Tourist News, July 12, 2007
Wells Beach Steak House Offers Sophisticated Flavor and Ambiance
By Steve Hrehovcik

    Diners will know they are in for a unique experience the moment they step inside Wells Beach Steak House.  Embedded in the ceiling of  the lounge are hundreds of twinkling lights, and the stylish lounge chairs are both contemporary and cozy.  Rich wood accents blend perfectly with the sophisticated deep-purple-and-green color scheme.  This dramatic welcome sets the stage for the delectable food and drink that await.

    With two Wells restaurants - Billy's Chowder House and Varano's Italian Restaurant - going strong, owners Dick and Sherri Varano decided they were ready for a new undertaking.  They believed there was room for a restaurant that featured something no other restaurant in Maine offered - prime steak.  So they created the Wells Beach Steak House, at 73 Mile Road, a short distance from the other two.

    Dick Varano says the Wells Beach Steakhouse is the first prime steak restaurant in Maine and the only one in New England north of Boston.

    What sets the Wells Beach Steak House apart from other restaurants is its select menu, which features prime steak and other all-natural prime cuts of pork and veal.

    Varano says, "Only three percent of the cattle raised in the United States qualifies as prime.  This comes from controlled breeding, special feeds and exceptional handling.  One of the major ways to identify prime is the marbling that weaves through the steak.  The marble gives prime steak its superior taste."

    For fish lovers, Wells Beach Steak House offers Atlantic salmon, swordfish and other seafood.  Varano has fresh fish flown in overnight from Honolulu for such delicacies as line-caught ahi tuna, also know as big-eye or yellow fin, and mahi mahi.

    All his adult life Varano dreamed of becoming a restaurateur.  To fulfill this dream he studied at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, considered one of the finest culinary schools in the country.

    Upon Graduation he gained experience working in restaurants in the North End of Boston.  When he was ready for his own endeavor, he and his wife Sherri bought Billy's Chowder House in 1989 and 11 years later opened Varano's Italian Restaurant.

    They opened the Wells Beach Steak House in May of this year with the assistance of their daughter Vanessa and her boyfriend John Dal Canton.  Both also graduated from the Culinary Institute of America.

    Vanessa and John helped select the extensive wine list and will be on hand to guide diners when pairing wines with their dinner selections.  They are planning a trip to Italy to work in a vineyard to gain more expertise in wines and how they complement a meal.

    To ensure that a visit to the Wells Beach Steak House is as memorable aesthetically as it is gastronomically, the Varano's hired Phyllis Anne Marshal, a design consultant from Los Angeles.  She helped choose the colors, textures and design motifs of the lounge and dining areas along with the appointments of the decor.  These include plush leather and matching patterned seating and fine china and cutlery to contribute to the ambiance and an evening of elegant dining.

    The refined dining experience starts upon entering the lounge.  Vanessa says, "We've designed the restaurant to be the best combination of food, service, and atmosphere.  A visit here will be an experience, not just a place to get a bite to eat."

    Dal Canton says, "The Wells Beach Steak House will be a getaway place.  Our lounge is a modern take on the classic bar.  For example we offer 20 scotches and an extensive selection of cocktails and mixed drinks."

    Jon Schoeck will serve as general manager of the restaurant.  The kitchen will be under the supervision of executive chef Scott Wilder.  Wilder gained experience working in Hawaii and Florida in Ruth's Chris Steak House, a national chain of prime steak restaurants.

    Wilder says, "In addition to the selection of quality steaks, we quick cook them at 1650 degrees.  This high temperature 'carmelizes' the steak, which sears the outside to a charcoal texture and locks in its characteristic juicy, intensive flavor."

    The menu is extensive.  Appetizers include tenderloin beef carpaccio, stuffed smoked salmon, oysters Rockefeller and a signature lobster chowder.  Among the entrees are filet mignon, New York strip, Kobe sirloin steak, twin prime veal chops, marinated breast of chicken, lamb chops, grilled Atlantic salmon and whole Maine lobster.

    There are 32 tempting selections on the dessert menu, including fruit pies, passion fruit mousse, cannolis, crème brulee, tiramisu and more.

    Varano says, "We have cut no corners to create an elegant dining experience.  For some people the Wells Beach Steak House may become their favorite restaurant.  For others it could be the place for special occasions, like anniversaries, Valentine's Day, birthdays and holidays."

    The Wells Beach Steak House serves dinner daily from 4:30 to 9:30 PM.  Reservations are suggested. Call 646-2252 or visit www.wellsbeachsteakhouse.com.