Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces "Claw Down"

Local Chefs vie for the title of best lobster bite at the kick-off event for restaurant week

Boothbay Harbor, Maine - The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce has issued a Claw Down for local chefs, challenging them to come up with the best lobster bite for the title of Claw Down Chef of the Year.

The event will take place on September 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the historic Boothbay Harbor Opera House.  Attendees will get to enjoy all of the savory lobster bites and vote on the People's Choice Award while sampling a selection of wines from Central Distributors.  The winner will be selected in a blind judging competition.

Tickets are $35.00 and a portion of the proceeds from the event will go to Boothbay Region Community Resources and help the Chamber in its efforts to bolster local businesses; serve as guardian of the region’s economic well-being; advocate on behalf of area businesses; and promote avenues of tourism for the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan, Newcastle, Southport, Westport and Wiscasset.

"As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Chamber we really wanted to create a new and exciting event, ‘Claw Down’ to kick off Restaurant Week that brings the community together by not only promoting and supporting our talented chefs in the area but also supporting our local lobster industry and a charity that helps our community," said Catherine Wygant, executive director of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce.

Lynn Archer (a.k.a The Queen of Clubs), owner of Archer's on the Pier and the Brass Compass Cafe and winner of the "Lobster Dekkah" challenge on the Food Network Show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” will emcee the event along with Mike Rovin of  94.9 WHOM.  Judges will include Meredith Goad, writer of the Portland Press Herald "Soup to Nuts" column; Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council; and Kelly Patrick Farrin, 2010 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year and sous chef at Primo restaurant in Rockland.

Participating restaurants in the "Claw Down" include:

The Boat House Bistro & Tapas Bar
www.theboathousebistro.com

Boothbay Lobster Wharf
www.boothbaylobsterwharf.com

Brown’s Wharf
www.brownswharfinn.com

Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant
www.fishermanswharfinn.com

Davis Island Grill
www.davisislandgrill.com

Linekin Bay Resort
www.linekinbayresort.com

McSeagull's Restaurant
www.mcseagullsonline.com

Newagen Seaside Inn
www.newagenseasideinn.com

Newcastle Publick House
www.newcastlepublickhouse.com

Ports of Italy
www.portsofitaly.com

Robinson’s Wharf & Tugs Pub
www.robinsons-wharf.com

The Rocktide Inn & Restaurant
www.rocktideinn.com

The Thistle Inn
www.thethistleinn.com

TugBoat Inn ~ Restaurant & Marina
www.tugboatinn.com

The World is Mine Oyster
www.mineoyster.net

This event is hosted by the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration and in conjunction with the Maine Lobster Promotion Council's Lobster Lover Celebration (lobsterfrommaine.com), an effort to promote buying and eating more Maine lobster to support the industry. Event sponsors include:  Central Distributors, 94.9 WHOM, Maine Lobster Promotion Council,  Boothbay Region Greenhouses, The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Marshall Tent & Event Rental,  Jim Taliana, Ted Axelrod Photography, Lobster Maine and MS Walker Inc..

The Claw Down will kick off Boothbay Harbor's Restaurant Week which runs from September 22—28, 2012. Restaurant week is a celebration of the cuisine scene in the Boothbay Harbor Region. From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, including an appetizer, entree and dessert for the special price of $24.95 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Cocktail attire is suggested for the Claw Down event.  Tickets can be purchased online by visiting Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce (www.boothbayharbor.com) or by calling 207-633-2353.