An Asian fusion takeout spot on Mount Desert Island is one of few businesses that is only open during the winter, catering nearly exclusively to locals.
Word Up Take Out, located behind the Southwest Harbor Public Library, opened for its second season on Tuesday, offering a buffet of Asian fusion-inspired to-go options, including Korean BBQ beef bowls, pad thai, crab rangoon and General Tso’s chicken.
Other than local ski resorts, the takeout spot is one of few — if not the only — coastal Maine eatery that solely opens over the winter. Most MDI restaurants are only open for the region’s busy tourist season, between May and October, though some stay open year-round, like the Thirsty Whale Tavern and Geddy’s in Bar Harbor.
Owner Robert Higgins is occupied during the tourist season with the waterside Chart Room in Hulls Cove, where he is a chef and partner.
“I did it last winter in large part because I am the chef and partner at the Chart Room and in the winter, I would chill out and not do much, and it drove my wife nuts,” Higgins said Thursday. “So I decided I needed to do something before it went bad, so I opened this. For as long as I’ve lived here I’ve heard people complain about [how] nothing is open in the winter, and it’s true.”
The takeout spot is hoping to fill a void in wintertime dining options. It also joins a growing number of MDI restaurants that provide diverse foods.
“I’m pretty sure I’m the only person in a long way that only opens for winter,” Higgins said.
The restaurant’s latest menu includes ramen, jalapeno poppers, pickle fries, egg rolls and sandwiches. The spot is open Monday thru Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.
“I tried to keep it open last summer but it was a disaster,” Higgins said. “It didn’t even occur to me that I am the main ingredient to all this and it doesn’t work without me.”
The seasonal eatery may extend its hours to weekends as early as next week, Higgins said.
Most orders are completed online, though customers can also grab a meal by visiting the shop’s takeout window.
Higgins was born in Millinocket but has lived in Southwest Harbor for roughly eight years. He opted for Asian fusion food because he loves it, he said, adding that he incorporated sushi in last year’s menu but that the time commitment it required wasn’t worth it.
“The last two days, people have been thanking me when they come to the window, and I thank them, too. Without them, we’re nothing,” Higgins said. “We’re here for you.”