555 North Restaurant — Restaurant in Brunswick

Okay, firstly I want to say that the aesthetics, service, and atmosphere were stunning. Absolutely perfect. The menu itself is clearly the product of someone with a lot of passion, and creativity, and offers great options for pretty much anyone with any sort of dietary restrictions (love that).

The reason for the 3 stars is that at the end of the day it's a restaurant, and the food just falls short of the amount of ambition behind it.

I had a mocktail as I don't drink, which was excellent, started with the pork belly small plate which came with gruyere grits, fennel, rutabaga, and watercress. The pork belly itself was cooked beautifully, top notch. The grits tasted as though they had never even been adjacent to seasoning, the rutabaga and watercress were incidental to the composition of the dish, and felt like filler, the fennel was cut into a rather hearty julienne which made a balanced bite of the dish laborious. These factors almost served to make me forget the absolutely perfect preparation and cook on the pork belly.

Mains I had the pan seared duck breast which came with a celeriac puree, pistachios, cranberry jus and green apples. This dish was really solid; the cook on the duck was perfect, but it was tragically under seasoned, the cranberry jus was tart and vibrant, and the combination of textures between the puree and the crushed pistachios made for exactly what I was hoping for in the dish. My only critiques were the seasoning on the duck itself, and the large slices of green apple which made for a rather clumsy eating experience, a cut like a brunoise on them, and a good season on the duck would easily make this dish a 10/10.

For desserts I went with the Crème Brulee, and my wife got the Panna Cotta. Mine came with apple cider pearls which were very nice, the custard itself was excellent, the sugar on top was slightly overdone making it acrid and a little off-putting. My wife's panna cotta, which happened to be a signature dessert of mine when I was cooking was well thought out but severely lacking in the flavor department, and over-gelatinized, causing me to think it was like made with gelatin rather than egg-whites like a tradition panna cotta. I maintained throughout my career that this kind of dessert should be called what it really is "milk-jello".

I see massive potential in this restaurant and will continue to go, and see how they evolve, I chalk these minor indiscretions up to how difficult it is to staff right now, and how inclined chefs and cooks are to get too big for their britches. My rating is based on cost vs. execution, as I said I will continue to support this restaurant, and I think that...

I went on a winter vacation getaway this week to The Federal Hotel located at 10 Water St in Brunswick, ME📍 This hotel offers excellent accommodations and has a spectacular on site restaurant called 555 North.

🍹 Cocktails:

Sage Advice: A delightful blend of Lunazul Blanco Tequila, blackberry, sage, lime, and seltzer. As a tequila enthusiast, I found this concoction to be a true winner, earning a solid 9/10. The interplay of flavors, especially the herbal notes from sage, created a memorable experience.

Leef Peepin: Featuring Barr Hill Gin, pear, vanilla, and honey, this drink offered a commendable mix, though it left me searching for that extra something. A respectable 6/10, but the creativity in its ingredients deserves applause.

🧀 Farm to Board:

The charcuterie board showcased 555 North’s commitment to quality with 2 meats, 2 cheeses, pickled vegetables, and jam. A delightful ensemble deserving of an 8/10, though a tad more crostini would have elevated the experience. 🥗 Roasted Winter Squash Salad:

Despite the switch to carrots due to a squash shortage, the salad maintained a standard appeal with goat cheese and a cranberry vinaigrette. A fair 6/10, but the creativity in adapting to ingredient challenges is acknowledged. 🥩 Entrees:

The Filet Mignon, cooked to a perfect medium rare, showcased creamy potatoes and stole the spotlight with roasted wild mushrooms and an au poivre sauce. A stellar 9/10, the savory blend of pepper, Cognac, and cream in the au poivre sauce elevated the dish.

The Scallops, generously sized and paired with a carrot and vanilla sauce, stood out with a fennel potato puree. An easy 9/10, the thoughtful combination of flavors and textures made this a standout dish.

🍰 Desserts:

Sticky Date Cake: A unique and visually stunning treat featuring caramel apricot gel and coconut icing. A memorable 9/10, it was as delightful to the eyes as it was to the taste buds.

Apple Creme Brulee: A creative twist on a classic, with perfectly cooked apples. A solid 9/10, showcasing the chef’s ingenuity in reimagining a beloved dessert.

In summary, 555 North at the Federal Hotel in Brunswick, Maine, offers a diverse and inventive culinary experience. From expertly crafted cocktails to thoughtfully designed entrees and desserts, the restaurant demonstrates a commitment to quality and creativity. I highly recommend checking this spot out on your next winter vacation!

Food: 9/10🍽️ Affordability: 6/10 💸...

So disappointed. Really wanted to like this restaurant. A friend & I went for restaurant week. The best thing about this place is a comfortable ambience to share a nice meal with friends. Sadly, 555North falls short. I had the 5 onion soup which was lukewarm not hot & tho visually stunning, what was an effort to cut the bold onion flavor with a balsamic drizzle turned out to be an overwhelming hijack not a flavor moderator. My friend had a salad appetizer which was decent but certainly didn't stand out in any way. She also had monkfish as a main which was perfectly cooked. Wish I could say the same for my duck breast with smoked barley in blood orange gastrique. The duck did not appear to have been pan seared as there was virtually no textural contrast & the meat just seemed to be flabby flesh. The barley tasted as if it had been boiled with a huge lug of liquid smoke rather than actually smoked which so overwhelmed my taste buds, I could barely taste anything else in my mouth for hours after I got home. A gastrique is designed to provide a sharp counterpoint to something else, perhaps an unctuous piece of meat, etc. But in this case, the gastrique was so diluted with stock as to be irrelevant & did not provide any contrast at all. Because the smoked barley (& excessive balsamic) had overwhelmed my taste buds, I was unable to give a fair evaluation to the chocolate cake, altho I was truly disappointed by the presentation. Instead of the normal raspberry coulis as a counterpoint to the chocolate, there was simply a schmear of raspberry jam with seeds in it (several got stuck in my teeth.) A really unforgivable attempted shortcut. My friends baked brie had the textural contrast I wished my duck breast had. Finally, I was shocked when a server was resetting our places between the 1st & 2nd courses & put my knife & fork on the wrong sides of the plate. A small point, for sure, but honestly, if you aspire to be a higher end restaurant & your staff doesn't know which side the utensils go on, that says a lot. This chef has high aspirations. It's just a shame he's unable...