In the search for a perfect pizza pie, The Cabin falls short.
The restaurant, located in Bath, is a locally revered pizza joint that many consider the best around. It is tucked away on a back street near Bath Iron Works in what once served as a rope mill for Bath's shipbuilding industry. Chances are you will be the only out-of-town diner as The Cabin attracts a predominantly local crowd.
The interior, appropriately, has the feel of a ship's cabin, albeit a charmingly shabby one. The three rooms are filled with dark, wood-paneled booths, stained-glass light fixtures, and retro marine memorabilia. There are also some smaller, private rooms for larger parties. The tables have that slightly sticky feel common to most good pizza joints and, be warned, you will probably leave smelling like pizza grease.
The menu is very large and offers about 15 varieties of pizza. Of course, you can always assemble your own pie from their list of toppings.
The Cabin also serves a variety of sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. There are several appetizers to choose from as well, including chicken fingers, garlic knots and cheesy stix.
Worth noting is The Cabin's beer selection, which is fairly good and, perhaps most important, inexpensive. A draft beer—of which the choices include Coors Light, Honey Brown, and Budweiser—will set you back just $1.75. A pitcher goes for $8.50.
Although I found the slightly seedy atmosphere to be charming, the pizza itself left something to be desired. What is there, really, to say about mediocre pizza? If you like pizza, you will probably like this. If you love pizza, you will be disappointed.
My favorite, the vegetable pizza —topped with onions, olives, peppers, mushrooms, and extra cheese—was satisfying, but hardly outstanding, as the best of the bunch.
Although I found the crust to be a little too thick, it was an overall satisfactory pizza experience that was improved with some chili flakes.
The broccoli pizza was also perfectly adequate. It had a good sauce to cheese ratio and the broccoli turned an otherwise subpar pie into a decent one.
The same cannot be said for the pesto and chicken pizza, though, which was decidedly bad. The cheese had a day-old, gummy consistency and the pesto was tasteless. It was reminiscent of leftover pizza eaten for breakfast, but somehow still not as satisfying.
Similarly, the cheese pizza was nothing special. The flaw, I think, is in the sauce, which is very acidic and overpowers the rest of the pie. It is fairly difficult to ruin a simple cheese pizza but The Cabin's tomato sauce somehow succeeded.
Many cite The Cabin as having the only "real" pizza in Maine; however, it remains unclear to me what makes their pizza any "realer" than Dominoes or Scarlet Begonia's—or any tastier for that matter.
Nor is the service particularly prompt. While you won't wait long to order at the front counter, the pizza takes longer than it should to come out of the oven, especially considering its quality.
Furthermore, The Cabin does not take reservations (except for large groups) and does not accept credit or debit cards (although they do have an ATM on the premises). I left feeling slightly resentful at having jumped through hoops for such ordinary pizza.
The Cabin has its merits—namely the cheap beer and the intriguing 28-inch pizza, which may make it worth another try. For a party or big group dinner, The Cabin would be a nice change from the same ol' Volcano Bowls at Little Tokyo. But, if it's simply good pizza you're after, skip The Cabin and just go to the Pub.
Food: ** (two of five stars)
Atmosphere: ** (two of five stars)
Prices ranges between $8.00 for a small pizza to $19.00 for a large pizza with four toppings.
The Cabin
552 Washington St.
Bath, ME 04530
(207) 443-6224