This is the last installment of my Portland restaurant reviews, though I expect I’ll have more to share as I try new places – and I still have to cover restaurants outside of Portland!
Most of the restaurants below were recommended either by Portland media or friends. Amazingly, it’s only a drop in the Portland dining bucket.
David’s: A cozy warren
of rooms, I nabbed an excellent table in the bar area on a chilly night in
June. The Scottish salmon Mediterranean
was good, though I thought the flavors were a little heavy-handed. On the other hand, the chef may have been
responding to the weather by creating a ‘comfort’ dish.
of rooms, I nabbed an excellent table in the bar area on a chilly night in
June. The Scottish salmon Mediterranean
was good, though I thought the flavors were a little heavy-handed. On the other hand, the chef may have been
responding to the weather by creating a ‘comfort’ dish.
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| Oysters at Eventide |
Ebb and Flow: An odd name, I thought, for a
Mediterranean restaurant, but a great space and good food. I had a
simple meal here, soup and salad, but both were fantastic. It’s a good place to
visit with a large group as there are a number of large tables, and plates are
meant for sharing.
Mediterranean restaurant, but a great space and good food. I had a
simple meal here, soup and salad, but both were fantastic. It’s a good place to
visit with a large group as there are a number of large tables, and plates are
meant for sharing.
Eventide: Great
oysters, great lobster roll, many other tempting small plates and craft
beers. A fellow diner told me the brown
butter lobster roll was ‘life-changing,’ so I had to have it. I’m still the
same person, but it was excellent.
oysters, great lobster roll, many other tempting small plates and craft
beers. A fellow diner told me the brown
butter lobster roll was ‘life-changing,’ so I had to have it. I’m still the
same person, but it was excellent.
Fore Street: Aargh. My first high-end restaurant in
Portland, and the only one my husband got to try. Despite booking weeks in advance,
we could only get a 9 pm reservation. We arrived early (around 8 pm) to have a
cocktail and with the hope of maybe getting seated earlier. We put in our name and
ordered a cocktail in the lounge. By 9:30 we still weren’t seated (after
checking a couple times), so we took an open seat at the bar. Food was good,
but it will never overcome the terrible service. I even commented on Open
Table, but never heard back from the restaurant. Guess they’re so well-known
they don’t think they have to treat diners with respect.
Portland, and the only one my husband got to try. Despite booking weeks in advance,
we could only get a 9 pm reservation. We arrived early (around 8 pm) to have a
cocktail and with the hope of maybe getting seated earlier. We put in our name and
ordered a cocktail in the lounge. By 9:30 we still weren’t seated (after
checking a couple times), so we took an open seat at the bar. Food was good,
but it will never overcome the terrible service. I even commented on Open
Table, but never heard back from the restaurant. Guess they’re so well-known
they don’t think they have to treat diners with respect.
Green Elephant: This place
always gets voted Best Vegetarian, and has been mentioned to me by locals on numerous occasions. I definitely enjoyed it, but it didn’t stand out that much from other good vegetarian places. It’s in the hipster area of Congress Street so it’s a great place to eat before a concert at one of the many venues in the area.
always gets voted Best Vegetarian, and has been mentioned to me by locals on numerous occasions. I definitely enjoyed it, but it didn’t stand out that much from other good vegetarian places. It’s in the hipster area of Congress Street so it’s a great place to eat before a concert at one of the many venues in the area.
Hot Suppa: I didn’t love my cocktail or dinner, but they
were good, and I think I ordered the wrong items for my taste. I’d give
it another shot – and it’s supposed to be great for brunch.
were good, and I think I ordered the wrong items for my taste. I’d give
it another shot – and it’s supposed to be great for brunch.
Hunt & Alpine Club: Scandinavian small plates –
really a snack rather than a full meal – but an intriguing spot. I could channel Stockholm visiting after
a movie on a snowy night.
really a snack rather than a full meal – but an intriguing spot. I could channel Stockholm visiting after
a movie on a snowy night.
Lolita: The aroma coming from this cozy place on Munjoy
Hill gave me an appetite even though I wasn’t very hungry. As seems to be the
trend in Portland, it offers small, medium and large plates. We enjoyed our
local Maine cheese selection and loved the leek and crème fraiche tart. I
enjoyed my buccatini with sardines, currants and pine nuts, but my dining
companion found her pork chop too tough. She enjoyed the grilled cheese
sandwich she had for lunch at the Superette nearby better.
Hill gave me an appetite even though I wasn’t very hungry. As seems to be the
trend in Portland, it offers small, medium and large plates. We enjoyed our
local Maine cheese selection and loved the leek and crème fraiche tart. I
enjoyed my buccatini with sardines, currants and pine nuts, but my dining
companion found her pork chop too tough. She enjoyed the grilled cheese
sandwich she had for lunch at the Superette nearby better.
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| Inside Lolita |
Mi Sen: A noodle shop down the street from Green Elephant where prices are low, and service is fast and friendly. It’s also really convenient to the Congress Street theaters. Boda, a Thai restaurant on Congress Street, also gets great reviews from locals – it’s on my list to try.
Old Port Sea Grill: Had one wonderful meal here and one
so-so dinner. The so-so was a fish dish with too much going on. Go for simple
preparations and you won’t be disappointed.
so-so dinner. The so-so was a fish dish with too much going on. Go for simple
preparations and you won’t be disappointed.
Street & Co.: Had two meals here at the bar. The
first was simple broiled scallops, the second an interesting fish dish. Both were good, and the
bar worked for me during the winter, though it gets packed in season.
first was simple broiled scallops, the second an interesting fish dish. Both were good, and the
bar worked for me during the winter, though it gets packed in season.
Sur Lie: Maybe I ordered wrong (though I took the
bartender’s recommendations.) Maybe I felt old next to the hipsters at the bar.
In either case, I was underwhelmed.
bartender’s recommendations.) Maybe I felt old next to the hipsters at the bar.
In either case, I was underwhelmed.
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| Typewriters on the wall at Union |
Union at the Press Hotel: I had to try this restaurant
since it’s housed in the former home of the Portland Press Herald. Being in
the newspaper biz (albeit digital) most of my career, I was eager to see how
they re-imagined the space. It’s well done, with typewriters, typewriter cases and fonts as motifs. The food was even better – my scallops were
probably the best I’ve had in Maine, and my dining companion enjoyed her salmon.
Happy to see the venerable old building get a second life!
since it’s housed in the former home of the Portland Press Herald. Being in
the newspaper biz (albeit digital) most of my career, I was eager to see how
they re-imagined the space. It’s well done, with typewriters, typewriter cases and fonts as motifs. The food was even better – my scallops were
probably the best I’ve had in Maine, and my dining companion enjoyed her salmon.
Happy to see the venerable old building get a second life!
It's What We Do 