Category: Beer

Gordo’s Lobster Cakes received 3½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

If you’re looking for a different way to eat lobster, this cake is lighter and less messy than other alternatives. It’s a good to-go food. I can see it becoming a novelty item for tourists. I’m not so sure how well locals will take to it.

The only other sandwich the cart sells is a lobster roll ($10), which I heartily enjoyed. It was held together with a little mayo, and contained some chopped celery and fresh basil. Carolyn Smith says she doesn’t measure the amount of lobster meat she puts in the roll, but she tries to be generous.

Also in Thursday’s paper is a What Ales You column on Gritty’s 2010 Halloween Ale.

“This is the 21st year of Halloween Ale, and we start on Friday the 13th,” Ed Stebbins, Gritty’s brew master, said last week. “We always brew the first batch on a full moon or Friday the 13th.”

Halloween Ale is an extra-special bitter with 6 percent alcohol, and Stebbins promises “no pumpkins were harmed in the brewing of this beer. I promised my mother I would never put spices or fruit in any of our beer.”

The Bazkari Catering food cart received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

When I tried Bazkari for lunch the other day, I sampled the Bazkari Chicken Pie for $4.50. This was a cold dish featuring a top and bottom layer of creamy mashed potato and flavored with lemon, yellow pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Between the potato layers is a thick layer of Bazkari’s chicken salad made from Ana’s chicken soup along with vegetables, mayonnaise and extra virgin olive oil.

Although I don’t think of mashed potatoes as cold food, this chicken pie was fantastic as I ate it outside on a warm July day. It was plenty filling for one person.

Also in today’s paper is an interview with Dave Geary about his thoughts on extreme beers and other topics.

Baja Dogs, a new food cart in Monument Square, received 5 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.

The first menu item I tried was the signature Baja Dog ($3), a bacon-wrapped grilled turkey dog on a bun. It was smothered in chopped tomatoes, onion, mustard, ketchup and crema Mexicana, a sour cream-like sauce that Heathers buys at Bodega Latina. After asking me if I wanted some heat, Heathers added some jalapeno.

This dog was so good, I wished I had ordered two…

Today’s paper also includes an interview with brewer Alan Pugsley.

Writing this column has already had a benefit: Alan Pugsley gave me a personal tour of the Shipyard Brewery last week. Pugsley’s the person who brought English-style brewing to Maine when he helped David Geary set up his brewery, which began selling its beer in 1986.

Soju received 3 stars from today’s Eat & Run review in the Press Herald.

…I opted for chicken breast teriyaki ($7.50) from the Japanese side of the menu and kimchi bokum, a pan fried pork, from the Korean side ($8.50).

Both were satisfying, but I far preferred the chicken teriyaki. Served over a bed of steamed white rice and a healthy mix of carrots and sprouts, the tender chicken tasted sweet and slightly sesame — subtle and not overwhelming.

Also in today’s paper the weekly What Ales You beer column went to The Great Lost Bear for last week’s craft brewing showcase where he got the chance to talk to Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing.

“When I started in 1999, Maine already had breweries making great beer, British and German style,” Tod told me when I got him to join me on the Bear’s patio. “Geary’s and Shipyard and some others were already making great beer, so I wanted to try something different.”

Soju received 3 stars from today’s Eat & Run review in the Press Herald.

…I opted for chicken breast teriyaki ($7.50) from the Japanese side of the menu and kimchi bokum, a pan fried pork, from the Korean side ($8.50).

Both were satisfying, but I far preferred the chicken teriyaki. Served over a bed of steamed white rice and a healthy mix of carrots and sprouts, the tender chicken tasted sweet and slightly sesame — subtle and not overwhelming.

Also in today’s paper the weekly What Ales You beer column went to The Great Lost Bear for last week’s craft brewing showcase where he got the chance to talk to Rob Tod, founder of Allagash Brewing.

“When I started in 1999, Maine already had breweries making great beer, British and German style,” Tod told me when I got him to join me on the Bear’s patio. “Geary’s and Shipyard and some others were already making great beer, so I wanted to try something different.”

Kamasouptra has received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

The gazpacho was made with tomatillos, cucumber, various peppers, olive oil, cilantro and red wine vinegar. The combination was great. Even though it was smooth, it was filling. All the soups come with a pretty good-sized crusty roll, which was fluffy and fresh.

The paper also launched a new beer column today. Author Tom Atwell put together a survey of local summer brews.

Christian and I had a hard time deciding which we liked best, and finally said that if we were having a party of regular people, we would serve the Shipyard. If the guests were beer snobs, it would be the Casco Bay.