Fresh! or Fresh? (South Portland, Maine)

I stopped by Fresh! (Mill Creek, South Portland) for lunch at the suggestion of a blog reader (thank you). Fresh! is Walter Loehmann's latest restaurant creation. Walter is originally of Walter's Restaurant fame - and after he and his partner split, with his partner getting Walter's & Joe's Boathouse, Walter ran Perfetto's. 15 Independence and Cotton Street Cantina.

The menu at Fresh! is split between sandwiches, soups & salads. Interestingly enough, we were told by our waitress that the "special" of the day (beefsteak tomato, goat cheese and sunflower sprouts on foccacia bread) was the only sandwich left. There is a soup & sandwich special daily for $9, served with your choice of soup. On the day we visited there was only one soup. A chowder with lobster, snapper and scallops. One sandwich; one soup. That would make the decision easy. We inquired why other types of sandwiches were not available and were told that they pre-make their sandwiches in the morning and when they are gone, they are gone. Fresh?

Because we were quite hungry, we decided against the salads; my husband chose the special sandwich and the chowder. I also had the sandwich but am allergic to scallops and therefore could not have the soup. The only other "side" on the menu was a bag of Kettle chips which I declined. When Walter learned of my allergy to the soup, he gave me the dinner menu, said he had most of the ingredients on hand and would make me a side of whatever I wanted. I opted for a simple side of white rice; Walter would not hear of it! Instead he made me a wonderfully fresh! stir fry, mixing chicken broth, soy sauce, mirin, carrots, peas and corn with the rice. It was delicious, though a little heavy on the sweet mirin.

My husband enjoyed his chowder, showing me several times the abundance of fish - a hearty stew indeed. The sandwich was actually a half a sandwich; the bread was the wonderfully flavorful Standard foccacia, spread with creamy and pungent goat cheese; the ripe tomatoes were sliced thick, and sprinkled with just the right amount of sunflower sprouts. It was a wonderful combination.

Walter's goal is to make Fresh!, open for 6 months now, more of a low-key neighborhood joint, serving fresh and creative fare without pretense. In additon to serving lunch, Fresh! is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Walter mentioned that wines by the glass are all $5.50 and $22 for the bottle - simple "drinking" wines such as Red Truck and White Truck served in short juice glasses. The restaurant seats about 25, with bar seating available, as well.

Fresh! would not be a destination for me - there are just too many other options that do it better. But if I were in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in for a quick lunch or dinner.