Category: My Kitchen Their Table

Welcome to the March edition of My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite. This month we’re featuring an interview with Ilma Lopez, co-owner and pastry chef of Chaval. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on instagram, so stay tuned.

Ilma Lopez had been attending medical school for two years when she decided she wanted to go to culinary school instead. Her mother made her a deal. She could drop out, but only if she kept her grades up for another year while also working at a restaurant. Sure enough, Lopez excelled both in the classroom and the kitchen, winning her mother’s approval to trade stethoscopes and lab coats for whisks and aprons.

In 2004, Lopez graduated from the pastry program at Stratford University in Virginia. Her next stop was New York City where she met her future husband and business partner, Damian Sansonetti, while working as the pastry cook at DB Bistro. At first, they didn’t get along. “I thought he was a total jerk. He was so bossy. Plus, he played rock music while we prepped,” she recalls. Needless to say, it wasn’t love at first sight, but one trip to Long Island Beach with mutual friends would forever change their relationship. “We started talking and I realized he wasn’t so bad. Fourteen years later, here we are,” she jokes.

Lopez honed her pastry skills at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in New York City and beyond. She perfected French technique at Le Bernadin, embraced new disciplines while staging at El Bulli in Spain, and experimented with exotic ingredients gathered from the ports of Greece, India, and China while working at sea on a luxury cruise ship.

After her world travels, Lopez and Sansonetti were ready to leave the Big Apple in pursuit of a place with restaurant potential, direct access to farmers, and somewhere their future children would always want to come home to. That place, they decided, was Portland, Maine.

Their first restaurant, Piccolo, was an instant hit. The intimate Italian restaurant earned Lopez a StarChefs Rising Star award in 2014 and two James Beard Award nominations for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2017 and 2018. Sadly, after seven celebrated years, Piccolo joined the pandemic casualty list this past July.

Lopez and Sansonetti’s second restaurant, Chaval, continues to thrive and evolve under these challenging times. The West End brasserie was named Best New Restaurant in 2017 by Portland Press Herald and has been featured in several other publications including Bon Appetit and Down East.

Check out the full interview with Chef Ilma Lopez to learn where she goes in Portland for takeout and great cocktails, how she became a leader behind the grassroots organization, Cooking for Community, and what it was like cooking beside one of the world’s greatest chefs, Ferran Adriá!

THE INTERVIEW

AA: How have your parents been crucial to your success as a chef and restaurant owner?
IL: I owe it to my mom. She’s always pushed me to be the best at whatever I choose to do. When I moved away from home, twenty years ago, my mom would call me every day, even when I was in Europe and Asia. She moved to Maine three years ago. She made the curtains at Chaval and my grandmother made the pillows. My dad is also fantastic. They’ve both supported me everywhere I go and in everything that I do.

AA: What was it like staging at El Bulli for the renowned chef, Ferran Adriá?
IL: It was awesome. I’ve never seen a kitchen run that way before. When I was in New York I would show up for my shift at 4 or 5 in the morning even though I was scheduled for 7 am — because being your best meant showing up early and working harder than anyone else. So, on my first day at El Bulli, I showed up two hours early and Chef Ferran asked me what I was doing. He didn’t allow anyone to start early. At first, it blew my mind because there I was working for free trying to give him even more of my time. Then, I understood; everyone started at the same time so that everyone had the same opportunities. We were all equal.

AA: How did you become one of the founding restaurants behind Cooking for Community?
IL: Lesley Oster, the general manager of Aurora Provisions, and Ellie Linen Low were looking for chef partners. They contacted me because they knew I was a big advocate for Full Plates Full Potential and Ian Malin, owner of Little Giant. Chaval was doing 500 meals per week at the beginning of the pandemic. As more restaurants have joined the cause, we are doing closer to 100 meals per week.

AA: What is your favorite dessert that you’ve ever made?
IL: Hands down, it’s my raspberry sorbet with caviar. It was on Chaval’s menu in the summer of 2019. I love caviar! You can use it in anything. I made the sorbet with seawater and fromage blanc with goat cheese from Sunset Acres. His cheese is delicious, but what really sold me was that he brings the baby goats with him on deliveries.

AA: What are some of your favorite restaurants in Portland?
IL: We tend to go to places where we adore the people, like Chris and Paige at Tipo and Central Provisions. If I want crudo, I go to Central Provisions and every Fall, I have to go to Tipo for the local pear and ricotta crostini. It’s sourdough bread with ricotta, sliced pear, olive oil, sea salt, and dried chile. It’s so simple but so good.

AA: Where else do you go for a consistently delicious meal?
IL: Sur Lie has great service and solid food and Krista and Tony are such good people. The pimento cheese and fried chicken is really tasty. I also really like Schulte and Herr. I love how non-pretentious and hospitable Steffi and Brian are. It’s one of those places you go because you feel welcome. Their zwiebelkuchen is the best onion tart I’ve ever had. Just perfect.

