Category: Reviews

Congratulations to the nine Maine food producers that are  finalists in the 2021 Good Food Awards in these six categories:

• Beer – Allagash Brewing for their Fine Acre beer, and Maine Beer Company for their Prince Percy Pilsner and Wolfe’s Neck IPA beers
• Cheese – Crooked Face Creamery for their Pressed Herb Ricotta and Whole Milk Ricotta
• Confections – Ragged Coast Chocolates for their Cassis de Résistance Truffle
• Fish –Atlantic Sea Farms for their Fermented Seaweed Salad and Sea-Beet Kraut, Maine Coast Sea Vegetables for their Ginger Kelp Krunch Bars and Original Kelp Krunch Bars, and Ocean’s Balance for their Kelp Puree
• Grains – Maine Grains for their Pearled Black Barley and Marfax Crop Rotation Dry Beans
• Preserves – Turtle Rock Farm for their Apple Rose preserve

This year’s finalists were “[s]elected from 1,928 entries to the 11th annual Good Food Awards, these 475 products represent 45 states plus D.C. and Guam and have passed vetting for category-specific sustainability standards.”

The winners will be announced at a virtual event on January 22nd.

Rabelais Books and its owner Don Lindgren have been recognized in this year’s Saveur 100, a list of the magazine’s 100 favorite favorite foods, people, places, and things of 2020.

Portland resident and food writer Mindy Fox has assembled an eating guide to Portland for Thrillist.

Portland, Maine’s city motto is “Resurgam,” which is latin for “I shall rise again.” These are words we all need right now as we navigate the challenges of COVID-19, and a phrase that especially resonates with the city’s resolute restaurant owners and their intrepid crews. Lucky for us diners, Portland has maintained a vibrant dining scene, with creative restaurateurs who are providing astoundingly creative and delicious fare under more pressure than ever, while keeping safety top-of-mind.

Whether you call the city home or are just visiting, it’s easy to support local spots by ordering takeout or dining outdoors. Here is our salute to Portland’s best new restaurants, including brave stars from 2020, as well as faves from the past five years.

The article features: Belleville, Chaval, Island Creek Oysters, Izakaya Minato, Judy Gibson, Leeward, Mami, Mr. Tuna, Radici, Ramona’s, Rose Foods, Scales, Solo Italiano, The Honey Paw, Woodford F&B.

Fodor’s Travel has published an article about Portland, This Small City Makes Booze You’ve Never Even Heard Of.

But, this foodie darling of a destination offers more than just scrumptious bites for travelers. Maine’s largest city is also home to a vibrant and growing beverage scene, complete with a nationally-renowned craft beer pioneer, a creative rhubarb winery, fermented goodness at a kombucherie, a unique artisan gin operation, and so much more. Read on to learn about the quirk and innovation in some extra special Portland beverages.

The Blueberry Files has published a first look review of Leeward.

The chicken liver mousse with a crab apple mostarda and crackers. So good, with its salty, sweet, richness. We also enjoyed the summery burrata and roasted apples, with radishes, pecans, sourdough crisp and balsamic vinegar. 

The Blueberry Files has posted an article about her pan-pandemic eating journey.

Writing about food during Covid-19 is difficult. There is so much wrapped up in what was once a casual meal on the town—from the ethics of dining out during a global pandemic to wanting to support the businesses that create Portland’s identity as a foodie small town. But the best way out is through, so here we go. 

Maine Sunday Telegram restaurant critic Andrew Ross has assembled his list of the Best 15 Places for Takeout in Greater Portland.

In lieu of a full Best 75, then, I offer you a Best 15 focused exclusively on takeout. Some of the restaurants (and one food cart) here made last year’s full round-up, while others are newcomers. In each case though, they serve top-notch dishes with a heaping side of resurgent, Resurgam spirit.

Included in the list are: Banh Appetit, Belleville, Buxton Common, Chaval, Enio’s, Isa, Luis’s Arepera, Monte’s Fine Food, Mr. Tuna, Nura, Other Side Diner, Slab, Thai Essan, Thoroughfare, and Woodford F&B.

The 2020 lists from Opinionated About Dining on the top restaurants in the fine dining, cheap eats, heritage and gourmet casual categories are now out.

Here’s a summary of the Maine restaurants in each category:

• Fine Dining
  • Hugo’s is #16 on the list
• Cheap Eats
  • Chase’s Daily in Belfast
  • Duckfat
  • Holy Donut
  • Standard Baking
• Heritage
  • Eventide is #2 on the list
  • Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound is #198 on the list
• Gourmet Casual
  • Central Provisions is #96 on the list

Food & Wine has named Belleville and Night Moves two of the 100 Best Bakeries in America.