johnnydj's Profile
Spread - new Portland restaurant to open in Gaucho/Oolong space
Licenses to be approved this week for long time Fuji head chef Jung Hur to open at 100 Commercial St.
Spread’s menu “will consist of a blend of American and Asian cuisine.” The draft menu starter/tapas has "spreads" on bread that include clam, lobster, haggis(!), yogurt seasoned vegetables and potato garlic.
Snowsquall Restaurant
This was closed for months and re-opened by a staff member - or co-owner maybe - of the Porthole restaurant last year. Haven't heard a peep about it or been myself. I have to say that the pedigree is quite capable so go try it.
Gauchos in Portland has closed.
I actually think the concept could work in a smaller space, or how about if Havana South did it for one weekend a month? I lived in Brazil as a kid and grew up loving Churrasco - it is a delicious, festive experience - but Gauchos Portland made a hash of it. I was very disappointed with the lack of commitment and, as a result, quality.
Portland - Disappointed at Miyake, but Duckfat was Fabulous (LONG)
I took a friend from Los Angeles to Miyake last night which was crowded. It was my first time in the new location. We sat at the Sushi bar and ordered three app specials and four other apps, plus some nigiri and sashimi. Uni in the shell was the best since I dove for urchin myself 10 years ago. Seared scallop with white asparagus and wakame - delicious. Beautiful ankimo, black cod and pork belly. We ploughed through two bottles of wonderful sake. My friend said it was even better than some places he'd ate in Japan. We had a really remarkable meal.
Portuguese Food in Northern Maine
This sounds outstanding. Not only is this situated in a stunning part of Maine, but
I was crying reading those menus. I lived in Southern Portugal for a long time and grew up on this food, and make it at home often, but I can tell Suzen is the real deal. Folks: make the effort to visit:
http://www.thecockatoorestaurant.com/menu.asp
Taco Trio - South Portland ME
A modest taqueria installed in the former Zeta Cafe space at 119 Ocean Ave, we were excited Saturday to finally taste what friends have described as a godsend. Brightly decorated in yellow/green motif and dotted with potted cacti, we lined up to place our order. Tacos ($3.50, 3 for $9), Sopes ($3.75, 3 for $10), Burritos ($9) and Quesadillas ($9) are available with traditional fillings like pollo e carne assados, carnitas, stewed beef, goat 'barbeque', nopales (sold out the day before), battered fish w/ lime cream, a mushroom & herbs, stewed beef or pork,and a chorizo/potato option. There is a salsa bar with combos I've never seen before, and three levels of heat (2oz - $1). Sides include guacamole, beans & rice, and chips. "Agua Frescas" (16oz $3.50) features Tamarind, Horchata, Lime and Pineapple this day, and there are sodas too.
We each had a trio of taco - carne assado, pollo assado, pescado and carnitas. All were delicious! A pal said it was most like a Los Angeles Taco truck than anything he'd seen on the East coast. I'm looking forward to trying more fillings and the 'sopes' - shallow bowls of fried corn dough w/beans, queso fresco and sour cream - and as we left, the line was out the door on a rare sunny Saturday, and the smell of fresh-grilled marinated steak almost turned us right around for another quick meal.
The East Ender - Portland
Considering the pedigree in this kitchen I am surprised little has been written here about The East Ender. Mitch Gerow worked tirelessly in the Evangeline kitchen since it opened, leaving last summer to open East Ender with his partner Megan Schroeder (Evangeline closed in November '10). They took over the space recently vacated by Norm's East End Grill, an institution for 20 years.
A very old chum had arrived in town from California and I knew Mitch wouldn't disappoint so there we were on Monday night. The beer selection is extraordinary! My friend had the locally produced Peepers Ale and I had a couple Long Trail Double Bags.
Among the nine app selections (labeled "snack") we chose oysters with champagne mignonette (14 for seven), trout fritters w/caper aioli and lemon (8), and brains and Saratoga chips with french onion dip (10). Oysters were fresh and bracing, fritters were generous and delicious but the brains were little pillows of heaven. Each of the sauces were perfectly matched - the chips were missing but that didn't bother us.
The really outstanding app was the daily selection of cured meats (10), all made in-house. A couple slices each of mortadella, sopresseta, pepperoni, baked pork belly and house-made pickles. There were also little mounds of duck liver mousse and beef cheek creton, with celery seed crackers and plum mostarda that helped accent them. Everything is made or cured on the premises, which to me, makes this place special.