AA: Where do you go for a great cocktail?
IL: I love Cocktail Mary. In the fall, Isaac MacDougal makes a frozen cocktail inspired by a pumpkin spice latte. It’s made with Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy. You don’t usually see that liquor on menus because it’s not high-end, but I like it and that drink is fantastic!

AA: What are some of your go-to takeout spots?
IL: We love the eggplant parmesan at Isa Bistro and the crab cakes at Woodford F&B. Oh, and the banana pudding at Figgy’s! I have a weakness for custard.

AA: Is there anywhere around here with food that reminds you of home?
IL: The pan de bono at Maiz is just like I had it growing up in Venezuela. My family is Columbian, so that’s the kind of food we ate. Pan de bono is cheese bread, but gluten-free because it’s made with yucca flour. They sell it freshly-baked or frozen. I like to get it frozen, so I can bake it at home antid have it with hot chocolate — just like my grandmother used to make.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A few notes on the restaurants mentioned in this article: Central Provisions has temporarily transformed into Central Sandwich and Provisions, Tipo’s patio is open for outdoor seating, Takeout is available from Isa, Sur Lie and Schulte and Herr. Cocktail Mary expects to restart their cocktails to go program in April, Woodford F&B has takeout and (weather permitting) outdoor seating. Figgy’s re-opened for takeout on March 9th.

Previous editions of My Kitchen Their Table have featured Courtney Loreg, Chad Conley  Atsuko Fujimoto, Matt Ginn, Jordan Rubin, and Cara Stadler, and Thomas Takashi Cooke.

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the talent and hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

Welcome to the January edition of My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite. This month we’re featuring an interview with Thomas Takashi Cooke, co-owner of Izakaya Minato. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on instagram, so stay tuned [watch Cooke make Kani Dofu soup].

Thomas Takashi Cooke didn’t always plan on being a chef. He left his home in Tokyo to attend University of California in Berkeley and pursue a career in engineering. “I wasn’t that into it,” he says, chuckling. During his senior year, he signed up for kitchen duty to fulfill work hours that the student housing cooperative required only to discover he quite enjoyed cooking. After graduating, he landed his first restaurant job at Manpuku in Berkeley and never looked back.

Cooke spent fourteen dedicated years at Tsunami, a stylish Japanese restaurant in San Francisco. There, he learned from his fellow chefs, got the inspiration for his famous uni on a spoon dish, and met his future wife, Elaine Alden. With a dream of opening their own restaurant, the two headed to Tokyo where Cooke trained at an izakaya and Alden immersed herself in the culture. After three months, they returned to San Francisco, but felt it wasn’t a feasible place to open a restaurant. It only took a week’s long vacation to Portland to call the city their new home.

On January 31, 2017 Izakaya Minato opened their doors to a crowd eager to share plates of Japanese comfort food and stay for the sake, as the name “izakaya” suggests. The small dining room seats eighteen people while the front room has just one communal table and eight bar seats. Believe it or not, the space would be considered large for a typical izakaya. Unfortunately, low ceilings and cramped tables just aren’t conducive to the times, so for now Izakaya Minato is open with limited outdoor dining, takeout, and the occasional omakase to-go.

Read the full interview with Chef Cooke to discover what izakayas are like in Japan, the most valuable lesson he learned while working there, where he goes in Maine for authentic Latin American cuisine, which Portland restaurants he frequents most, and the dish he shared with his wife that made for a long-lasting memory.

THE INTERVIEW

AA: What is the most valuable thing you learned while training at an izakaya in Tokyo?
TC: I realized I was good enough to open my own izakaya. I grew up in Japan and cooking there is the gold standard. I didn’t want to open an izakaya and say, “Well, it’s good for America.” Cooking in Tokyo gave me confidence.

AA: What are izakayas like in Japan?
TC: Every train station has an izakaya. It’s more like a commuters bar than a restaurant. It’s embedded in the work culture there. Most aren’t even open on the weekends. Almost every izakaya has a seating charge of three to five dollars. It keeps people from bar hopping. You stay and you drink.

AA: Who has been crucial to your success as a chef and restaurant owner?
TC: Elaine for sure. She does a lot. She handles the bookkeeping and social media, manages the staff, and works the floor. She also comes up with good ideas, like the omakase to-go. I also learned a lot from the chefs and owner of Tsunami.

AA: In what ways can you still provide an intimate dining experience during the pandemic?
TC: The shared plates experience definitely helps. You have to break bread together, so to speak. At first, we were only doing takeout, but then we added a few tables for outdoor dining. It’s cold, but the Mainers tough it out. Eventually there will be a place for intimate settings again, but right now is just not the time.

