Category: Reviews

The folks at Flipkey, a division of the travel site Trip Advisor, have included Bite into Maine in their list of places to go “where legendary sandwiches are being served.”

As the third mobile restaurant on our America’s Best Sandwiches list, the lobster rolls of Bite into Maine are hard to beat. Found not far from Portland Head Light, Maine’s premiere lighthouse, this truck serves an at-home take on the lobster roll with classic mayonnaise as well as some twisted versions involving curry or even chipotle.

This winter season, Bite into Maine has been dishing up their lobster rolls at the Sunday River Ski Resort. Look for them at the North Peak Lodge.

Booze, Fish & Coffee and The Blueberry Files have posted a review of their opening night visits to Miyake Diner.

This week Bo and Brian popped in to the brand-spanking new Miyake Diner on opening night. This cozy izakaya spot is like the All-Star Game of Portland cuisine: Masa Miyake is the man in charge, with the Small Axe guys Karl Deuben and Bill Leavy also in the kitchen, and Joe Ricchio tending bar. We’ve been practically camping out on Spring Street, waiting for this place to open, and it was most definitely worth the wait. Rest assured: you’ll leave this place extremely comforted. Don’t miss the okonomiyake (scallion pancake – be sure to get both scallops and bacon) or the whelk in anchovy butter. [BFC]

If you’ve had any of Chef Miyake and crew’s food, you know that quality is not an issue here. Everything we had was very good. Instead, the food is surprising. The firm, tender octopus with crunchy onions in savory broth. Eggplant and eel pared together. Springy scallops and smoky bacon with sharp pickled ginger. The complex, unexpected flavors of the curry. [TBF]

The Kennebec Journal has reviewed Grace.

The components of the dishes here are not just sides on the plate. They raise the dish to another level. With the first bite, I knew immediately that this was the best chicken I’ve ever tasted. The meat was tender and moist while the seasoned coating made it delectable. George sampled it as well and declared the same thing.

Tandem Coffee was an award winner at the 2014 Good Food Awards for their Aylele Yirgacheffe coffee.

You can see a photo of co-owner Will Pratt with the award on Instagram, and a list of the competing coffee finalists on the GFA website.

For more information on the judging process see this article from Sprudge.

For a complete list of winners see the GFA website.

Update: For additional reporting on Tandem’s win see the article from the Bangor Daily News.

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed El Tipico,

El Tipico falls into the same sweet spot — it’s not flawless, but it is worth appreciating.

Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed Shay’s,

If you’re looking for a place with great deals, tasty food offerings, and a wide array of beverage options, Shays is your place.  It’s also a great place to sit back and enjoy a drink in the heart of Portland.

and The Golden Dish has reviewed Outliers.

What impressed me so about the dinner there was the kitchen’s ability to serve a very approachable menu of highly provocative American bistro fare. Flavors were clear and bright, the cooking was meticulous; even the gorgeous pottery serving plates are unique and stylish. What’s more the dining room is extremely inviting—luxuriously inviting.

The Blueberry Files visited Little Bigs over the weekend to join the crowd buying a cronut and has posted a review of the bakery.

Hunt & Alpine is on the Find Eat Drink list of the top 50 places to drink at in 2014.

This Old Port craft cocktail bar is new to the Portland nightlife scene. Bartender and owner Andrew Volk worked at Clyde Common in Portland, OR. Volk says his cocktails are “seasonally changing and spanning from pre-prohibition drinks to recipes sourced from some of our favorite bars.” They also have a Scandinavian-influenced food menu with oysters, deviled smoked trout, open-faced peekytoe crab sandwiches and cured meats from Olympic Provisions.

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Twenty Milk Street.

For solid steak-house, American bistro-style fare, the kitchen excels with simple yet well-prepared dishes. Their unique stone-heated bread basket holds a delicious house-made cranberry wheat bread. The lobster stew is classic, and steaks and chops are simply prepared in the Continental style. Fillet of beef from heritage Piedmontese beef is highly prized, as are grilled local lamb chops and Kurobuta heritage pork chops. Desserts are house-made, and the wine list is well represented with bottlings from the major wine-producing regions.