The Portland Phoenix Best of Portland Readership Poll results are now available online. There are more than 100 categories ranging from from Best Asian Restaurant (Green Elephant) to Best Wine/Liquor Store (RSVP).
There were a few double category winner and Silly’s was a triple champion with wins in Best Dessert Place, Best Sandwich/Wrap, and Best Waitstaff/Service.
Congratulations to Joe Ricchio for taking home the win in the Best Food Blog category for his site Portland Food Coma.
Review of Veranda Noodle Bar
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Veranda Noodle Bar.
It’s a good sign if your kitchen is so busy it keeps blowing a fuse, and while we waited for a table among the folks picking up take-out we saw the lights go dim three times. Thanks to the crowd the service was a bit slow, but very pleasant. The owner worked the room with the collar turned up on a polo shirt the same pink color of the sugarcane appetizer we tried — a big ball of ground shrimp wrapped around a sugar stalk like a drumstick — a bit spongy in texture with a smoky grilled flavor.
The Phoenix’s Best of Portland readership poll results are being announced tonight. The final results will be making their way on to the newspaper’s site sometime Thursday morning. Distribution of the paper newspaper itself was delayed a day to keep the winner’s list secret.
Planning Board Approvals
According to a report from The Forecaster, last night the Portland Planning Board approved the project which will see the Jordan’s Meat plant replaced with a hotel and the new home of Sebago Brewing which is presently at the intersection of Middle and Market.
Also in the article is mention that the Espo’s on Allen Ave is slated to be demolished in order to build a Bangor Saving Bank branch on the lot.
Interview with Tricia Henley from Mama's Crow Bar
The Portland Daily Sun has published an interview with Tricia Henley, the owner of Mama’s Crow Bar on Munjoy Hill.
“What kind of neighborhood needs a bar, became a question of what kind of bar does this neighborhood need,” said Henley, envisioning a place where people could meet, have a good beer, and talk about everything from knitting and parenting to politics and city planning.
Italy–>Maine Wine Connection
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an interview with Paul Turina, a Yarmouth man who imports wines produced by his family in Italy. According to the article, Turina wines are on the menu at Paciarino, Hugo’s, and Walter’s and can be purchased at Rosemont and RSVP.
At first, he brought just enough wine to the States to satisfy family and friends. Now he travels to Italy once or twice a year to visit his family and do business with them, trying to find ways to get the word out about their wines on this side of the Atlantic.
Johnny’s Bistro in Falmouth is featuring Turina wine at a dinner on May 17.
Clabber Fed Chicken
Erik Desjarlais has penned a piece for Find Eat Drink about the clabber fed chickens he serves at Evangeline.
These birds get the extra calcium from the clabbered cream and can support more weight. More flesh, more fat, more flavor. The clabber makes the chicken happy and delicious, and a happy bird means happy chef. And happy guests. Organically raised, tended to like babies, but not certified organic. But who needs the certification? These are the finest birds I have ever seen.
Review of Po’Boys & Pickles
Appetite Portland has published a review of Po’Boys & Pickles.
A toffee bread pudding was – in a word – killer. Too stuffed to eat in the restaurant, we carted it home and fought over the too-small portion. I’ll definitely go back to try the fried shrimp po’ boy, the gumbo and my very own order of pudding.
A call to my friend with my assessment yielded a stunned pause, and, finally, “A good po’ boy in Maine. Well, that’s almost enough to make my grandpa roll over in his grave.”
Asmara and Merry Table
Food writer Margo Mallar reports on her recent visits to Asmara and The Merry Table in today’s Portland Daily Sun.
On Friday we returned to an old favorite, Asmara, the Eritrean restaurant on Oak Street between Congress and Free street. The dishes are served on injera, a pancake made from teff, a grain that is native to the Ethiopian highlands…Injera doubles as a utensil; you tear off small pieces to use like little gloves to grasp the chunky bits of the stew and to scoop up the broth-soaked injera beneath.
Feedback on the Bourdain Episode
The Portland Maine Facebook page has been gathering feedback on last night’s No Reservations show on Maine. 111 comments and counting.
Review of Kamasouptra
Portland Eats has published a “First Bites” review of Kamasouptra.
Based on a few soup samples and my bowl of chili, the restaurant is a great option for a quick, hearty, and satisfying lunch.