Category: Reviews

Congratulations to the 8 Maine food producers that have earned a place as Finalists for the 2016 Good Food Award:

• Coffee – Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Hafursa from Speckled Ax
• Beer – Daymark from Rising Tide Brewing
• Cheese – Tide Line from Winter Hill Farm
• Chocolate – Nutty for You from Bixby & Co. and Maine Mint Truffle from Black Dinah Chocolatiers
• Honey – Gold Star Honey from Gold Star Honeybees and also the honey from Posto Bello Apiaries
• Pantry – Garlic Scape Relish from Turtle Rock Farm

The winners in all categories will be announced at the GFA awards ceremony and gala on January 15, 2016 in San Francisco.

Here’s some background on the Good Food Awards program,

The Good Food Awards were created to redefine ‘good food’ as being tasty, authentic and responsible. We aim to set criteria for entry that are realistic and inclusive of food and drink producers who have demonstrated a commitment to be part of building a tasty, authentic and responsible food system, going far above and beyond the status quo for their industry, while not making them so strict that eligible participants are limited to a small handful of products.

The Press Herald has published a lunch reaview of Tandem Bakery,

The turkey is layered in thick slices, and adorned with baby lettuce, spicy greens and jalapeno pickles for a kick…What made this sandwich great was its completeness. Every detail was attended to: The turkey was fresh, the greens crisp and the bread tasty and easy to eat with two hands. And as silly as this might sound, the mayo-mustard spread was divine – just the right amount, in just the right consistency over all the right parts of the bread.

and a bar review of Street & Co.

Street & Co.’s bar and lounge section offers a cozy surrender from its bustling dining room and open kitchen. You’ll likely be elbow-to-elbow with neighbors at the bar as you devour fresh Maine oysters, or you can stretch out in one of the several lounge sections with a cocktail and affordable bites ($4.50-5.50).

Tiny Urban Kitchen reviewed Central Provisions.

The food is excellent.

I love the fact that the dishes are inspired by ideas from so many different cultures – everything from the Mediterranean eggplant hummus and the French foie gras and bone marrow dishes to the Korean BBQ steak and the togarashi spiced green beans. I especially love it because Chef executes these crazy combinations so well.

Though the lines are crazy long*, it’s totally worth it.

Bubba’s Sulky Lounge is on The Daily Mail list of the 25 Best Dive Bars in America.

Established and owned by “Bubba” for 47 years, Bubba’s Sulky Lounge has become one of the most popular spots in Portland. Maine=born alt-folksinger Patty Griffin even wrote a song about the place (“Please pass the bottle on…”) This colorful bar is full of antiques that are hanging from the ceilings, sitting on the bar, and bolted to the walls, which were sought out and collected by Bubba himself. Offering a full bar, “80s Night w/ DJ Jon” on Fridays, and an “Everything Dance Party” on Saturdays, Bubbas is sure to offer a night you’ll never forget.

Portland Magazine has reviewed Union,

Next up, native beet salad–a bountiful bowl of perfectly cooked red and golden beets glowing atop a delectable dressing of local yogurt, curry oil, and ginger emulsion. This dish alone is proof the Union lives up to its self described “farm to table hotspot.”

and Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed The King’s Head.

The King’s Head brings a unique take to a city with a reputation for bars with quality beer offerings. As a gastropub they have 40 taps filled with craft beer to be paired with their delicious food.

Travel + Leisure has posted a “Glutton’s Guide to Portland, Maine”.

The nation’s first, and easternmost, city of Portland may not have a TV show, but it does have a food and beverage scene to rival any American destination. From fresh oysters topped with kimchi shaved ice to banana-flavored beer, here are some of our favorite Portland places to indulge your inner glutton.

Mentioned in the article are: Allagash, Bissell Brothers, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Eventide, Fisherman’s Grill, Foundation Brewing, Grace, Green Elephant, New England Distilling, and Shipyard.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Abilene.

We started off with the appetizer, Manchego Toast.  The dish was inspired  by a chef Colgan knew in New Orleans. House made focaccia, lightly toasted, is topped with the melted Spanish Manchego cheese, with judicious hints of garlic and shallot and topped with a duxelle of mushrooms soaking in a sauce of Sherry and mushroom broth.   I could have this ten times over and never tire of the dish.

For more information on Abilene, read this interview with the owners in the Portland Phoenix.

The Press Herald has reviewed Rick’s Lobby Cafe,

So…about that sandwich. The chicken was of the Boar’s Head persuasion and supremely fresh. The bacon was cooked before my eyes and the Swiss was melted just the right amount. The red peppers retained their all-important crunch and the spinach was green and perfect. The Dijon mustard was applied with a medium hand so it was just the right. This is important to me as too much or too little would have had serious ramifications.

and the Portland Phoenix has reviewed Terlingua.

As in life, the general sourness of things lends the sweet notes greater resonance. So while one starter of pickled egg and sausage was unrelenting in its vinegar-tartness, a ceviche appetizer featured some great sweet shrimp, whose flesh had not been over-cured — they were appealingly tender rather than soggy or rubbery. An entrée offered long pink slices of duck, which had been both cider-cured and smoked. But the resulting hints of bitter and sour mingled with pieces of a pumpkin seed brittle that lent some sweet-anise flavor, reinforced by the accompanying apple cranberry slaw.

The new issue of Down East includes a review of Custom Deluxe in Biddeford. The article isn’t yet available online but photographer Meredith Perdue has posted pictures of the article on her site,

Approachable and affordable with dishes culled from all corners of the world, their Custom Deluxe is also a reflection of Biddeford, a former mill town on the cusp of reinvention.

and The Blueberry Files has posted a review/dining guide for Palace Diner.

 

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Five Fifty-Five.

Five Fifty-five isn’t cheap; our meal came to almost $130 before tip, but they definitely provide some solid fine dining in a pretty relaxed atmosphere. Owners Steve and Michelle Corry have won numerous awards and also own another restaurant which I’ve previously reviewed and a new pastry joint, so they know what they are doing and our meal experience proved that. They have a great bar/lounge area that is pretty fun and also serve brunch on Sunday if you’re more prone to late morning and early afternoon restaurant visits. Whatever you prefer, Five Fifty-five is a must try if you want to enjoy some of the more angelic, finer tastes in Portland.

The Press Herald has reviewed Portland Patisserie.

For an after-work glass of wine and a bite, Patisserie offers a great happy hour seven days a week from 4 to 8 p.m. With the purchase of either a cheese or charcuterie plate (or a combo cheese and charcuterie), all bottles and glasses of wine are half off (three whites, one rose, one red). A cheese plate with two cheeses is $8, add a cured meat or two, and you’re looking at $10 to $13. However, the servings are generous and the boards include two large heaps of raspberry and apricot jams, cornichons and a spoonful of Dijon mustard (with charcuterie). There’s no special on beer (yet), but beers include Funky Bow IPA, Shipyard and Allagash.