The Bollard has published a review of Samuel’s.

Calling something the “best kept secret” is a tired trope used by lazy writers who are out of ideas. Except when it’s true. Such is the case with Samuel’s Bar & Grill, whose weekend breakfast is, in fact, the best kept secret in Portland.

The Golden Dish has published the third and final installment in its series on lunch.

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Buck’s Naked BBQ.

Delights & Prejudices, the in-house blog of the James Beard Foundation, has included Eventide’s Cucumber-Cured Arctic Char with Melon, Mint, and Kasha on the list of their favorite dishes of 2012.

Our favorite dish during an excellent lunch was this Arctic char crudo, which was joined by an unexpected but memorable scattering of toasty kasha and soft pieces of melon, made honey-sweet from the warmth of a fleeting Maine summer.

Food & Wine Executive Editor Dana Cowin has named both Eventide and Petite Jacqueline to her list of the Best Restaurants of 2012.

She praises PJ for their “Pitch-perfect bistro with magnificent renditions of classics” and calls Eventide a “supercute oyster bar with a great local selection and some Asian-accented dishes, like the lightly grilled Gloucester surf clam with daikon and nam prik.”

Cowin was in Portland for a visit in early August.

The Press Herald has published a review of Scratch Baking Company,

But it was love at first sight when I saw the list of sandwiches (all $7.95), and this was followed by further infatuation when I sunk my enthusiastic teeth into the pulled pork. It’s described as “slow braised pork shoulder, house-made pickles and slaw on a house roll with tangy sauce.”

I describe it as zippy and delicious sandwich perfection. The pork melted on my tongue, and the coleslaw, pickles and sauce held a flavorful dance party in my mouth.

and a bar review of the Old Port Tavern.

As someone who has ended many a night at Old Port Tavern, I can tell you — don’t let the quaint tavern charm fool you. Sunday through Thursday, the tavern features karaoke, and on Friday and Saturday nights, tables and chairs are moved aside for a dance floor, disco lights and a DJ. The tavern quickly becomes a nightclub with $2 Jell-O shots and all your favorite alcohols to mix any cocktail under the sun.

The Golden Dish has published the second of a 3 part series on lunch options in Portland.

What Portland restaurants lack on their lunch menus is the serious fare that one would otherwise find at big city restaurants in Boston, New York and LA. Whether Portland’s dining world could support serious dining at midday as it does for dinner could be a vital notion for restaurateurs to consider.

Eat Maine has published a review of The Back Bay Grill.

There is a level of service in place at Back Bay Grill that sets the standard for all other restaurants in the state to aspire to. Needs are met a split second before you recognize that you have them by a professional waitstaff, without any pretentiousness. Many would question how a restaurant maintains these standards over such a long period of time.

It’s all in the details.

The Press Herald has published a review of India Palace,

…for lunch, the place is not only affordable, but the incredible attentiveness of the wait staff is comforting too. My water glass was refilled almost as soon as I took a sip.

My order was taken quickly, my soup came within 60 seconds, and my check was brought as soon as my plate was empty.

For a workday lunch, knowing you can get in and out quickly is a comfort as well.

and a bar review of Local 188.

The drinks and food may be high end and high quality for its customers, but Local 188 keeps it relaxed and friendly.

The Golden Dish has published the first of a 3 part series on lunch options in Portland.

In such a barmy, restaurant-crazed metropolis like Portland, lunch is given short shrift—as though it were a forbidden meal from the impecunious fringe.   But we’re hardly a city of mere brown baggers–plenty of lunchtime portals offer interestingly good midday meals.

What’s the Soup has published a review of Kamasouptra.

On my recent visit, I was lucky enough to sample several of their very best. I started with their vegan Ribollita, which looks like a rainbow in a bowl. It was a nutritious knock-out! A tomato-based broth loaded with kale, white beans, tomato, carrots, celery, and garlic and finished with a touch of lemon to brighten it up. The soup gets thickened with their scrumptious wheat rolls that they bake on the premises each day. The soup was hearty and satisfying and packed with flavor. I felt like I was getting my daily vegetable requirements all in one bowl.

The Golden Dish has published a review of Saeng Thai House.

We started off with the chicken dumplings.  These were nothing less than revelatory.  The wonton wrappers encased a delicious, enticing  filling of chicken and shrimp and essential spices.  I could have made an entire meal out of these.  But we didn’t stop there.

The Press Herald has published a review of the Back Cove BBQ & Pizzeria.

I tried the pulled pork plate, which came with the hand-cut beach fries for $9.99. The pulled pork came in a white sub bread, and was full of smoke flavor.

The only complaint I had, if you can call it that, is that the sandwich cried out for some kind of sauce. The meat was fine on its own; I just prefer sauce. Perhaps there’s some at the counter that you can request. Luckily, I had some at home.

John Golden at The Golden Dish has endorsed the Speckled Ax as his pick for the best coffee in Portland.

Coffee purist Matt Bolinder brews the best coffee in town. Holding court at his Congress Street shop, the Speckled Ax–otherwise known as Matt’s Wood Roasted Organic Coffee—this is where the coffee magic begins.

Travel and Leisure has named Miyake to their list of the Best Sushi Restaurants in the US.

Lobster may come to mind first when you think of Maine. But at Miyake, an elegant restaurant in downtown Portland, chef and owner Masa Miyake serves some of the best sushi along the Atlantic. His menu focuses on local catches: there’s sweet Maine shrimp laced with a spicy mayo and avocado, mini sardines, and even sea urchin roe harvested just up the coast. And yes, there is lobster on the menu, but it’s probably prepared in ways you’ve never tasted.

Earlier this year Bon Appetit had named Miyake one of the 10 best new sushi restaurants in the country.