MIDCOAST— Have we ever had a legit food critic in this area before? Yelpers and Facebook reviewers, notwithstanding.

We do now.

Munchies in Maine is the idea of two culinary crusaders and best pals, Ali Farrell and Bill Boyle, who bonded over their shared love of scrumptious bites and delightful sips.

The pair invited me along for a lunch date to try Darby's Restaurant, in Belfast, where we discussed the purpose of their new volunteer venture and enjoyed some great food.

Both work full-time in other professions. Farrell is a Maine-based author, entrepreneur, and publisher and Boyle whips up cocktails at multiple Midcoast establishments.

Boyle moved here three years ago from Chicago. Before moving to Maine, he dined out frequently, savoring dishes at multiple restaurants, and writing more than 700 Google reviews on every restaurant he tried, which have garnered more than 1.3 million views.

"I traveled for work for 20 years for corporate America and would stay in different cities, and wherever I went, I'd review the restaurant," said Boyle. "I wanted to show business people who were traveling to find the best spots, to get away from the tourist areas, and find the real pulse of the city."

How did they collaborate on this idea?

It started off as a friendship, where they often discussed food and dishes they'd had at various Midcoast restaurants. Farrell, who had been part of the Maine community for 40 years, had been taking notes on her own, thinking about starting a food blog on Instagram in the Midcoast before they'd even met.

"He'd already had all of these notes from his own experiences, and I ate out a lot in the North End of Boston before I moved here," she said. 'Once we met  and realized we were both obsessed with food, this idea naturally came together."

Lunch is usually their jam because Boyle bartends at night, while Farrell arranges her business hours to accommodate.

As we sat down in a booth, Boyle took a look around the restaurant.

"I love booths, he said. "Booths are the best conversation starters in dining history."

They both ordered Hornitos and soda, their go-to cocktails, before settling in for a review.

"We always say we've got to be fresh, so we tell ourselves: 'Don't get cray cray on the Ho Ho,'" said Farrell.

As their website tagline states, "We’re here for great food, strong drinks, and hearing cool stories."

For our lunch, Boyle ordered the Big Buddha Bowl (rice noodles tossed with chicken, bell peppers, mushrooms, bok choy, sprouts, scallions soy sauce and sesame oil). Farrell ordered the Pad Thai (chicken tossed with rice noodles, scallions, and eggs, topped with a satay sauce and crushed peanuts), and I ordered the Fiesta Salad (chicken chili with cashews, melted cheddar, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, salsa, sour cream, scallions, and black olives).

While I've been going to Darby's Restaurant for 30 years, this was Boyle's first time. They were impressed with the quality of the dishes (which you'll have to read about in their review), but they also enjoyed the atmosphere of the 1867 restaurant, with its antique high-backed stained glass bar, tin ceilings, and paintings on the walls from local artists.

And, true to the nature of Maine's close-knit community, we called over owner Cory Chase and longtime server Jodi Young to chat with us about the history of the restaurant.

Munchies in Maine's approach to food reviews doesn't discriminate. They're just as at home reviewing homemade smashburgers and chili at Myrtle Street Tavern as they are enjoying and writing about rare tuna served over coconut rice with asparagus at Franny's Bistro.

So far, with 15 reviews under their belt, mostly throughout the Midcoast and Damariscotta, they're not the kind of foodie snob food critic villainized in movies such as 'Ratatouille' and 'Chef'; on the whole, their reviews strive to share the real experience.

Boyle said they often visit a restaurant five or six times, ordering different dishes to sample, before writing about a restaurant.

"There are places that sometimes have dishes that crush and dishes that miss," he said. "Maybe one dish wasn't our favorite, but another one was fantastic."

"Whether it's high end or a local favorite, we love meeting people next to us, talking with the staff; that's all part of it," said Farrell.

"The food scene is so good around here, and they're all doing good stuff," said Boyle. "But it's also about the energy and the vibe in each place too, that we want to share. In our reviews, we also mention how you feel when you're in a place—do you feel comfortable, cozy, excited?"

Sharing the work, the duo said they both contribute to the writing and editing of each review, while Farrell, a professional book designer, handles the online publication.

"She's great at pulling in the history and background, because she's been here longer than I have," Boyle said.

Currently, they're just enjoying the process and paying for each lunch or dinner out of pocket. While there are some plans in the works to monetize the reviews online eventually, they do sell some merchandise on the website to defray some of the costs.

Munchies in Maine has caught on with more than 600 Facebook followers. They were even recognized out on the street recently, with someone calling out "Hey Munchies!" to their delight.

"We're just doing it because we love it," said Farrell. "We're eventually going to work our way all over Maine."

"Maybe even over the border," added Boyle. "But she's gonna need a passport."

"We're gonna need a bigger boat," said Farrell.

Having fun is what it's all about for these two.

To read their reviews follow Muchies in Maine on Facebook.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com