AA: Where do you get inspiration for your menu?
TC: There are many books with different ideas from the numerous izakayas in Japan. I try to recreate recipes with whatever is in-season here. I’ll get an ingredient and have a dish in mind and then work with my staff to make it happen. The menu isn’t all me. My cooks make suggestions and help make everything better. It should never be just about you.

AA: What is one of your favorite dishes on your menu?
TC: In the summer, we get mackerel that I salt and cure in vinegar, then sear, and serve with wasabi and soy sauce. My other favorite is bonito, but we don’t get it very often. I serve it with homemade ponzu, red onion, and ginger. I like anything that is local and seasonal. Right now, we have Maine scallops. I think they’re best raw, so it’s on the sashimi plate, but we also have scallops in the kakiage.

AA: Where do you recommend going for takeout?
TC: I like Quiero Cafe. It’s casual, but very good. In terms of authenticity and classic Latin American flavors, it’s the closest Portland has to the taquerias I loved in San Francisco. I also really like the burgers at Black Cow. [take a virtual visit to Quiero Cafe]

AA: What is one of your go-to restaurants in Portland?
TC: Baharat. It’s hard to pick a favorite dish because everything is so good! The hummus, baba ganoush, falafel, even the rice is great; it goes so well with all of Chef Clay’s food. I even like the haloumi and I’m not much of a cheese guy.

AA: Where do you go to celebrate a special occasion?
TC: Isa Bistro. I love the pork chop and the tres leches cake. I also strongly recommend the chiles rellenos from their Mexican Monday menu. It’s his grandmother’s recipe.

AA: Where have you had a particularly memorable meal in Portland?
TC: Elaine and I had the coq au vin at Chaval. Chef Damian serves it in a small Le Creuset. The experience of sharing a delicious pot of stew in a beautifully lit space was very intimate and memorable. [watch Damian  Sansonetti make coq au vin]

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A few notes on the restaurants mentioned in this article: Quiero Cafe and Black Cow are open for limited indoor dining, takeout and delivery via 2DineIn, Baharat is open for takeout from their  menu and food from their grab-n-go shop, Isa Bistro is open for takeout or delivery via CarHop, and Chaval is open for takeout, delivery via CarHop, and outdoor dining in the greenhouses and heated patio.

Previous editions of My Kitchen Their Table have featured Courtney Loreg, Chad Conley  Atsuko Fujimoto, Matt Ginn, Jordan Rubin, and Cara Stadler.

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the talent and hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

Welcome to the December edition of My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite. This month we’re featuring an interview with Cara Stadler. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on Instagram, so stay tuned.

Cara Stadler was only sixteen when she graduated from high school, eighteen when she enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and twenty-four when she opened her first restaurant. In 2014, she was named a Best New Chef by Food & Wine and nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year by the James Beard Foundation. Since then, she’s tacked on three more JBF nominations.

In 2011, after cultivating her skills both near and far at prestigious restaurants like Guy Savoy in Paris and Gordon Ramsay Au Trianon Palace in Versaille, Cara settled in Maine. Along with her business partner and mother, Cecile, she opened her first full-service concept, Tao Yuan Restaurant, in Brunswick in May 2012. Cecile runs the business while Cara runs the kitchen. The small plates menu has a heavy Chinese influence and is built around locally-sourced ingredients.

Cara and Cecile have two more dining concepts under their company, Eighty Ate Hospitality (eight is considered a lucky number in China). Their second restaurant, Bao Bao Dumpling House, opened in 2015 in Portland’s West End. Since March, Bao Bao has been weathering the pandemic as a to-go restaurant. Luckily, Chinese food is the second most popular takeout food in the U.S., after pizza. 

Cara’s latest concept, Zao Ze, launched in response to COVID-19 and the temporary closure of Tao. She wanted to offer ‘fun, easy, not fussy food because that’s what we need right now. We might as well enjoy the little things while we can during this crazy time,’ she explained. Zao is currently running out of Tao’s kitchen and will eventually move into the first floor of the Canopy Farms building. Zao will operate as part cafe part grocery store where customers will buy housemade Asian staples like buns, dumplings, kimchi, hot sauce, sambal, and soy sauce. 

Canopy Farms was developed in 2013 by Cecile, Cara, and her life-long friend, Kate Holcomb. The aquaponics greenhouse is currently operating at fifty-percent and supplies its restaurants and a CSA with a bounty of produce. “As an L3C entity, we are a for-profit company, but mission-driven. Our mission is to promote the industry and development of sustainable year-round agriculture,” Kate Holcomb explains. Canopy Farms offers public tours, community education, and immersive internships through the University of Southern Maine. Public tours are available on the second Saturday of every month. 

In this month’s edition of My Kitchen Their Table, you’ll discover which ‘weird’ dish at Zao Ze is Cara’s favorite, what she loves most about being a chef in Maine, and where she goes in Portland and beyond for a great meal.

