Category: Reviews

Boston Magazine has published an article about where to eat and drink in East Bayside.

Perhaps you’ve already spent some time exploring the incredible food and drink scene in Portland, Maine. But one area you may have overlooked is East Bayside—an increasingly delectable neighborhood inside the parameters of Congress Street, Washington Avenue, Route 295, and Franklin Arterial that’s home to young families and a vibrant East African community.

The article highlights The Cheese Shop, Forage, Hardshore, Lil Chippy, Magissa, Maine & Loire, Minato, Moonday Coffee,  Onggi, Quanto Basta, Ramona’s, Red Sea, Rising Tide, and Root Wild, Sticky Sweet, Terlingua, and The Shop.

The Infatuation has included Banh Appetit in their list of the 13 Best Banh Mi Across America.

Banh Appetit is a straightforward and reliable Vietnamese takeout spot in Portland, Maine. But leaving it at that would be like saying Costco’s just a grocery store. The excellent lemongrass beef bánh mì is the type of meal that can turn an awful day around. Stop by on Saturday evenings to check out the Mama Le menu, where you can get a bunch of different vegetarian and vegan dishes like the banh mi chay—a sandwich stuffed with rice powder, glass noodles, sweet chili, and vegan mayo—freshly prepared by the owners’ actual mama.

Trent Pheifer author of the blog Store Bought Is Fine has published a dining guide with his 30 favorite restaurants in Portland.

With a population of 68,000, Portland punches well above its weight when it comes to its food scene and the options are constantly expanding. If you’re leaving Portland unsatisfied in the food department, I think you did something wrong. 🙃

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Mesa Grande Taqueria.

This 50-ish seat, affordable Mexican spot encourages diners to linger, enticing them with margaritas (stick to the rocks version), desserts like fudgy chocolate flan, and a range of savory dishes that are, unexpectedly, both scratch-made and high-quality. Barbacoa, carnitas and grilled chicken are all prepared with skill. Ask the well-trained staff for suggestions, and they’ll guide you, recommending smoky pulled pork and beef in the soft tacos, and the grilled chicken in the quesadilla.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Cantina Calafia.

And despite an early-stage spate of press, Calafia seems to have gone unnoticed by many, certainly by tourists. Reader, now’s your chance. If you visit, ask for a creamy, tequila-based Limonada or a nonalcoholic option like the spicy-sweet Orange Gato Energy, then an order of crispy beef-tongue tacos served on Calafia’s homemade tortillas. Shift gears to the halibut in an outrageously herby Veracruz-style stew of summer squash, tomatoes, olives and capers. And don’t skip dessert; the hibiscus-dusted, strawberry tres leches cake is one of the best gluten-free treats in town.

Cantina Calafia opened on March 13th. It’s located in the former Bonobo Pizza space in the West End.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a 4 star review of The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth.

…Among the traditional bistro suspects, roast chicken ($32) and steak ($39), you’ll also find a fantastic pork schnitzel served with profoundly smokey ham-hock jus, a garlicky kale “Caesar” served under a blanket of snowy parmesan shavings, and crunchy duckmeat fritters plated with mustardy deviled-egg puree. Prentice Group superstar Georgia Macon makes all The Good Table’s breads and pastries – treats like tender brown bread rolls and platters of assorted, homemade cookies – and frankly, that’s enough reason to visit right there.

The Good Table’s original owners sold the restaurant to the Prentice Hospitality Group last year, and Prentice relaunched the restaurant in March. Shown below are a couple photos of the renovated dining room taken this spring.

The Observer has published an eating guide to Maine.

Over the last decade, Maine has transformed from a quiet coastal retreat to a culinary powerhouse, luring food enthusiasts with the promise of oceanic delights and forest-foraged treasures. Its geography reads like a chef’s wish list: rugged coastlines teeming with seafood, pristine forests hiding wild edibles and fertile farmland bursting with fresh produce. From the iconic Maine lobster to the coveted Damariscotta oysters, the state’s cold, clean waters serve up nature’s finest.

The article highlights: Bite into Maine, White Barn Inn, Primo Restaurant, Havana, Mr. Tuna, Highroller Lobster Co., Earth at Hidden Pond, The Alna Store, Aragosta, The Lost Kitchen, Long Grain, Bombay Mahal, Oxbow Beer Garden, Leeward, Eventide Oyster Co., Crown Jewel, and Chez Rosa.