Month: August 2009

It’s Official…We’re the Foodiest

| Posted in Reviews, Uncategorized

Bon Appétit has named Portland their 2009 Foodiest Small Town in America. In it BA Foodist blogger Andrew Knowlton explains what made Portland this year’s winner.

First, it’s got great product, from oysters to fiddlehead ferns. Second, the town has attracted stellar chefs who know how to turn these resources into great food. Third, it even has a signature meal, breakfast, that turns the first fare of the day into a celebration of all this bounty. And finally, it has citizens who expect a lot, and get even more.

Knowlton will be blogging about Portland the next few days and then is “off to Maine for the last weekend of the summer and as many lobster rolls as I can possibly eat.”

Tomorrow I’ll share the essential itinerary to Portland, Maine including my favorite restaurants and the best place to stay. Wednesday, I’ll tell you more about three things that Portland does amazingly well–beer, bread, and seafood. I’ll also post the cities that were runners up in this year’s competition. On Thursday, I’ll share some of my personal photos from my visits.

It's Official…We're the Foodiest

| Posted in Reviews, Uncategorized

Bon Appétit has named Portland their 2009 Foodiest Small Town in America. In it BA Foodist blogger Andrew Knowlton explains what made Portland this year’s winner.

First, it’s got great product, from oysters to fiddlehead ferns. Second, the town has attracted stellar chefs who know how to turn these resources into great food. Third, it even has a signature meal, breakfast, that turns the first fare of the day into a celebration of all this bounty. And finally, it has citizens who expect a lot, and get even more.

Knowlton will be blogging about Portland the next few days and then is “off to Maine for the last weekend of the summer and as many lobster rolls as I can possibly eat.”

Tomorrow I’ll share the essential itinerary to Portland, Maine including my favorite restaurants and the best place to stay. Wednesday, I’ll tell you more about three things that Portland does amazingly well–beer, bread, and seafood. I’ll also post the cities that were runners up in this year’s competition. On Thursday, I’ll share some of my personal photos from my visits.

This Week’s Events

| Posted in Events

Nick Malgieri, author of The Modern Baker will be at Rabelais for a book signing this afternoon. Also on Monday, Portland Schooner is running a wine and chocolate sail and the weekly  Food and Drink Trivia Contest is taking place at Bull Feeney’s. Felipe Gonzales-Gordon will be at Bar Lola on Tuesday for a dinner featuring wine from his family’s winery. The next Wine Flight 5k Training Run is scheduled for Tuesday. There’s a wine event at The Salt Exchange on Wednesday and on Thursday Cultivating Community is holding the last Twilight Dinner of the year. Rabelais is having an art opening Friday for a show by Rob Sullivan entitled Minumentals: Gastronomique. There are wine tastings at West End Grocery on Friday and Leroux Kitchen on Saturday. Farmers’ Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

This Week's Events

| Posted in Events

Nick Malgieri, author of The Modern Baker will be at Rabelais for a book signing this afternoon. Also on Monday, Portland Schooner is running a wine and chocolate sail and the weekly  Food and Drink Trivia Contest is taking place at Bull Feeney’s. Felipe Gonzales-Gordon will be at Bar Lola on Tuesday for a dinner featuring wine from his family’s winery. The next Wine Flight 5k Training Run is scheduled for Tuesday. There’s a wine event at The Salt Exchange on Wednesday and on Thursday Cultivating Community is holding the last Twilight Dinner of the year. Rabelais is having an art opening Friday for a show by Rob Sullivan entitled Minumentals: Gastronomique. There are wine tastings at West End Grocery on Friday and Leroux Kitchen on Saturday. Farmers’ Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

Breakfast Club Review of The Farmer’s Table

| Posted in Reviews

The Farmer’s Table received an overall grade of C+ from The Breakfast Club.

overall, my experience at the farmer’s table was highly disappointing. people who come to portland for the first time may be blinded by the great scenery on the picturesque commercial street and be more accepting of a barely mediocre brunch, but if this restaurant wants to make it through the winter with us mainers, they really need to step it up…a lot.

Breakfast Club Review of The Farmer's Table

| Posted in Reviews

The Farmer’s Table received an overall grade of C+ from The Breakfast Club.

overall, my experience at the farmer’s table was highly disappointing. people who come to portland for the first time may be blinded by the great scenery on the picturesque commercial street and be more accepting of a barely mediocre brunch, but if this restaurant wants to make it through the winter with us mainers, they really need to step it up…a lot.

Maine Magazine

| Posted in Openings

The premiere issue of Maine magazine is now out. It includes an article on a set of six recently launched or up and coming restaurants in Portland as well as Three Tides beer/cocktail/oyster bar in Belfast, Old Vines wine bar in Kennebunk, and a profile of winemaker Brian Smith. There is an online version of the magazine but you’ll find it easier to read the articles if you nab a print copy. I picked up my copy at Bard Coffee.