Business Profiles
Maude Hutchins Premium has found a new home at Foster's Clambake
By Jennifer L. Saunders
Lucy and Kent Kilgore, pictured above, have just opened their celebrated local eatery, Maude Hutchins Premium, in a brand new location - Foster's Clambake on Axholme Road. Stop by Maude Hutchins Premium for all your favorites from their two years on York Street - from their locally acclaimed lobster rolls to their decadent lobster stew - and try the new fare on the menu at their new home. For more on Maude Hutchins Premium, stop by or call 363-6192.
Photo by Jennifer L. Saunders
The only problem was, the pair acknowledged, if you didn't know Maude Hutchins Premium was there, well - you didn't know it was there.
All that has changed, however.
On Saturday, May 20, the Kilgores opened their seafood restaurant right on Axholme Road at Foster's Clambake.
And all your favorites are back at Maude Hutchins Premium - the lobster roll, seafood chowder, lobster stew and Portuguese seafood stew - with even more.
The larger space, which includes plenty of seating for those who wish to dine in at the bright and cheery restaurant, means something for everyone, including dinner platters, fried seafood and event "Sea and Shore Sandwiches" for those who love the sea and those who prefer to stay landlocked.
"Our menu has expanded and we have more help and more seating," Kent said, adding Saturday's official opening brought with it many local fans for a very positive start to this new era in the history of Maude Hutchins Premium.
Of course, the story of Maude goes back much further than the two years the restaurant was open on York Street.
Maude Hutchins Premium, Kent explained, is named for his great-grandmother. In fact, her photographs hang in one of the dining areas of the new restaurant. With a family heritage of fishing from Perkins Cove, Kent said the restaurant was a natural extension of his connection to the sea.
Kent and Lucy both smiled when asked why those who try their lobster rolls are immediately fans.
"There's no secret," Kent said. "It's just fresh lobster meat."
And while changes abound with the move to a larger space and the addition of staff, both Lucy and Kent are quick to point out the quality of their food is one thing they will not sacrifice.
The new menu, the pair explained, provides a combination of some of the favorite fare previously offered at Foster's as well as the signature Maude Hutchins Premium meals. And, the Kilgores now feature desserts - including hot fudge sundaes with real homemade hot fudge from Phil Roy, who teaches with Kent at York Middle School.
"I think one of the most exciting parts is seeing what we can really do," Lucy said of the new location, which is easily accessible from York Street and Axholme Road and is well known and visible. "Probably the most wonderful part of our opening has been meeting the people from all over and listening to their stories."
For example, she said, she has met visitors from London who never tried a lobster roll before.
The Kilgores said that once the busy summer season ends, they do plan to stay open all year and hope to use the off-season as a time to experiment with creative dishes and appetizers to share with the local residents who have become Maude's regulars and those who will discover Maude in the future.
And after closing up shop on York Street only three weeks ago, the Kilgores are looking forward to the experience ahead of them in their new location.
"It's going to be an adventure," Kent said.
Want to know more about Maude Hutchins Premium at Foster's? Stop by at their new Axholme Road location. They're open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Or, call Lucy and Kent Kilgore at 363-6192,
Associate Editor Jennifer L. Saunders can be reached via e-mail at jsaunders@yorkindependent.net.
