The Union Grill Awards

The Union Grill Restaurant Review:

While you'll find locals and casual fare in the pub next door, The Union Grill is where Seacoasters and tourists alike go for something a bit more special. The fireplace is a focus of the restaurant in the cooler months. Start with a wide array of Maine oysters from the raw bar. The lump crab cake is finished with a cauliflower piccalilli relish, cucumber aïoli and pea tendrils --- almost too pretty to eat. Salmon with a crispy skin is accompanied by caramelized cauliflower, pine nuts, black garlic, asparagus, dried cranberries and rice wine butter. Beyond seafood, you’ll find lamb and chicken, and potato gnocchi with parsley pesto, fennel and asparagus. For dessert, try the Boston cream pie, two layers of moist golden cake with Bavarian cream and fudge frosting served with crème anglaise. The wine list is small, but includes good domestic and French vintages; beer selections are extensive and eclectic.