Category: Reviews

Mister Meatball has published a taste test between Micucci’s house brand puttanesca sauce and the puttanesca available from Pemberton’s, Scarpetta’s and Rao’s. (the taste test begins about halfway down the page)

1st Place. Micucci is lucky indeed to have hooked up with Lanzalotta (I know, I sound like I’m in the tank for this guy, but the truth is that I’ve never actually met the man). This is one very concentrated, complex flavor profile you got here, folks, loaded with good stuff, and plenty of tasty olives. If you’re looking for a jar of sauce to pour over pasta that needs no doctoring whatsoever, this is it.

The May issue of The Bollard includes a joint review of Market House Coffee, Peanut Butter & Jelly Time and Kamasouptra. All three eateries are on the second floor of the Public Market House. Author Dan Zarin writes that his morning coffee “was among the best I’ve ever had in this city” and enthused over the quality and value of the options at Kamasouptra and PB&J Time before finishing with some simple instructions,

Dear reader, here are your marching orders: Go to the Public Market House and go upstairs. Go now. Go often. Eat. Drink. Tell your friends. If we, the food-and-leisure enthusiasts of Portland, lose this space, we may never see another like it again.

The May issue of The Bollard includes a joint review of Market House Coffee, Peanut Butter & Jelly Time and Kamasouptra. All three eateries are on the second floor of the Public Market House. Author Dan Zarin writes that his morning coffee “was among the best I’ve ever had in this city” and enthused over the quality and value of the options at Kamasouptra and PB&J Time before finishing with some simple instructions,

Dear reader, here are your marching orders: Go to the Public Market House and go upstairs. Go now. Go often. Eat. Drink. Tell your friends. If we, the food-and-leisure enthusiasts of Portland, lose this space, we may never see another like it again.

Nosh Kitchen Bar has received 4 stars from the Taste & Tell column in this week’s Maine Sunday Telegram.

Nosh Kitchen Bar excels in its offerings of rich little plates of food, from buttery foie gras and pickled fiddleheads to bacon-dusted fries that you can dip in chipotle mayonnaise or cheddar cheese sauce.

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of The Frog & Turtle.

There’s no area of the biz of being a live music gastro pub that these people aren’t ahead on. It’s the closest, coolest escape from the city.

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of The Frog & Turtle.

There’s no area of the biz of being a live music gastro pub that these people aren’t ahead on. It’s the closest, coolest escape from the city.

For the sixth round of the Thai-o-rama (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5) collaborative food writing project, we selected Boda, Portland’s newest Thai restaurant which is located in Longfellow Square. Boda is the creation of Nattasak Wongsaichua and Danai Sriprasert who also own Green Elephant.
Appetite Portland – read the full review

Oily and aromatic with sesame overtones in a savory broth, the [bitter melon] soup provoked my tastebuds like little I’ve tried before or since. It awoke areas of my tongue I didn’t know existed! A remarkable balance of flavors, it played the role of appetizer to a “T” – kicking my hunger into overdrive.

And it killed with a crisp martini.

Edible Obsessions – read the full review

So, what can I say? Boda, in my book, is the best Thai place in town. If you go, don’t go there with preconceived notions based on Take Out Thai. Go with an empty belly and an open mind. And try a lot of different things. Order enough for left overs, trust me on this the panaeng is quite yummy cold when you’re intoxicated. But, by all means, just go.

Portland Daily Sun (article not available online)

Anyway we set it aside and ordered some shrimp skewers and grilled Thai sticky rice. The rice patty had a nutty crunchiness on the outside, which contrasted with the gummy softness inside, a great side dish to the shrimp and spicy chili garlic lime dipping sauce.

Where is Jenner’s Mind – read the full review

all in all, this was a pretty good meal. first off, i have never seen any of these things on a menu at any other thai restaurant, so they get points for showing me something different. second, even though there were a couple of items that i didn’t really care for, the things i did like were really great.
i would go back just for the cocktails, dessert, and people watching.

For additional perspectives check out one of these earlier reviews:

• Maine Sunday Telegram (5/2/2010)
• Portland Eats (3/26/2010)
• Edible Obsessions (3/9/2010)

or visit Boda’s website.

Travels with Hilary has published a review of The Merry Table.

My poireaux crepe was elegant in its simplicity and absolutely divine. The accompanying small salad of greens, dressed in the house Dijon vinaigrette, provided the perfect counterpoint. While big eaters might find the servings on the small side, I found it to be the perfect proportion.

Down East has published a review of Paciarino.

If after visiting Paciarino you’re hooked by Barbiero and de Savino’s cooking — and it would be hard not to be — you can pick up some of their products to take home. (Soon, you’ll even be able to order them online.) They sell their own fresh and frozen pastas and sauces, as well as specialty items imported from Italy. “Pasta and sauce, the stuff with which we grew up, is our big love,” de Savino says. “It feels good to share it.”