Category: Reviews

The Press Herald has published an Eat & Run review of Fresh Approach,

The meatloaf sandwich could not have been better. It featured two hunks of seasoned meatloaf, each sliced about a half-inch thick, and served on a chewy 12-inch sub roll with melted cheese and a touch of ketchup. My intent was to eat half and save the other half for dinner. But I plowed through all 12 inches without hesitation.

and a bar review of Spread.

The brunch drink menu was nothing short of spectacular. All the cocktails were priced at $7, and even standard drinks had a special twist. Mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice, and the bar uses Stoli Jalapeno Infused Vodka and a homemade mix for the Bloody Mary. And, maybe you could try Second Marriage – Double Cross Vodka, Aperol and fresh grapefruit juice – if your Saturday night shenanigans would leave you questioning your love life.

Mister Meatball has published a list of some of his favorite spots in Portland. The list includes Eventide, Local 188, Emilitsa, Otto, Schulte & Herr and Speckled Ax.

Last year I listed a bunch of the best places to eat in Portland. A couple are no longer open (the Porthole and District), but all the others still are. This time around there are three new places that weren’t open last year, plus three others that I’d neglected to get around to.

You can’t go wrong with a single one.

Feed the Moster has published reviews of J’s Oyster Bar,

J’s is just about perfect.  Warm service, classic look, honest food.

Why go?  You feel like a local.

and Portland Lobster Company.

Prices here are on the steep side given lobster is at an all-time low and some may deride this as a tourist trap.  It is.  None of that matters right now to The Monster as he happily devours his food.

Why go?  Lobster.  And then some more.

Map & Menu has published a review of Local 188.

We’d always enjoyed Local for its drinks and dinners in the past, but it wasn’t until a few months ago that our good friends Darcy and Carolyn introduced us to what has quickly become one of our favorite brunch menus in town. The eclectic setting and warm natural light of Local 188 lends itself perfectly to that at-home, comfortable feel that is required of every great brunch location. Their morning cocktails and tasty menu, all at an unbeatable value, just drive the point on home that Local should be at the top of every Portlander’s brunch list.

Photo Credit: Map & Menu

Eventide Oyster Company received 4½ stars from a review in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.

Eventide Oyster Co. is impressive for its variety of oysters and clever oyster accoutrements, as well as the carefully prepared non-oyster menu items. The Eventide oyster bar concept is as cool as the team of owners, and I recommend this restaurant for any oyster lover seeking a step left of ordinary. The price point skews a little high, but so does the quality.

UPDATE: The Boston Globe has also published a review of Eventide.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Spread.

While dinner at Spread is not bad at all, the experience doesn’t quite dispel the space’s strange aura. Spread does not transform the space, but rather seems to have joined in the oddness. It’s a place made for fall and winter (at the moment, at least) on a block famous for its summer rush. It’s a new venture with an old-fashioned feel, from the long entranceway to the dark-suited maître-d’ checking in on things. The Scottish have a phrase for accepting the quirks of your fate and flourishing within them: “dree your weird,” they say. Spread is a weird name for a slightly odd place, but it could flourish nonetheless.

Map & Menu has published a review of The Well.

…Meredith followed with the vegetarian dinner of pumpkin agnolotti, wilted spinach, and sage cream, and I settled on the lamb dish, with potato gratin and cider braised red cabbage (which I’m pretty sure I saw growing just outside the door). Our meals were delicious, and we were both filled with immense regret that we’d only have the opportunity to eat there just once this season. No worries though, you can guarantee that we’ll be there shortly after they reopen next June!

Photo Credit: Map & Menu

Diningsense has published a review of Emilitsa.

Emilitsa is certainly one of my favorite Maine restaurants and from a taste standpoint, I would say that only Arrows, Primo, and Five Fifty-Five on a good night can match their protein preparations. However, the restaurant still has a couple of detracting attributes, namely that the interior doesn’t contribute any excitement and that the pastry program is so mediocre. As a result, they place a burden on themselves to deliver with the main dishes, and it’s to their credit that they are so strong in that regard…It’s easy to get excited for their duck and whole fish, so even though the atmosphere isn’t very exciting, I will definitely return to Emilitsa.

Portland Magazine has published the first review of Zen Chinese Bistro.

But the Peking Duck ($25), plenty enough for a satisfying dinner for two, is what knocks us out. A half duck deftly sliced comes on a gorgeous platter with fresh moo shu pancakes, delicious plum sauce, sliced cucumbers, and scallions. Theatrically, one of the servers shows up at our table and carefully creates the wraps for us–a welcome touch!