And The Winners And the winners are - Mark Buscanera and Gayle Simonetti, owners of Mark Antony's Italian Restaurant in Wiscasset. Their chowder won third prize in the Great Chili and Chowder Challenge in Portland. (Photo Paula Gibbs)

In Maine, we take our chowder seriously. Whether a Nor'easter has us hunkering down or the gang from away is up to escape the summer heat, chowder is on the menu.

On Sunday, the 15th the annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge was held in Portland at the Holiday Inn by the Bay. Over 30 of Maine's best chefs and caterers accepted the challenge. Mixing it up with the best of the big boys in seafood restaurants was Mark Antony's Italian Restaurant in Wiscasset.

Fans of the restaurant won't be surprised to hear that they bested the Portland crowd by taking third place for their original smoked seafood chowder.

Co-owners Mark Buscanera and Gayle Simonetti were pleased with their "super bowl" finish. They were impressed with the efforts made to provide a level playing field for entrants.

"The judges were brought into the room by a separate entrance," Simonetti said. "They were kept behind curtains and were brought samples from each table that just had a number attached. They had no idea who cooked what from where."

The judges included the Honorable Ed Suslovic, Mayor of Portland, who was joined by representatives from the local news media, colleges and public service organizations.

The event was sponsored by PROP, Peoples Regional Opportunity Program, with proceeds going to support their Foster Grandparent Program. Senior volunteers offer 15 hours per week to mentor children with special needs and offer support and guidance where it's most needed.

Buscanera bought Mark Antony's about five years ago, with Simonetti joining him shortly after he opened. "I couldn't get a reservation here on the first Valentine's Day that Mark opened," Simonetti said. "But my husband Jim and I became regulars, coming twice a week."

Simonetti ran a catering business in the area. "One day Mark asked me to cook with him," she said, and the rest is history.

The restaurant now displays memorabilia from their Italian heritages with pictures of grandparents and great-grandparents adding to the many touches of Mediterranean charm that fill the dining room. And, they always have fresh flowers.

The intimate dining room also boasts candles on every table and a fireplace with a bar decorated with what else - grapevines. "We offer rustic Italian food," Buscanara said. "Everything now is nouveau cuisine, but we offer typical, old style Italian foods with a flair. People often come to get something they haven't been able to find for a long time."

Asked who plays the guitar that rests in the corner, Simonetti said, "Mark is our singing chef. He sings in Italian and serenades tables with love songs. He sounds like Neil Diamond."

"In Italy, most of the restaurants have musicians that entertain. I just see when it is best and play songs when it seems right, " Buscanara said. But he's quick to add that his singing is not going to replace his day job. They both agreed that sometimes their customers enjoy joining in on a few songs at the end of an evening.

"We try to cater to guests who sometimes call and ask if we are going to make a special dish like Osso Buco," Simonetti said. "We'll add it to the menu just for them. We like to get to know customers' likes and dislikes. When I get an order in the kitchen for primavera without zucchini, I know right away who it is for."

The menu ranges from full dinners to pizzas and salads, and offers nightly specials. "We make everything in-house, even our ice cream and sorbet," Simonetti said.

They are open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner through-out the off-season. Their Valentine's Day menu will feature veal shank and filet mignon with a port wine, chocolate sauce.

"We have a great staff," Simonetti said. "They really care about their customers. It's the kind of place where everybody knows your name."