05/11/08

Excerpted from The Bar Harbor Times, July 2003

Eden, a vegetarian paradise

Bar Harbor --  When Lynn Ambielli talks about the food she and her partner, Mark Rampacek, serve at Eden, she sounds like an artist describing a masterful painting:  She uses visual words like color, texture, composition and design, which she says are essential considerations in his creations as are aroma, flavor, and balance.  This is because she is an artist, who, in fact, created the intricate still lifes that grace the walls of their classy restaurant.

The dishes Mr.Rampacek created really do look exquisite when they arrive at your table.  A lustrous brown portobello capping a small pile of crunchy golden job's tears, arranged with pale green sunchokes with a colorful side of tomato confit; a salad of mixed leafy greens mined with big, sweet slices of golden beet; or a dumpling made from some mysterious and surprisingly meaty heirloom grain accompanied two porcelain spoonfuls of relish- one zesty, the other fruity; a pearly coconut rice pudding garnished with mango and mint served in a convenient and friendly Chinese-style take-out carton.  All a visual delight.  And, oh, those tastes!

Here, the spotlight is on the crisp, fresh greens, the multi-textured grains- some nutty or savory, some grainy or smooth and sweet.  In the dinner I've had there, I never once longed for meat- actually I forgot it existed for the moment.

"Mark brings to vegetarian cooking all of his knowledge, formal training and experience as a chef," says Ms. Ambielli.  That is to say, a lot.  A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York, Mr. Rampacek has served in the kitchens of some of the finest MDI restaurants, including George's and the Porcupine Grill.  In addition to his experience, Mr. Rampacek is one of those naturals when it comes to creating unexpected combinations of flavors.  "This is his real genius." says Ms. Ambielli.  "I don't think it can be learned, he just has it.  He never ceases to amaze me."

Ms. Ambielli describes in artist's detail the handful of baby Japanese eggplants that arrived the other day, and how Mr. Rampacek on the spur of the moment used them as the perfect garnish for one of that night's entrees; or the Easter egg radishes that were almost too beautiful to eat.  "You know, Maine is not just all about lobster and blueberries.  The farmers we work with are producing an extraordinary variety of organically grown produce.  It's like Christmas discovering what that day's harvest will bring."

Excerpted from The Bangor Daily News,  September, 2004

Farm-fresh local produce at the heart of Bar Harbor's Eden Vegetarian Cafe

When Mark Rampacek worked as the chef at The Four Seasons in Boston, he would get excited when the premium produce arrived.  The vegetables came in small, deluxe boxes, and he wouldn't have to peel away most of the romaine to get to the tender leaves.  Now that he and his partner, Lynn Ambielli, own Eden Vegetarian Cafe in Bar Harbor, he looks back on his Boston days and laughs.  The vegetables the couple gets from local farmers make those leafy novelties look like rabbit scraps.  "Look at this," Ambielli says as she pulls a plump fava bean pod from the walk-in. "Isn't it beautiful?"  Yes- and even prettier boiled, peeled and pureed into a pale green custard that serves as the base for a tomato tartlet.

At Eden, farm-fresh is standard and organic is the only way.  And if you think vegetarian (actually, vegan) only gets as exciting as beans and rice, one bite of Rampacek's Soy Seitan Cutlets with cherokee purple tomato confit and wilted escarole will change your mind.

"Its not just the food, it's the way it's prepared.  It's so lovingly prepared, the dining room is beautiful, and the service is impeccable.  Everything about it is first-class," said Regina Ploucquet, who runs a bed and breakfast in Seal Cove.

As they prepared for the dinner rush, they shared their philosophy on the restaurant business, their commitment to fair trade and the importance of buying locally.  "Its so important to buy local.  I want more restaurants to buy local...part of the experience of coming to Maine could also be these vegetables grown by people who are really struggling to make their lives here, says Ambielli.  Mr. Rampacek chuckles when he talks about restaurants in the tourist mecca that sell the typical Maine menu- lobster, corn, chowder and blueberry pie.  On any given day, the lobster could come from Canada, the chowder might come in a bag straight from Massachusetts, the frozen corn on the cob may come from Iowa, and the berries may hail from New Jersey. "Really, we have the Downeast special."

A growing number of visitors and locals are seeking something different- customers fill Eden's nine-table dining room most nights.  Many are referred by innkeepers and concierges on the island, but many others find the cafe on their own.  The small dining room is a placid oasis, with walls the shade of green tea, blond wood trim, white paper lanterns, and a series of stained glass panels that Ambielli created in her studio.