THE INTERVIEW

AA: What is one of your most popular dishes?
CS: The most popular dish in my company is, without a doubt, the 88 Slaw. We serve it at all three locations. It’s a riff on a dish I’ve had many times in China modified for the American palate. It’s not as sharp. I use less vinegar and more fat. It has carrots, cabbage, snow peas, fried shallot, rice vinaigrette, peanuts, cilantro, and scallion. It’s never what I thought would be the bread and butter of my company, but people love it.

AA: What is your favorite dish on your menu?
CS: I like the weird things; the items people read on my menu and have no idea what it is, like the sheng jian bao at Zao Ze. It’s a cross between a dumpling and a bun. The dough is yeasted but thinner than a bun and thicker than a dumpling. Usually, it’s made with pork belly, but we make it with Peking-spiced duck. It’s so greasy, it’s almost like a soup dumpling, but with animal fat. It’s really unhealthy and really delicious. 

AA: How has your team contributed to the success of your restaurants and keeping the doors open through a pandemic?
CS: The team is so essential. They’ve gone through so much. The first week was insane. Transforming a restaurant that does in-house dining to takeout in the span of a week is nuts. It was very stressful and took a lot out of everyone. I’ve been very fortunate to have great people on my team.

AA: Why do you think we have such a vibrant food scene?
CS: Maine has the best farms. The produce here is insane. It’s so beautiful and it’s done in all of the right ways. So many are family-owned and operated; Mainers support that as an identity. And then there’s the seafood! The oysters, clams, lobster, mussels… Bangs Island produces the plushest mussels and there’s never a single piece of grit in them. We have cheese, Maine Grains, so many breweries, I could go on and on. 

AA: Speaking of farms, what made you want to start your greenhouse project, Canopy Farms?
CS: We’re not here to compete with the local farms. We’re doing a different kind of sustainable farming. Our goal is to create a financially viable system that can be used anywhere year-round. I also wanted to grow weirder stuff and things I can’t source here, like ngò om (aka rice paddy herb). It’s a Vietnamese herb that tastes like citrus and cumin. 

AA: Do you eat Chinese food out?
CS: I go to Sichuan Kitchen. Their food is legit. It’s nice to have some flavors that are aggressively Chinese and not watered down for the American palate. The mapo is really good. It’s greasy in the way that Chinese food in China is greasy, where fat is flavor and a vehicle to stretch ingredients. For example, in America we trim fat, but in China trim is a whole other dish. They waste nothing.

AA: What restaurant or dish have you tried recently that impressed you?
CS: The pizza at Radici. I’ve had them all. I ordered the whole menu for a staff member’s going away party. The marinara is delicious and the ragu is killer. Get the anchovy sauce and chili oil, too. 

AA: Where do you recommend going for a great dessert?
CS: Leeward. Kate Fisherham is one of the most talented pastry chefs in the state. I went a little while ago and had the olive oil cake and all of the ice cream flavors, which were chocolate, peach raspberry, and corn at the time. Her desserts always introduce new flavors but still feel familiar at the same time. They’re surprising and comforting.

AA: What are your go-to restaurants in Portland?
CS: Izakaya Minato is my favorite. I love what Thomas and Elaine Cooke do. I think they’re some of the most genuinely wonderful human beings in the world. I like the aged ochazuke. It’s a fried rice ball in fish broth. They offer it with plum or ikura (salmon roe), but I like to get both and add uni. Also, how could you not get the sashimi plate? It’s a steal!

AA: Where else do you recommend going for a great meal?
CS: I love Portland, but in my opinion, some of the best food in Maine is outside of Portland. You have Primo in Rockland where chef-owner Melissa Kelly brings an ethos and mentality about food to a place that is so remote. It takes a ton of talent to do and do well. There’s Suzuki, too. Her food is so simple and so good. It’s perfectly executed. Long Grain in Camden is also lovely and Oyster River Winegrowers is on the way. The owner, Brian Smith, is a teeny winemaker. It’s just him and his family. The pét-nat is so perfectly made. There are so many people doing small beautiful projects that aren’t in the interest of expansion, but stability for themselves and their community. That’s what makes Maine, Maine.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A few notes on the restaurants mentioned in this article…Sichuan Kitchen, Radici, Suzuki, Long Grain and Leeward are all open for takeout. In addition takeout, Izakaya Minato also has outdoor seating; Primo has both indoor (through this weekend) and outdoor seating. Oyster River is selling wine for pick-up at their location in Warren.

Previous editions of My Kitchen Their Table have featured Courtney Loreg, Chad Conley  Atsuko Fujimoto, Matt Ginn, and Jordan Rubin.

