Category: Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Bird & Co..

Since it opened in early March, the casual neighborhood restaurant has been serving eclectic tacos and cocktails like the bittersweet, Mezcal-powered Oaxacan ($10) to exceptionally boisterous crowds of diners. Not all of chef Wills Dowd’s tortilla-swaddled experiments succeed, but among a dozen or so options, the menu has a few standouts: Tender carnitas, smoky grilled chicken, soft chunks of deep-fried avocado, and even sweet-savory poké are all very good options. And if you get the opportunity and the season is right, take one of the sidewalk tables overlooking Deering Avenue – the traffic at Woodfords Corner may be loud, but almost anything is quieter than Bird & Co.’s dining room.

The Maine Sunday Telegram restaurant critic Andrew Ross has reviewed Royale Lunch Bar, as has 11-year old guest critic Charlotte McDonald, and

Open since April, Royale Lunch Bar in Portland’s Old Port serves a menu of sandwiches, salads and snacks impressionistically modeled after French-Canadian (and in the case of some dishes, Montreal) cuisine. On the whole, the menu works, especially dishes that make use of executive chef Joe Farr’s smoking skills.

Press Herald has reviewed Flood’s.

My friend decided on the $10 False Prophet (bourbon, rhubarb and cinnamon, with a gorgeous rhubarb garnish). We could taste all three components as we sipped it, with a slight (in a good way) aftertaste of cinnamon. I chose the $10 Dangerous Sister (plum, basil, bay, lemon and a Japanese vodka-like liquor called shochu). It was light, refreshing, subtle and smooth, but unfortunately came in what another friend of mine would refer to as a child’s portion.

The Wall Street Journal has published an “An Incomparable Insider’s Guide” to Portland tapping into the local knowledge of artist Will Sears, chefs Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti, designer Jill McGowan, and author Richard Russo.

James Beard award-winning restaurants line cobblestone streets, breweries turn out serious suds and the lobster roll is in a constant state of upscale reinvention. Portland, Maine, is a food-lover’s fantasyland, but the culture goes well beyond the plate.

Down East has reviewed Crown Jewel.

A couple of dishes per person is plenty. First to arrive was a bowl of crispy brussels sprouts, kale, and fiddleheads tossed with a sweet and spicy apricot harissa. The carrot “lox” comprised long, thin strips of cured rainbow carrots arranged in an artful tangle and topped with dill, rye-bread crumbs, and crème fraîche.

Mainer (formerly The Bollard) has published their 7th Annual Smokin’ Sausage Showdown.

Barbeque fans, have we got a meaty treat for you! This summer’s Smokin’ Sausage Showdown was the biggest, toughest, meatiest, juiciest competition yet! For past Showdowns, we drafted competitors from butcher shops in Greater Portland, occasionally venturing down to Biddeford (Hoglund’s) or out to Windham (Hoggy’s) in search of fresh meat. Last year we were blown away by the uncured franks from Wee Bit Farm, up in Hancock County, sold at the Portland Food Co-op, but we’ve generally stuck to sausages made within The Bollard’s circulation area.

CNN Travel has included Portland on their list of the world’s Best Beer Cities.

As the US city with the most breweries per capita, Portland, Maine is at the top of every beer lover’s must-visit list. To sample a bunch of Maine beers in one go-round, stop at Novare Res in the Old Port neighborhood. From pioneers like Allagash to new standards like Bissell Brothers, Maine Beer Co., and Liquid Riot, the bar’s rotating taps won’t disappoint.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Flood’s.

But Flood’s tongue prepared by Mitchell was stunning. It was braised and seared, served under a luscious scrim of frizzled shallots with a touch of mustard. We took the leftovers home, and it was a delicious sandwich for lunch, gobbled up joyously (no pun intended).

The Boston Globe has recommended a set of restaurants in Portland that “you can actually get into”.

None of that, however, is any reason to eschew the city and its extraordinary feasts all summer. Instead, it’s a perfect excuse to branch out and try some spots that may not currently be on the hot list, but are spectacular nonetheless. Whether it’s because they’re new and not yet discovered, older and no longer the flavor of the month, a local secret, or off the beaten path, these are some of the best places you can actually get into right now. And yes, some of them even have parking.

Highlighted in the article are Baharat, Flood’s, Isa, Otto, Pai Men Miyake, Piccolo, Tipo and Union.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed The Well, and

Now celebrating its 10th season, The Well at Jordan’s Farm has become one of the area’s biggest seasonal draws, with dinners selling out a month in advance and impromptu visitors scrambling for the dozen (or so) seats chef Jason Williams saves for walk-in diners. Whether you’re eating a five-course chef’s tasting menu in the tiny trailer kitchen or the family-style feast in one of the large or small gazebos, The Well is as strong as ever – perhaps more so, now that it has begun offering its own list of astutely chosen wines, ciders and beers.

the Press Herald has reviewed Pizza Villa.

My pizza had a nice crispy and rich crust, with a uniform golden color. The chunks of mushroom were definitely fresh, and the homemade sausage was browned and had a spicy, peppery flavor. The cheese was pleasantly stringy, but not too much so. I ate just about the whole thing.

The Golden Dish has published a first look at Monte’s.

The store is a marvel of spic and span steel counters and appliances with those massive pizza ovens lining the kitchen wall. The display shelves add another modern element to the look of the shop holding dry goods that include fine olive oil and vinegar, wine, condiments (very good brand of imported capers), pastas from Italy. Local foods abound too with seasonal vegetables and fruits like local strawberries, creams, butter, etc. Think of it as a modern version of Micucci Grocery with a more artisanal approach and a larger lineup of specialty and prepared foods.