Category: Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Dizzy Bird in Biddeford.

Together, in a vibrantly painted space, they produce some of the area’s best spit-roasted meats, including juicy, crisp-skinned chickens that gleam as they rotate, and tender, pink roast beef (on Little Spruce breads, both also make excellent sandwiches). Vegetarian dishes are a surprising strength at Dizzy Birds, everything from a turmeric-and-curry pumpkin bisque ($3.75) to sweet, complex vegan baked beans and a Tex-Mex-style tofu sandwich that is too good to miss. But frankly, service is a train wreck, with ticket times inching perilously close to 30 minutes even when the dining room is nearly empty. Tom Peacock’s best advice (and mine): Order ahead.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed East Ender.

East Ender’s menu of comforting, contemporary and generously portioned dishes rarely includes missteps. The cold-smoked cheeseburger has become a local icon, due in part to its rich schmaltz bun and triple-fried French fries. Similarly, the blackout-dark chocolate torte and peanut-topped, crunch Asian slaw seem well on their way to the same kind of fame. But the best dish on the menu might be braised pork shoulder that has been glazed in a fiery citrus glaze and nestled into an oozy mound of soft-cooked grits — a perfect plate to put into your Rolodex just as the weather starts to turn chilly.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Maiz.

On the whole, the food impresses. Kitchen manager/co-owner Niky Watler’s staff has been able to exploit the extra square footage, allowing for an expanded (completely gluten-free) menu, including appetizers like crusty, cheesy pan de bono and simple, deep-fried corn empanadas filled with sweet threads of pulled pork. Maiz’s arepas – especially the Basico with chicken and the pork-and-chicken Upgrade – are also a good bet, although if you’re not a fan of eating all your fillings in sequence, you’ll want to do a little manipulation of the griddled corn pocket before you eat.

The Washington Post has published A Local’s Guide to Portland, Maine.

Some may call it the “other Portland,” but to Mainers, this is the big city. With its highly regarded restaurants, abundant craft breweries, and world-class artists and writers, Portland is a hot spot of American creativity. And while the locals love these attractions, it’s the cozy feel and sense of community that truly make it home. Portlanders have their bartenders, their coffee shops and their booksellers, but they also love welcoming new people as much as they like seeing a familiar face.

Mainer has published a review of Terlingua.

Some mornings are made for lingering over a rich brunch and a Bloody Mary, and maybe, before the snow flies, I’ll have time for that again. Meanwhile, when I want a hearty breakfast in a hurry, Terlingua will be perched at the top of my list.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Flood’s.

The same holds true on the food side of the menu, where many beautifully executed old-school bar staples cozy up to contemporary, seasonal and locally sourced dishes. Among the more modern dishes, the heirloom salad with house-made ricotta and skinny eggplants roasted together with Jimmy Nardello peppers are a delight. But the real story at Flood’s is the gooey, retro-styled cheeseburger patty it slides into a seeded potato bun baked mere feet away at Tandem Bakery across the street, as well as a simple dish of lush chocolate pudding and salted chocolate shortbread. Not too sweet and intensely chocolatey, it might well be chocolate pudding’s Platonic ideal.

The West End News visited 15 different established to write-up this review and rating of pizza on the peninsula.

Newcomer Coals Pizza on Preble Street rose to the top of their list.

These large, amorphous, gorgeous-to-the-eye pies were flavored to perfection, and simply scrumptious. These were the thinnest crusts we’d ever experienced on a pizza…. so much so that they were simply an extension of the pie itself: inseparable from the whole, and delightfully wafer-thin crispy. We didn’t need it, but freshly grated cheese plus oregano were also offered for on top. At $15.00 a piece, these pizzas were a steal. I’ve been talking about Coal’s ever since our meal.

Chaval’s Lobster Fideos were featured in the recent edition of Wine Enthusiast.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Gather.

Since we last reviewed it, the restaurant has broadened its culinary focus under the rubric of what chef Colin Kelly calls “New American” cooking, a change that has not always worked to its advantage. On the whole, Mexican and Asian dishes such as lobster ramen and fish tacos are not among the restaurant’s strongest. However, Gather’s pizza – especially the cauliflower and mushroom pie, oozing with mascarpone – remain excellent. Under Dylan Suagee, its bar program, including a menu of respectable craft cocktails and a succinct, fruit-forward, mostly New World wine list, has become reason alone for a visit.

Sweet Avieve’s Food Blog has published a review of N To Tail.

If you are seeking a fun and interactive meal, N to Tail is an opportunity not to be missed. Serving lunch and dinner from a fusion menu upstairs, you do have to wait until 5pm for the BBQ section to be open, however it is absolutely worth it!