What do dinner at No. 10 Water and my recent government midterm have in common? Both are experiences that I hope not to repeat in the near future. No. 10 Water is the restaurant of the Captain Daniel Stone Inn, located on Water Street in Brunswick. I want to avoid a quick condemnation of 10 Water as I have certainly experienced a few successes there.
I first dined at 10 Water, which is divided by an attractive fireplace into a "dining room" and "tavern" each with its own menu, on their "Gourmet Pizza Night". This proved to be something of a misnomer for, though there was pizza, I hesitate to call it gourmet. The concept of pizza night is such that your table receives an "endless" family-style salad bowl (à la Olive Garden) and unlimited pizza slices, which come in three varieties.
While my dinner gave me next to no insight into the quality of 10 Water's typical dinner fare, I did get a taste of their inconsistent service and flawed timing. My table waited more than 10 minutes for our menus and another 15 to place our orders. Furthermore, our orders were confused several times (a true feat when the menu comprises only three types of pizza).
That said, my spinach and artichoke pizza was tasty—very much like a classic artichoke and cheese dip but in pizza form. The overall experience however, was disastrous enough that I considered abandoning the review so as to avoid a second visit.
With a more extensive menu and more polished service however, 10 Water redeemed themselves on a second visit—at least partially. The meal, though never extraordinary, was at times very good. The mixed green salad with sherry vinaigrette was a solid appetizer with quality ingredients. You would be well advised to start your meal at 10 Water with this salad.
The butternut squash and ricotta gnocchi with fried sage, though it was entrée sized, was another good appetizer. The gnocchi was well-cooked and flavorful, with a crisped outside. The fried sage was a wonderful touch and elevated the dish above a simple gnocchi in butter. These dishes were exceptions however to the general quality of the meal.
My table split the "Chef's Choice" portabella mushroom fries with truffle and herb aioli as our bread course. Why the chef chose this appetizer is beyond me. The portabella mushrooms were barely discernible in their batter-y wrapping. It is difficult to make truffles unappetizing to me but the aioli managed brilliantly; the truffle flavor was overpowering and the consistency was more like soft butter than a true aioli.
The crispy calamari was met with more favor at my table. Served with chili aioli (noticing a trend yet?) on a bed of greens, the dish is a tasty, if heavy, way to begin your meal. The calamari was neither rubbery nor undercooked and this aioli was, in contrast, very appetizing indeed—spicy but not unpleasantly so.
Moving onto the entrées...be warned, this might take a while. If consistency if to be found at 10 Water it is in the long waits (we're talking 30 minutes) between courses. The service during my second visit was much improved from the first—our waitress was friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. The kitchen clearly has some catching up to do. It took a full two and half hours for our table of four to complete our meal. Worth it at Fore Street maybe, but not here—and especially not on a school night. Some of our dishes merited the wait. I went with the "Chef's Choice" Lobster Hash. A bed of crispy potatoes, morel mushrooms, leeks, corn and bacon provide the base for a moderate portion of lobster meat.
This unusual preparation of lobster surprised me in its deliciousness. Though the hash was a little salty, the flavors were otherwise spot-on—I especially appreciated the leeks. With a little refining, this dish could easily compete with those at my local favorite, Clementine.
Also appealing is 10 Water's scallop dish. Scallops are pan-seared with local mushrooms. Though the scallops were on the rubbery side, the accompanying pappardelle and brandy cream sauce was enough to make me forget any flaws. The pasta was deliciously egg-y and thick. It is unfortunate that this dish is a special since it outshines many of the permanent menu fixtures.
I recommend ordering the pan-roasted chicken breast with mustard potatoes for a protein option. I like to think that the over-reduced Riesling and grape sauce was simply a one-time flub because, notwithstanding the saltiness, it was very, very good. The sweet grapes countered the sauce's richness well. The chef roasted the chicken to achieve a lovely crisped skin and well-cooked breast meat. This dish is definitely worth revisiting.
Dessert was by far the best course of a very long meal. My molten chocolate cake was not only delicious but enormous-the perfect combination. I would also gladly eat the crepes with lemon curd and blueberries again.There is good food to be had at 10 Water if you are willing to tolerate the sketchy service and the occasional greasy dish.
Though I tasted some enjoyable plates the overall experience did not leave me clamoring for more. With a number of other tried and true options in Brunswick, I don't think I'll be back to No. 10 Water very soon. If you decide to try it for yourself, beware of pizza night.
Food: two and a half out of five stars
Atmosphere: two and a half out of five stars
No. 10 Water at the Captain Daniel Stone Inn.
203- 373-9299