Rampacek uses traditional French cooking techniques and adapts them to a vegan menu heavy on fresh produce, tofu and soy products.  While some cuisines lend themselves to a vegetarian menu- Asian and Indian come to mind- other's such as his grandmother's Slovakian favorites, are a bit harder to replicate.  "This is a whole new frontier creatively," Ambielli added.

The chance to work with local organic farmers- and the freshest ingredients- motivates both of them.  Though the big summer harvest is in full swing right now, Rampacek already has visions of turnip souffles dancing in his head, and he has been loading up on winter squash. "I love cooking in the fall."

Their menu, which changes daily, is a testament to seasonal cuisine.  Whether its the crisp, flavorful Louisiana-Style Vegetable Cakes (which almost make you forget crab was even an option) or a slightly sweet, dill-scented corn chowder, each dish hits the mark.  "My customers rave about it," Ploucquet said.  "All the vegetables are cooked to perfection.  Its very creative.  Mark's sauces are extraordinary."

The raves are no surprise to Ambielli, who takes a short break assembling tomato tartlets to look over at Rampacek and smile.  "Mark has a gift of making things taste really good."

Excerpted from Frommer's, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, 4th Edition

Eden Vegetarian Cafe

Have you ever seen a vegetarian restaurant where people dress up for dinner?  Right across the street from the bay, Chef Mark Rampacek operates Bar Harbor's only vegetarian eatery, bringing high culinary flair and atmosphere to the cause; most dishes here use organic and/or locally grown ingredients, and you'll even possibly want to dress up a bit if you dine here.  Dinners are elaborate, beginning with starters like a roasted fig bruschetta, seared crab-like vegetable cakes, ratatouille-stuffed mushroom caps, fresh local salads, or a beet tartare with capers and a delicate arrangement of 'stained glass' potato.  The main course might be a bento box of tofu, edamame, seaweed salad and the like; grilled vegetables, tempeh, or seitan; roasted portobello mushroom with polenta cake; or bright red lentil dal paired with eggplant.   For dessert, try chocolate fondue for two, dairy-free ice cream with caramel and coconut, or sponge cake with lemon curd and blueberries.  There's a full range of coffees and teas, and a full bar.

Excerpted from North American Vegetarian Society's Vegetarian Voice magazine,  Fall, 2005

Eden: A Maine Coast Vegan Favorite

Mark Rampacek and Lynn Ambielli had been working and cooking together at an upscale restaurant in Bar Harbor, Maine, for many years.  They began envisioning a restaurant where they would not have to cook foie gras, venison, and other animal foods, and within a couple of months, they'd opened Eden  Eden serves gourmet and almost entirely organic food.

While the food is elegantly presented, the atmosphere is eclectically casual.  Beautiful stained glass art covers the walls, and the windows overlook the ocean.  The oil lamps at each table are nestled in sand, and there is a Zen quality to the simple beauty.

While the menu is fairly small, each item is a delight.  On my visit in May, it was difficult to choose what to eat.  Although the Piccata is my favorite (I've eaten at Eden a number of times), for this review I decided to order some new dishes.  I chose the Spring Onion Soup with Sage Croutons, and the Braised Tempeh with Red Wine and Root Vegetables, a Spring Vegetable Rissoto, and Roasted Mushroom Tapenade.  Served with bright green Chard and Fiddleheads (a local wild food that unrolls each Spring) that peeked out alluringly, creating a complex and fantastic flavor extravaganza.  For dessert I ordered the Chocolate Mousse Torte with Frambois Coulis, which was not only gorgeous, but divine.   And were I a drinker, I would be in heaven at Eden (to mix my metaphors).  There aren't too many places where you can order a martini made with organic vodka and organic garlic-stuffed olives.  In fact, all of Eden's cocktails are made with organic ingredients, among them a vegan Bloody Mary.  For the non-drinkers, Eden offers organic sodas, spritzers and juices, plus an extensive loose tea menu, and fair trade, organic coffee.

Having grown up in Manhattan, and having lived the first thirty-five years of my life in the major cities on the east coast (New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington), its fair to say that I've had the opportunity to eat at the finest of vegan and vegetarian restaurants the U.S. has to offer.  Eden could compete with the best of the big city restaurants, and likely win.

Eden has also been featured on WABI TV5's nightly cooking segment,

as well as the nationally broadcast morning show, Make Your Day Count.