Category: Reviews

The 2011 issue of the Opinionated About Dining restaurant guide has included several Portland restaurants in its list of top dining destinations in America. Miyake, Hugo’s and Fore Street were all listed in the Highly Recommended category, as was Suzuki Sushi Bar in Rockland. Both Aurora Provisions and Duckfat were recognized in the guide’s list of the Top 25 Inexpensive Dining destinations in the US. (via Rabelais)

Mister Meatball has posted his list of the best restaurants on the peninsula.

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Petite Jacqueline.

Petit Jacqueline focuses on French classics- without a twist, just straight-up. I heard someone describe the menu as entry level culinary school ‘French Cooking 101,’ which, to me, is not a detraction. In Portland, there are very few ‘classics’ in the new restaurant category- everyone is reaching for something new. But Steve and Michelle Correy (of five-fifty five) are turning out classics that are simple and good, and can be unexpected if you (like me) are not too familiar with well-executed French classics.

The Golden Dish has published a review of The Salt Exchange.

I won’t keep you in suspense.. The food is exceptional.  Small-plate madness aside, the fare at the Salt Exchange is not as strictly diminutive as other trendy strongholds. Only five courses are offered: Small Bites, Soups, Cold Plates, Hot Plates, plus a dessert list.

Yet there is the option, if one must, to eat lightly and less expensively by ordering, for instance, two cold plates, a few Bites, and a sweet.

But who wants to give an inventive menu short shrift?

From Away has published a review of The SoPo.

The entire experience ended up being fairly underwhelming. “Maine ‘Q” was what was advertised, and it’s what we got. It certainly wasn’t the worst barbecue from recent memory, served by an energetic, caring staff, in a family-friendly setting. But as Jillian and I sat in the car afterward, digesting silently, we knew we wouldn’t ever feel the urge to come back.

The Press Herald has published a review of Spartan Grill and Coffee.

I opted for the falafel sandwich ($6.25) in a grilled pita with a tahinni sauce, lettuce, tomatoes and onions. But the stars of this sandwich are the plump, golden-fried falafel nuggets made with ground chickpeas and spices. Just a little crunchy on the outside, warm and creamy on the inside. They satisfy several different cravings all at the same time.

The Portsmouth Herald has published a review of Bresca.

But I say, no. No, it wasn’t the hormones. It was that I had just enjoyed one of my best restaurant experiences in many years from beginning to middle and then, with the description of those desserts, those roasted black plums and then buttermilk panna cotta with passionfruit broth and white pepper and orange blossom sorbet with — I would later learn — all its cream and tang, brightness merged with mellow floral allure, I knew it wasn’t over. There was still more. This lovely evening was going to last just a little while longer.

Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes! has posted a review of the banana cream cupcake at Scratch Baking.

This cupcake was definitely amazing and in contention for the best cupcake in the Portland area. The frosting wasn’t so much frosting as it was a whipped cream cloud placed on top of the cupcake. It tasted exactly like homemade whipped cream that my mom makes every year at Christmas. In the middle of the cupcake there was pudding, which made the cake portion even more moist than it already was and added another delicious dimension to the cupcake. There were also little pieces of banana within the pudding and on top of the frosting.

Eat Here. Go There. has published a review of Yordprom Coffee.

Don’t hang on the fence waiting for a better time to go–go now! Tommy is running a creative startup that isn’t just about coffee. It’s about service, ambiance, and quality products and ingredients. Yordprom is a must if you love your coffee strong and your pastries fresh.

Bar Lola received 4½ stars from the review in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.

Outstanding food prepared in different- size portions and courses to mix and match according to the diner’s whim. Top quality ingredients, well-conceived combinations and meticulous preparation make every dish a delight. Opened five years ago by Guy and Stella Hernandez (Guy is chef), Bar Lola is an intimate space with skilled service in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood outside of the city center.