Dining Advice, Tips, Recommendations, and News
PrintEating in Portland, Maine
My friend Andy Clurfeld, restaurant critic and food editor of the Asbury Park Press, has been imploring me for years to go to Portland, Maine, where she claims there is much incredible food to be had. I may go this summer, spurred on by Andy and the Food & Wine story Kate Krader just wrote. I've eaten with Kate, and she has pretty good taste buds. Here's Kate's short list along with a few comments by me (you'll know they're mine when you see my initials).
Fore Street
Address: 288 Fore Street
Phone: 207-775-2717
Woodfired, seasonal cooking by Beard Award winner Sam Heyward. Heyward's other food endeavors include The Standard Baking Company featuring hand-crafted breads & pastries, Street and Co., Scales Restaurant and Seafood Mkt., and the below-mentioned Two Fat Cats Bakery. —EL
Browne Trading Company
Address: Merrill's Wharf
Phone: 800-944-7848
Rod Mitchell's incredible seafood market is useful to know aboutif your hotel room has a fridge and/or a kitchenette. —EL
Five Fifty-Five
Address: 555 Congress Street
Phone: 207-761-0555
Fennel-crusted Casco Bay monkfish.
Caiola's
Address: 58 Pine Street
Phone: 207-772-1110
Grano and carrots in a creamy tomato sauce. Greek wines by the glass.
Bar Lola
Address: 100 Congress Street
Phone: 207-775-5652
Warm bread salad, Maine shrimp on soft polenta.
The Cheese Iron
Address: 200 U.S. Route 1, Scarborough ME
Phone: 207-883-4057
Local cheeses, wines by the glass, sandwiches.
Two Fat Cats Bakery
Address: 47 Indian Street
Phone: 207-347-5144
Apple pie, cherry pie, marshmallow buttercream-filled whoopee pies.
There is an extremely opinionated website devoted to Portland restaurants. I have no idea how discerning its reviewers are, but they are certainly passionate and populist in their orientation.—EL
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3 Comments:
I love Fore Street. My parents used to take us there on visits to other siblings in camp up in Maine. It is one of the first really great places my parents were willing to take us to as kids (we were pretty well behaved) and I remember being rewarded with phenomenal cuisine...even at age 8.
Sam Heyward is great and his menu presents a conondrum I love to have...indecision, as every single thing always sounds so appetizing.
selizara at 3:25PM on 05/17/07
You cannot talk about Portland food without mentioning Duck Fat (little sibling of Hugo's, mentioned in the F&W piece). It's a small takeout place with the most delicious Belgian fries ever. They are fried in, you guessed it, duck fat. Their duck confit salad isn't too bad either. www.duckfat.com.
--Dee
Dee at 1:42PM on 05/18/07
My husband and I had one of our BME (best meals, ever) at Fore Street when we were in Maine last August. We also had a fantastic meal at a newish place nearby called Vignola, which I understand is run by the same people who run the more-established restaurant Cinque Terre. The best lobster roll was definitely from the Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, I believe an older F&W recommendation. I can't wait to go back this year.
deb at 11:32AM on 05/20/07