In fairness to Fresh & Co., our dining experience at a competing establishment the night before was outstanding! It was a 5-star dining experience all the way. It would be a tough act to follow no matter where we went to eat.
With that in mind, I feel I'm being very fair with a 4-star rating. It was good, but it could have been better. In fact, I would be giving them a 3.8 or 3.7 if that were an option. A 5-star rating may be within their reach, but they're not there yet in my book.
The location is excellent. Downtown Camden, steps from the waterfront. Check.
We made 5 o'clock reservations, as the website suggested we do if we were hoping for outdoor, upper deck seating--to take in the view. That option is weather-dependent, of course--and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Unfortunately, rain was in the forecast that night. For making those reservation instructions clear and easy to understand: Check.
So, we chose two seats at the bar. The bar was relatively small--there was room for ten or maybe twelve patrons--but the chairs were not crammed close together, making everyone feel cramped and crowded. Check.
The bartender was clearly very experienced and friendly and she made a great Vodka Martini (very dry with a twist). Check.
We started with the clam dip appetizer. It was good but could have been better. It was nothing like the clam dip that used to be very common in New England when I was growing up. I don't fault them for that, but I do fault them for having very little clam in the clam dip. Boo.
Then, we both ordered the Duck. I know, boring, right? While we both like Duck, and the description of the accompanying root vegetable medley was intriguing, we couldn't help but wonder why nothing else on the menu was appealing.
We *never* order the same thing (so we can try one another's dish). And, why was the seafood selection so limited -- just one item if memory serves They're in Camden, Maine--steps from the harbor. Boo.
She loved everything about the dish, but I only enjoyed the Duck--I didn't care for the root vegetables. We were both too full to finish our entrees, so we left with ample leftovers. We'll go with a 'Check.'
The 'Checks' outpace the 'Boos' 5 to 2. That's a 4-star rating in my book.
Note: As the name implies, this is a farm (and boat) to table oriented place. The menu changes frequently. read more