Overlooking the scenic St. George River in a charming old building that once was a tannery, you’ll find Black Goat Test Kitchen + Supperclub, a new restaurant in the sleepy Midcoast town of Warren. They host pop-ups that are something special.
This week, the restaurant made national news. Along with 46 other restaurants, it was included in in the 2024 USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year list.
“We are incredibly humbled to be included on this list and quite frankly, it doesn’t feel real,” said co-owners, chef Derek Ronspies and designer Cat Biggar. “The farmers, makers, brewers, make our job so easy. We love what we do, bringing people from all walks of life around a communal table to connect over good food and drink.”
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What makes Black Goat stand out?
Intimate dinners are served at a long dining table set for 12. Candles provide the warm light, flowers and baubles add lovely sparkle. Drinks are served in stunning cut glass that adds an elegant contrast to the rustic wood table. Meanwhile, cooking aromas waft from the adjacent open kitchen. There, chef Ronspies and designer/baker Biggar prepare the multi–course feasts of Black Goat’s supperclub.
The pair moved to Maine from Washington state in August to run their special event restaurant. They are the staff, the entire staff. They cook and bake, plate and serve. They chat and educate about the food. They pair wonderful drinks with each bite. They host as if they were in their home.
What to expect at Black Goat?
Diners don’t order at Black Goat. They will be served a tasting menu created by Ronspies and Biggar. They are posted with calendar listings.
These menus are very much a taste of Maine, from local oysters to freshly caught arctic char to native mushrooms or black garlic. Fishermen and farmers aren’t at the dinners, but you feel their very presence.
Ronspies’ dishes are layered with flavors and textures, combining meats and fish with vegetables, greens and grains. You’ll find subtle flavors enhancing each dish. Think fennel pollen, crispy capers and dill oil.
Every bite is a delicious surprise. A Rabbit Raviolo course offers one example of his style. The chef didn’t just make the pasta and stuffing. He made a kabocha squash soup, tempura squash, cous cous and pine nut granola. He assembled it all into a single dish, with a touch of sage yogurt, too. It couldn’t have blended more beautifully.
Biggar’s desserts, too, offer contrasting textures and flavors. They are more sampler plates. They are likely to include but not star, macarons and housemade ice creams. The centerpiece of the plate would be the chocolate paté, pecan torte with a maple bourbon glaze or curry apples in grandma’s crust.
They often collaborate with a local brewery, winery, distillery or cidery for their dinners that pair four courses each with the perfect drink. Other nights, those drinks are still served as are wines carefully selected to enhance each dish.
See a sample menu online.
Did you know?
Black Goat began its 18-month residency with open hours four days a week so diners could come and meet Ronspies and Biggar and sample their food. Now, they say “It’s time to reprioritize and get back to what we love and what our customers love with the full supperclub experience,” said Biggar. Follow them online and on social media for the schedule of dinners, some of which will include live music.
The bigger goal is to search for a space where diners can come and stay for a weekend to enjoy their culinary delights.
There is precedent for having a destination restaurant with a tasting menu in Maine. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Lost Kitchen where potential diners send in postcards over the winter in the hopes of being picked as a diner during their season. Lucky for diners on the Midcoast, they can go online or call for reservations at Black Goat.
Details: 310 Main St., Warren, Maine, [email protected], blackgoatsupperclub.com