Thanks to Helen A. Lockey for the following:
“Saco, Maine is a growing city, south of Portland that still feels like a small town. When the Blue Elephant first opened there, in August 2007 it only had three items on the menu: Mac & Cheese, soup and chicken. Now they make food for breakfast and lunch.
The outside of the restaurant is painted a dark blue hue. In summer rows of flowers boxes decorate the pavement. Inside an open floor plan greets with naked wood-beamed ceilings and bare brick walls. One wall is covered in autographed photos of famous people; the other wall is jammed with large reflective mirrors. Every other available nook is occupied with elephants of different sizes and colors.
We arrived around 1:30 pm, after the lunch rush. One of the owners, Reuben Bell—formerly of Philadelphia—served us. He was very friendly and chatty, giving us information on how the restaurant got its unusual name.When his partner—Fausto—was a child, he grabbed a blue toy elephant from a store while out shopping with his Mom. She didn’t notice the theft until they got home. By then it was too late to figure out which store it had come from, so he was allowed to keep it. It became a good luck charm in his life. When he and Rueben bought their restaurant, he wanted to name it after the blue elephant. We ordered a Roast Beef Panini Sandwich ($6.99), Mac and Cheese ($1.50), and a Vegetable Wrap ($6.99). The sandwich had thin strips of honey mustard sautéed beef wedged between two thick slices of whole wheat bread. It also contained sliced tomatoes, sautéed onions, horseradish, mustard, and melted Provolone cheese. The whole creation was deliciously flavorful and juicy.The Vegetable Wrap with al dente eggplant, green and yellow squash, carrots, and broccoli, came with a sweet & sour marinade. The tartness of the marinade really brought out the flavor of the vegetables. The dish also came with a side of bright yellow hummus which I mistook it for mustard and didn’t apply to my wrap.
The Mac & Cheese arrived in an oversized soup-bowl, loaded with cheese and pasta. There was so much cheese it coated the sides of the bowl and the fork. According to Reuben this dish often sold out by 1 p.m.
We ended the meal with a home-made brownie, heated and served with chocolate syrup. It was enough for three, at two bites each. The surface was flaky and crunchy; the inside was a rich creamy chocolate experience.It was a wonderfully tasty experience and the next time we are in town we’ll return for more.”
Thanks, Helen! We’ll see you next time.