Month: April 2013

Three Sheets Bar Recommendations

| Posted in Reviews

Three Sheets Manufacturing has put together a set of recommendations selected from among the more established cocktail destinations in town.

I’m often asked where to go for a great cocktail in Portland, or where I go for drinks. I realize that the answer is increasingly varied depending on the fix I’m after. We thought it would be a good exercise to start cataloging those locations and what to get while you’re there. So, to start, Portland Comfort Classics… The places that I’ve had on my radar for at least a few years for whatever it is they do well.

They plan on posting another set recommendations that highlight best bets among the newer spots in town.

Dishcrawl Tours

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report from Maine a la Carte, Dishcrawl Tours (website, Twitter) is setting up a service in Portland and plans on starting tours in early May.

“At the first three restaurants, they get a trio of smaller-sized foods,” says Mary Soule, the Portland Dishcrawl “ambassador” who will be leading the tours. “And while they’re eating, hopefully the chef or at least the owner will come out and talk to people about the food and about the restaurant, the background and history of it. So instead of just sampling the food that the restaurant has to offer, it’s about really building a community with the locals and the chefs in their own towns.”

Portland’s food tour options have expanded quite a bit in the last year. In addition to Dishcrawl, you now can also choose from: Maine Foodie Tours, Wine Wise, The Maine Brew Bus, Maine Beer Tours and Maine Cocktail Tours.

First Review of Enio’s & a Review of Duckfat

| Posted in Reviews

The Golden Dish has published the first review of Enio’s, the new Italian restaurant in Willard’s Square.

Greater Portland is seeing many new—and good—restaurants open, instantly crowded and popular. Enio’s, however, is a long-term keeper, one which should not be missed.

Serious Eats has published a review of Duckfat which focused on the newer items on the menu.

That’s not to say fried food is all the Old Port cafe offers, but it’s what they take most seriously and what they’ve always done best. Lately, however, the menu’s grown, attracting patrons looking for both guilty and (relatively) guiltless pleasures alike. I went in for the latter.

Grill Cheese Sandwich List

| Posted in Reviews

Samuel’s, Ruski’s, The Dogfish Cafe and Duckfat all made Dispatch magazine’s short list of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in town.

On crappy days like today, nothing hits the spot like some delicious tomato soup, paired with the easiest, cheesiest sammy of all time: the Grilled Cheese sandwich. Straight-up, I’m salivating just thinking about how good that sounds. So I put together a round up of the best places to get a grilled cheese in Portland, so that you can satisfy your craving for an all-American afternoon snack.

Food Truck News: Deuben & Leavy Project

| Posted in Under Construction

Maine a la Carte interviewed Karl Deuben and Bill Leavy about the new food truck venture they have in development.

The menu will also include a series of daily breakfast and lunch rice bowl offerings. The rice bowls could have a Japanese flair, or have a southern twist – they’ll reflect a lot of different international and regional cuisines.

“The bowls would be a nice option for us to come up with a daily special or utilize the offcuts we can get from local farms and be able to do something a little bit different in a bowl format,” Deuben said.

Miyake Menu Change

| Posted in General News

Miyake has announced a change in concept for their flagship location on Fore Street. Starting in June,

Chef Masa Miyake will be restructuring the menu to combine the Japanese knowledge of food for which he is so well known with a variety of international cuisines from his extensive culinary background. The plan is to better utilize ingredients from Miyake Farm and from valued vendors both local and international. Ensuring quality ingredients and a unique dining experience for the restaurants’ patrons has always been a priority for Miyake.  These changes will allow for some new creativity.

The email announcing the change also states,

Miyake on Fore Street will be closing Sundays starting in June to give the staff the option to host events and special dinners to showcase some of the new Miyake Farm products. These will include Mangalitsa pig, American Guinea hog, and the first farm-hatched quail, chicken and duck.

2013 Phoenix Best of Portland Readership Poll

| Posted in Uncategorized

The Portland Phoenix announced the winners of their 2013 Best of Portland readership poll last night.

Here’s a representative sampling that I noted down while watching the presentation: Scratch won Best Bagel (I think that the first time in the history of the event that someone beat out Mr. Bagel), Novare won Best Beer Bar and Gritty’s won Best Brewpub, Emilitsa won Best Ethnic Restaurant, El Rayo won Best Mexican/Latin Restaurant, Rob Evans won Best Chef, Paciarino won Best Italian Restaurant, Allagash won Best Brewery, Grace won for both Best Romantic Dining Spot and Best Decor, etc. There are about 100 categories in all so be sure to check the Phoenix website for the complete list.

Personally I was thrilled to win in the Best Food Blog category. Many thanks to all of you who voted for Portland Food Map!

Reviews of Kushiya Benkay & The Front Room

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Kushiya Benkay.

But just as it is common for a Japanese family to engage in a Buddhist ritual in the morning and a Shinto ritual in the afternoon, and not worry about conflicting doctrines in the least, Kushiya Benkay manages to engage in a bit of trendiness and a bit of silliness, without becoming trendy or silly. In fact at Kushiya Benkay the essentials of Japanese dining — warm service, a handsome space, and simple cuisine — blend together modestly and seamlessly.

The Press Herald has published a bar review of The Front Room.
I don’t know what other evenings at The Front Room look like, but even if you can only go on a busy Friday or weekend evening, be patient with the wait time. It’s worth it. I can say this firsthand in regard to the drinks, and reiterate what others have told me in regard to the food.

Closed and Closing: Bakery on the Hill & Sea Grass Bistro

| Posted in Closings

The Munjoy Hill News interviewed owner Stephanie Smith about her decision to close Bakery on the Hill.

Smith lives in Bridgeton and she found the almost three hour round trip commute not possible to do anymore.  Also, her daughter Alexandra, became engaged to an attorney in New York City following her move back to Maine.  Her expertise as a pastry cook in New York City was vital to the operation. Both of those factors weighed heavily in Smith’s decision.

Maine a la Carte reports that chef/owner Stephanie Brown has decided to close the Sea Grass Bistro in Yarmouth.

Brown told me in an e-mail that she has decided to accept an offer to become executive chef at the Woodlands Club in Falmouth, “an opportunity that found me, I was not looking for it!”

“There was an offer on the table I could not refuse,” she explained. “I have been in the club arena before and loved it.