The Bollard reviewed Mi Sen.
At $11, my friend’s chicken massaman curry, also on the special menu, was our biggest splurge. A Thai dish of Persian origin, this curry is slow-cooked, making for meltingly soft potatoes, onions and carrots, and a tender cut of chicken that my friend pronounced “so amazing.” But the sauce itself was the highlight, with its creamy coconut base and undertones of tamarind.
Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed C-Squared,
…the C Square Restaurant and Top of the East Lounge offer chic trappings in which to have stylish American bistro fare and expertly crafted cocktails. The kitchen strives to use locally sourced ingredients and prepares them simply and thoughtfully. Standout starter dishes at dinner include the charcuterie board, oysters three ways, panko crusted goat cheese and a good New England clam chowder. Entrees include pan-seared duck breast, day-boat scallops, brined pork tenderloin, sautéed Maine lobster and grilled beef tenderloin.
and The Golden Dish has reviewed Eventide.
All gushing aside, Eventide is as good as ever, and maybe one day they can expand next door or upstairs or somewhere so one can get in, sit at a table and eat in a civilized manner. On the other hand, shoulder to shoulder with everyone else clamoring to wine and dine there also makes the intensely delicious food seem just right.
Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Walter’s.
Walter’s continues to impress me every time I go. They’ve been rock solid over the long haul and that consistency keeps bringing me back. Don’t hesitate to go there and sit at the bar either. If you’re looking for a night out with some awesome cocktails, you can’t go wrong with their drinks. They are delicious and pack both flavor and a potent punch inside your glass. Regardless of why your going though, Walter’s is sure to please even the most discerning foodie’s pallet.
The Press Herald has published a bar review of Vinland,
Vinland isn’t just a restaurant or a bar – it’s an experience. Adjacent to Congress Square in Portland, Vinland might look unassuming from the outside, but you’re sure to leave feeling at least a little more educated about food, drink and the possibilities of a 100 percent local menu. The cocktails are playful and artistic, and the service is first-rate.
and a review of the South Portland Otto.
When I tried the mashed potato pizza, which I had before and loved, its potatoes were more smashed than mashed, with chunks of potato sitting atop the pie. The bacon was smoky and crisp. Overall a very nice pie.
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Vinland.
Vinland’s myriad ideas are most eloquently expressed when the food itself speaks for them. And the restaurant lets that happen — the menu and the service offer few hints of the righteousness that has become Vinland’s public persona. The handsome room is spare and well lit, the better to appreciate the presentation of the cuisine — which remained true to its astringent-aesthetic from that beet chip beginning to a delicious dried-parsnip crumble for dessert.
Blueberry Files has reviewed the Fishermen’s Grill.
This place isn’t sexy, but the food is the real deal. The seafood is ordered fresh daily and sourced locally. Once there weather warms up, I could see sitting outside or getting food to go and enjoying it in Baxter Woods across the street. It’s not necessarily cheap, but portions are big and easily feed two. The Fishermen’s Grill is cash only. Go check it out and enjoy the “locals only” feeling.
Star Chefs has announced their 2014 Coastal New England Rising Stars list and on it are several Maine chefs and food purveyors:
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Gather.
For a unique, thoroughly charming dining experience, Gather offers gracious dining in a country village type of setting in a historic circa 1860 former Masonic hall. The vast dining room and its dramatic space are the scene for stylish farm-to-table fare. Standout dishes include their house-made Neapolitan-style pizza, rosemary-spiked French fries, wonderfully prepared appetizers and a good selection of hearty entrees like grilled meat loaf, braised chicken leg, local pork using a rotating selection of cuts that changes periodically, grilled and poached fish, soups, hamburgers and such delicious specials as their poutine of rosemary french fries with duck. Desserts are homemade.
Down East has reviewed Empire Chinese Kitchen,
Wok-fried dumplings arrive with dipping sauce on a rectangular pottery platter; batter-fried honey walnut shrimp with citrusy yuzu mayo soon follow. There may be a brief scramble to see who can liberate their chopsticks from their paper liner first, and then the frenzy begins. What next? Perhaps one of the Cantonese classics: wonton soup or delicate steamed char sui (pork buns). An order of the heavenly baby bok choi simply tossed in the wok with a little garlic, ginger, and oyster sauce will make you never look at a green vegetable the same way again.
the Portland Phoenix has reviewed Oscar’s New American,
Just about every dish had great little touches, like the sharp and crunchy little fried capers on the deviled eggs, perched next to garlic chips that had been soaked in milk and fried. And even the one unrelentingly rich and creamy dish we tried, braised pork cheeks over those same manchego grits, was balanced and layered. A rioja reduction brought just a touch of sweet to the appealingly funky grits and tender meat.
and both The Golden Dish has reviewed Casa Fiesta.
When you don’t want to have a more rarefied Mexican meal at places like Zapoteca, or good tacos at Taco Trio in South Portland, then go to Casa Fiesta where the complexities of this sort of sensory pleasure won’t clutter your better food sense.
Culture Trip has posted an eating guide to Portland.
With local fresh seafood on its doorstep, a popular farm-to-table movement and a smattering of creative restaurants spicing up traditional recipes with contemporary flair, Portland, Maine, is quickly become a foodie’s paradise. Whether you choose from freshly dug Maine clams in a floating restaurant, New American cuisine in a former church or French fare in a cosy bistro, Portland’s eclectic dining scene – and these ten great cultural restaurants – will leave an impression.