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the talent and hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

My Kitchen, Their Table is back. For the August edition we’re featuring an interview with Atsuko Fujimoto. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on Instagram, so stay tuned.

We know it’s been a hard few months and that some tough times are still ahead for the restaurants of Portland. But we still believe in the premise of this series and in the hard work, adaptability and resilience of the chefs, managers and restaurant workers in this town. Many places have modified their models, shifted to take out, or built outdoor dining spaces. Food trucks have launched, others have been revived. Portland is seeing its way through, and PFM is happy to once again profile the creativity and mutual admiration of the skilled professionals in this small city with a big appetite.

You know them when you see them. One day displayed at Bard Coffee, the next at Rose Foods. From matcha-dusted danishes and sake-spiked chocolate cake to adzuki-filled sweet breads and yuzu flavored pudding, these unmistakable confections can only be the work of one baker. Through her distinct creations, Atsuko Fujimoto brings an intriguing amalgam of eastern and western flavors to Portland, Maine. 

Nearly twenty years ago, Atsuko left Japan and her career in journalism for a new life in Portland. When she arrived here, she sought a restaurant job as a way to connect with the community. Through a handwritten letter to Chef Sam Hayward, she landed a position in the pastry program at Fore Street despite having no previous experience. She continued to develop her skills at Standard Baking Co. and Miyake before opening Ten Ten Pié with Markos Miller in 2014. After nearly five years, the widely loved bakery and cafe closed in March 2019.

Ten Ten Pié’s abrupt closure was a shock to many, Atsuko included. She immediately searched  for a way to salvage what she had spent years building. With widespread support from the community, she was back in business in less than a month. 

Since April 2019, Atsuko has leased kitchen space at Two Fat Cats bakery in South Portland and sells  her baked goods under the name, Norimoto Bakery. Her sweet and savory treats, spongy shokupan loaves, and golden brioche buns are on offer at many local businesses such as Higher Grounds, Sun Oriental Market, and Woodford Food & Beverage. She also offers curbside pick-up Friday through Sunday on the backside of Two Fat Cats bakery in South Portland. Follow her on Instagram to see what goods just came out of the oven and for the lowdown on how to place your order. 

In this edition of My Kitchen Their Table, I wasn’t surprised to learn that Atsuko’s favorite dishes and restaurants represent a wide variety of cuisines, just like her pastries. Though she is partial to Asian fare, her most memorable meal was at an esteemed American restaurant and her go-to drink after a long day of work is a popular Mexican cocktail. Read on to learn more about where Atsuko goes for a great meal, which pastry she loves making, and what keeps her going even during the most difficult of times..

THE INTERVIEW

AA: What brought you to Portland?
AF: Before I was a baker, I was a magazine editor in Tokyo specializing in the entertainment field. I interviewed many celebrities and directors, but eventually I got bored with it and tired of always looking at a computer screen. During that time I met my husband, who went to Maine College of Art. We decided to move to Portland and get married here, just days before 9/11 happened. We canceled our wedding plans and got married at city hall.

AA: What do you love about baking?
AF: There is always something to learn and room for growth. I’ve had lots of failures, especially with bread. There is never a day where I feel I’ve executed something perfectly.

AA: Have you made something you felt was nearly perfect?
AF: I made an inverted puff pastry that I was really happy with for Galette des Rois, or King’s Cake. It’s a dessert served on January 6th to celebrate Epiphany. With inverted puff, the dough is wrapped in butter then laminated, so the butter is on the outside and the dough is on the inside. The result was so rewarding. It has an even richer flavor and crispier exterior compared to regular puff pastry.

AA: What kinds of pastries do you enjoy making the most?
AF: I like fruit pastries, especially danishes. I live in Standish on three acres with lots of fruit trees. I have peach, plum, sour cherry, apple, two types of pear, and my favorite, quince. I also have rhubarb and berries. I love a pile of fruit on my danish – like a mountain’s worth. You can only do that if you have a lot of fruit to work with. [watch Atsuko make fruit tarts]

AA: What has been your biggest challenge as a business owner?
AF: I was surprised by the closure of Ten Ten Pié. I started Norimoto Bakery out of necessity. I felt like I needed to open another business to retrieve what was lost. I had wholesale orders to fulfill and accounts to carry on. It’s not easy running a business. You’re always tired and there are always reasons to quit, but you have to remind yourself why you started. For me, it’s about connectivity in the community and people appreciating what I do.

AA: Will you continue to offer curbside takeout post COVID-19?
AF: I am currently trying to find the right balance between wholesale and takeout business. I hope to be doing both. It has been really nice to see familiar faces from Ten Ten Pié through a glass door. It is strange, but true; as soon as I started to isolate myself in the bakery, old regulars started to show up and that brought back the sense of connection that I had at Ten Ten Pié.

