Author: PFM

In lieu of his weekly review, Maine Sunday Telegram restaurant critic Andrew Ross has posted a round-up of his  favorite restaurants and food of 2018.

So reflecting on my favorites this year has been a different exercise than it was in the past. I’ve spent the back half of 2018 thinking and talking with people about places I adore and why I love them, recently departed restaurants I’ll miss dearly and dishes I can’t wait to try again.

The Press Herald has reviewed Portland Zoo,

Located in East Bayside where One Eye Open Brewing used to be, the Portland Zoo has that instantly-welcoming feel of a neighborhood bar, yet also manages to be a trendy destination for beer lovers thanks to its exceptional list of cans and bottles.

Portland Phoenix restaurant critic Erik Neilson has looked back over 2018 and assembled an article on his Best Bites of the past year.

The close of another year always brings along with it a period of reflection. As important as it is to pause and meditate on the more serious events of 2018 — both personal and societal — a little focus on the light and joyous never hurts to add balance and perspective to life as a whole. For me, that means taking a look back at some of the eats that brought me happiness this year, even in the darkest of moments.

The Boston Globe has published an article on Portland’s Emerging Craft Cocktail Culture which it declares “is as refreshing as its food scene”.

In the last decade, plenty of ink’s been spilled about the seemingly never-ending waves of gutsy new restaurants in Portland, Maine. And who can even count how many maps of the city’s terrific breweries have been shared? But somehow, the emerging craft cocktail scene here has gone almost unrecognized — and that may be simply because it’s populated with spots that are quietly cool and creative like Meiklejohn’s, rather than louder, more conspicuous bacchanals.

The article highlights: The Bearded Lady, Blyth and Burrows, Hunt & Alpine, Vena’s Fizz House, Woodford F&B, East Ender and The Honey Paw.

Kate Krader from Bloomberg included the Chutoro Hand Roll from Mr. Tuna in her list of the Best Restaurant Dishes of 2018.

Forget lobster and oysters. The local bluefin tuna belly that Jordan Rubin gets in late summer and the fall is the seafood standout in Portland, Maine. In mid-2017, Rubin bought a hot dog cart and started making hand rolls and sushi burritos on the downtown streets. His operation quickly grew into a mini food truck empire that now includes a space in the Portland Public Market. The hand roll’s nori wrapper is notably crisp because Rubin keeps it warmed in an electric toaster before wrapping it around tangy rice and fatty, melt-in-your-mouth chopped fish mixed with sea salt, scallions, and potent fresh wasabi sauce.