The Portland Bar Guide has published a review of the bar at Bruno’s.
To the right is the tavern, a hangout for people of all ages, including co-workers at happy hour, groups of college students having a snack before going to the Old Port, and men in their 50s enjoying a few beers before heading home. Yes, I’ve chosen this door on many occasions as well — pour me a Shipyard, please.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Kon Asian Bistro.
A lettuce wrap was more successful. The diced chicken had enough heat to work well against the coolness of the leaf, but not so much as to overwhelm the fresh basil. A tom yam soup was marred by a slightly bitter aftertaste. A shrimp tempura roll, ordered as an appetizer (but served with the entrées) was a bit overwhelmed by the glop of the creamy lobster sauce that topped it. The big shrimp were nice but the tempura got oily as it cooled.
Portland Food Heads has published a brief review of Bayou Kitchen.
If I were a diner, I would be The Bayou Kitchen. The place perfectly embodies everything that I prefer in a good, hearty breakfast or lunch.
The USM Free Press has published a review of Shima.
Shima offers delicious food at a great price, a feat that has not been executed as well in this town since Portland food legend Harding Lee Smith opened The Front Room. If you’re looking to get a solid dose of excellent food and a healthy bit of culture, don’t miss it.
Appetite Portland has published a review of the North Star Music Cafe.
It truly is impossible to overstate what a marvelously enveloping environment owners Kim Anderson and Anna Maria Tocci have created on Munjoy Hill. Everything — from the organic mesclun greens in the salads, to the creative daily soups, to the acoustic performers singing onstage – fires on all cylinders.
Portland Magazine has published a review of The Corner Room.
A notch above ‘Italian for Beginners,’ this raucous, fun eatery, perfect for a winter snuggle, is more like ‘Italian for Intermediates’ than anything else in Portland.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Shima.
Shima’s eclecticism is not the product of an effort to please all tastes, but rather the peripatetic development of a single palate. Chef David Shima is from a Japanese-Hawaiian family, but spent many years in Paris. His menu shows it, including traditional sushi and traditional French, with Hawaiian hints of Polynesian and Chinese along the way. The combination sounds unusual, but it can work well.
This week’s newspaper also includes a “precautionary list of what Thanksgiving food you should avoid seeking out or making” for your holiday guests.
A Hamburger Today has published a review of the Blue Spoon. (via Portland Psst)
So is the Blue Spoon burger the best in this little city with a big stomach? Maybe—there are also those who swear by the Front Room, the Grill Room, and the bar-style burger at Rosie’s. But there’s no doubt that the Blue Spoon burger is a serious—and seriously delicious—contender.
Portland Bar Guide has published a bar review of The Front Room.
Defying the melee, bartender Eva notices me right away, and I’m asked what I’d like to drink within 48 seconds of entering, with the drink specials offered in a crisp list. On Saturday and Sunday, I’m happy to learn, this masterful happy hour allows the booze-artist some autonomy with the Bartender’s Choice special, a seasonal, creative cocktail. Eva has made a delicious-sounding Cinnamon Manhattan in past weeks, for example.