Rating: A
At Humble Comfort Food and Spirits in Brewer, classic dishes fondly remembered from childhood are given an adult twist, offered alongside various drinks and cocktails — a perfect reason to indulge in comfort food favorites.
There were many customers waiting to be seated on a busy Friday night. The restaurant had about 10 tables; any amount of people exceeding the table limit made the dining area look crowded.
Employees greeted many customers by name. There was a mix of college students on dates, families and older adults at the restaurant.
It’s easy to see why so many locals were enjoying this place even though the restaurant is well-hidden. It sits in an unassuming location with a few stores here and there but nothing quite busy. People from other towns would only come to this area if they had a destination in mind.
Customers waited at the reasonably-sized bar to get seated and peered over cocktail menus to pass time. The bar had large shelves with various kinds of alcohol decorating it from top to bottom. Wood adorned the restaurant along with a wide range of paintings.
Humble’s atmosphere was homey thanks to the simple design and dim lighting. The wooden chairs and tables made it feel like you were in someone’s dining room. The table set-up could have been improved with smaller tables to add versatility in arrangement and allow more people to be seated.
The menu was minimal with only a couple starters, entrees and desserts listed. Most of the options were crowd pleasers such as burgers, chicken pot pie and mac and cheese.
The prices were reasonable with appetizers ranging from $5 to $10, entrees from $7 to $12 and desserts at $5.
My entree, the chicken parmesan sandwich, was tender, juicy and flavorful. The spices from the chicken breading complimented the chicken perfectly. There was enough marinara sauce to harmonize the flavors, but it did not overpower the other ingredients.
Creamy, gooey mozzarella tied the chicken, sauce and spices together. The sourdough bread was strong enough to hold the large amount of chicken but soft enough to make the meal easier to eat. Homemade fries came as a side and were a perfect finishing touch to the meal.
A friend ordered barbecue chicken nachos, consisting of homemade potato chips, shredded barbeque chicken, cheddar cheese and a side of sour cream. She said the chips were not as filling and easier to eat than nachos. The sauce was only a little spicy and the chicken was flavorful. The homemade chips were her favorite part because they were different and she could eat all of it comfortably.
For dessert, the peanut butter pie came topped with fresh whipped cream and chocolate sauce, accentuating a very light and fluffy peanut butter filling. Even though on arrival the pie looked very small, it was just the right amount to satisfy my sweet tooth yet not overpower my stomach.
Brownies and cream was the dessert of choice for my friend. It came well-presented in a small mason jar, with layers of brownies, fresh whipped cream and chocolate sauce decorating the inside. The brownies were soft and the dessert was also the perfect size after eating a filling meal.
Socially, the restaurant and pub had a low-key profile. With no official restaurant website and only a Facebook and Yelp page to identify them, it takes intentional research to find a place like this. Established in 2014, the owners still have their work cut out to market Humble and get their name out. Humble Comfort Food and Spirits is located on South Main Street in Brewer.
