Portland Bar Guide has published a review of the Downtown Lounge, one of a trio of establishments owned by Norm Jabar (Norm’s Bar & Brill, Norm’s East End Grill, Downtown Lounge).
For such a small space, the skinny Lounge can generate a large experience. Unlike other neighborhood nooks, where folks of questionable odor can cramp easy, the ornate alley funnels its energy and celebrates its cozy confines with loud speakers.
The Press Herald has published a review of Pie in the Sky Pizza, the pocket sized pizzeria located on the second floor of the Public Market House.
I sampled the Margherita. I saw it being made, and sat by a window gazing onto Monument Square while it cooked. The crust was more like a bread than your average pizza crust. There were big dabs of fresh mozzarella melted onto the sauce, with tomato slices and a generous portion of basil leaves.
Overall it was a very nice, and filling, lunch for $5.50. I didn’t need one, but I also had a Big Sky oatmeal raisin cookie, which was the size of a small dinner plate.
The Examiner has published a review of Silly’s.
We were impressed with the prices and the portions… both very reasonable. We will be returning for another round of food and fun. But for now, as Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. You have the knowledge, so now take yourself down to Silly’s to let your imagination run wild.
The Examiner has published a review of Silly’s.
We were impressed with the prices and the portions… both very reasonable. We will be returning for another round of food and fun. But for now, as Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. You have the knowledge, so now take yourself down to Silly’s to let your imagination run wild.
For the fourth round of the Thai-o-rama (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3) collaborative food writing project, the group tackled Pom’s Thai Taste. There are three locations (2 in SoPo and 1 in the city), but we decided to focus our attention on the one on Congress Street.
Appetite Portland decided to forgo her usual Pom’s order of five flavor noodle soup with crispy duck (“not the best soup in the world, but it’s dependable, hearty, filling and affordable”) to branch out into new horizons on the menu. She writes that the Steamed Butterflies dumplings were a “sticky and overly sweet mess”. However, the Pad Thai was “quite tasty” once lime “begged” from the waitress balanced out the sweetness. Read the Full Review
Edible Obsessions points out that the “Thailand meets Ikea” interior design for the dining room “is bright and cheery without the feeling of being campy or gaudy,” and that “the food also falls into the line of pretty simple and straightforward.” It sounds like the Krah-Tong Thong appetizer, Pad Khee-Mao and desserts were the high point of her meal with the bland Pad Thai being the most notable exception. Read the Full Review
Portland Eats rates Pom’s as “good, solid, Thai food” but that the menu of 694 items (he counted) is too long and that “as good as the food at Pom’s is, it would be even better if the menu was more focused, truly highlighting a small handful of specialties.”. Read the Full Review
Portland Food Heads tried the Paad-Khee-Mao “I’ve always loved drunken noodles, and these were very good; in fact, one of the better plates I’ve ever had.” However on a return trip for some take-out was disappointed by a plate of Crab Pad Thai. Read the Full Review
The Blueberry Files handed this review over to a guest post by her roommate. They both “appreciated the complete lack of kitsch” in the restaurant decor, which enabled them to “focus entirely on the food. Which was, on balance, pretty good.” They enjoyed the $1 sushi but the meal went off course with the “odd consistency” of the non-traditional Crispy Pad Thai. Their Fried coconut ice cream “was a great way to end the evening”.Read the Full Review
Where is Jenner’s Mind rates Pom’s as “some of the best thai food in portland”. The dumplings were “bland” but the Crispy Duck got rave reviews (“i’m drooling just writing about it”). Read the Full Review
My take on Pom’s is that it offers a solid choice for Thai in the city. Like Edible Obsessions and Portland Food Heads, I don’t think Pad Thai isn’t their strong suit. It’s clear from this set of reviews (and the ones linked below) that there’s plenty on the menu to enjoy but that the service still has some room to grow. From the comments of The Blueberry Files and Edible Obsessions as well as my own experience, skipping dessert would be a mistake.
For more on Pom’s Thai Taste also check out these earlier reviews by:
For the fourth round of the Thai-o-rama (Round 1, Round 2, Round 3) collaborative food writing project, the group tackled Pom’s Thai Taste. There are three locations (2 in SoPo and 1 in the city), but we decided to focus our attention on the one on Congress Street.
