The Portsmouth Herald has published a review of The Salt Exchange.
It’s that variety that works together on many levels that makes the food terrific here. Ingredients are seasonal and used inventively but there aren’t so many elements in each dish that it’s overwhelming or confusing. Still, there is always something surprising, whimsical and always something delicious.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Binga’s Stadium.
While they are meaty enough, it is the skin and the sauce/seasoning that makes or breaks a wing — and Binga’s offers you about 20 options. The best wings tend to be seasoned with a dry rub, but Binga’s mostly coats theirs in syrupy sauces.
This works best when there is some heat to cut though the sugars. The Thai chili sauce was too mild, and seemed unreasonably sweet. The thin, orange-tinged classic Buffalo sauce was much better . . .
The USM Free Press has published a review of Silly’s.
As a college student in Portland, it can be hard to find a restaurant that fits your budget. With books to buy and student loans to pay off, who has the money? If you’re looking for affordability, good service and great food, Silly’s Restaurant, at 40 Washington Ave. has it all.
Olive Cafe received 3½ stars from this Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
The flavors of Middle Eastern cooking, cool mint, sour sumac (the Mediterranean kind, not Maine’s ubiquitous poison sumac), tahini and an abundance of parsley and tomatoes, are perfect for relieving January monotony. The Olive Cafe in Portland handles these particulars with panache, tossing grilled slices of aromatic beef on top of a thin pizza that ranks at the top of good things I’ve tasted in Portland lately.
Appetite Portland has reviewed a pair of rabbit dishes from Emilitsa and Sonny’s.
Perhaps in deference to Bugs and the memory of Harvey — my friend Faryl’s late pet – I had not ordered rabbit in years and years. Until this past week, that is.
Somehow I found myself noshing on two wildly different preparations of the little mammal at two vastly different restaurants: Emilitsa and Sonny’s.
The Blueberry Files has published a review of Ribollita.
So yeah, I liked Ribollita! I didn’t loooooove Ribollita, but that certianly wasn’t due to any failings on their part. I am glad to know where I can go to get solid and relatively inexpensive Italian food in town. But it doesn’t make my ‘hurry back to’ list (man, I sound hard to please!).
According to an article in the January issue of the US Airways in-flight magazine, Portland is one of their Top 17 Destinations for 2010. Portland slots in at #14 right in between Dallas and Stockholm. Miyake, Paciarino, Hugo’s and Five Fifty-Five all get mentioned.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of The Picnic Basket.
So I was glad to try the Picnic Basket in the dead of winter, when there is no reason not to settle in at one of the eclectic set of tables in the cozy second room. The room has a wall of wine and lots of artisanal jars of this or that jam or mustard. It has a very Stonewall-Kitcheny look. There are twigs clinging to the track lighting.
Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes some observations on customer service at Portland restaurants.
But for all of the accolades and buzz about the food itself, a restaurant’s bottom line and longevity are dependent on consistently good service. With so many excellent food choices in Portland, it’s the service that is a key differentiater.
Appetite Portland gives two thumbs up to the baked goods at Blue.
Well, Therese has baked her way into my heart. Not with fancy pastries or complicated desserts, but with bakery traditions made with care.
At Thanksgiving her pumpkin pie was more spice than sweet and topped with luscious homemade whipped cream. Christmas brought a plump and flavorful gingerbread — part chewy, part crumbly and all good.