Category: Reviews

The October issue of The Bollard is now online. It includes:

• A review of Portland’s new German restaurant, Schulte & Herr,
  For my daughter, the Belgian waffle with blueberry-maple syrup ($7) looked too good to pass up. And she was right — it was fantastic. Unlike a typical waffle that serves only as a vehicle for fruity toppings and whipped cream, this one was delicious on its own, with flavors of whole wheat, yeast and vanilla melding together perfectly. Of course, dipping bites into a blend of wild blueberries and maple syrup was pretty freaking good, too.
• A bar review of Zapoteca,
  The drink menu is extensive and, in some cases, expensive — there are a couple shots that would cost more than your and your date’s meals combined. But don’t be intimidated. The first page of the libations menu has a dozen or so cocktails, the majority of them tequila-based, priced between $8 and $11.  The second page is an extensive list of tequilas. It’s here that you’ll find shots as high as $65, though most fall in the $8-to-$13 range. These are not gimmick offerings, but an attempt to showcase the true diversity of premium tequilas.
• Letters to the editor about prohibition cocktails and against “improving” the standard Maine Italian sandwich
  The mere fact that he would even consider upgrading an Italian (or, to use the proper pronunciation, “eye-talian”) is an insult. Though he does acknowledge that “the junky goodness [is] part of the appeal,” he misses the fact that said junky goodness is the entire appeal.

The Golden Dish has published a review of DiMillo’s.

On to the main course, I chose the mixed seafood broil—haddock, scallops, and Gulf shrimp. The scallops were as chewy as gum balls. The haddock was overcooked and the iodinated shrimp probably came flash frozen from Gulf waters since it’s nearly impossible to get fresh specimens anywhere in Maine unless our own variety is in season. The accompaniment of spinach with cheese sauce tasted like it came from the Bird’s Eye freezer pouch.

Maria’s Ristorante receives 3 stars from the Maine Sunday Telegram.

Last reviewed here in 2005 when it was awarded four stars, Maria’s remains an old-fashioned Italian eatery, with substantial portions of traditional homestyle food that’s moderately priced. Still, in that time Portland has evolved even more as a city for new and creative culinary endeavors, which makes this place, in contrast, feel dated. Great meatballs, marinara, bruschetta and desserts; the rest that we tried, albeit mostly homemade, is standard fare. Families, groups and couples who are drawn to this type of atmosphere will find it a good place to kick back with some red wine and red sauce and feel completely apart from the world outside.

From Away has published a review of The Thirsty Pig.

Regardless of how it got there, The Thirsty Pig is a wonderful addition to Portland’s food scene; not only are there few places to get a complete lunch, including a pint of beer, for under eight bucks in this city, but the level of care and quality in that lunch sets The Thirsty Pig well beyond the reach of its competitors. This is unabashed beer-drinking food; eat a sausage, and you’ll want a pint, which will make you crave another sausage, and then another pint, until you lack the ability to get up out of the cozy booth you’re seated in. It’s a perfect way to spend a rainy weekend afternoon with nothing to do, tucked in with friends, letting the pitchers flow, and keeping the grilled sausages coming.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of the Museum Cafe.

They do specialize in dishes that allow patrons to get a little sculptural — charcuterie and pâtés, for example, that you can assemble on toasted bread with various accoutrements. One version featured salmon two ways — smoked and as a pâté (served in a little goblet) that mixed the smoked and the poached. It was a handsome plate, and pleasant to eat. In the pâté the sweet flavor of poached fish was mellowed and deepened by the smokier notes. Bitter little sunflower sprouts were an interesting touch.

The Press Herald has published a review of the FortiFem Martini Lounge.

At FortiFem, all cocktails fall under the “martini” header on the drink menu, and there are some delicious ones from which to choose. With the seasons changing to the crisper autumn air, I was excited to see a Manhattan made with Maker’s Mark at the top of the list ($12).

The Golden Dish has published a review of the Miss Portland Diner.

On another occasion the hamburger platter was excellent: A half-pound of Angus beef grilled just right. But it was marred by a tomato slice that came from one of those warehouse-ripened varieties. 

Breakfast, served all day, is classic stuff. All manner of eggs, decent home-fries, excellent corned beef hash, and respectable pancakes and French toast are well made.

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Zapoteca.

At $17 a dish, the enchiladas drew all of us in for our entrees.  Above is the one I ordered, a Maine crab and chipotle shrimp with a creamy green chile sauce.  The refried black beans were also tasty and the arugula and pickled red onions were a bold garnish.

Mainely Eating has published a review of the Veranda Noodle Bar.

Located on 14 Veranda Street in Portland, ME, Veranda Noodle Bar is tucked out of the way next to a Beal’s Ice Cream, and across the street from Veranda Thai (owned by the same family). It doesn’t invest in flashy advertising, and it’s hard to spot from the main road. But, if you do happen to stumble upon this gem, you won’t be disappointed. Each time we’ve been in, the restaurant has been comfortably full of local regulars who order their favorites confidently, spending little time having to contemplate the menu.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of District.

Does this hard-to-define approach work better for a television show than a restaurant? Sure, because watching TV is basically free and you can sit on your couch with your box of wine. You need to get to the restaurant and pay for the food, which heightens your level of scrutiny. That’s why Las Vegas is the best and District is pretty good. Was staying home to watch Las Vegas what you hoped you would be doing on a Friday night? Probably not. But once you did, you rarely regretted it. When you think upscale, District might not be the first place you think of. When you think pub, or cocktail bar, it won’t either. But if you end up at District, you won’t regret it.