The Blueberry Files has published a review of Bubble Maineia Dessert & Noodle Bar penned by one of her room mates.
In the hope of finding a good noodle shop in this town, I tried Bubble Maineia Dessert & Noodle Bar (15 Temple Street, Portland). Sadly, my lunch was a Lo Mein Letdown, a Porky Pity, and a Bok Choy Bummer- all at the same time.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Otto.
A pizzeria should offer some simple pleasures that have been lost in our era’s obsession with gourmet this and that. The bobos can head to Bonobo for wood-fired delicacies and a restaurant atmosphere. The experience at Otto has more of a working-class(ic) appeal. At Otto you stand in line in a cramped shop, and watch young people sweat in front of big ovens. In the summer months most customers grab a $3 slice and join the pleasantly disorganized gathering of eaters out front. Not everyone is lucky enough to grab one of the few stools or the little red tables scattered out front, so they perch on the curb, or fold their slice and eat standing up. It’s the most appealingly informal and haphazard display of eating in the city.
The Bazkari Catering food cart received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.
When I tried Bazkari for lunch the other day, I sampled the Bazkari Chicken Pie for $4.50. This was a cold dish featuring a top and bottom layer of creamy mashed potato and flavored with lemon, yellow pepper and extra virgin olive oil. Between the potato layers is a thick layer of Bazkari’s chicken salad made from Ana’s chicken soup along with vegetables, mayonnaise and extra virgin olive oil.
Although I don’t think of mashed potatoes as cold food, this chicken pie was fantastic as I ate it outside on a warm July day. It was plenty filling for one person.
Also in today’s paper is an interview with Dave Geary about his thoughts on extreme beers and other topics.
Vin et Grub, a new food blog, has been added to the directory on Portland Food Map. The blog’s most recent entry is a review of Boda,
i honestly don’t have anything to complain about from boda. the atmosphere was great- the food, delicious as ever, and the service was prompt. the prices are also very reasonable. obviously, it’s sort of unfair. boda- the thai restaurant that serves up creative and real thai cuisine has a huge advantage over thai places like veranda, saebeing, and pom’s. i’ll be taking many more trips to boda- seeing as they’re open late-night.
The blogger is also trying to establish a roving dinner club, to be called Port City Eaters.
Soooo . . You Really Like Cats has published a review of Bubble Maineia Dessert & Noodle Bar.
Overall, we were quite pleased with the entire experience. We went in after a long Wednesday’s worth of errands after work and collapsed in a heap at Bubble Maineia’s Noodle Bar seeking some nourishment. We were quite full and energized by the end of the meal and had a wonderful conversation with Mrs. Chen about Taiwanese cuisine and the presence of Chinese people in Maine. She was quite excited to hear that I really enjoyed her beef stew noodle soup because she made it herself, and insisted that I try her sister’s curry chicken the next time I come by…
Soooo . . You Really Like Cats has published a review of Bubble Maineia Dessert & Noodle Bar.
Overall, we were quite pleased with the entire experience. We went in after a long Wednesday’s worth of errands after work and collapsed in a heap at Bubble Maineia’s Noodle Bar seeking some nourishment. We were quite full and energized by the end of the meal and had a wonderful conversation with Mrs. Chen about Taiwanese cuisine and the presence of Chinese people in Maine. She was quite excited to hear that I really enjoyed her beef stew noodle soup because she made it herself, and insisted that I try her sister’s curry chicken the next time I come by…
Mitten Machen has published a review of the Pepperclub.
While a couple of the things we tried were disappointing, everything about our first visit to Pepperclub last November was incredible. I remember a spiced pumpkin curry with quinoa that was so simple, honest, and fresh, it had me wondering, again, why I hadn’t thought of it before. I also remember a bottle of St. Peter’s triple blonde ale…at least the beginning of it.
Though it’s not a a dedicated vegetarian restaurant, Pepperclub deserves four chickpeas. Even gluten-free vegans have choices here, and that’s a rare treat.
The new issue of The Bollard also includes their 3rd Sausage Showdown.
So, to recap the results of Smokin’ Sausage Showdown III, in the Sweet Italian category, it’s a tie between Pat’s and Fresh Approach. Among the Hot Italians, Fresh Approach and Colucci’s tie for top honors. And in the Wild Card category, Pat’s wins by a snout (or, rather, a beak) with its mobbed-up chicken link.
Here are links to the 2009 and 2007 (part 1, part 2) Sausage Showdowns.
The Bollard has published the first review of Local Sprouts Cafe.
There are breakfasts out there that are bigger or fancier, but for fresh, local and organic food at prices on par with fast food and greasy spoons, there’s nothing even close to Local Sprouts Café around here. Leave your politics at the door and dig right in.
Baja Dogs, a new food cart in Monument Square, received 5 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.
The first menu item I tried was the signature Baja Dog ($3), a bacon-wrapped grilled turkey dog on a bun. It was smothered in chopped tomatoes, onion, mustard, ketchup and crema Mexicana, a sour cream-like sauce that Heathers buys at Bodega Latina. After asking me if I wanted some heat, Heathers added some jalapeno.
This dog was so good, I wished I had ordered two…
Today’s paper also includes an interview with brewer Alan Pugsley.
Writing this column has already had a benefit: Alan Pugsley gave me a personal tour of the Shipyard Brewery last week. Pugsley’s the person who brought English-style brewing to Maine when he helped David Geary set up his brewery, which began selling its beer in 1986.