Reviews: Blue Spoon, Salt Exchange, Kon Asian Bistro

Maine Travel Maven published a review of The Salt Exchange.

I went with the duck sliders paired with the cioppino; my lunch date chose the brie and the pumpkin-lobster bisque. We substituted orders of house-made truffle chips and caper chips for the plain ole regular variety. The chips arrived first, and I would have munched happily on these all day. The truffle won, but the caper flavor was darn close.

Appetite Portland published a review of Blue Spoon,

I want to love Blue Spoon. Menu items are creative and fairly priced. Produce and meats seem local and fresh. Service is friendly and fast. And yet – more often than not – I’m perplexed and underwhelmed by the culinary execution.

and From Away has published a review of Kon Asian Bistro.

It doesn’t bring us any joy to give a restaurant a negative review…If what you are after, though, is any kind of acceptable take on Chinese, Thai, or Japanese food, or even any kind of self-aware, kitschy “Asian fusion” cuisine, you are going to be sorely disappointed in Kon. It is, quite simply, really bad food.

This Week's Events

Monday Haven’s is holding their annual Open House at the Westbrook location; tour the candy factory, make your own candy and try samples.
Wednesday Wine Wise is teaching the second of 2 classes on sparkling wine at The Wine Bar, and RSVP is having a wine tasting.
Thursday — Andy Crouch, author of The Good Beer Guide to New England and Great American Craft Beer will be at The Great Lost Bear for a book signing.
Friday — The James Beard Foundation will start accepting nominations for the 2011 JBF awards.
Saturday — there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough.
Farmer’s Markets — the traditional series of Farmer’s Markets are taking place Wednesday (Monument Square) and Saturday (Deering Oaks Park). Cultivating Community is running their new series of markets Wednesday and Thursday at various locations around the city.
For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.
If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

This Week’s Events

Monday Haven’s is holding their annual Open House at the Westbrook location; tour the candy factory, make your own candy and try samples.

Wednesday Wine Wise is teaching the second of 2 classes on sparkling wine at The Wine Bar, and RSVP is having a wine tasting.

Thursday — Andy Crouch, author of The Good Beer Guide to New England and Great American Craft Beer will be at The Great Lost Bear for a book signing.

Friday — The James Beard Foundation will start accepting nominations for the 2011 JBF awards.

Saturday — there will be a cooking class at Kitchen & Cork in Scarborough.

Farmer’s Markets — the traditional series of Farmer’s Markets are taking place Wednesday (Monument Square) and Saturday (Deering Oaks Park). Cultivating Community is running their new series of markets Wednesday and Thursday at various locations around the city.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Review of Otto/Enzo Pizza

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Otto/Enzo Pizza.

I was so happy when Otto Pizza came to town. Before their arrival, I didn’t have a good go-to slice bar in town, having been disappointed with Bill’s Pizza and not loving the New York Slice Bar. But Otto changed my pizza life- I love their pizza and want to eat it all the time. OK, I’m exaggerating, but it is the perfect place to stop whenever you’re out with friends on the First Friday Art Walk, out drinking, or just want to have a good, no frills dinner.

Bayside Bowl & Restaurant Staffing

The Portland Daily Sun has published a commentary on the food at Bayside Bowl,

Nope, Bayside Bowl ain’t your daddy’s bowling alley. That’s not to say that you have to plow your way through a crowd of Riesling sippers to get your bowling shoes; the menu has juicy burgers, plenty of fries (both white and sweet potato) and an overstuffed chicken chimichanga that can feed two or three people. Bayside Bowl has created a menu for both Portland foodies and those who simply want something to fill the stomach (or absorb that last pitcher of beer).

and a look at a look at some of the internal staff dynamics at restaurants,

Most independently owned and operated restaurants are divided (usually in a figurative and literal sense) between the “front of the house (FOH)” which are the servers, hosts, bussers, food runners, bar staff and FOH managers; and the “back-of-the-house (BOH)” which is made up the chefs — executive and sous, line cooks, salad/dessert people and dishwashers.