AA: What particularly memorable meal have you had at a restaurant here in Portland?
AF: My first dinner at Fore Street was very special. I went with my husband for my birthday. I had just started working there and they made me feel like I was part of the family. The food was great, of course, but it was that welcoming feeling that made it so memorable.

AA: What are your go-to restaurants?
AF: Boda and Isa. They are both really consistent and have great staff and service. At Boda, I always start with the quail eggs. I love the umami flavor. I also love the Thai sticky rice ball. [watch chef Dan Sriprasert make stick rice balls at Boda]

AA: What is one of your favorite dishes at Isa?
AF: The lamb sandwich. It’s made with focaccia from Standard Baking Co. The meat is braised and very tender. The whole thing is really flavorful. I’m not a sandwich person, but that sandwich is an exception.

AA: What do you recommend for takeout or delivery?
AF: I’ve had the lamb sandwich at Isa for takeout. It was delicious as always! I also had the Emergency Margarita from Woodford Food & Beverage. It’s what I normally order when I eat there. It’s not too sweet; it’s a perfectly balanced drink to unwind with after work. I think I’ll get one today after I deliver their burger buns. [see more on the Emergency Margarita]

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A few notes on the restaurants mentioned in this article…Boda is currently open for curbside takeout and delivery. At Boda, most of the menu is available, including the thai sticky rice ball. However, the quail eggs are cooked and served in a special cast iron pan and are therefore not available for takeout. Isa’s outdoor dining and takeout menu changes daily and sometimes includes the lamb sandwich. Fore Street is currently offering indoor and outdoor dining. Woodford Food & Beverage is offering a menu for curbside pickup and outdoor dining. The “aptly named” Emergency Margarita is available either to go or on the Boat Club patio. 

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the talent and hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

Welcome to the February edition of My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite. This month we’re featuring an interview with Chad Conley. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on Instagram, so stay tuned.

“It feels right.” That’s one phrase Chad Conley kept coming back to when describing some of his favorite dishes and restaurants in Portland. Whether it’s somewhere that feels “untouched by time” or “welcomes all walks of life,” the way a place makes him feel often creates a more memorable experience than the food itself.

It’s no wonder his own restaurants offer more than an excellent meal. The Palace Diner experience starts before you even walk through the door. With only fifteen seats, you’ll be waiting outside among several other eager customers. Inside, you’ll feel like you’re in an entirely different decade, but which one? Built in 1927, the original manufacturing labels and hood are still in place while the stainless steel was likely added in the sixties and the mixed tile work is reminiscent of the seventies, eighties, and nineties, depending on where you’re looking. As for the food, it’s familiar, yet surprising, and has just the right amount of grease. You can’t go wrong no matter what you order from his Instagram-famous tuna salad sandwich to buttermilk flapjacks that are so good Epicurious snagged the recipe.

Rose Foods is another time warp, outfitted with retro decor and inspired by a combination of a mid-century Jewish deli and an appetizing store. An appetizing is the lesser-known cousin to the Jewish deli. The two are distinctly different. A deli sells meat whereas an appetizing sells fish, spreads, and other foods commonly eaten with bagels. At Rose Foods, you can have both; whether it’s a pile of hot pastrami on tender rye bread or a housemade bagel with a schmear of cream cheese and smoked sable. In true appetizing fashion, you can also purchase containers of sour pickles, prepared salads, and other goodies to enjoy at home.

Both Palace Diner and Rose Foods are adored by locals and tourists alike, not just for the food, but for the memorable dining experience each provides. Whether it’s nostalgia, a glimpse into a previous era, or simply the warm and welcoming staff, there’s something about eating at Palace Diner and Rose Foods that just feels right.

THE INTERVIEW

AA: What is it, as a serial entrepreneur, that guides your decision-making about what makes for a good restaurant concept?
CC: It’s blend of intuition, inspiration, and experience. I’m not operating in a well-financed restaurant group that has the ability to put a lot of energy into research. The big ideas are guided mostly by moving in whatever direction seems fun and interesting at the time and doing a gut-check to see if I think that people will respond to that type of food and experience. I’ve been fortunate that my own interests have lined up well with the interests of Portland’s food scene.

AA: Where did you come up with the idea to serve a thick slice of iceberg lettuce on the tuna sandwich at Palace Diner?
CC: When I was working at Jean-Georges in New York City we did this raw fish dish with iceberg. I had to cut the head of lettuce into a cube and then sculpt perfect rectangular pieces from it and then we would drape a slice of madai on top, sort of like nigiri. So, when we started designing the tuna sandwich at Palace, we wanted to use that technique instead of shredding the lettuce or just using individual leaves. It adds a lot more crunch and height.

AA: Do you have a favorite menu item at Rose Foods?
CC: If there is one thing I eat often at Rose, it’s the whitefish salad sandwich. It’s different from most whitefish salad, which is usually really smooth and mayonnaise-y. Ours is chunky and very lightly dressed. It’s a lot more substantial.

