christmas Dinner. The menu at Natalie’s features modern French-inspired dishes with seasonal local ingredients such as duck terrine, broccoli veloute with preserved black truffle, roasted Guinea Hen breast, seared beef rib eye with Bordelaise sauce and for dessert, the beautiful and delicious Buche de Noel with raspberry and chocolate.

We are accepting reservations for Christmas Dinner, give us a call at (800) 236-4266 or book online through OpenTable. Dinner is $79 per person and if you like, our certified sommelier, Alex Marchesini, will select wine pairings for your dinner for $68 per person.

If you would like to spend your Christmas holiday with us, please join us for a two night luxurious package, complete with a welcome glass of Prosecco, daily a la carte Champagne breakfasts, our Christmas Dinner and a map of historic Camden to take with you on a stroll through the Village.

We wish you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas.

December 25, 2011

First Course

Duck Terrine,
Ice wine gelee and house made pickles
Or
Broccoli Veloute
With preserved Black Truffle and sautéed florets

Second Course

Ricotta Gnocchi
With butternut squash, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts
Or
Maine Sweet Shrimp Risotto
Preserved lemon and chervil

Third Course

Roasted Monkfish
Accompanied by Tarbais beans, tomato confit and Shellfish butter
Or
Roasted Guinea Hen Breast
With celery root puree, parsnip and Sherry Sabayon
Or
Seared Beef Rib Eye,
Bacon Wrapped Potatoes, Creamy Jerusalem Artichokes, Preserved Winter Black Truffle, Bordelaise Sauce

Fourth Course

Cheese Degustation

Fifth Course

Traditional Buche de Noel
With raspberry and chocolate

What could be better than a fabulous dinner, great wines and an opportunity to hear from a renowned wine expert? We are truly excited to announce a very special wine dinner featuring Allegrini wines on Thursday, November 10.

The Allegrini family has played a leading role in the history of Fumane and of Valpolicella since the 16th century and has passed on the culture of wine-making from generation to generation. Together with our certified sommelier Alejandro Marchesini and Helen Gallo Bryan, VP of Winebow, Robin Sway, acting Export Manager for the Americas for Allegrini, Corte Giara, San Polo, and Poggio al Tesoro, lead dinner guests at Natalie’s, Camden Harbour Inn, through a unique wine dinner.

The 5-course dinner with wine pairings is $75, excluding taxes and gratuity. For guests interested in staying at one of the inn’s luxurious guestrooms, Camden Harbour Inn is offering a special rate of $162.50 per person including the Allegrini wine dinner and a la carte champagne breakfast (excluding taxes).

For dinner reservations please call Natalie’s at Camden Harbour Inn at 207.236.7008 or call 800.236.4266 for room reservations.

Allegrini Wine Dinner
Executive Chef Geoffroy Deconinck

First Course
The Coast of Tuscany
2007 Vermentino “Solo Sole” Poggio al Tesoro
Crab Salad, yuzu juice and avocado

Second Course
The Veneto
2007 Allegrini, Palazzo della Torre
Barley Risotto, Local Wild Mushrooms and Parmesan Foam

Third Course
The Hills Of Montalcino
2006 San Polo, Mezzopane
Duck Breast, Celery and Marinated Cherries

Fourth Course
The Tradition of Drying Grapes
2006 Allegrini, Amarone
Beef Tenderloin, Red Mole Sauce, Medley of Baby Yukon Potatoes

Fifth Course
Giovanni Allegrini
Recioto Della Valpolicella Clasico
Italian Cheese Degustation
Dry Fruits and Biscotti