Got Canoe?

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Canoe in Center Harbor. What a terrific restaraunt!!! The servers were very professional and the food and drinks were excellent!!!!

Does anyone know who's running it? The head chef had a Naswa logo embroidered on his chef's coat and then we were told that Mike Love (of Love's Quay fame) was cooking in the kitchen.

Hi

I just posted a message to someone suggesting they dine at Canoe. I believe the chef is from Naswa, his name is Steve Ouellette. His mom is the hostess during lunch, at least when we've been there.

It far surpasses Lago in Meredith. I miss the Boathouse Grille!!!

[Lockness]

If you have'nt eaten at Canoe you are missing out on one of the best dinning experiences the lake region has to offer. Canoe far surpasses any other resturant in the area. I am sure it will be rated #1 in the lakes region this summer. Say hello to the cook, Scott he is a great guy.

[Zee]

We tried it for the first time last weekend. Great food. I had a sesame encrusted pan seared Ahi Tuna with Wasabi and ginger Husband had the meatloaf. Both were excellent. But the bread is to die for. It is a lighly seasoned foccacio style, served hot in a small brown paper bag with dipping oil. Also, I have been told that if you give them a call they will pick you up at the Center Harbor docks if you come by boat. I haven't confirmed it yet.

[LillithFaewen]

Interesting! How are the prices here, and do they serve lunch? My husband and I are going to try it probably this evening, we'll let you know how our experience went!

[cyndyb]

My husband and I had lunch at Canoe last week. From beginning to end, the meal was delicious! If we could, we would have licked the plates! I compared it to Baldwin's on Elm in Manchester only with more attractive prices. I heard there's a wait on a weekday night and we're not even in the summer rush yet!

[mousecatcher]

My husband and also had a chance to dine at Canoe last weekend and we had a great meal. From the service, bread, veal and prices it was a wonderful experience. Can hardly wait to go again. I spoke with the owner and he did say that he would pick up at the docks and drop you off for dinner. Haven't tried it yet but with the number of great comments about this place it will be more then he can chew I'm sure.

[throttleman]

Originally Posted by Lockness

If you have'nt eaten at Canoe you are missing out on one of the best dinning experiences the lake region has to offer. Canoe far surpasses any other resturant in the area. I am sure it will be rated #1 in the lakes region this summer. Say hello to the cook, Scott he is a great guy.

Last week www.nhmagazine.com listed their Best of NH 2004 Winners. For some reason the list was only temporarily available on their website and won't be back up until July for when the list hits the print version of the magazine. Anyways, Canoe was listed as Best New Restaurant for NH!! Congrats!

[ART]

Is Canoe within walking distance from the docks?

[Zee]

Canoe is within walking distace for most. I would estimate that from the dock, it is about a 1/2 mile up a medium hill. Go left on the main road, the restaurant is also on the left. Just watch the traffic on the road, I don't remember how wide the shoulder is.

[Fancy]

I am confused where Canoe is located. . . what is the name of the restaurant across the street from The Boathouse Grille (or Lagos I guess it is called now)? In the Mills Falls Marketplace - I thought that was called Canoe? In Meredith. ..help!!!

[islandAl]

Formally known as Chequers Harbour

[throttleman]

Originally Posted by Fancy

I am confused where Canoe is located. . . what is the name of the restaurant across the street from The Boathouse Grille (or Lagos I guess it is called now)? In the Mills Falls Marketplace - I thought that was called Canoe? In Meredith. ..help!!!

Are you thinking about "The Camp" which is located adjacent to Mills Falls?

[obie]

My wife and I had dinner at Canoe last week and were very pleased with the food, service and decor. We were reluctant to try it after our last experience with the previous restaurant at that location. We would give this place a 10 on the rating scale. This is one place I would definitely recommend.

[BBS2]

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My husband and I lunched at Canoe several weeks ago. We truly enjoyed the meal and actually had to take 1/2 home! Two meals for the price of one certainly appeals to the Scot in me I had one small problem no real veg choices on the menu
I asked the waitress if the chef could make something. She seemed rather confused by the request. I suggested the BLT but leave off the B.
OTW the food, especially the sweet potato fries, was great.
I wish chef would apply his considerable culinary talents to some veg options.

[Jack L]

We took some friends to the Canoe based on comments on this forum. Everything was wonderful! The owner, Scott, is the lead chef, Mike Love is the assistant Chef, MIke's wife Donna, creats the special desserts, and their is a fourth whose name slips my mind. Canoe canoe?

[PROPELLER]

Experienced a great meal at Canoe this weekend. Excellent food & service. I would say its in the category with The Coe House, the original Loves Quay or any of the higher end restaurants in the Lakes Region.

[JDeere]

On a scale of 1 to 4

Drinks: 4

Appetizer: 4

Entree: 3

Service: 2

Atmosphere: 2

[ebizboy]

Originally Posted by JDeere

On a scale of 1 to 4

Drinks: 4

Appetizer: 4

Entree: 3

Service: 2

Atmosphere: 2

I would agree with your grades with the exception of the service, which I would rate a 1 at best. I have been unlucky enough to have the same waiter both times I went. Both times were equally disappointing.

Although I am not a big desert fan Donna Love makes amazing deserts and are not to be missed. Try the NY cheese cake.

[PROPELLER]

Just to be fair to Canoe, I would agree with the rating from the last 2 posters except for service, in my experience. I was there on a saturday evening when the restaurant was full and our server (a female, her name may have been Jessica, not sure) was nothing short of excellent. She was pleasant, did a great job explaining specials, was attentive to all our requests and was prompt delivering appetizers, drinks & entrees. She also told me when I asked if Mike Love was cooking there that she worked for Mike at Loves Quay when he owned it. So she has some excellent experience I would think.

