Category: Reviews

Appetite Portland, Blueberry Files and Edible Obsessions have posted reports on holiday cocktail tasting that I had the pleasure of participating in. For my part, I think the Whiskey Mac or the Glugg were the best of the ones we tried.

Meredith Goad uncovered this article in Metro ,a French language website, about the food scene here in Portland. For an entertaining translation try cutting and pasting the text of the article into Google’s translation service. Evangeline, Hugo’s, Bresca, 158, Miyake, Rabelais and others were mentioned in the article.

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Bar Lola.

As for the bar itself, it’s tiny, some five stools wide. But there is no barrier between dining room and bar and that just underscores this whole dual drinks/food identity that Bar Lola has worked so hard to create. The cozy space is warmly lit with sparse lanterns and candles, never an abrasive experience for the eyes.

For more of on the balance of food and drink at Bar Lola check out this piece by Appetite Portland about co-owner Stella Hernandez’s skill in pairing food and wine,

I held my judgment for the first bite of sole. With a mouthful of the fish I tried again. Perfection. The buttery sauce soothed the oak and brought out the wine’s fruit. The simple white fish, in response, popped with flavor.

Stella simply knows her stuff.

Appetite Portland has published a review of The Good Egg. She writes that The Good Egg was “was simply okay” but tempers with “to be fair, it was just one visit. Maybe I should have tried those Eggs from Hell. Perhaps the multi-grain pancakes are totally mind-blowing. I’ll give it another try — just not all that soon.”

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.