Author: PFM

Reviews of Havana South and Pho Hanoi

| Posted in Reviews

Dine in Portland has published reviews of Havana South,

Overall, Havana South is a descent choice on a warm night; with large doors and ample patio space it feels vibrant.  The food is far from aggressively seasoned, which makes it a safe bet for any palate.  The bill, and the end of my lonesome night, was steep but manageable.   It’s not a weekly destination, or even a monthly, but every now and then Havana South will keep me coming back.

and Pho Hanoi.

I tried to compare my view of Pho Hanoi with others online before writing, and was seriously puzzled by less than favorable reviews of this restaurant.  To my knowledge, there is no Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Portland to even make a comparison to.  Pho Hanoi’s dishes are well priced, reasonable portions, and full of flavor.   Best of all, because they are balanced and fresh, there is nothing to feel guilty about.  Admittedly, I’ve felt so “not-guilty” that I’ve made two trips in one day.

Bite into Maine Nominated For Food Truck Competition

| Posted in Uncategorized

Bite into Maine, the lobster roll food truck in Fort Williams Park, is one of 144 nominees from across the nation in the Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race. You can vote for the nominee of your choice online and the winner will be named September 12. The winning food truck will get $10k and a chance to be on The Great Food Truck Race. The wining voter gets a trip to the NYC Food & Wine Festival.

Eater.com Heatmap of Portland

| Posted in General News, Uncategorized

Eater.com has posted a Heatmap of 12 “newish” Portland restaurants “that have been garnering strong buzz”. The list is based on recommendations gathered from Dawn at Appetite Portland and me.

There’s plenty to get excited about on the list, from establishments helmed by respected chefs (Figa and Petite Jacqueline) to well-priced, authentic ethnic eats (Aroma and Fez), to creative Asian spots (Boda and Pai Men Miyake) to the family-owned, near-perfect Gorgeous Gelato.

Review of the White Cap Grille

| Posted in Reviews

Flavor & Zest has published a review of the White Cap Grille.

For a restaurant in Maine, it has the obligatory seafood options (baked Haddock and pan-roasted Salmon) as well as steak dishes, a Chicken confit entrée and a pasta dish. It doesn’t push the bounds of ingredients or try any complex recipes, but holds its own to the various pubs and American-style restaurants in Portland. It has a nice ambiance and versatility, with reasonable prices (lunch for a three with a round of drinks came to around $55) as well as a cocktail menu and bar for a comfortable stop on a night out on the town, although perhaps not the destination.

This Week’s Events: Local Foods Networking, Slow Food Potluck, RealFood Project

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — Local Sprouts is hosting a local foods networking breakfast.

Wednesday — Old Port Wine Merchants is holding a wine tastings, Slow Food Portland is organizing a potluck dinner at the Quimby Colony, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the RealFood Project is teaching a cooking class, the Great Lost Bear is featuring beer from Dogfish Head at this week’s brewery showcase, and the South Portland Farmers Market is taking place in the afternoon.

Friday — the West End Deli is holding a beer tasting.

Saturday — Wine Wise is leading a tasting of emerging red varietals, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Lobstering Licenses and the Brentwood Farm

| Posted in Farming, Fisheries

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes articles on how Maine regulates who does and does not get a lobster fishing license,

The central question is whether the rules governing lobster licenses should remain as they are — open to residents under age 18 at little cost, but effectively off-limits to almost everyone else — or whether anyone should be allowed to fish as long as he can afford to buy a license from another fisherman who has one.

and an essay by Elizabeth Tarasevich on the Brentwood Farm community garden in Deering.

Last year, neighbors and several local businesses joined to build a beautiful and bountiful urban garden. It includes plots for 65 families, 20 common share beds, community orchards, herb beds and berry patches for all local residents to enjoy.

Food Republic’s Top 10 List

| Posted in Reviews

Food Republic has published their top 10 list of Portland restaurants,

Inevitably when I spot a headline about eating in Portland I click on the link, eager to see which of my favorite restaurants made the cut, only to find that the article is not about Portland, Maine, but rather Portland, Oregon. I’m sure the Oregon Portland is terrific (I’ve never been), but in my book, nothing beats the food scene in New England’s Portland. Let the rivalry begin.

Maine Shrimp Fishery

| Posted in Fisheries

Both the Press Herald  and MPBN has reported on proposed changes to the way the Maine Shrimp fishery is regulated that would limit the number of shrimp licenses issued.

“This fishery still remains open access, however the section has put in a control date which is June 7th, 2011. The purpose of that is that participants before that date may be treated differently than participants that come after that date,” [Michael] Waine says.

While Gulf of Maine shrimp populations are not thought to be directly threatened at the moment, Waine says there is concern that the amount of shrimp being caught over the last two years has exceeded the recommended catch limits.