AA: Where in Portland do you like to go out to eat with your family?
CC: Yosaku is one of our spots. We sit down and they’re pouring water and before we even look at the menu we’re like, ‘Can we please order a Kids Bento Box?’ It’s this tower of little dishes and a bowl of miso soup. The top is just the lid, but it’s also a shallow bowl. The middle has seaweed salad, edamame, and something sweet. The bottom has rice, your choice of protein, and a cooked vegetable. It’s inexpensive and fun for the kids.

AA: I heard you have a weakness for soft serve. Where do you go for it?
CC: The Dairy Queen in South Portland. It’s independently owned. They don’t participate in the national promotions you see on television. To me, it’s what soft serve ice cream should be. It’s thick, it’s runny, it’s just fake enough that it feels about right.

AA: What do you order?
CC: A small vanilla cone with chocolate dip. Occasionally, I’ll try something random just to shake it up, and everytime I’m like, ‘Oh, yea I should have gotten the usual.’

AA: Have you had Honey Paw’s soft serve?
CC: Yes, it’s really good. I go there when I want something fancier and more interesting. It’s different. It’s a little more dense. The flavors are really intense and they add fancy, crunchy toppings. There’s the classic and a seasonal one. I usually get both.

AA: Do you have a go-to restaurant?
CC: J’s Oyster Bar is a staple for me. I always get a dirty martini with extra olives. You get a full martini glass plus this mini carafe that’s basically another drink. It’s a lot of booze, but it feels like the right environment for it. It’s divey and luxurious at the same time.

AA: What do eat?
CC: I like to get a bucket of steamers, especially when I’m with people visiting Portland for the first time. You go through the ritual, like, ‘This is how you peel the clam, then you dip it in water, and then the butter.’ A lot of people have never done that before.

AA: There are a lot of places to get steamers in Portland. Is there a reason you go to J’s in particular?
CC: It has a little bit more of the soul of Portland. It’s on the waterfront. It feels sort of untouched by time and it’s also a very welcoming place. It feels nice to share space with people you might not otherwise. I like places that encourage that.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Editor’s Note: Since this interview took place, Conley began working on a third restaurant. Ramona’s is a Philly-inspired breakfast and lunch hoagie shop under construction at 98 Washington Ave slated to open this spring.

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

A new column launches on Portland Food Map today. Welcome to My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite.

When it comes to Portland’s food scene, few people know it better than the very chefs immersed in it. Not only do they challenge themselves in their own kitchens, but they gain inspiration from their colleague’s tables around town. This got us thinking. How could we delve into the details of Portland’s best dishes – not just from the perspectives of the chefs who craft them, but from their fellow professionals as well?

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of Evergreen Credit Union, each month you’ll now find a new Q&A posted here on PFM. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the month on Instagram.

In the first few months, you’ll see how Chad Conley prepares the ultimate tuna melt at Palace Diner, and where he takes visitors to show them the “soul of Portland.” You’ll learn how Bowman Brown makes Elda’s iconic lobster dish so succulent, and watch a chef he respects construct a dish that truly blows him away.

This series has been created with PFM’s new roving reporter, Angela Andre. Angela has a Masters of Arts in Food Studies from NYU, works in the seafood industry, and is a talented food writer and home cook. It’s been fun to work with her to pull this all together and we’re excited for you to experience the fruits of her labor.

So without further ado, here is the first Q&A, featuring Courtney Loreg, the chef at Woodford Food & Beverage. Check back tomorrow on the PFM instagram account (@PortlandFoodMap) for a story on how Courtney builds and broils her popular brisket burger. Then, stay tuned throughout the rest of the month to hear, see, and read about her favorite Portland restaurants and dishes.

Courtney Loreg may be from Kansas City, but she knows Portland’s food scene better than most natives. Loreg first moved here in 2001, shortly after Rob Evans took over Hugo’s and just before Five Fifty-Five debuted; long before our seaside city was named one of the best places to eat in the country. She’s not only witnessed Portland evolve into the food destination it is today, but has personally contributed to its growth and recognition.

Loreg got her local start at Fore Street where she served as sous chef for four years. In 2001, Fore Street ranked sixteenth in Gourmet magazine’s Top Fifty Restaurants of the United States. In 2005, she helped open Two Fat Cats Bakery where she assisted with recipe development and whipped up their famous whoopie pies. She then spent a couple years working side-by-side with Chef Krista Desjarlais at the beloved Bresca.

Today, Loreg is the Executive Chef at Woodford Food & Beverage. Established in January of 2016, Woodford F&B is an American brasserie serving hearty, fine food with a local twist in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Woodford F&B has been featured in The Boston Globe, Zagat, Wine Enthusiast, and was named one of the best restaurants and best places for brunch in Portland by Condé Nast Traveler.

