The new restaurant or, The Whale opened this summer at 38 Main St, the site of the late, unlamented Met on Main. The new restaurant is bright and airy and nicely decorated, and the staff are unfailingly pleasant and helpful. The morning menu is labeled “brunch” and has both breakfast and lunch options intermingled. But there are the usual pancakes, eggs and omelets.
The name of the restaurant is the subtitle of Melville’s Moby Dick.
They are still getting into the swing of things: with inexperienced end of season staff not knowing which plate goes to which diner. We were seated in the front bay window which seemed very nice until we realized the table and chairs they put there made it really difficult to squeeze into the table, and there was little place for purses or bags.
But they brought coffee and tea promptly. We ordered pancakes ($11) and bacon ($5) because the only sausage on the menu was chorizo and while that might go Ok with eggs, we couldn’t see having it with pancakes. However, let us note that the pancakes were huge and delicious and once we got the syrup I tucked right into them, and could not finish these large, oval pancakes. But they were very good.
The omelet of the day ($14) had peppers, spinach and onion and was rather too dry and flavorless because it was overcooked. This was also true of the potatoes.
This is their first season and we really need to be understanding, as getting experienced help and opening a new restaurant is a huge undertaking. We wish them well as they gain more experience.
Food Science Institute 