Review of Vena’s and Omi’s

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Omi’s Coffee Shop and Vena’s Fizz House.

The Italian was rich, dark, and roasty without any of the bitterness dark roast often brings. It was smooth and a touch chocolaty. A cappuccino had the same virtues but intensified. [Omi’s]

The results are pretty fantastic, and what initially seems like it will be a bit of a hoot ends up as a revelation. The sodas look gorgeous and taste like nothing else in town. For a ginger julep, fresh ginger and spearmint are muddled and mixed with a root soda. The first sip sends an explosion of ginger through your head, filling your sinuses and tickling the front of your brain, while the spearmint spice lingers on your tongue. A cider bite also gets a head-filling heat from ginger, but mellows it with apple and clove rather than an intensifying minty spice. [Vena’s]

Reviews of Piccolo and Zapoteca

Portland Magazine has published a review of Piccolo,

Patrimonio ($24) features “Abruzzi style” pork sausages that simply melt in our mouths. Think an ever so lightly orange touch, with a subtle mix of herbs and no gristle. Alongside creamy polenta and fennel, this is a dish worth remembering and ordering again.

and the Press Herald has published a bar review of Zapoteca.

Zapoteca’s tequila menu, which features more than 60 varieties, will definitely impress. And the tequila flights – 12 different flight combinations to choose from – are three half-ounce glasses of special samplings, which include blanco, repossado & anejo, served with Zapoteca’s own tomatillo sangrita (a non-alcoholic shot meant to cleanse the palate).

Review of Miyake and Pai Men Miyake

Booze, Fish & Coffee have published a review of Miyake and Pai Men Miyake.

This week Bo and Brian deliver a double dose of Masa Miyake, to give you the scoop on the new menu items at both Miyake and Pai Men Miyake in Portland. For you home cooks, the boys share secrets of Japanese pantry items and also how to avoid the top three mistakes in cooking pork loin. And as for drinks this week, they sip sake and teach you how to craft a nifty beverage gift.

Review of Elsmere

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Elsmere BBQ.

The results are quite good. The pulled pork has a touch of maple sweetness over a rich just-smoky flavor. The brisket has a peppery rub and earthy flavor that works especially well with the mustard-based barbecue sauce. The chicken was, unusually, the smokiest of the meats — utterly infused with the flavor of the wood. The danger of a long smoke without sauce is that things get a bit dry, and the chicken at Elsmere did lean a bit in that direction.

Review of Bresca and the Honey Bee

Map & Menu has published a review of Bresca and the Honey Bee.

We treated ourselves to a sampling of a few different things – apple and cranberry pie, peanut butter o’s, and a berry and almond boo cake (think pain perdu with seasonal toppings) – and quickly polished off the entire spread (I even ordered a pear tart for the road). We chased it all with Tandem coffee…If you’re in the area or looking for a delightfully Maine way to spend some time one weekend, make sure to swing by Bresca and the Honey Bee, you definitely won’t regret the decision.

Review of Urban Sugar Mobile Cafe

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Urban Sugar.

The maple frosting piped on top of the hot donuts quickly started melting and mixing with the bacon jam – which I assumed was just like candied bacon or something. But a few bites revealed that the jam also contained onions, creating a sweet and savory mix. The hot crunchy donuts, cool maple frosting, and salty bacon all mixed together was pretty fantastic.