The Pilot House

While we were traveling on the coast of Maine, we figured we would stop for dinner at somewhere that could combine a Reuben sandwich with something seafood or ocean-related. While driving through Kennebunkport, we stopped at a restaurant right on the harbor called The Pilot House. It was a pleasant evening, so we asked to dine in their outdoor area.

I ordered the Fried Haddock Reuben from their menu. The price seemed a little high for a Reuben—but I don't know the going price for haddock, so maybe I shouldn’t complain. I upgraded my side item to the sweet potato waffle fries. The sandwich arrived in just under 20 minutes and came alongside what might have been the most unnaturally-orange looking sweet potato fries I think I’d ever seen.

The first thing that I noticed was that the grilled rye on the sandwich was a little hard—perhaps it had been grilled a little too long? But then on biting into the sandwich, I was very pleased with the way that the coleslaw and dressing worked well with the mild flavors of the haddock. In fact, there wasn’t a huge “coleslaw” taste to this Reuben—the coleslaw tasted much more like sauerkraut than I had expected.

I also liked how the crisp coating around the fried haddock had a nice crunch that worked well with the crunch of the rye bread. I liked that the sandwich didn’t taste “fishy” and that it was amazingly Reubenesque. I would have thought that a fish Reuben would be a poor substitute for good old corned beef, but this sandwich proved me wrong. I mean, it obviously didn’t taste just like a traditional Reuben, but it was a delicious sandwich that passed the test.

I highly recommend a stop to try the Fried Haddock Reuben if you are passing through Kennebunkport and looking for something delicious.