Monhegan Blow Dryer... www.islandinnmonhegan.com - 207.596.0371 Hungry eye J u ly / A u g u s t 2 0 1 8 1 1 5 Of the clever sushi cones that eliminate the need for chopsticks, he says, “In big- ger cities like Boston and New York, these hand-rolls are everywhere.” Mr. Tuna’s edge comes from Rubin’s custom recipes–bright combinations of sauces and garnishes–that showcase each type of seafood. You’ll never miss the wasa- bi, pickled ginger, and soy-dipping. EXOTIC LITTLE BITES Really, it’s who you know. There’s a delicious fillet served as an appetizer at Izakaya Mi- nato on Washington Avenue. “We have Aburi Shime Saba whenev- er our guy in Cape Elizabeth can bring us mackerel,” says Elaine Alden, who owns Minato with her husband, chef Thomas Ta- kashi Cooke. “Saba is Japanese for mack- erel, shime means we vinegar-cure it, and Aburi means it’s torched,” to crisp the skin. “Thomas does something similar with Portuguese sardines when we can get them from Browne Trading,” Alden says. “But he also double-fries the bones and serves them on the side for crunch.” SUMMER SPECIALS It never hurts to compare experiences and increase your bandwidth. Bolster, Snow & Co.’s summer menu has a lobster crostini on the appetizer roster, along with an even more jazzy app of “just-poached lobster,” says Anthony DeLois, who co-owns the res- taurant and the Francis hotel that houses it with his two brothers. “The meat’s minced and formed into an egg-shaped quenelle. This sits on a pool of sauce made of Aji Am- arillo pepper with mango and yuzu,” and it’s topped with a lacy house-made cracker. T he hotel bar here is a great cock- tail-hour destination, and from 4 to 7 p.m., oysters and shrimp are $1 each. Bartender Andrew Thompson sug- gests a glass of dry white Austrian wine on special. The other bar patrons are ho- tel guests, and it’s always fun to hear what visitors are doing here. A young man and woman to my right from Long Island have a goblet of local craft beer and a dozen Mookie Blue oysters from Damariscotta in front of each of them. “This trip is an oyster mission,” she says, and she sounds serious. “We’ve been to Eventide, Hot Suppa, and the Oyster Shop for oysters, and we’re not done.”