The November issue of The Bollard is now out. It includes a breakfast review of Bibo’s Madd Apple Cafe, an essay by Elizabeth Peavey on the passing of restaurateur James Ledue, and another installment of bartender John Myers Land of the Forgotten Cocktail series.
Category: Reviews
Review of The Picnic Basket
The Picnic Basket received 3 stars from this week’s Eat & Run review in the Press Herald.
We tried the roast beef special, which consisted of roast beef, horseradish sauce, lettuce and tomato on a fresh sourdough roll. Everything seemed really fresh, and the horseradish sauce was terrific. It’s the kind that will clear your sinuses.
If your pockets are really light, there are hot dogs for just $1.60 and chili dogs for $2.
Coffee Trio
The Portland Phoenix has published a trio of reviewlettes for Bard, Morning in Paris and Maine Bean Cafe.
In Portland’s Old Port the turnover this year has been notable. JavaNet closed recently, the last café in town to welcome animals. The old Breaking New Grounds was reborn as Morning in Paris Café. Bard Coffee Roasters opened across the street from Starbucks, and on Commercial Street, Maine Bean Café replaced the Portland Coffee Roasters.
Review of Ruski’s
Where is Jenner’s Mind has published a review of Ruski’s.
tonight after voting, seth and i went to celebrate democracy with a pint of beer and some fried food. and what better place for such a celebration than ruski’s (212 danforth street)? ruski’s really is a go to place for seth and i for many reasons. number 1: its awesome. number 2: two blocks from our house. number 3: real dive bar. number 4: good food. number 5: unpretentious.
Coffee Service
The USM Free Press has published a review comparing and contrasting the coffee at StarEast and Big Sky.
Both the Star East Cafe and Big Sky Bread Company have other things going for them than what they offer for coffee and breakfast. However, first impressions are first impressions, and Star East didn’t cut it by a long shot. It might be a good place if you are interested in trying falafel or okra stew, but it’s no coffee shop. Big Sky Bread Company takes the cake.
While an unrelated article in the Portland Daily Sun commented on the politics of where you get your java in a independent store friendly food town.
Review of Norm's East End Grill
Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Norm’s East End Grill.
The bar though, is like the really quiet, interesting guy standing behind the loud, drunk popular guy at a party. You know how some bars are stocked like they’re prepping for Prohibition? Norm’s has one of each of all the bottles you could want, but not two. They make feisty creative drinks with their own names, like the East End Margarita ($7), and pour Maine beers out of subtle, central taps at the elbow of the corner bar. The highlight of the whole scene? The tunes.
Review of Norm’s East End Grill
Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Norm’s East End Grill.
The bar though, is like the really quiet, interesting guy standing behind the loud, drunk popular guy at a party. You know how some bars are stocked like they’re prepping for Prohibition? Norm’s has one of each of all the bottles you could want, but not two. They make feisty creative drinks with their own names, like the East End Margarita ($7), and pour Maine beers out of subtle, central taps at the elbow of the corner bar. The highlight of the whole scene? The tunes.
Phoenix on Styxx
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of the bar menu at Styxx.
There is little chance of that at Styxx. The toaster-oven limitation is not overcome but rather accepted as benign. The result is a menu reminiscent of juvenile after-school-with-no-parents-home culinary satisfactions in the modes of crispy, mushy, gooey, greasy, and sweet. The presentations on long rectangular plates, often with a modish drizzle of sauce, are sort of elegant.
Binga’s & Perry’s
The Portland Daily Sun has published a review at Binga’s Stadium.
Some sauces I’d order again, some I wouldn’t. If you don’t want chicken, you can go for ribs. There’s a falafel sandwich and a couple of salads for the meat-averse. The fried pickles sounded interesting but were way too salty. The beer selection is a fraction of what you can get at Great Lost Bear or Novare Res. It seems that I’ve got a laundry list of reasons not to like the place but I loved it, screens and all. Go figure.
Also in the Tuesday Sun is a short profile on Perry’s Sidewalk Cafe and its owner, Perry Mogul.
For six and a half years, kosher hot dog vendor Perry Mogul wandered in the desert — the desert of Arizona — before returning this summer to Portland.
Lunch at Big Sky
Portland Food Heads has published a review of the lunch at Big Sky Bread Co.
If you’d like the long and short of it, it is. I’ve eaten just about every incarnation of food they serve; breakfast, sandwiches, salads, soups, bread etc., and I’m happy to say that, while none of it is over-the-top incredible, it’s all very well put together and demands more than a few visits to get the whole picture.