GARDINER: A Mad Dog on Water Street

BY MECHELE COOPER
Staff Writer 06/28/2008

GARDINER -- In jolly ol' England, pubs are the core of life in communities.

An alehouse with quality beers and good food is an integral part of the community.

Marianne Roth and Auta Main, co-owners of The Mad Dog pub at 259 Water St., wanted to bring a tiny bit of the real England to Gardiner.

Both live in the city and volunteer in the community. Main is the president of the Gardiner Main Street Board of Directors, a nonprofit group that encourages downtown economic and cultural vitality.

In England, Roth said pubs are a family gathering place. A town without a focal point becomes a collection of dwellings -- a location, she said.

"We really felt Gardiner needed something," Roth said Friday. "We only have a few restaurants and the only one downtown is A-1 (Diner). We've traveled to England many, many times and liked the English pub setting. It's all about community. And it was something people really wanted. So we went for it."

Mad Dog, with fine wine, spirits and ale, opened last week in a 150-year-old Water Street building.

Roth and Main purchased the building last October and did some extensive renovation. They knocked out ceilings and erected walls and installed a new electrical system. They also had a small kitchen built at the back of the restaurant and added a fire escape.

On the second floor is a nonprofit, Boreal Songbird Initiative, and on the third floor is a loft apartment. The pub looks authentic with prints of hunting scenes and brass and pewter accent pieces.

Roth found the sideboard behind the bar in an antique shop in Portland. It is handcrafted out of woodwork that came from an old estate, she said. They also bought the pub's maple wrap-around bar from an antiques dealer.

Stairs lead from the pub to a basement that has been transformed into a cozy dining area for intimate meals.

Ray Eugley, head chef, said the downstairs is similar to old-world upscale clubs. The menu includes English style fare such as roast turkey and prime rib with Yorkshire pudding, served on weekends. They also offer a vegetarian meal, roasted root vegetables with parmesan and Romano drizzle.

He said the restaurant can seat 20 to 25 downstairs and 20 upstairs.

At 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, they serve a traditional high tea, same as an afternoon tea, with cookies and cakes and popovers. The tea comes from the Baxter Tea Co. in Gardiner where 10 percent of the profit goes to Baxter State Park.

Mad Dog only opens in the evenings.

Hours are Tuesday and Wednesday from 4:30-9 p.m.; Thursday from 4:30-10 p.m.; and on Friday and Saturday, 4:30-11 p.m. It's closed Sunday and Monday.

"Our food is all organic, we're buying from local growers," Eugley said. "And our meats come from Wolf's Neck Farm."

Roth, who also will be preparing meals, attended Dumas Pere L'ecoledela Cuisine Francais, a cooking school in Chicago. Eugley is a recent graduate of Washington County Community College's culinary program.

Katie Spencer, a server who said she had opening day jitters, agreed that Gardiner needed another downtown restaurant. Something with style.

"It's something different," Spencer said. "All we have here is pizza. We needed a place where you could get dressed up to go out to dinner."

Roth said business has been good even though she only advertised in the dining guide. She said customers are drawn to the cozy atmosphere of her tiny alehouse.

"We've been well received, so we're quite happy," Roth said. "Our slogan is you'll be a stranger here but once."

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, Ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com