Food for Thought has reviewed El Rayo Taqueria.
Still, what’s served at El Rayo is done fairly well and the preparations have authentic flavorings…Perhaps, in time, they’ll get their footing and expand, with a sit-down dining room…and serve full meals with the sort of Mexican fare that we’re not used to, true regional Mexican cooking.
Scones from Standard Baking are the subject of a review in the July issue of Bon Apetit. (via the weekly round-up in Psst!) For those of you who want to bake your own they’ve also published Standard’s recipe for the Blueberry Oatmeal Scones.
The scone was lightly crunchy on the outside, and the inside was moist and densely woven, freckled with tiny Maine blueberries. I took a bite. The texture was ideal: a bit like an old-fashioned biscuit, but more substantial. The oats were barely discernible, but they gave the crumb a gentle, homey flakiness. I should also tell you that the scone was perfectly sweetened—which is to say, barely sweet at all.
The Maine Switch has published a review of Veranda Thai.
Whether you’re eating in or taking out, the food at Veranda Thai is definitely worth a trip off the peninsula. But just for kicks, grab yourself a table. You’re bound to get a chuckle from the people a couple tables over.
The Blueberry Files has published a review of Bintliff’s.
So you may find it no surprise that M and I found Bintliff’s to be a restaurant in Portland that lives up to its great reputation. I am already looking forward to going back and sampling more of their extensive menu and hopefully not having too wait too long to do it!
Food for Thought has published a review of Local 188. Author John Golden hadn’t been a fan of 188 in the past but writes, he’s now “won over” by the charms of the restaurant.
Among the entrees, I’ve chosen the fish specials each time I’ve dined at Local 188. On the regular menu is a harissa baked white fish with preserved lemon, which sounds delicious but haven’t tried yet. But on two occasions I had the White Fish specials: one time was tile fish and another time halibut. Both renditions were wonderful, boldly seasoned and perfectly cooked, resulting in fish that was done just right, flaky and delicate.
Portland Bar Guide has reviewed Cinque Terre.
The Cinque’s small patio is an intimate little spot where you can people watch while sipping an Italian beer, white or red wine or a Long Island Ice Tea. The Cinque closes (9:30 pm) before the hold-on-I-have-to-puke-before-I-fight-you and the oh-my-God-I-like-totally-fell-down-in-the-street crews take over the block.
El Rayo has received 4½ stars from this week’s Eat & Run column in the Press Herald.
I’ll be the first to admit my logic might be flawed. But here’s how I judge the authenticity and originality of a Mexican restaurant in Maine: If my dish is not slathered in jar-style red salsa and buried under a solid layer of melted cheese, I’m happy.
I want to taste different flavors and spices, not just be overwhelmed by heat and gooeyness.
Using those standards, El Rayo Taqueria on York Street gets high scores. Actually, using any standards.
The chocolate chip cookies at Udder Place have earned 4 out 5 points for flavor and texture from HillyTown in its ongoing cookie review series.
The chocolate involved was quality semi-sweet, but in my opinion the chip-to-dough ratio was a mite low. The cookie itself was also greasier than it should have been, leaving visible oily stains on the napkin. A little less fat and a little more chocolate and this would have been a contender for the top chocolate chip cookie in Portland.
In a separate post, HillyTown gave a shout out in favor of the Michelada at El Rayo, “The chili powder and salt along the top rim was pretty intense – I described it as tasting like licking a barbecue grill (not that I’ve done that), but the drink overall was really delicious and refreshing.”
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Eve’s at the Garden.
The bar snacks recreate the spirit of the courtyard itself: each is a rarefied take on a people’s favorite. New chef Earl Morse, formerly of the White Barn Inn, has created funny little variations on classic casual food like sliders, tacos, crab-cakes, wings, and lobster rolls. They are really cute to look at — maybe they are even a touch too precious — but it was hard to hold that against a bar snack.
The vegetarian food blog Diet for a Small City has posted a review of Paciarino.
Much to my pleasure, the menu contained plenty of meatless options—and by options, I don’t mean that I chose the one vegetarian appetizer and the one vegetarian entree available—I mean, I actually had to make a decision. Fellow vegetarians know how disappointing it can be when a menu chooses your meal for you.