OLD TOWN – When Kyle Lemieux and Ida McChesney decided to open a restaurant, they decided to focus on pizzas and burgers.
But not just any old pizzas and burgers. Oh, you can get the classics like a pepperoni pizza or a cheeseburger, sure, But if you are a foodie, it’s the non-traditional fare on the menu that catches the eye. How about shepherd’s pie stuffed into a burger, for instance? Or a pizza with crab rangoon filling, sweet chili and fried wontons?
That decision to offer new twists on old favorites as made Outta the Ordinary live up to its name. And it’s been packing in customers since opening on Dec. 28.
“Business had been awesome. We beat our projections within 14 days,” said Lemieux. “The community has embraced us from the start.”
Lemieux has a long background in working with food. He worked at restaurants, went to culinary school, and eventually studied restaurant management, getting a degree in it. But all that time, Lemieux had an interest in stuffing burgers and making unusual pizzas, starting at home with a couple friends.
“I like putting things together that you wouldn’t think would together,” he said. “We’re selling a lot of the normal stuff to people who aren’t as adventurous, but a lot of folks are trying our gourmet pizzas and having really been liking them. Every day we’re trying to come up with something different, something new. We’re have specials for the month, specials for a couple days.”
Lemieux and McChesney, who previously worked together in management at Margarita’s, had been talking of opening a restaurant, and music promoter Alex Gray’s plan to open a new venue in Old Town drew their eyes there; learning that the mill would be reopening sealed the deal.They settled on 296 Main Street, which formerly housed Acme Pizza. Extensive renovations were done, including ovens that will cook a pizza in two minutes. Renovations are ongoing downstairs, where there will be three rooms, including a bar. There also will be a place to play cornhole, a pool table, and more games.
“We want anyone who wants to come here to come here and have a place to be comfortable,” said Lemieux. “We’ll have capacity for 136 people.”
Lemieux said there already are thoughts of restaurants, perhaps both locally and elsewhere.
“I’d like to have a small chain running. This is what we love doing,” he said. “I hope to retire doing this. We have a lot of fun at it.
Outta the Ordinary, which also offers treats such as wings, fries,onion rings, dessert pizzas and more, is currently open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m, Monday-Saturday.You can eat in or have your food delivered; to order, see the menu or for more information, call 817-0526 or go to www.otomaine.com. Outta the Ordinary also has a Facebook page.
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