[JDeere]

I suspect that Ebiz and I had the same server. He seemed to be a young college aged kid. Nice kid, but slow and forgetful.

[Janet]

Food was excellent, however, when we walked into the restaurant we were told to go downstairs to get to our table. No-one showed us the way or seated us. Had to find it on our own. First time there, somewhat disappointing with that part of our visit. Then our table, reservations for 5, was not set. They wanted 5 adults to sit at a small table with 1 person on the end sticking out into the aisle. We asked for a different arrangement and they finally turned the table around and added a second table for more room.

Very disappointed with the handling of customers as they walked into the restaurant. Even though they had a hostess at the front desk we were on our own.

Like I said, food was excellent but they could handle sitting in a more professional manner.

[Newbiesaukee]

We have eaten there five or six times for lunch and dinner. The service at the front desk is not very friendly, somewhat disjointed, and not in keeping with the rest of the experience. We found the wait staff quite good and several were outstanding. The food is excellent and some dishes quite creative. Admittedly, we have tried to eat at somewhat slower times and this may have contributed to the improved service.

[mousecatcher]

Does anyone know if the Canoe has an internet site yet?

[Knomad]

"The owner, Scott, is the lead chef, Mike Love is the assistant Chef, MIke's wife Donna, creats the special desserts. "
Are Mike Love and Donna the same people that ran Love's Quay in Wolfeboro?

Our overall experience there was very good. The excellent food and good service outweighed any other inconvenieces we might have had trying to park, finding where they seated my wife, etc.

[Mr. V]

The food was very good.

We ordered Mixed Grill, and the flank steak was juicy and tender, the shrimp delicious.

Our server was earnest, but inexperienced.

We got a good laugh (tragi-comedy) from the boy they had putting the silverware into the napkins; he was a slacker kid with a real sneaky side.

Twice we saw him drop the silverware onto the carpet, then pick it up and put it in a napkin as if it never happened.

Ugh.

The hostess was informed: hope they fired that clown.

I guess good help is hard to find in the Lakes Region.

[Resident 2B]

We ate at Canoe last night, Friday August 20. What a great all-around experience!

We had a party of 5 with reservations. We arrived 10 minutes early, but we got to our table the minute we arrived. The table was large, it could of supported a party of six.

The service was outstanding. Our server was a very cheerful, well informed young lady named Sarah. She was the best server we have had in the lakes region in our memory and we go there often.

The food was exceptional and the prices were good for the quality.

The dining room was a bit on the warm side. It seemed the A/C was under powered for the warm and humid August evening with a full house.

Overall, it was great. We will return again.

[waterlover]

Originally Posted by Resident 2B

We ate at Canoe last night, Friday August 20. What a great all-around experience!

We had a party of 5 with reservations. We arrived 10 minutes early, but we got to our table the minute we arrived. The table was large, it could of supported a party of six.

The service was outstanding. Our server was a very cheerful, well informed young lady named Sarah. She was the best server we have had in the lakes region in our memory and we go there often.

The food was exceptional and the prices were good for the quality.

The dining room was a bit on the warm side. It seemed the A/C was under powered for the warm and humid August evening with a full house.

Overall, it was great. We will return again.

Sarah's a great server! One reason may be that her last name is Love (Mike and Donna's daugher). I'm sure that may have something to do with it - although her personality is certainly an important factor!

[Resident 2B]

Thanks for the info Waterlover. We were not aware of the relationship. Tallented family!

It is this kind of information that keep me returning to this forum.

[KonaChick]

We went to the Canoe at the beginning of the summer and I would agree that the food was excellent but the service was not so I hope the owners of the restaurant are hooked on to this site so they might become aware of the situation. We actually had a server spill a whole glass of water on top of us...he did so in front of a manager and several other servers. In a top rated restaurant you would have at least have the manager if not owner come over to offer his apologies and offer to comp something..oh well. I will try the Canoe again but this time will remember to wear my rain bonnet

[Just Sold]

We went to the Canoe for our anniversary and we both found the food and service to be excellent. We will visit again.

And thanks to the Forum Gathering silent auction we went for free!

[hoytglp]

Some comments more up to date

[BroadHopper]

I had the pleasure to dine at Canoe last Sunday. Everything was fantastic including the wait staff. I was a bit disappointed with the hostess. There were few people sitting on the lake side. The hostess lead us to a table on the street side. I had to request a table on the lake side. You think that if you are up at the lake, you would want the lake side for dining. Go figure.
I was told by the waitstaff, that Canoe provide shuttle service from the Center Harbor public docks. Just call them and they will have a courtesy van at the docks!

[PROPELLER]

They probably try to spread the customers out so more of the waitstaff are busy rather than all the customers being served by 1 or 2 of the waitstaff. Usually, a restaurant is divided into stations that are assigned to each waitstaff individual.

[Mee-n-Mac]

Originally Posted by Throttleman

I recently had the opportunity to dine at Canoe in Center Harbor. What a terrific restaraunt!!! The servers were very professional and the food and drinks were excellent!!!!

Does anyone know who's running it? The head chef had a Naswa logo embroidered on his chef's coat and then we were told that Mike Love (of Love's Quay fame) was cooking in the kitchen.

We just had the pleasure of dining there last night. As everyone has said the food is excellent. "Mee" had the seared Ahi tuna dinner and claimed it was "spectacular" !. She can't recall the last time she had a meal so perfect, so tasty, so excellent ! She'd go back and order the same thing tonight if I let her. On a scale of 1 -- 10 , she'll tell ya it was a 12 !!

[Bear Islander]

I recommend the calamari appetizer!