Category: Reviews

The New York Times has published a celebration of food in Portland.

In the last decade, Portland has undergone a controlled fermentation for culinary ideas — combining young chefs in a hard climate with few rules, no European tradition to answer to, and relatively low economic pressure — and has become one of the best places to eat in the Northeast. The most interesting chefs here cook up and down the spectrum, from Erik Desjarlais’s classically pressed roast ducks at Evangeline, to the renegade baker Stephen Lanzalotta’s gorgeously caramelized sfogliatelle (sold out of the back of Micucci Grocery, an Italian-imports shop), to Mr. Potocki’s simple but brilliant chili-garlic cream cheese and handmade bagels.

Portland Food Heads has published a review of the brunch at Caiola’s.

Obviously, Caiola’s brunch isn’t necessarily the cheapest in town, but that’s not why people eat there, and that’s not what they’re going for. As far as a fully satisfying Sunday brunch goes in the area, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than Caiola’s.

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of Parker’s.

My heavily bearded, lumberjack of a neighbor slams an enormous paw on the bar and roars “Get ouuuta heeere!” as though a bloodlust for all things Oriole had overtaken him. Nobody notices the outburst, in part because Parker’s is this year celebrating its 20th anniversary of such displays. We’ll call this Cheers parallel #1. In the fervor of the moment, I quick-grab the menu and scan for the sportsiest possible appetizer, in this case, the first thing containing the word “buffalo.”

Portland Food Heads has published a review of brunch at The Frog and Turtle.

The real reason to come to Frog & Turtle for brunch is for their variations on Eggs Benedict, as this is where they shine. Lynn ordered my usual, the “Jimmy Benedict,” which consists of bacon, caramelized onions, scallions and brie under two poached eggs with hollandaise, served over an English muffin. This is probably my favorite plate of Eggs Benedict anywhere, Portland, Westbrook or otherwise.

Food for Thought has published a review of The Salt Exchange.

A list of Small Bites begins the menu choices. Such little delicious devils as Maine fish prepared 3 ways or fresh salt cod with confit bell pepper and lemon aioli are taste revelations, beautifully arranged on the plate with extravagant flavors that entice and delight. My choice of Whole Milk Ricotta Gnocchi consisted of three oval morsels as light as spring air. Bad renditions of gnocchi tend to be heavy as hockey pucks. These were perfect. I wanted to wrap them up and take a carton of them home for reckless pleasure.

Colucci’s Hilltop Market received 3½ stars from today’s Eat & Run column in the Press Herald.

The meatball sub had plump, moist meatballs. They were a little spicy, but not too much. The marinara sauce was tangy, and the melted cheese was soft and gooey, not stringy. The rolls for both sandwiches were the kind I love. They were the big, thick, soft and slightly chewy sub rolls you seem to find at local Portland places. They aren’t the harder, crustier sub rolls you get at chains.

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Grace.

Dinner at Grace will set you back, especially as vegetable sides, like crunchy green beans frosted with a bit of sugar, are ordered separately. But Methodist theology preaches that grace, and its heavenly rewards, is only available for those who give themselves over completely. If you give yourself over to Grace Restaurant for a splurge some evening, the rewards are worth it.

Bon Appétit continues their reporting on Portland with short pieces on the seafood, bakeries and breweries here as well as a look at the 2009 runners-up for America’s Foodiest Small Town.

Great bakery towns: Paris, obviously; San Francisco, too; and, of course, New York. But Portland, Maine? It may sound like hyperbole, but one flaky croissant from Standard Baking Company and I guarantee you’ll believe it, too. Portland (and everyone I asked had no explanation as to why) has a startling number of first-rate spots for baguettes, muffins, and other baked goods.

Bon Appétit blogger Andrew Knowlton rolled out his second day of coverage for Portland. In today’s post he lists off his “Essential Portland Maine Itinerary“. 30 local business from diners to fine dining made the list.