What to do when you get here — An insider’s guide to interests and attractions in the area surrounding The Cliff House Resort & Spa.

Dining at The Cliff House

One of the nicest things about vacation is eating out three times a day! It is fun trying different places and different foods. Last August when I went to The Cliff House I discovered that my favorite hotel has a variety of places to eat in summertime and a different menu for each one. I started the day with a breakfast buffet in the Dining Room. There in big, shiny serving dishes were a variety of hot foods: crispy bacon, zippy sausage, fluffy scrambled eggs, lots of cereal, fruits, yogurt, pastries and donuts made right in Ogunquit. With a breakfast like this I was prepared to do, well, nothing but sit on my balcony and read.

Late morning, after a dip in the vanishing-edge pool, I saw a young man setting up the new grill. After a quick read of the poolside menu, I ordered a steak sandwich with a delightful House sauce. I began to wonder if lunch was still being served in the Ocean Terrace Lounge. Not that I was still hungry — just curious. Indeed, it was at small tables by the windows a man was eating lobster quesadilla; at the new bar, where a couple was eating fish ’n chips; and at an umbrella table out on the terrace where a woman was eating mussels. I asked the food and beverage manager if I could set up a time to meet Michael Semancik, executive chef, and share all these dining changes with other guests.

He arranged for me to meet the next morning at 10 AM. Michael is a young, articulate chef. He told me how as a kid he always enjoyed cooking with his parents. When he decided to become a chef he went to New Orleans because “this is where so much great food originates. There are all the classical sauces as well as the fusion of ingredients that makes the food so distinctive. But more than anything, it reflects the food of the region. That is my goal for The Cliff House. Just look at where we are,” he continued, “this is ocean side at its very best. I am making connections with local vendors to serve the very freshest ingredients from this area and to incorporate the resources of the sea.” The fish I saw earlier was local haddock, the mussels from New Brunswick and the lobster our very own from Maine! His list of local products seemed endless, but I was very interested to learn that the goat cheese is from Brooksville and the sauerkraut from Damariscotta.

And then Chef Semancik took me behind the scenes to meet some of the team that make up the staff. It was mid-morning, but there were heavenly aromas floating on the air and the kitchen was buzzing with activity. I met the sous chef and the banquet chef. These guys like their work.

What is a visit to The Cliff House without dinner in the Dining Room? I checked out the menu and decided to try the seared blueberry halibut: pan seared and served with Maine blueberry compote and goat cheese pearl couscous. I made a reservation for 7:30 PM. In the interim I could jog in place on my balcony. Or not! After all, I am on vacation.