Category: Reviews

So.ME.Vegans has started a series looking at Maine vegan food producers and in their first post they include a mini-review of Falafel Toasties which are produced here in Portland by Papou’s Kitchen.

Honestly we hadn’t heard of them yet, despite the product originally being conceived of in 1986. We were truly missing out. This has got to be some of the most finely crafted falafel we’ve tried. Djgray1200 thought the seasoning was just right. A number of falafels we’ve tried have been bland, but then again in frozen food you always run the risk of getting something that’s obnoxiously salty. This product walks that line masterfully.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Jewel of India in South Portland.

Generally it is the entrées where Jewel of India shows its real strengths. The bengan bharta — with a sauce based on roasted eggplant, was a symphony of sharp notes. It opened with a burst of aroma that made me anticipate more heat than the dish actually contained. Instead, the fresh ingredients — eggplant, tomato, onion, garlic, green pepper, each of which offers some bite without spicy heat — take turns gently pricking your palate.

For the 9th round of this comprehensive survey/review of Thai restaurants in Portland we visited Saeng Thai House which has two locations located just a few blocks from each other. The original location at 921 Congress remained dormant for many years but was refurbished and relaunched a couple of years ago, and the “new” location at 271 Saint John Street.
The Blueberry Files – read the full review

The people at Saeng Thai are very nice- both times I’ve eaten in and gotten take out, I’ve had excellent customer service. But this time my food didn’t live up to my previous experience.

Where is Jenner’s Mind – read the full review

in relation to all the standard thai in this town, i think its up towards top of the list. but as my friend mark said, we may just be hitting it on the right night. its also quite a deal with the pad thai costing like $6 or $7. so at this price point and the two good meals we have had so far, i would visit saneg thai house again.

When I first moved to Portland people would regularly recommend Saeng Thai as a good option for Thai food, but despite living just a few blocks away this was my first visit in 12 years. I visited the restaurant on Saint John Street and was  pleased with my meal, the food was fresh and well executed and the service very friendly. I would definitely eat there again and hope to try out the small original spot on Congress Street the next time I go.
There were also two earlier reviews published in Portland magazine (2003) and the Portland Press Herald (2004). The 4 star review from the Press Herald wrote that, “Saeng Thai House now has fancier digs and a larger, more creative menu than it had on Congress Street. The food is still excellent, and a pretty good bargain at that.”
There are  just 4 Thai restaurants left visit: Chiang Mai, Vientiane, Sengchai Thai, Siam Orchid. Do you have any thoughts on where we should go next?

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of The Grill Room.

Upscale while still being casual, highly recommended and conveniently located in the heart of the Old Port, The Grill Room is another winner in the trio of “rooms.”

The current issue of Northern New England Journey includes an article about the dining scene in Portland. The article draws special attention to Bresca, Caiola’s, Duckfat, Emilitsa, Fore Street, Hugo’s, Miyake and Paciarino.

[Chef Sam] Hayward attributes the vibrant food scene to what he calls “a perfect convergence” of three elements. First, Portland chefs are using an eye-opening variety of Maine products. Second, farmers, fishermen, and foragers are supplying those chefs with outstanding ingredients. Instead of ordering standard cuts of meat and seafood from national provisioners, chefs buy animals from local sources and use every part they can. This means familiar dishes share menu space with such items as beef heart, monkfish liver, and cod cheeks. Third, Portland’s diners have embraced the new dishes.

Soooo . . You Really Like Cats has published a review of Happy Teriyaki.

Kum and Myung You, an incredible wife-and-husband duo, moved their family from the West Coast to be closer to relatives. Myung will dutifully man the grill and deftly sear and cook his way through several of the Japanese dishes, but the soul of the restaurant lies in Kum and her Korean menu. Some reviewers in the past have mistakenly pegged these intimately crafted dishes as Korean-American food, “ready for the college crowd.” I must emphasize, the Korean food here is nothing but Korean cuisine at its purest. Her family’s recipes are what arrive at the table in the form of each of the banchan – obligatory Korean side dishes – and every entree in the Korean menu. Not even Myung knows the deepest secrets of her family’s mastery of homemade Korean cooking.

Yankee magazine published their Best of Maine (and Massachusetts, Vermont, etc) list in the May/June issue. Silly’s was listed as the Best Cheap Eats, The Cheese Iron topped the charts for Best Cheese Selection and Green Elephant received kudos for providing the Best Vegetarian Dining in the state.