The Blueberry Files has reviewed Bonobo.
Last time I felt like I was… bothering the staff? … But maybe it was just an off night, because on our second visit, everyone was warm and polite. I hope when you visit, you find the same, because the food is definitely worth a trip down to the West End.
Portland Food Coma offers a point-by-point explanation of what makes Tu Casa specialfor him in this review of the Salvadoran restaurant.
Sure, there are a few things that could use improvement, such as the speed in which you get your food…But you know what? The consistency of the food makes it all worth while…I might actually go so far as to say this is my favorite restaurant in Portland.
Benkay received 3½ stars from the Taste & Tell column in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.
A tuna maki roll was part of my companion’s regular sushi dinner, with two pieces of blue fin tuna, one piece of albacore tuna, and a roll set vertically to hold tiny orange eggs of flying fish roe, all crunching between the teeth with a satisfying sound. A small shrimp had been spread across its chewy sticky rice with a secret depth charge of wasabi hidden underneath.
Olive Cafe received 3 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.
I tried the chicken shawarma sandwich ($8.50), which was marinated grilled chicken topped with garlic sauce, lettuce, tomato and pickles in a wrap. The chicken was so lightly spiced I couldn’t really distinguish any flavors. It was the light, creamy garlic sauce that made this sandwich worthwhile, boosting it a level or two above a ho-hum chicken wrap. I would order it again.
Type A Diversions has reviewed Flatbread.
Whenever anyone asks me where my favorite pizza place is in Portland, I always say Flatbread. Some don’t count Flatbread’s wood-fired, clay oven, all-natural pizza as “real pizza” because it’s not dripping with grease – but that’s exactly what I like about their pies.
Here’s an article from the Travel section of this weekend’s Washington Post that slipped online a little early. Post writer Christina Talcott sings the praises of the “vibrant, eclectic” Munjoy Hill neighborhood and promises “while there’s snow still on the ground there, Munjoy Hill’s density of sights, shops and dining spots offers plenty of opportunities to pop in someplace warm. ” The article highlights some of the foodie spots on the Hill including: North Star, Hilltop Coffee Shop, Rosemont, The Front Room, Duckfat, Colucci’s and Homegrown Herb & Tea.
Portland Magazine has reviewed Paciarino.
As backgrounds for our sauce selections, we picked lasagna and ravioli. Not the usual piled-up-high pasta upon pasta, our lasagna with bolognese ($8.50) was instead a thinner version powerfully packed with layers of intense flavor.
Empire Dine and Dance received 4 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.
We sampled the variety of pub fare at the Empire and discovered new Chef Todd “Bam” Bidwell makes cheap eats here pretty worthwhile.
Since Bidwell took over as chef in November and revamped the menu in January, he’s got the kitchen running as he likes it – and he’s fussy.
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Dean’s Sweets.
The bitter-richness of the dark chocolate shell is terrific, but it would not matter much if the ganache filling were not just as good. This is where most truffles go wrong, with a filling that is both too firm and too sweet, giving you flashbacks to the nougat in a 3 Musketeers bar. The Dean’s ganache is soft, velvety, and deeply rich.
Portland Bar Guide has reviewed Espo’s Trattoria.
For the sake of research and bringing you, the reader, the most information possible, I tried the following martinis: Zooma (coffee, espresso vodka goodness), Espo’s Marteani (raspberry vodka, pinot grigio, green tea and lemon), Tiramisu, Chocolate, the Teresatini (grape vodka, riesling and white cranberry juice), and finally their Luck of the Irish (something minty and creamy. It was hard to take notes at that point!) While I may not recall all the ingredients – I do remember all of them being so good and the average price of each drink was $7.50.