Category: Reviews

2 Brunch Girls has reviewed Little Tap House,

Rustic, local, farm-to-table freshness in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. LTH also offers outdoor seating. Great option as the weather begins to cool…Sharing dishes was fun – we we’re able to satisfy all our cravings – but certainly not necessary as the portions are filling on their own. We also suggest the homemade corned-beef hash…Judging by our experience though, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of The Frog and Turtle,

A quintessential neighborhood pub with a knack for quality and affordability, Frog & Turtle has defined a loyal following over the last 10 years. With nightly specials and weekly entertainment, this is a place to eat and drink well and gather with friends.

Portland Magazine has reviewed Solo Italiano,

Next, we try Vitello Tonnato ($14), braised veal bathed in velvety tomato sauce (made with tuna, though you’d never guess), paired with baby kale, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. The meat is as tender as it gets. You won’t want to miss out on the fresh house-made pastas or the prize-winning pesto–a recipe made in collaboration with Paolo Laboa, winner of the World Pesto Championship. We pair both of these by ordering the Pansotti alle Noci ($18), meaty tortellini stuffed with ricotta, walnuts, spinach, chard, kale, and borage, and topped with a spell-binding walnut pesto.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Vignola/Cinque Terre.

We enjoyed our food, and though we didn’t get particularly adventurous with our choices, I think it’s safe to say that Vignola has their ducks in a row. Our relatively simple food was prepared well and with a little extra style that made it worthwhile in a city of fantastic food. Though I’m basing it off a memory which hardly exists any longer and despite our orders, it seems that their menu has more exciting choices than they did back in the day and they definitely have superb cheese and charcuterie options.

Condé Nast Traveller recently called out 158 Pickett Street Cafe as one of their staff secret favorite destinations that they have, until now, kept to themselves. According to Managing Editor Paulie Dibner,

I usually keep this one to myself—it’s a ballsy move, as a New Yorker, to recommend a bagel outside of the city but the food (well, the bagel sandwich) at 158 Pickett Street Café is spectacular, and the coffee is fresh.

It’s totally out of the way, but is right near the water—as well as Bug Light, a charming lighthouse—so you can get sandwiches to go and sit outside or hang out in its backyard. It’s typical of coastal Maine, around South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, where there are tons of wonderful food gems that are well worth a quick drive.

The Press Herald has published a bar review of the Munjoy Hill Tavern,

Munjoy Hill Tavern has big shoes to fill, but seems to be off to a decent start with several beer selections on tap, Sutter wine, happy hour specials and a small but growing pub menu including French fries, chicken tenders, pizza and other snacks. There are three TVs that dominate the room, but if you’re looking for a place to watch the Olympics or a game, this is a good option. The bar only takes cash, but there’s an ATM inside.

Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed happy hour at  The Honey Paw,

The tap wines are a Gruner, always a hit with us, and a rose. The special cocktail of the day was a delicious concoction of lime, cucumber, and gin. It was well worth the $7. They also have a great beer list so after the cocktail we ventured off the specials list to enjoy a Rosee de Hibiscus by Brasserie Dieu de Ciel.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Rossobianco.

Rossobianco offers a light, casual atmosphere that will be accessible to all types of eaters. Good for a snack and wine or a hearty meal of pasta or steak and beer, they are giving Italian cuisine a different look than anywhere else in Portland. If my first impressions are correct, Rossobianco is going to get busy and stay that way, because their food is absolutely magnificent. When you go – and go soon – start with a bunch of the risotto balls – everything there is a worthy offering, but one of those definitely won’t be enough.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Rossobianco.

As the newest restaurant to open this summer, I’m glad it didn’t get overhyped, giving it time to gain its footing.  But I think there’s much to expect from its very able chef, and the attentiveness of its co-owners who are set to make this place sparkle.

Food & Wine magazine has name Portland Hunt & Alpine co-owner Andrew Volk one of their 2016 Best New Mixologists. The announcement includes a brief Q&A with Volk.

The next “big thing” in the cocktail world:
There is movement away from cocktails that are precious and only served in hushed, darken venues. I think the big thing we’ll continue to see is great drinks being served in all kinds of places – Negronis at chain restaurants and really creative cocktails at bars you may not expect to deliver such quality.

The Blueberry Files has reviewed Stroudwater Distillery,

On my first visit, I had an Eastern Sour, made with Stroudwater’s bourbon, orange juice, lime juice, orgeat, and sugar. It was sweet and spiced, but balanced by the tart juices. A. tried the Kentucky Buck, with bourbon, lemon, sugar, strawberry, ginger beer, and bitters. It was also sweet, but the ginger provided a nice kick to keep it interesting. 

the Press Herald has reviewed Arcadia National Bar,

Stocked with both the latest arcade games and old school classics, Arcadia National Bar is Portland’s only 21-plus gaming spot that offers local craft beer, wine and house cocktails. Happy hour, mug club, weekly specials and themes offered at this whirring game stop on Preble Street.

Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed Tomaso’s Canteen,

Service is table side and at the bar which makes things flow nicely. We were greeted soon after taking a seat and our waitress was attentive without rushing us along. We ordered up a couple of Gruners which we love for their crisp tartness and a small order of their amazing wings for a snack. You can get a number of different sauces including buffalo, jerk and dirt.

and The Golden Dish has reviewed Caiola’s.

That is until we dug into Sansonetti’s veal Parm.  The veal was tender and buttery with a delicious crisp breading, a masterful Sunday sauce and—for once—pasta that was cooked perfectly al dente.

Bon Appétit has included the Chicken-Liver Ravioli at Drifters Wife in their short list of best pasta dishes they had in the past year.

A study in pasta simplicity: housemade ravioli filled with brandy-spiked chicken liver, served in a brown-butter sauce infused with a hint of rosemary. Less is more.

Portland has clocked in at #10 on the Travel and Leisure list of the Best Cities for Food in the United States. The ratings are based on a poll of the T+L readership.

Major cities, including Chicago and San Francisco, are hardly surprising. The latter has a crop of new restaurants that are dynamic and adventurous—but also just really, really good. Yet our readers found fantastic, world-class meals even in quiet Savannah, Georgia, and far up the coast in Portland, Maine.

“I was amazed by the food scene here,” admitted one reader of their trip to Portland. “Even the food trucks were unexpectedly exceptional. [You] can get the best fish and chips in Maine!”

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Rhum,

Other dishes put a variety of Pacific cuisines new twists. A creamy hamachi tartar was like a finely chopped poke with lots of sesame. The kim-chi croque madame offset the sour cabbage with runny egg yolk and melted American cheese. The little bahn mi, with pork jerky and some sort of siracha-touched mayo, unleashed enough umami to encourage more drinking. The fois gras loco moco attempts to take low cuisine pretty high – with delicate eggy pillows filled with the rich liver meat and spam.

the Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Local 188,

One place where this approach has paid dividends is on the dessert menu, where you’ll find …pastry chef Pat Tubbs’ literally named take on a Black Forest cherry dessert, the Bosque Negro ($8), a dense triple chocolate brownie dripping with slow-melting charred vanilla ice cream and dotted with deep red pickled cherries. Tubbs ties sweet and savory elements together with a Spanish-accented sherry pastry cream, soft raisin fruit jellies that echo aromas in the sherry, and a sprinkling of fried pine nuts that have been tossed in paprika. There’s a lot going on here, but apart from needing a little more vanilla char flavor in the ice cream, it all comes together in this remarkably inventive dessert – even the plating, which is aptly Picasso-esque.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of Local 188,

Local 188 has been a fixture in Portland’s West End for nearly two decades serving up Spanish-inspired tapas, one-of-a-kind cocktails, local beer and a comprehensive wine list that caters to everyone. Lively, relaxed, eclectic and fueled by the local art scene, Local 188 has helped create the city’s foodie foundation.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Lolita,

But it was well worth it because the food is so good here—tremendous flavors, gutsy preparations.  I had been several weeks prior to dine at the bar and had a wonderful meal of small plates: a piquant tuna tartare, a bracing grilled squash with a garlicky pistachio aioli and a robust stew of mixed shellfish.

The Bollard has reviewed Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster,

The Lobster Delight ($24.95) was indeed delightful: a one-pound lobster, an ear of corn and a dozen steamed clams, served with plenty of melted butter. While my husband made short work of that plate, I dug into another classic, the lobster roll with fries ($16.25). Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster’s version is the Platonic ideal: big hunks of fresh meat dressed in mayo and nestled in a grilled New England-style hot dog bun. The sole garnish is a leaf of lettuce.

and the Press Herald has reviewed Three Dollar Dewey’s.

Three Dollar Dewey’s is comfortable, the food is affordable and there’s zero pretense. We all know that Portland is a hardcore foodie town with new places opening almost every week all with something different to offer. I’m not knocking this, it’s part of what put and keeps Portland on the map. But it’s also good to remember the places that have stood the test of time. Three Dollar Dewey’s is one of those places for me.

Eatcentric has published a first look at a few of the menu items from Rossobianco.

The risotto was the highlight was the meal with delicate lobster meat and oyster mushrooms providing slight chewiness while the risotto still had a tiny bite in each grain to contrast against the creamy sauce.