First We Feast has included Slab in their list of the 50 best pizzerias in the country.
Wetter, more doughy, and about a half bigger than your typical Sicilian slice, each inch-thick slab is an airy cloud of super-moist and fluffy trapped-bubble focaccia topped with oozing, just-melted cheese continents that are separated by tiny rivers of sauce.
I’ve scanned through the records for the past year and here’s a summary of events and trends for 2016:
The most popular articles published on Portland Food Map in the past year.
The numbers in parentheses indicate their rank last year. The order of the list is determined by the number of times these restaurants were looked up on PFM during the year.
For some other perspectives on the past year see Portland Press Herald, The Golden Dish, Bangor Daily News, Portland Phoenix, Peter Peter Portland Eater, Portland Magazine and The Beer Babe.
Here are links to the Portland Food Map year in review reports for 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Portland Magazine has reviewed Caiola’s,
Next up is the yellowfin tuna ($26), a plateful of perfection. The slightly seared medallions melt in our mouths, along with an enticing concoction of cauliflower, baby artichoke, watermelon radishes, and brown butter with smoked paprika oil. “This is the best fish I think I’ve ever had,” declares my companion. The friendly Wren even chats about how we might prepare this ourselves at home.
and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Espo’s.
In addition to Espo’s reasonable prices and monster portions, the food is really good. It’s not extraordinarily inventive, but it doesn’t need to be. They serve up traditional Italian with high quality ingredients.
Blue Current has been awarded a gold medal at the London Sake Challenge for their Junmai Ginjo sake.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed The Corner Room,
I imagine it’s possible to create a road map to help diners navigate The Corner Room’s extensive menu and weather its inexplicably off-putting service stumbles – problems that made us feel as stressed out as our servers on a Saturday, then practically disappeared when we returned on a Tuesday. But I don’t need to. Squint your eyes just a little, and you’ll see the outlines of a fantastic Italian-American joint that serves great simple food: pizzas, seasonal pasta and a first-rate Caesar. Just ignore half (two-thirds, really) of the unnecessarily complicated menu and pray that you’re not in the dining room on a busy night.
The Bollard has reviewed Dutch’s,
OK, let’s pause for a moment and talk about those hash browns. Pillowy soft on the inside, perfectly crisped and seasoned on the outside, these cube-shaped hash browns were the best breakfast potatoes I have ever eaten. Seriously, I would gladly eat them every single day for the rest of my life.
The Bollard has reviewed Binga’s Stadium,
Though I’d been daydreaming about pastrami, and Binga’s offers their own house-smoked pastrami and Swiss sandwich ($8.99), I opted instead for the Jewish Texan ($8.99), partly because the odd name made me momentarily wonder, Is that offensive? It’s not, and neither was the sandwich: house-smoked brisket in a brioche bun, topped with slaw, Swiss and Thousand Island dressing. The brisket was tasty, and overall I’d declare the sandwich decent, though nothing to write home to your bubbe in Houston about. I would’ve preferred a chewy marbled rye to the soft brioche bun.
the Press Herald has reviewed King of the Roll,
It’s nice to know, just as duck gravy poutine hasn’t eradicated the french fry or brown butter lobster rolls made null the mayonnaise kind, a regular old sushi restaurant still has its place in Portland. In benefit-cost ratio, its lunch menu is hard to beat. The options are abundant, all under $14 and many under $8.
and Peter Peter Portland Eater reviewed Sapporo.
Sapporo has been around for a while and there seem to be a steady stream of patrons rolling in. I think they could improve a few minor items, but I wouldn’t hesitate to go back. I felt they had a solid menu, good food, and a pleasant atmosphere. Go grab some rolls or a teriyaki of some kind and report back.
Speckled Ax took home 3 bronze medals from the Golden Bean coffee roasting conference for their natural Hambela, Corduroy espresso blend, and classic Bird Dog espresso.
The Financial Times has reviewed Drifters Wife.
High-ceilinged and spare, it’s the most European restaurant in scale and approach that I’ve seen in the US, with just 20 seats at tables and eight at the bar. You have the reassuring feeling that the proprietors are not only working but also quietly surveying every detail. The wine shop is now confined to the rear half of the room, yet filled with more bottles than ever. All the wines are from organic, hand-harvested grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts. It’s the best shop in Maine.
Condé Nast Traveller has included Eventide in their list of the 207 greatest restaurants around the globe.
…[W]e enlisted and cross-referenced the impassioned guidance from the real experts, our network of chefs, food writers, and most-in-the-know travelers. What follows is a print-it-out, laminate-it, take-a-screenshot-of-it, globe-spanning hit list so you will never waste a meal again.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Solo Italiano, giving it 3½ stars,
Solo Italiano is full of surprises. Ignore its Commercial Street location and its very chic, newly recast interior, and you’ll discover a restaurant that cares about simplicity and tradition. Paolo Laboa, executive chef and part-owner, is behind the restaurant’s focus on Northern Italian dishes, in particular food from Liguria, where he was raised. By and large, the dishes he and his team prepare are successful ones, most especially a yellowtail carpaccio in a sultry, savory “gazpacho,” and a stupendously good dessert interpretation of a Caprese salad. Laboa’s homemade pastas, like orechiette and papardelle, are also very good, if occasionally let down by seasoning problems.
The Press Herald has reviewed Brian Boru,
A local hang with an Irish flavor, Brian Boru brings in visitors of all ages, from 20-something brunchers to 60-something retirees. Drinks are strong and inexpensive, and the beer list features plenty of local craft brews alongside national staples.
The Golden Dish has published the first review of Milk & Honey,
It was her take on a Reuben done in the manner of a Monte Cristo, with corned beef, beet pesto (out of this world delicious), with ricotta salata–all of which is layered onto the farm’s whole-wheat bread and put on a panini press until everything melts into incredible flavors. Served with a zucchini saladslaw and ice tea, it was a lunch of perfection.
and Future Fun Stuff has published the first review of Salty Sally’s.
The environment is decidedly casual, in a good way. It feels like a neighborhood bar. They have fun things like a tabletop arcade game with the classics, boozy milkshakes, and a sweet slogan. They also have a gluten-free fryer and say that most menu items can be prepared gluten-free.
The Wild Terrains travel site has published a guide to Portland.
Come for the small town charm, stay for the food. This travel guide is going to sound like a fat kid wrote it and we have no shame. Portland is a foodie wonderland – it’s filled with award winning restaurants all within walking distance of downtown, and they do not disappoint. Get ready to gain a few lbs because you’re about to pack a lot of eating into a quick weekend trip.
The restaurants featured are Bard, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Eventide, Hunt & Alpine, Piccolo, Scales, Street & Co, Tandem and The Honey Paw