You would have to be an obsessive minimalist, or in possession of the prickliest taste buds in history, to be blind to the charms of the Fog Bar & Cafe. From the painted windows to the playful bar snacks, everything about this Rockland restaurant is quirky, cool, and welcoming. While I go to a lot of great places, the Fog stood out for a very simple reason: this restaurant, and its kind owners, reminded me that dining out should— (scratch that, must) —be fun.

With a little help from the family, and a lot of ingenuity, Ashley Seelig and Josh Cardoso turned a huge, gaping space into a cozy neighborhood destination. While the Fog Bar & Cafe has only been open for a year, it’’s already become a fixture for the locals, and soon I expect it will become a dining destination for people from around the state. It hits the right combination of notes: artsy, but not inaccessible, gourmet, but not too expensive. Deftly straddling the line between “fine dining” and “bar scene,” this is a place suitable for almost any occasion, be it a girls’ night out or a dinner date with the parents.

Marquis lights announce the Fog from blocks away, which made it easier to find than most restaurants. It was a wet, rainy day when staff photographer Sean Thomas and I stopped by for a meal, but inside it was warm and cozy, despite the mile-high ceilings and chic industrial fixtures. We were greeted by Ashley and Josh, and we spent the next three hours joking and talking with the affable owners. And eating. We did a lot of eating.

We did so much eating that it would be difficult to recap it all here, so I’’ll just give you the highlights: the fresh crab ceviche mixed with cucumbers and red onions, sprinkled with cilantro, and dressed with lime juice and spice, was heaven on a homemade tortilla chip. The duck wings, served with three different sauces, were crispy, sticky, and succulent. As for my favorite item, I’’ll have to go with the local mussels. Served differently each day, my mussels came piled with olives, capers, jalapenos, red bell peppers, and smoked tomatoes. Smoked tomatoes, like roasted tomatoes, have a fantastic depth of flavor. “”We went through a phase where we tried to smoke everything,”” explains Josh. ““But these came out the best.”

To finish off the meal, we had small glasses of port and a mason jar filled with whipped cream, chocolate brownie chunks, and fresh raspberries. But the port, while yummy, didn’’t hold a candle to the cocktails. We tried multiple drinks throughout the meal, and not one of them was a disappointment. I would visit again just for a cocktail, but the décor, food, and good company all helped round-out the experience. Was it fun? Heck, yes.

328 Main St | Rockland | 207.593.9371 | facebook.com/Fogbarcafe/