Category: Reviews

Bon Appétit has included the Tuna Sandwich at Palace Diner in their list of the Best Meals of 2014.

Palace Diner is a 15-seat charmer located in a shiny red 1927 dining car in Biddeford, Maine, located a 30-minute drive South of Portland. The two former fine dining chefs/owners—Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell—do simple and nostalgic diner food amazingly well. Their bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast is perfect. And, damn, those Palace potatoes: boiled, smashed down, and then crisped with abandon on the griddle.

But it’s the tuna salad sandwich (with a side of crunchy on the outside, creamy on the inside French fries) that I go back for. It’s not rocket science: just good ingredients executed with passion and precision. The bread is always toasted perfectly, the tuna to mayo ratio spot on, and the addition of dill and cucumber is just the way my mom used to make them for me back in grade school. Pair with a hangover and Coke and all is well with the world.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Ruski’s.

The burgers were textbook good. They were perfectly grilled to medium rare and had the essential outer charred crust that gives the beef so much texture and flavor.  The restaurant has many cooks, and that night Will was in the kitchen and did his job very well.  For $8.95 you get a half pound burger on a big hefty roll with a mound of fries.  Cocktails like premium vodka on the rocks are $6.50, and beers are often on special from $2.50 for PBR to premium drafts at $3.75. With tax, tip and drinks the $20 each spent on dinner was a satisfyingly cut-rate night on the town worth repeating many times over.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Pai Men Miyake,

In the end, our meals came to about $55 before tip which I thought was very reasonable. The food was great and while I’m very particular about soup in general, their noodle bowls were not only delicious, but they offered a copious amount of food. Pai Men Miyake is the perfect place to quell your winter weather blues and satisfy your craving for Asian food at the same time. Go slurp down some delicious ramen immediately. Your brain freeze will thank you.

and The Golden Dish has posted a joint review of Empire and Boda.

While pork buns of various kinds can be found at Miyake and Bao Bao, Empire’s char siu bao are superb. The soft steamed buns are filled with a sweet hoisin sauce that makes the barbecued pork sweetly luxurious. Other dishes like the honey walnut shrimp coated in a citrusy mayonnaise are a lip-smacking delight as are the classic stir-fry of green beans wrapped in roasted garlic that emerge bright green and crisp from the wok.

The Press Herald has published a bar review of Lolita.

Lolita is Munjoy Hill’s newest neighborhood bistro with its own unique and modern flair. A third of the restaurant seating is at the bar, so expect to find a classy bar-going crowd who enjoys craft cocktails, artisanal wine and local craft beer. Open from 11-11 six days a week, Lolita is a great place for lunch, a late-afternoon snack, dinner, or after-dinner drinks and dessert.

The Bollard has reviewed Artemisia Cafe.

Although the prices at Artemisia are admirably moderate, especially for the quality of the food, I wouldn’t say it’s easy for a twosome to dine there on a fifty-dollar budget. Still, we managed to have an intimate, inviting and satisfying dining experience for about $49 (again, before Uncle Sam and the waitress got their due). It was worth every penny.

The review is the first of a new Bollard series called Fifty Dollar Dinner where the reviewers seek out and experience “local restaurants where a soul- and belly-satisfying meal for two can be had for 50 bucks or less (before tax and tip).”

The Golden Dish has published a survey of Portland area options for grocery shopping.

As the food scene continues to grow in Greater Portland, where to shop now is an essential question: Hannaford, Shaws, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Rosemont or the two fledgling markets, The Farm Stand and the Portland Food Co-op–or all of the above and more?

Down East has reviewed Lolita.

An array of small plates, served with careful attention to flavor and texture. Local, seasonal ingredients used to maximum advantage. Well-balanced cocktails and a confident, savvy wine list. The sense that you’re the only diner who really matters in a small but bustling dining room. You could use all of these phrases to describe both Bar Lola — Guy and Stella Hernandez’s Munjoy Hill institution, which the couple closed in November 2013 after seven years — and Lolita, the intriguing new restaurant they’ve opened just a few doors down on Congress Street. But while both restaurants’ broad outlines are similar, Lolita feels quite new — as if your dear friend got a chic haircut, a killer pair of shoes, and a fascinating new career to discuss over drinks.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Slab,

Skip breakfast and over-indulge in the flavorful Sicilian street food at this informal lunch-and-dinner restaurant. Named for the gargantuan servings of thick-crust pizza created by chef/owner Stephen Lanzalotta, Slab also offers delicious open-faced oven melts, braised meats and lasagnas. Make sure to ask your server about the day’s specials – and don’t skimp on dessert: The baci (chocolate) and ricciarelli (almond) cookies are extra rich and satisfying.

and Eating Portland Alive has posted a first look review of Ebb & Flow.

The za’atar-spiced pita was the perfect vessel for the cold eggplant salad. I was definitely still tearing away at the flatbread after the salad was long gone…The cauliflower soup took savory to another level with the inclusion of rock crab and chorizo. The server who delivered my lamb keftedakia declared it “the king of dishes.” I may have to try a few more items for comparison, but I’m a pretty happy camper with lamb meatballs especially with such a nice char on them.

pArts has reviewed Bao Bao,

Next up, my single order of dumplings (which come boiled, steamed or pan fried, I chose the last). Six beauties stuffed with a sausage ball of lamb, black bean, peanuts, and chilis, served with a homemade tomato relish/ketchup. I will likely order these every time I return. I was sorry I didn’t order the Hake dumplings which looked amazing . . . but I need something to look forward to next time.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Timber.

My verdict on Timber is to go there for happy hour. The mac and cheese is half price and there are some cheap drinks – all of which I loved. For the price, I can’t say I was pleased with the main courses. Our meal came to over $100 with tax and tip, so it wasn’t cheap and we didn’t get any steak which would have upped the price significantly.  Nonetheless, the restaurant has an allure under the right circumstances, but it’s not for an entire meal.