Grace received 3½ stars from this week’s Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
Grace is a restaurant that took over an old dilapidated church, its owners renovating and redeeming a place no congregation could support financially. The interior is magnificent.
Our present-day adoration of dinner could see it through the next era of its existence. But first, it would be good for Grace to drop some of the more baroque contortions in the menu, focusing instead on what tastes good.
Portland Food Heads has published a review of the 158 Pickett St Cafe.
The cooks and staff are having fun, enjoying the art of cooking and and the satisfaction they provide their patrons as music blasts in waves from the kitchen. The customers are having fun, catching up on conversation, nurturing their creativity and indulging in cholesterol-heavy goodness. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever stepped foot in 158 and not had fun, simply because the place embodies everything I enjoy about a good dining experience: Great food, comfortable surroundings and a passionate kitchen. It doesn’t get much better than that.
The Press Herald has published reviews of Fit to Eat
The bread was chewy and flavorful, but not hard. The bacon was crisp, thick and extremely tasty. The hummus and avocado lent a creaminess that seemed healthier than mayonnaise, and more interesting.
and Fore Play.
This isn’t rocket science. Fore Play is that most trustworthy of establishments, the local watering hole that sports a trove of distractions. It’s a sports staple of the Portland experience. As I go through my checklist of what makes a bar awesome, Fore Play gets a mark in every box, right down to the entirely fryolated menu.
Today’s paper also includes an interview with the President of Lakonia Greek Products and an article on Maine-based food businesses that are selling gluten-free products.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of the Lost Coin Cafe.
The head waiter, James, is 11 years old. He handled formal service deftly even as he sporadically entertained a rambunctious five-year-old. He explains the prix fixe, takes your drink order (Pepsi, diet, root beer, or orange), and gives you a choice of soup.
Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Samuel’s Bar and Grill.
As the bartender took over and our waitress headed out from a double shift, we appreciated the service that met our demands. This is the type of place where people really do come in to see people they know and if you are a stranger, no one really cares. Go ahead, saddle up to the bar or grab a table and make yourself at home.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review of The Corner Room.
While the warm antipasti draw the eye, we had the best experience with the cold ones. Octopus and potato, for example, had more round slices of tender seafood than potato. It was dressed lightly with oil, lemon, cilantro, and crunchy red onion. In the eggplant caponata, often served as a mushy dip, the chunks of eggplant maintained a bit of chew. With the sugar and cocoa in the sauce it took on a figgy flavor and the aroma of clove.
Portland Food Heads has published a brunch review of Artemisia.
I’ve eaten here enough times to say that you aren’t always going to come out satisfied. However, that is pretty typical of just about every restaurant in the country, and if you can get over the risk of taking a small gamble, you’re likely to be rewarded with what is usually a delicious meal at Artemisia.
Diet for a Small City has published a review of Pom’s Thai Taste.
The Vegetable Delight was a perfect meal. The vegetables had been cooked to a crisp bite; not a single limp pepper appeared on my plate. The garlic sauce was savory and sweet and nicely complemented the brown rice served alongside my meal. Afterward, I felt energized and satisfied. I felt I had consumed a fairly healthy meal.
The Corner Room received 4 stars from this week’s Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
Given the perfection of the bucatini all’Amatriciana and the $9 price for a medium bowl, the Corner Room ranks as a foodie resource in this economic lull now and in the future.
Portland Magazine has published a review of Miyake.
The first course, three gorgeous pieces of Alaskan sockeye salmon nestled over a smooth lemon mayo sauce and topped with delightful fresh scallion and capers, was a hint of the treats to come. Next was a single very large scallop, browned to a crispy outside, sprinkled with bright red roe, and set to bask on top of tasty miso sauce. And then, an amazing plate of eight pieces of Edo-Mae nigiri, consisting of the finest salmon, yellow tail, fluke, red snapper, shrimp, scallop, and mackerel, all of it perfect, but the mackerel almost astounding with its subtlety and texture.