Category: Reviews

Map & Menu has published a review of Tandem Coffee.

And then, a little over a week ago, I saw the light – literally and figuratively – from a barstool in a small, well lit coffee shop in Portland’s East Bayside neighborhood. At Tandem Coffee Roasters, owners Will and Kathleen Pratt have set up something special. Taking years of passion and experience in the realm of all things coffee (and some pretty handy carpentry and vision), they’ve turned a small building into an excellent coffee haven, roasting in-house, and serving from the clean, minimal cafe in the next room.

Photo courtesy of Map & Menu.

Phaidon Press collected restaurant recommendations from Rob Evans, Sam Hayward and 400 other chefs for their new publication Where Chefs Eat. Those that got the nod in Portland are Boda, Bresca, Fore Street, Gorgeous Gelato, Hot Suppa, Otto Pizza, Pai Men Miyake and Petite Jacqueline.

Venues elsewhere in the state include Lost Kitchen, El Camino, Boynton-McKay, Primo and The Slipway.

The Golden Dish has published a survey of the more prominent bagel makers in the Portland area.

The dough is based on bread or plain flour, leavening or sour dough starter, salt, yeast and a sweetener like barley malt, honey or sugar. It’s shaped into rounds, left to rise for 12 hours and put in a water bath for a short time before baked in ovens.  New York bagels, in particular, have that distinctive deep golden-brushed glow  

But can you get a decent bagel in Maine?

The Kennebec Journal has published a review of Hot Suppa.

Portland has many high-end, fine-dining restaurants, but at Hot Suppa you get fine dining without the high prices. If you are looking for taste, value, uniqueness and friendly atmosphere, this is the place to dine in the big city.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Eventide.

In addition to oysters, Eventide packs a lot of imagination into a relatively slim menu. Scallops, squid, mussels, clams, lobsters, and a variety of fish are variously cured, pickled, grilled, poached, stewed, or served raw — often kissed with the sharp, clear notes of sour, garlicky, vinegary Asian flavors. Despite the variety it never feels like a jumble, and each dish is its own well-conceived whole.

The Golden Dish has published a review of Congress Bar & Grill.

The food is still well priced at Congress Street, with barely an entrée more than $17.  And this is good because what Portland lacks in spades is casual joints like this where the ambiance, the food and the mood all contrive to make it an exciting reason to dine out without breaking the bank.

The Press Herald has published a review of 158 Pickett Street Cafe,

The cool and funky shack is smack-dab in the middle of the seaside campus of Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. So unless you live nearby or find yourself at SMCC often, you might have to go a little out of your way to eat there.

But it’s worth the trip, in more ways than one.

and a bar review of Pizza Villa.

Pizza Villa is a hot spot for medical staff, sporting fans and those wanting to kick back and relax. Located in Portland’s West End and close to Maine Medical Center, the pizzeria and bar has been an institution since 1965. The family-owned-and-operated business is extremely welcoming and very casual.

Also in today’s paper is a letter to the editor about the Maine Food Producers Alliance.

The Blueberry Files has published a review of the January edition of Pocket Brunch.

For additional photos of the event see the Broadturn Farm blog.

Map & Menu has published a review of Duckfat.

I opted for the roasted pork belly panini with fennel relish, jalapeno, and caramelized miso, and Meredith ordered the cream of tomato fennel soup with ciabatta croutons and asiago. The easiest decision was the large fry, because going to Duckfat without ordering fries is akin to walking down the Champs-Élysées in an American flag unitard – just don’t do it.

Photo Credit: Map & Menu

pArts has published a review of Zen Chinese Bistro.

We’ve waited a long time in Portland (and surrounding area) for not even great Chinese, but DECENT Chinese. When I first learned they were opening, I was disappointed to see the menu was, essentially the same American/Chinese food offered at every other Chinese eatery. My disappointment turned to joy upon realizing that though the dishes shared the same names, the versions of these dishes at Zen were head and shoulders above anything I’ve had anywhere else in Maine since the departure of the now-defunct “Stir Crazy” (great food, strange atmosphere, unfortunate name).