This Lily blooms in dead of winter ... with culinary delights

When Robert Krajewski (pronounced Cry-ES-key), co-owner and chef of Rockland's Lily Bistro, described his menu's bistro steak as a cut from the teres major, the front end of the eye of round, it was clear that orders were being taken by someone who knew far more than we did about dinner.

When he mentioned that the shrimp bisque was made with Maine shrimp, and thickened "in the traditional way, with pureed rice," excitement grew. Then he described a lamb shank special – oh, and there was beef bourguignon, too, in the kitchen, off the menu.

And regrettably, there was no Hahn's End cheese for the charcuterie plate, but an Appleton Creamery sheep's milk cheese was being served instead – along with the house rabbit pate and pork terrine. Those two cheesemakers are among Maine's best.

On a dark, cold night, when the roads of Maine were rimmed with frozen slush, we had encountered a sanctuary of excellent food.

The insouciant 2005 R&B Cellars Swingsville Zinfandel ($9 a glass, $30 a bottle), from California, lighter than typical zinfandel, is blended, according to the winery Web site, with 13 percent petite sirah. It's one of six red wines on the short but well-made wine list ranging in price from $24 to $36. The wine list offers a Picpoul de Pinet, 2007 Cote de Languedoc ($8/$27) among its nine white wines.

Lynette Mosher, Lily Bistro chef and co-owner, went out the front door bearing a plate of ganache cake; she was taking it to the owner of Suzuki's Sushi Bar next door. "We trade with each other," Mosher later said – and that night, the owner of Suzuki's sent over a sushi platter.

The cooperation works well in other ways, too. Paul Farmer, an Owls Head scallop diver, harvests all the scallops for both restaurants. When you season them, they move, Mosher said. "Usually scallops are really wet, but these are very dry, having been harvested that morning," she added. On one menu – it changes almost daily – scallops were served with cauliflower puree and onion jam ($24).

Mosher and Krajewski met 12 years ago while they were culinary students at Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. They worked in the restaurant business in the Boston area, moved to Maine, then to Vermont and back again to Maine, where they knew customers would be receptive to rich, south-of-France food.

The lucky recipient of their charcuterie plate ($12) dined on unctuous and smooth rabbit terrine wrapped in a grape leaf. Little sour pickles, or cornichons, and grain mustard and port-wine Dijon gave a sharp contrast. Pork pate was wrapped in bacon with pistachios making it pretty – again the full, savory notes dominated. A small terra cotta pot held thin, evenly browned and crunchy slices of crisp bread. And the Appleton Creamery hard sheep's milk cheese contributed sharp, tangy flavor.

Others did well with their appetizers, too, particularly the ones who had ordered deep coral shrimp bisque ($6), a phenomenon of intensity. The base was a broth made with the shells and heads, and a head of one shrimp lay in the bowl, ready to be sucked clean by an adventurous diner like the one across the table.

Garlic boudin ($8), a juicy pink sausage, is made with pork and bread crumbs soaked in heavy cream and is cooked in red wine and duck stock, "Toulouse style," Mosher said. It filled happy mouths with its juices and its accompaniment, sauteed fennel and sauerkraut.

Big leaves of immaculate butter lettuce, smaller pieces of radicchio and other lettuces comprised the house salad ($7), tossed with light croutons and pistachios in a sherry vinaigrette.

Regrettably, we did not taste the last appetizer on that night's menu, salmon two ways ($9) – salmon rilletes and salmon tartar served with watercress salad.

A pool of satiny, pureed potato and layer of sauteed Swiss chard sat under an utterly tender lamb shank ($20), and the clincher of the dish was the intense dark sauce, concentrated and aromatic. Dining this way could take you through winter happily.

That slice of teres major, or bistro steak ($20), was tender and savory, topped with a hollandaise sauce with chunks of lobster. French fries or frites, served in burning hot black iron pots, were lovely brown and crunchy things in demand around the table.

A rosy and mild veal chop ($20) with roasted fingerling potatoes didn't have enough Brussels sprouts for one of us – but in every other way more than satisfied.

Roasted cod ($19), its translucent flesh sweet and moist, sat on a pool of light crab risotto. Preserved lemon rang like a bell in the mix of creamy rice and ocean-scented crab.

We snagged a ganache cake ($8, as are all the desserts) or two for ourselves – and reveled in its deep, bittersweet chocolate and the creamy caramel ice cream. Creme brulee, perfectly capped by its crunchy sugar roof, held tender, eggy custard. Profiteroles stuffed with blueberry ice cream were crisp and fresh, each mouthful profiting from that freshness with both crunch and creaminess, and with a blueberry sauce intensifying the flavors.

N.L. English is a Portland freelance writer and the author of "Chow Maine: The Best Restaurants, Cafes, Lobster Shacks and Markets on the Coast." Visit English's Web site, www.chowmaineguide.com.

Lily Bistro