How to Spend It, a website run by the Financial Times of London, has posted a review of Eventide.
Eventide – the transition between day and night – is an apt name for the bustling oyster bar in the Old Port of Portland, Maine, where I happily whiled away an evening sampling some of America’s finest oysters. At its central granite bar, shuckers’ labours make for great theatre and briny Winterpoint Selects are the house speciality. As oyster season is nigh, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Portland Magazine has published a review of the Museum Cafe.
Blockbuster art exhibits can make you hungry! The PMA Café, managed by Aurora Provisions, takes museum dining seriously. At first glance, you think…OK, sandwiches, salads. Think again.
The 207 Foodie has published a review of Otto Pizza.
I have to commend Otto for great, if not awe inspiring, artisan pizza. There is a reason, ladies and gentleman, that Otto is known in all of Portland for being the BEST. Who else puts mashed potatoes on a pizza and makes it taste good?
The Press Herald has published a bar review of the Portland & Rochester Public House,
A couple of flower vases adorn the bar and dim lights help to feature the well-stocked spirits that are neatly presented on a stadium shelf with polished glasses on either side. At the far end, the bartender sorts and writes tickets under a vintage banker’s lamp. It would seem that, in this otherwise muted part of town, P&R has struck a balance between pub, bistro and somewhat of a Prohibition-era speakeasy.…This new Bayside treat is indeed the place to be. Everyone. Everywhere. Drop what you’re doing and head to Portland & Rochester.
and a review of a new coffee shop in South Portland called Cia.
The food is mostly grab-and-go fare in a pastry case; think bagels, muffins, cookies, scones and croissants. They had blueberry hand pies on the day I visited that looked flaky and delicious. The cafe touts its homemade brownies, and the clerk will ask you if you want a middle or a side piece…The cafe recently started offering a small assortment of classic sandwiches such as chicken salad; tuna salad with celery, dill, pepper and mayo; egg salad with dill, mayo, mustard and pepper; and a veggie wrap.
Map & Menu have assembled a list of their 10 favorite dishes in Portland. Fore Street, Otto Blue Spoon, Eventide, Blue Rooster, Petite Jacqueline, Duckfat, Pai Men, El Rayo and Boda all have items that made it on to the list.
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an article about shrubs and shrub-based cocktails (see article for recipes),
Shrubs an old-fashioned drinks that date to Colonial times, but they are on their way back, thanks to the folks behind the bar who are discovering that a shrub’s bright, slightly tart, complex flavors make for a stand-out cocktail. Bartenders are doing lots of experimenting by replacing the fruit in the shrub with vegetables and herbs, trying out different kinds of vinegar, and otherwise tweaking the classic shrub formula.
and an article about Casco Bay Organics.
Time-crunched healthy eaters have a new way to get their hands on fresh fruits and vegetables. In April, Casco Bay Organics, a southern Maine grocery home delivery service, launched with a full array of organic and locally-sourced produce.
A reporter from Vail Daily recently traveled to Portland. Their visit included stops at J’s Oyster Bar, Ri-Ra, Novare Res. The article also mentions Duckfat and whoopie pies.
The Golden Dish has shared some initial impressions of Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room.
The prices at Harding’s fourth “room” are reasonable, the ambiance enticingly cool and the kitchen is making a compelling statement already. While the restaurant may still be going through a modest spurt of growing pains, it should emerge like the other rooms in Smith’s dining empire: reliably excellent fare that’s served in a stylish setting to a discerning dining public.
Peter Peter Portland Eater has published a review of The Grill Room,
Regardless of your financial situation, you’ll definitely want to go to The Grill Room for the wood-grilled brie. The brie was out-of-this-world delicious and was only $9 by itself. It is very much worth that. Double your bill by having a signature drink and you’ll have an outstanding start to a great night without spending all your dough. If you’ve got more cash to spend and are looking for a special treat, they’ll serve you up a multiple course, tasty meal that will leave you happy and full.
and the Press Herald has published a bar review of Vignola/Cinque Terre.
The expression “you get what you pay for” rings true for Vignola Cinque Terre — but in a good way. Yes, it’s more upscale, and maybe the typical cheaper beer options or happy hour deals aren’t available, but the extra dollars will be spent on service, atmosphere and overall attention to ingredients and detail.
Dispatch has published a review of Wannawaf.
We had the Cheeky Monkey, to which we added peanut butter, and had ourselves a bit of a dessert meltdown. It was amazing. I’m not normally into sweets (I say, as I wreck a package of Wild Berry Skittles), but this was totally worth the sugar buzz.