Appetite Portland decided to forgo her usual Pom’s order of five flavor noodle soup with crispy duck (“not the best soup in the world, but it’s dependable, hearty, filling and affordable”) to branch out into new horizons on the menu. She writes that the Steamed Butterflies dumplings were a “sticky and overly sweet mess”. However, the Pad Thai was “quite tasty” once lime “begged” from the waitress balanced out the sweetness. Read the Full Review
Edible Obsessions points out that the “Thailand meets Ikea” interior design for the dining room “is bright and cheery without the feeling of being campy or gaudy,” and that “the food also falls into the line of pretty simple and straightforward.” It sounds like the Krah-Tong Thong appetizer, Pad Khee-Mao and desserts were the high point of her meal with the bland Pad Thai being the most notable exception. Read the Full Review
Portland Eats rates Pom’s as “good, solid, Thai food” but that the menu of 694 items (he counted) is too long and that “as good as the food at Pom’s is, it would be even better if the menu was more focused, truly highlighting a small handful of specialties.”. Read the Full Review
Portland Food Heads tried the Paad-Khee-Mao “I’ve always loved drunken noodles, and these were very good; in fact, one of the better plates I’ve ever had.” However on a return trip for some take-out was disappointed by a plate of Crab Pad Thai. Read the Full Review
The Blueberry Files handed this review over to a guest post by her roommate. They both “appreciated the complete lack of kitsch” in the restaurant decor, which enabled them to “focus entirely on the food. Which was, on balance, pretty good.” They enjoyed the $1 sushi but the meal went off course with the “odd consistency” of the non-traditional Crispy Pad Thai. Their Fried coconut ice cream “was a great way to end the evening”.Read the Full Review
Where is Jenner’s Mind rates Pom’s as “some of the best thai food in portland”. The dumplings were “bland” but the Crispy Duck got rave reviews (“i’m drooling just writing about it”). Read the Full Review
My take on Pom’s is that it offers a solid choice for Thai in the city. Like Edible Obsessions and Portland Food Heads, I don’t think Pad Thai isn’t their strong suit. It’s clear from this set of reviews (and the ones linked below) that there’s plenty on the menu to enjoy but that the service still has some room to grow. From the comments of The Blueberry Files and Edible Obsessions as well as my own experience, skipping dessert would be a mistake.
For more on Pom’s Thai Taste also check out these earlier reviews by:
Green Man Review has published a review of Novare Res.
Great bars, like barbells, work when patrons put as much into them as they expect to get out. Over time, places that spoon feed themes and gimmicks to entertain their customers grow stale. Façades crack and age, and regulars grow dissatisfied with the passive entertainment they’ve contributed nothing too.
In Portland, Maine, a hero now challenges this unsustainable pattern. They don’t serve much food — some soups and a selection of meat and cheese plates. They don’t serve martinis or cosmos, but they do have a couple of whiskeys. Their focus is good beer and they stick to it myopically.
Portland Eats has published a “first bites” review of Boda.
According to its website, the restaurant features “street vendor specialties” and “home-style” cooking. It also emphasizes that Boda features “authentic” Thai food as opposed to the “Americanized” Thai food at most other area restaurants. Having never been to Thailand, I cannot vouch for the food’s authenticity. What I can say is, based on my first visit, the food is different and mostly all delicious.
Down East has published a mini-review of the fine toast on tap at Arabica.
There are few pleasures in this world greater than a good slice of toast. And we’re ready to claim that Arabica Coffee…has the best in the state. The homemade bread is baked by South Portland’s own Doug’s House of Toast bakery. From plain white to cinnamon-raisin swirl to cheddar cheese and chive, this toast is no ordinary slab of bread. It’s thick, and lightly toasted, and, well, just plain perfect.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of The French Press Eatery in Westbrook.
Doughnuts like these are probably best as a rare treat, and the more likely staples are the breakfast and lunch sandwiches. The menu indicates that breads are made on site, but it was hard to detect home-made charms in the bagels, croissants, and English muffins that frame the breakfast sandwiches. The 10 varieties are mostly built around a fried egg and cheddar. We tried a few good sandwiches, but they don’t reach the level of the doughnuts.