The Golden Dish has published a survey of locally made English muffins.
English muffins are a big deal in Portland. Locally made by some of our best bakers they have a near-cult following—a purist’s artisanal pecking order, if you will, of perfection.
Food Coma has published a review of the February Pocket Brunch.
While most guests arrive at the house of RosenChamp on time, ready to devour platters of crunchy praline bacon, bruleéd grapefruit, and sticky bananas foster bostocks, I am busy being late, fighting my way out of Massachusetts after a rather substantial snowstorm that involved an actual “driving ban.”
Today’s Press Herald includes a bar review of Blue Spoon,
If you have the chance and get there at the right time, I would highly suggest trying this bar for brunch. The steak and eggs plate I ordered was absolutely delicious, as was Melissa’s eggs benedict.
If Blue Spoon is busy whenever you’re able to drop in, be patient. It’s worth the wait.
and the latest installment of the What Ales You column.
GoLocalProv has produced a list of the New England’s 25 Best Food Towns, Portland weighs in at #4.
Talk about a food town. There is no city of its size that contains so much independent cooking and notable dining than this beautiful city just two hours from Boston. Walking the streets of Portland’s Old Port district is like walking any street in New York City’s West Village or Soho, and without the attitude and high prices. Portland is a food-lover’s pure pleasure, and its Top 5 standing in New England is proof…You’ll need more than a week.
Edible Obsessions has published a review of Saigon.
But, the surprise of the meal, though was an appetizer special of steamed rice pancake, ground pork, pork skin, onions, pickled daikon and carrot, basil, lettuce, cucumber and fish sauce. It looked like a deconstructed Banh Mi, minus the baguette and mayonnaise…
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of J’s Oyster Bar.
Remember that J’s is a joint. Entrees are ample and tasty, and diners won’t leave hungry, but it’s not fine dining. It’s a sleeves rolled up, slurp some oysters with basic horseradish and shoot the (expletive deleted) over a few beers locale. Placemats are paper, and house rules are clearly stated on cards at each table.
And that’s part of J’s charm.
The Golden Dish has published a review of Caiola’s.
Commandeering the kitchen is co-proprietor and Chef Abby Harmon who makes this all happen. Her kitchen is like a laboratory of invention—the whole kit and caboodle of culinary cause and effect that isn’t so easily classified. But attempting to I’d have to resort to words like Mediterranean-influenced with a dash of Downeast home cooking and a serious dose of comfort food savoir faire.
The annual Food Issue of Maine magazine arrived in subscriber’s mailboxes yesterday. Inside you’ll find:
Taking his cue from this week’s feature article on New England groundfishing, Portland Phoenix restaurant critic Brian Duff has sampled fish dishes at Three Buoys, Taqueria Tequila, Old Port Sea Grill and Taco Escobarr.
At Taco Escobarr they give seasoned pieces of firm pollock a very light fry. A white sauce adds just a touch of tang, some slaw lends a bit of sour, and thin slices of radish give some bitterness. At three for $10 they run a bit more money, but you get them on house-made corn tortillas — which have good flavor but could use a touch more sear on the grill.
Two Maine donut shops have been included by Saveur in their list of the 50 Finest Donut Shops in America: Frosty’s, founded in Brunswick with a shop in South Portland, and Congdon’s in Wells.
The list was part of a extensive series of donut articles. The historical timeline of donuts (1600s to 2011) includes mention of Maine’s Captain Hanson Gregory and his invention of the donut.
Articles from the new issue of the magazine aren’t yet available online.