The Everything Scone at Finestkind. photo/Dan Zarin
Finestkind
17 Pepperell Square, Saco
494-7083
finestkindmaine.com
Did you hear? Saco is the new Biddeford, which was previously called Portland’s Brooklyn, so I guess Saco is now also Brooklyn vis-à-vis the Manhattan of Portland, making Biddeford … Queens? I’m having trouble keeping track, and it’s all bullshit anyway, but it is true that Saco’s dining scene is having a moment of sorts.
Saco’s tiny downtown has much less commercial space than its sister city across the river, so most of the new restaurants have replaced previous ones. Finestkind opened in September in Pepperell Square, where The New Moon was a local favorite for two decades. Finestkind’s owners, whose portfolio includes Portland restaurants Central Provisions and Tipo, have re-energized the space and offer a fresh, creative breakfast-and-lunch menu designed to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd.
Real talk: I am neither young nor hip. That said, I’m pleased to report that Finestkind delivers the goods.
My wife and I met up with some friends there for an early breakfast, placing our orders at the counter before grabbing one of the few available tables. I started with an outstanding cup of coffee ($5) brewed from Tandem Coffee Roasters beans, while my wife indulged her sweet tooth with a Spiced Maple Latte ($7).
I ordered French Toast Sticks ($12) for the table as an appetizer. Crisp, light and custardy, served with a rich but not-too-sweet maple syrup crème anglaise, they were related in name only to the 1980s Burger King breakfast item my teenage self occasionally enjoyed for the corn syrup rush.
My friend’s Brown Butter Waffle ($12) was nicely crisp outside and fluffy inside, with a deliciously nutty, slightly sweet flavor. He added Fried Chicken ($8), a boneless thigh with dark, super-crunchy breading just begging for a drizzle of maple syrup.
His wife chose the Standard Sandwich ($10): two fried eggs, American cheese and cured-egg-yolk mayo on a house-made English muffin. For an extra three bucks she added applewood-smoked bacon, also made in-house. A side order of delicately crispy hash browns ($7) served with ketchup and “horseradish fancy sauce” completed her meal.
I chose the Everything Scone ($14), topped with silky, chilled, avocado-green-goddess mousse, preserved lemon, pickled onions and a soft-boiled egg. The dish was light and refreshing, perfect for one of those 80-degree fall days that are apparently a thing now.
My wife ordered the Red & Black Lumberjack ($15): smoked brisket, fried egg and horseradish sauce sandwiched between hash browns. The combination of flavors and textures was amazing, and I could have eaten an entire plateful of the lean, fall-apart-tender meat.
I’m already plotting repeat visits to Finestkind to sample some of their enticing pastries and lunch items, including a brisket-and-bacon meatloaf sandwich that’s got my name all over it. That oughta keep me going for awhile — at least until the next town in Portland’s orbit becomes its Brooklyn… Scarborough?
Finestkind is open Thursday through Monday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
