Category: Reviews

Gordo’s Lobster Cakes & Halloween Ale

| Posted in Reviews, Beer

Gordo’s Lobster Cakes received 3½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

If you’re looking for a different way to eat lobster, this cake is lighter and less messy than other alternatives. It’s a good to-go food. I can see it becoming a novelty item for tourists. I’m not so sure how well locals will take to it.

The only other sandwich the cart sells is a lobster roll ($10), which I heartily enjoyed. It was held together with a little mayo, and contained some chopped celery and fresh basil. Carolyn Smith says she doesn’t measure the amount of lobster meat she puts in the roll, but she tries to be generous.

Also in Thursday’s paper is a What Ales You column on Gritty’s 2010 Halloween Ale.

“This is the 21st year of Halloween Ale, and we start on Friday the 13th,” Ed Stebbins, Gritty’s brew master, said last week. “We always brew the first batch on a full moon or Friday the 13th.”

Halloween Ale is an extra-special bitter with 6 percent alcohol, and Stebbins promises “no pumpkins were harmed in the brewing of this beer. I promised my mother I would never put spices or fruit in any of our beer.”

Grill Room Review

| Posted in Reviews

From Away has published a review of The Grill Room.

Certainly there were other items that intrigued. The warm ricotta appetizer and bacon and egg salad could be worth revisiting. It was with a sad sigh I exited, stuffed and unsatisfied. It wasn’t cheap either. Two rounds of cocktails did augment the bill, but still. I must say, I was disappointed. The chef, Harding Lee Smith, seems very pleased with himself, plastered all over his restaurants websites. I hope last night’s dinner would not be considered up to his standards, as our group concensus was that our experience at The Grill Room deserved a solid 7.

Review of Harbor, MDI & Willard Scoops

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a triple scoop review of Harbor Scoops, Mount Desert Island Ice Cream and Willard Scoops.

What explains the current craze for ice cream in Maine, which has resulted in several new businesses and recently overcame the nation’s President? Sure, it’s one of the hottest summers on record, and yes, ice cream is an affordable indulgence in a tough economy. But gazing upon the transfigured visage of a Mainer mid-lick, it is clear ice cream’s appeal lies deeper. As I have previously argued in these pages, desserts play to different parts of our psyche. Ice cream goes straight for the Id. In licking a cone, the unconquered infant within achieves regressive union with the milky sweetness.

Review of Harbor, MDI & Willard Scoops

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a triple scoop review of Harbor Scoops, Mount Desert Island Ice Cream and Willard Scoops.

What explains the current craze for ice cream in Maine, which has resulted in several new businesses and recently overcame the nation’s President? Sure, it’s one of the hottest summers on record, and yes, ice cream is an affordable indulgence in a tough economy. But gazing upon the transfigured visage of a Mainer mid-lick, it is clear ice cream’s appeal lies deeper. As I have previously argued in these pages, desserts play to different parts of our psyche. Ice cream goes straight for the Id. In licking a cone, the unconquered infant within achieves regressive union with the milky sweetness.

Top 10 Under $10, Beer Edition

| Posted in Reviews

Inspired by Broke 207’s list of cheap eats under $10, Brews & Books has put together a list of the best craft beers available for less than $8 a six pack.

After reading the list, I says to myself … “there should really be a list like this for beer!” A list of beer that doesn’t suck, and beer that isn’t super-expensive. Obviously, cost is relative (lots of people would call anything over five dollars for a six-pack outrageous), but I’m going to say that less than eight dollars for a bunch of really good beer is on the cheap end of the spectrum.