New England Distilling owner Ned Wight has partnered with Imbibe magazine put together this guide of Where to Eat and Drink in Portland Maine.
Bard Coffee, Standard Baking, Lolita, Vena’s Fizz House, Eventide, Hunt & Alpine, Boda, Sur Lie and Central Provisions are all part of what Wight would call a perfect day in Portland.
The Blueberry Files has reviewed Mi Sen,
Eating out on a Monday and Tuesday night in Portland can cause a bit of head scratching – so many restaurants are closed on these weeknights, especially as we head into relatively slower seasons. Fortunately, Mi Sen Noodle Bar is open on these early weekdays, causing me to land there twice recently for some great noodle dishes. You should head there any night of the week (except Sunday, they’re closed) when you’re in the mood for some filling, inexpensive, and delicious Thai food.
and The Golden Dish has reviewed Little Tap House.
Little Tap House has grown into a full-fledged neighborhood meeting place that serves not only craft cocktails and local brews but a decently satisfying menu of creative pub grub. The night we were there earlier this week the place was literally packed to the rafters. It had great vibes and atmosphere as a thriving popular pub.
The Press Herald has published a review of Rosen’s Deli.
With meats piled as high as the Chrysler building on rye bread, you’re forced to take tiny bites around the edges, or pick it apart bit by bit until you whittle it down to manageable size. This is partly why some of their larger sandwiches are more expensive, ranging from $10.99 all the way up to $15.99 for chopped liver, tongue, corned beef and Swiss cheese. (Maybe that last one comes with a side of health insurance?) It’s also why fans from all over the country went apoplectic when the previous incarnation of the Jewish deli closed in January.
Urban Eye has reviewed Lincolns.
Open on Market Street since the spring, the subteranean watering hole unites Portland’s service industry folks, international tech workers and post collegiates from Orono, who gather in close quarters to knock back five dollar drinks like it was 1989.
The Bollard has reviewed Ramen Suzukiya.
Shoyu broth is “Oriental” flavor’s elegant cousin — a complex, meaty broth with an earthy taste of mushrooms. The miso broth is more refined, with a satisfying saltiness. The Hakata-style ramen has an incomparably rich tonkotsu broth. Traditionally made by boiling pork and chicken until the bones and marrow begin to break down, this broth is milky and murky with sediment, yet has a gelatinous sheen. This is the ultimate comfort food, and surely the style I’ll choose when winter’s chill arrives.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Bramhall.
Bramhall is not a lot of things. It’s not a high-end dinner destination. It’s not a pricey tapas bar. It’s not particularly quiet and it’s not light and airy. But it is friendly. It is approachable. It is pleasantly laid back and even romantic in a low-light, slightly secret, no-one-will-ever-find-us-here kind of way.
Neighbors in the West End have plenty of places to go for dinner and a drink, but Bramhall is a good spot to try for drinks – plus a little dinner.
Map & Menu has posted a review and set of photos of Custom Deluxe in Biddeford.
Meredith and I sampled a decent chunk of the menu that evening (including the aforementioned ribs and soup) and polished a delicious meal off with an outstanding raspberry angel food cake dessert. With the cooler days of fall upon us, I’m sure the chicken noodle soup and the simple pasta dish will inspire us to make many more trips down the road over the next few months.
Photo Credit: Map & Menu
The Press Herald has reviewed Punky’s.
My breakfast sandwich ($3.50) consisted of bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel. There was nothing remarkable about it, other than it was exactly what I wanted. I am used to a breakfast sandwich with one, maybe two strips of bacon. I didn’t count the number of strips, but it must have been four. Toasted on the grill — I know this, because I watched the cook — the bagel was chewy, the egg well cooked and not runny, and the cheese melted but not gooey. I ate it at my desk and appreciated that it wasn’t at all messy.
Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Terlingua,
All in all, Terlingua puts out a solid meal. The smoked chicken was excellent and that spicy sauce was too. My corn could have used some more bacon flavor, but it was still good and that drink was shockingly pleasing. I’m glad that Portland has another BBQ joint, but I’m even more glad that it’s not a straight up BBQ place, but a hybrid with Latin American flavor. Their unique combination is something I think people will go to for good eats and good drinks for some time to come.
and The Golden Dish has written up the brunch at Tiqa.
Most everything is paired with eggs, but the underpinnings are definitely from the Middle East. Turkish cuisine played a big part in the dishes on the menu. Typical breakfast/brunch items are often fruit, yogurt with honey, baked eggs with sausage and Tiqa’s menu reflects that to some degree.
Two Maine brewers are taking home medals from this year’s Great American Beer Festival competition:
You can see the full list of award winners on the GABF website.