Micah Jones of Brown's Wharf Inn received the Judge's Choice Award in a blind judging competition for the Claw Down Chef of the Year. The Claw Down event, sponsored by the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, was held September 19 at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor.

Fiona Dunlap of the Newagen Seaside Inn & Restaurant was voted as the People's Choice Award winner of the Claw Down event, which kicked off Restaurant Week in the area. 

Jones' winning bite was a polenta and truffle lobster bite, fresh lobster meat served over a sun-dried tomato and polenta cake, finished with lobster sauce and truffle oil. Dunlap's bite was a petite corn cake topped with native corn puree, Maine lobster, butter sauce and candied tarragon. Both the winners are executive chefs.

Attendees at the event enjoyed savory lobster bites from 17 local chefs while sipping on wines from Central Distributors and M.S. Walkers. Each chef's lobster bite was in a blind judging contest; and the attendees also voted on their choice for the Claw Down Chef of the Year. 

Judges for the event included Meredith Goad, writer of the Portland Press Herald "Soup to Nuts" column; Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council; and Kelly Patrick Farrin, 2010 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year and chef at Primo restaurant in Rockland. Lynn “The Queen of Clubs” Archer, owner of Archer's on the Pier and the Brass Compass Cafe and winner of the "Lobster Dekkah" challenge on the Food Network Show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” emceed the event along with Mike Rovin of 94.9 WHOM. 

Part of the proceeds of the sold out event will go to the Boothbay Region Community Resources and help the chamber in its efforts to bolster local businesses; serve as guardian of the region’s economic well-being; advocate on behalf of area businesses; and promote avenues of tourism for the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan, Newcastle, Southport, Westport and Wiscasset. 

"Restaurant Week" in Boothbay Harbor, which runs from September 22-28, 2012, is a celebration of the cuisine scene in the Boothbay Harbor region. From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, including an appetizer, entree and dessert for the special price of $24.95 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Restaurant Week participating restaurants include: Andrews Harborside Restaurant, The Boathouse Bistro & Tapas Bar, Boothbay Harbor Inn, Boothbay Lobster Wharf, Brown's Wharf, Fisherman's Wharf Inn, Kaler's Restaurant, McSeagull's Restaurant, Ports of Italy, The Rocktide Inn, The Tugboat Inn & Restaurant, and The World is Mine Oyster.

Sponsors for Restaurant Week include Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens and Seagate Motel.

The Claw Down event was hosted by the Chamber of Commerce as part of its 50th anniversary celebration and in conjunction with the Maine Lobster Promotion Council's Lobster Lover Celebration an effort to promote buying and eating more Maine lobster to support the industry. Event sponsors included: Central Distributors, 94.9 WHOM, Maine Lobster Promotion Council, Boothbay Region Greenhouses, The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Marshall Tent & Event Rental, Jim Taliana, Ted Axelrod Photography, Lobster Maine, M.S. Walker and Hammond Lumber.