The Golden Dish has published a review of Carmen at the Danforth.
We started off by sharing the bacalao fritters, a soulful dish of salt cod redolent of the kitchen’s assertive style. This was followed by a trio of appetizers that included manchego fritters, plantains topped with smoked salmon, Berkshire pork bites and monkfish croquettes—each one superbly invigorating.
Some additional info on Kushiya Benkay, the new Japanese restaurant under construction in Longfellow Square, has surfaced in documents filed with the Portland City Council.
As the name seemed suggest, Kushiya is indeed a sibling of Benkay on India Street. The draft menu (page 40) supplied with the liquor license application is available online. It includes a full traditional sushi menu as well as a list of Yakitori options.
Owner Hyon Kim is planning on an opening date in July.
Supermarket News has published a profile of Rosemont Market & Bakery.
Rosemont Market & Bakery is the kind of place a lot of people would like to have at the end of their street.
The colorful wood building has an old-time look. Most menu items are made in-house from local ingredients, and co-owners John Naylor and Scott Anderson put a priority on quality and creativity.
Sebastian’s is now open. The restaurant is located at 345 Fore Street across the street from Rosie’s in Boothby Square.
Cooking Light has included Portland in their round-up of Hidden Gems and Delicious Destinations. Kamasouptra, Bresca, the El Rayos, and Paciarino were all specifically called out. (via Eater)
NYC food blog Never Ending Hunger was recently in Maine sampling lobster rolls up and down the coast including stops at The Lobster Shack and Bite into Maine.
So where does that leave us… where we knew we’d be after eating at Bite into Maine. Far and away the best lobster roll we had eaten. Bite into Maine not only met or surpassed all of the main criteria for a great lobster roll, they then tossed in a bit of creativity… creativity that worked. I was not going to bring up price either, but at $13.50 they were the best and cheapest (I guess the rents cheap) but they were so good I would pay double. Kudo’s to Sarah and Karl Sutton who moved from the mid-west to serve up what many locals are calling hands down the best lobster rolls in Maine. I am planning to go back soon and have the Chipotle and Wasabi, they say they’ll have them waiting for me.
For recommendations on where to pick up a lobster roll here in the Portland area, check out this article on Serious Eats penned by Malcolm Bedell, co-author of the popular Maine-based food blog From Away.
For a sandwich that seems so basic, individual preferences seems to be a major factor in what defines a “real” Maine lobster roll. Most agree on the basics: a New England split-top bun, griddled in butter until golden brown, then stuffed to overflowing with succulent, sweet, freshly-caught Maine lobster. After that, things get a little trickier.
The Press Herald has published a review of The Works Bakery Cafe.
Thanks, Works, for having consistently good food and drinks, for having staff who make me laugh, and more often than not, for playing decent music. Should you need to show you really, truly care about me, you’d bring back the banana walnut bagel. I’ll be waiting.
Also in today’s paper, the latest installment of What Ales You is an article about Bunker Brewing.
Jay Villani, owner of Local 188 and Sonny’s restaurants in Portland, and his baker, Chresten Sorenson, started Bunker Brewing with the idea of creating great beers with only the traditional ingredients: “malt, water, yeast, time, temperature and passion,” to quote Villani when I talked to him at the Bear.