Reviews of BiBo’s & The Loft, Tempest Beer, Restaurant Inspections

The Press Herald has published a review of BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe,

Although other customers came in while I was there — some for takeout, some for a sit-down lunch — I remember thinking, “Why isn’t this place packed?” For prices that, by and large, are just 50 cents to a dollar more than a foot-long fast-food sub (except for the famous $5 foot longs, of course), you can go to Bibo’s and get a great sandwich with fries and a salad, in a relaxing atmosphere, for under $10.

and of The Loft.

Maybe it’s just me, but when I’m at a place called “Portland’s Burger House,” I’d expect some sort of cosmic shift when I bite into a burger from the menu. The burgers we ordered were just average, nothing amazing. I don’t doubt that the ingredients used were fresh, but the charred taste from the fire grill overpowered the toppings added to make the burger special.

Also in today’s paper is an article about Tempest, a collaboration between Rising Tide and Bard Coffee,

Tempest was rich and roasty with the aroma of coffee beans and an opaque (almost black) color with a lot of maltiness, and was not very bitter. It is only 5 percent alcohol and lightly carbonated, but with a good, stiff head.

and an article about changes the city hopes to make in how they regulate and staff the restaurant inspection process.

Portland’s food code has not kept pace with the state’s food code, so the city staff is recommending that Portland simply adopt the state code, which would allow the city to fine violators.