The Blueberry Files recently paid a visit to the deck at The Porthole and Maine Beer Co’s new tasting room in Freeport.
The space is clean and new, with very little clutter, which really shows you that the beer is their main focus. At the bar, you can order small tastes or flights of four or eight beers. A. and I went “all in” with eight 4-5oz. pours for $18.
Lauren Loves to Eat has published a review of Eventide.
Anyway, the conclusion of this story– Eventide Oyster Co. is a MUST. It doesn’t have the slightly toasted roll or lemon-squeezed lobster meat like at Luke’s Lobster, but I promise you this version is just as life-changing.
The Golden Dish has published a survey of some of the local gelato and ice cream shops and crowned Catbird Creamery in Westbrook as the best.
Catbird Creamery: This Westbrook storefront makes the best ice cream of them all. The texture is the creamiest and richest with such unique flavors as salted chocolate, brown-sugar vanilla, strawberry balsamic and basil green tea. They serve the ice cream at the shop in handmade cones, in sundaes or by the dish, and they also have a terrific ice-cream sandwich
The Golden Dish has published a review of David’s 388,
What I didn’t expect to find was such incredible food managed by a service staff that makes you feel like you’re part of its larger family. That and the daring duo of chefs in the kitchen makes this place formidable.
and Lauren Loves to Eat has published a review of Hot Suppa.
Corned Beef Hash, $10.95; +$1.50 for Hashbrown (or grits): The corned beef hash is made in house with shredded corned beef, carrot, potato, and onions. It’s definitely very different from anywhere I’ve ever ordered this. The combination of textures was great, with more crisp pieces, as well as soft and tender parts. Dry and bland, the hashbrown was disappointing.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Buck’s Naked BBQ.
The actual barbecue, on the other hand, seems beyond reproach. The pork ribs in particular were spot-on, with a great char, rich flavor, and just-right tender, fatty moistness. The pulled pork had the right texture, but lacked the same depth of pork flavor, and here we used some of the sauce to good effect. The best of these was a vinegary-peppery version with a black stripe on the red bottle. The beef brisket had a deep rich flavor and was expertly cooked just past any hint of stringiness. The house sausage was more sweet than spicy, with a pleasant smokiness. The chicken was the only disappointment — just a touch dry, with the spice rub stopped cold by the skin. A side of cheesy (and peppery) grits was terrific when piping hot, but the texture went south with cooling.
The Press Herald has published a bar review of In’finiti,
Not feeling too adventurous to delve into a house cocktail, I flipped to the beer section of the drink menu. In’Finiti features eight house brews on tap and another eight “guest taps.”
I had recently seen a post on the bar’s Facebook page about E=mc2 IPA, and decided to try it…
and Lauren Loves to Eat has published a review of Duckfat.
Poutine, $6.50 (with farm fresh egg, + $2): The best, and I mean best snack/side dish I’ve experienced this year. I was excited to try this after reading all the reviews, but was still taken by surprise at how incredible this poutine was. Props to the bf for totally going against my wish of not adding an egg (fries with gravy and cheese sounds like a very complete dish already), and requesting the addition anyway. The Belgian fries are topped with house made duck gravy, Vermont cheddar, and fresh chives. With all the deliciously strong flavors, this dish managed to never taste too salty.
The Holy Donut is top of the list of Eater National’s list of the Hottest Doughnut Shops in America.
Portland has a few solid doughnut options, but The Holy Donut is the newcomer that has gotten a lot of buzz. Even Maine Rep. Chellie Pingree let Tom Colicchio try a doughnut when he was lobbying in DC. These are Maine potato doughnuts and flavors include things like bacon and cheddar stuffed doughnuts, tart cherry and more.
The Bollard has published a review of The North Point.
I settled on the Cucumber Gin Martini. The North Point uses fresh basil, rather than mint, in this libation, and Bulldog Gin, often described as brutish or more flavorful than fellow premium gins. I’ve never considered Bulldog heavy-handed, so was not surprised it meshed well with the pressed cucumber in this refreshing cocktail. The thick slice of cucumber garnish echoes the healthy portion in the mix. I definitely recommend this one.
The Golden Dish has published a review of Outliers.
My entrée, described simply as beef shoulder tender, was another kitchen triumph. The beef was rendered absolutely soft and succulent by its sous vide process, producing intense flavor while keeping it buttery soft, juicy and lean. Served in a wine reduction, with fingerling potatoes, this was another very satisfying dish.
Eat Maine has published a lunch review of Bresca.
Lunch at Bresca is a treat. The space is welcoming, the atmosphere is relaxed, and the service is friendly. While it’s possible to come for a salad and head back to work, it’s also a place where you can slow down, meet a few friends, and share an afternoon of amazing food and delicious wine.