THE INTERVIEW

AA: You’re pretty well known for your burger. What makes it special?
CL: For me, the burger had to represent the casual, but more upscale restaurants I grew up going to in Kansas City where you could get a nice steak, but there was no shame in getting a burger either. So, I approach the burger the same way that I would approach any other dish. The treatment of the ingredients is special. The onions are grilled and marinated. The brioche bun is made locally by Atsuko from Norimoto Bakery. The pickles are housemade. There’s dijonnaise. And I make a cheese blend that I think is better than just a slice of cheese. It’s a mixture of cheddar, french cream cheese, shallots, white wine, mustard, and paprika formed into a patty that melts.

AA: It sounds like the cheese is a defining characteristic of your burger.
CL: The cheese element and ratio of meat-to-cheese is absolutely crucial. It’s gotta be, like, three-quarters meat and one-quarter cheese. So, I use a cheese blend and a slice of cheese. I have a tendency to go pretty hard-to-the-paint with cheese. I’ve never had anyone come back and say, ‘It’s not enough cheese.’ [watch chef Loreg make her excellent burger]

AA: What other dishes are you known for?
CL: I’m getting high marks for the chicken tenders (laughs). Which is also on purpose! I brine the meat and bread the tenders in house and serve them with my own honey dijon mustard. We’ve always said we wanted to be a restaurant where there would be no shame taking your kids there. You can still have an adult meal and not feel like you’re forcing your kid to eat something or worse, have them not eat anything at all. The point is for everyone to walk away having a great time and also maybe feel like they had a better meal than they thought they were going to. For me, I want you to be able to think “Wow, I did not expect that.” The whole idea of under promise over deliver I think is very real.

AA: How would you describe Portland?
CL: We have an embarrassment of riches. We have all of the farms and all of the things. You can throw a rock in any direction and hit a good cup of coffee or a good meal. You can go see a show. Go to the beach. You can drive. Or not. It’s very walkable. We have all the creature comforts. We’re doing alright.

AA: How would you describe its food scene?
CL: Portland is a destination and food tourism is a big thing here now, but it’s not formal. All of our fine dining options have to be looked through the lens of ‘Vacationland.’ People want to have a nice meal, but they also want to sit around in their flip flops and have their kids there.

AA: What is a particularly memorable dish you’ve eaten in Portland?
CL: I went to a six-course French dinner event at Hugo’s with guest chef Fred Eliot. He’s kind of getting known for pâté en croûte. He did a couple pâtés and one of them really struck me. It was chicken and sweetbreads and I believe it had morels in it. It was really beautiful and really delicious. I was like, ‘Wow, I never would have thought of that.’

AA: Have you been to any newer restaurants recently?
CL: I just went to Gross Confection Bar and it was really good, not that I was expecting anything less. Brant Dadaleares is enormously accomplished, obviously very passionate and driven, and just puts out delicious things. Also, I like the location. It feels very special. Every time I walk by there, there’s always people looking at his sandwich board saying to each other, ‘Should we do it?’ and you just walk by and you’re like ‘Do it. Just do it. Just go down there.’ [watch chef Dadaleares make a caramel cranberry upside down cake]

AA: What are some of your favorite dishes in town?
CL: Paulo Laboa’s pesto pasta at Solo Italiano. You can’t get out of there without having a great meal, but he’s known far and wide for this pesto and it is no joke. It is the best pesto pasta I have ever had. It’s a very refined pesto. There’s no textural element. It just becomes part of the pasta. It’s outstanding. [watch chef Laboa make his famous pesto]

AA: Are there any other dishes you think are the pinnacle of what they are?
CL: There are several dishes in this town that I think are absolute benchmarks. The turnspit roasted pork chop at Fore Street is probably the best version of that thing I’ve ever had. It’s something you’d never get tired of, even working there. I’d eat the scraps of it that were leftover at the end of the night. It’s one of those flavor memories that has remained in my brain. Any other pork chop is just a race for second place.

AA: What is another “absolute benchmark?”
CL: I feel like I’m stating the obvious, but… that biscuit at Tandem is awesome! I don’t say that very often. I like the savory one with local cheese, hot honey, and black pepper. It has great layers and it’s just sweet enough. It’s not bland, not like baking powder biscuits that I grew up eating. I’m from the Midwest and strawberry shortcake is cake! Even after the many years I’ve spent in New England, I still don’t understand the world of biscuit for strawberry shortcake. But that biscuit… I don’t think I’d be mad at you if you served me strawberry shortcake on that biscuit. [watch chef Briana Holt make her savory biscuits]

AA: Then I’m guessing you have some strong opinions on barbeque as well?
CL: Don’t even get me started on barbeque…

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.