SEARSPORT, Maine — For a year and a half, the large building in the middle of downtown Searsport was dark and shuttered, after several different restaurants located there had closed down one by one.
But beginning this month, the lights were turned on and activity hummed within as the new Route One RoadHouse opened its doors to the public. At midafternoon on Monday, the dining room bustled as people ordered from a menu that includes speciality sandwiches, salads and the popular fish and chips entree.
“A lot of people have a different feeling of what a roadhouse is,” said General Manager Keith Mackenzie. “We wanted it to be a place where anybody can go, whether you’re wearing a suit or fishing clothes.”
He said that restaurant management intends to provide fresh, reasonably priced food in an atmospheric setting for locals and tourists alike. Because the restaurant opened in November, Mackenzie said he hopes that year-round residents will take note and try it out.
“There’s a focus on the local population and what would they like to eat,” he said. “This is a working community. They work very hard. We just want to give the local population an alternative.”
The building has been owned for about eight years by Tom Sadowsky and Janice Kay, a husband-and-wife couple who live in Lincolnville. Sadowsky and Kay spent some time mulling over the type of business that would best fit in the space, and they came back to a restaurant. But this time they decided to run it themselves, with the help of a general manager. Mackenzie, who previously worked as an entrepreneur, said that all three have had a learning curve when it comes to owning and running a restaurant.
“We’re very, very strict about cleanliness, the quality of food and the people we’ve hired,” he said. There are about a dozen employees altogether.
The owners began renovating the roadhouse, which was most recently home to Rollie’s Bar and Grill, nearly a year ago. They refurbished the property, blocking off part of the large dining room to make a smaller, 52-seat restaurant with a lot of understated charm. The walls are hung with Sadowsky’s intricately created photographs of the area, and the menu was created with the intention of making diners smile.
“We tried to make it a little lighthearted,” Mackenzie said.
Towards that goal, hungry folks can feast on a grilled Spam and tomato Spamwich, an “improvised open face steak device” — not to be confused with a steak bomb — and even a “Pizza Propane Tank.”
“Meat on one side vs. vegetables on the other; black olive dividing line representing the planning board,” the menu states. “Carefully reviewed for all necessary permits. Very controversial.”
The restaurant also features a full bar. It will be open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. every day.
When it opened three weeks ago, the management did not advertise at all, Mackenzie said. But because locals had been wondering what all the renovation was leading up to, there was a lot of curiosity about the RoadHouse and many came to check it out.
“That was a lot of fun, to see people coming and enjoying themselves,” he said.
I wish them luck, especially since they introduced their Pizza Propane tank.
A pizza with half veggies and half meat.
Nice way to alienate 3/4 of the region when starting a new business!
Whether you are for or against the tank, as someone who is coming into our town as a new business, it would probably be wise to keep snarky opinions to yourself, at least for a while, no?
Ate there…pretty average food, long wait, not impressed.
After years of putting other restaurants out of business as a landlords charging high rent year round, I hope the favor is returned this time.
If the olives run down the center of the pizza as a divider, then when you cut the pizza they’re all going to fall off as people take pieces. *shakes head* For shame on the poor design, for shame. ;P
I won’t be stopping in, and I had in fact planned too. Not because I think they’re necessarily for or against the terminal, but people both for and against this terminal are taking this issue very seriously.
And I don’t think anyone who feels they have a future in one of 8-11 jobs this will bring as a local hire, or those who feel it’s a serious risk to the region’s safety and economy, particularly appreciate having what can be a life changing matter to one side or the other devolved to the point of a satirical pizza topping option.
It’s in very poor taste.
And maybe to other reader’s it isn’t. But I would expect most people who don’t think so, live far enough away as to not be effected by the tank.
BUT there already is a Roadhouse…and its on Route 1…in Woolwich. I propose that Chris and Jenny (of the Roadhouse) make them change their name.
Enough with the frivolous lawsuits! Do you have any idea how many restaurants have some form of Road House in their name throughout the country? If you can read, I think you can grasp the concept that its a different restaurant.
Are you serious?? I hope not.
I have eaten at the restaurant a few times now. Opening night the food was well prepared,the staff was very friendly and attentive, and the atmosphere was inviting. I found the wait time on their first week open to be a bit long but very comparable to that of Olive Garden or Bugaboo Creek on a busy night. I have waited longer at those places to be served. It seems like everyone wants sit down dinners with fast food service and prices. I enjoy going out for the dining experience and the time to have conversation in this mad world of rushing from place to place. The pricing of their food product is no higher than say Anglers or Darbys and for what you receive very fair. I am glad we have a new spot to dine.
I don’t believe the naming of the pizza is their “snarky opinion” on the proposed propane terminal. I felt that this was an owner abreast of what is happening in the community in which their business lies. Dark humor? Possibly, but I saw it as a conversation starter. We arrived, saw the name, ordered the pizza and began a conversation on the pros and cons of such a proposal. There are equally as many pros and cons on oil, wind, tidal, natural gas etc. and yes, I live in the area so this greatly affects my life. As a new business in town I cannot imagine they would “bite off the hand that feeds them” by intentionally upsetting the people of Searsport.