There are seven salads - we chose arugula, rhubarb, walnut, goat cheese, w/rhubarb dressing (8), served lightly dressed -the goat cheese was a little quenelle, and also a fried chicken liver, radicchio, blue cheese (9) that was outstanding - the balance here was quite memorable.
Entree section features seven plates - we shared a Hudson Valley duck breast, honey polenta, fava beans,pearl onions (22). This was amazing. Decorative presentation, superb flavors and just the right amount of time on the heat..
Sides are ordered separately - we chose fava beans with house-made pancetta (5) which I loved because favas exist to be served with pork, and green beans w/toasted almonds (4), both were nice accompaniments for our duck.
I have to say the experience on the whole added up to one of the most remarkable dinners I've ever had here in Portland. The decor was unpretentious - understated perhaps. Don't go expecting big plates of food, but do go expecting memorable flavors, works of art on your plate, and an ambience of passion for serious eating.
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Norm's East End Grill
47 Middle St, Portland, ME 04101
Recommendations for post-graduation (college) lunch in Portland ME for party of 10
Saltwater Grille is an excellent idea - they also have small function rooms upstairs if you want to do something private.
Upstairs at Bull Feeneys also have spacious accomodations for groups and the menu is decent and affordable.
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Bull Feeney's
375 Fore St., Portland, ME 04101
Saltwater Grille
231 Front St, South Portland, ME 04106
Bove's, did they pay off the food network to come there?
Actually, when I started UVM in 1976, Bove's had already been around for quite a while. If I have this right (my UVM stint did a number on my memory) Bove's was catering to the old neighborhood that was wiped away to make room for urban renewal between Pearl and College, down to Battery streets. Intrepid UVM kids who couldn't afford BT McGuires, or were sick of Nectars, went the extra block or three to the unpretentious Boves.
Where could I track down a vintage Carbur's menu?
Oh, jeez! I dated the owner's neice back in the '80's and threw out that menu along with other old BTV rubbish last year! I last heard he and his wife run a B&B on Vieques island off PR now.
Getting Married In Portland, Looking For Caterers
Aurora Provisions does a fine job:
http://www.auroraprovisions.com/
If you want a distinct Maine-y feel, call Courtney at Maine Lobster Bake:
http://www.cascobaylobsterbake.com/
I made the audio/slide show (right side of homepage) of an island lobsterbake last August.
Joe's Boathouse near Spring Point Marina recently built an event-specific dockhouse right on the water:
http://www.joesboathouse.com/ordereze/Catering/Summary.aspx
Whereever you choose, book soon - Courtney tells me her weekends are getting crowded.
Dexter oyster knives, and prices of oysters at fish stores...
Definitely true. MB was remiss in not being able to produce one - a fine-able offence. This JP's in Eliot sounds fantastic. When I ran an oyster bar from my lobster boat, I ran up to Mook Sea Farm (Damariscotta/ Walpole (207) 563-1456) for 100-count bags of selects and cocktails at about .65 each. You have to call ahead.
Lobster Bake Law
It's less enforced the farther Downeast you go. Private property is not a problem. State and city parks are a fineable offense. If you are doing it in a drum or vessel of some sort (recommended) it's just a barbeque. If you are digging a hole and starting the fire early in the AM you might get away with it this late in the season
Figa - New Global Fusion Restaurant in Portland, ME
249 Congress St. Portland, ME, 04101
Hours: Tues - Thurs: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm • Fri - Sat: 5:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Chef Lee Farrington, a veteran of New York and Portland ME restaurant kitchens has finally opened her doors at Figa. The menu has a lot of Northern Indian influences, a Brazilian touch ("Figa" is a good-luck charm in Brazil), a risotto ball here, a blini there, but it looks mostly at fresh local ingredients prepared with lots of attention - in other words, tasty little works of art on your plate. Hope to visit soon and try it.
Menu:
http://www.figarestaurant.com/menu.html
another portland question: an informal dinner (Old Port) on Sunday night
I'm pretty sure the Portland Flatbread is related only to the American Flatbread Pizza place in Waterbury Vermont.
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American Flatbread
46 Lareau Rd, Waitsfield, VT 05673
Korea House - New Korean place in Portland
630 Congress used to be Happy Teriyaki, but the new Korean owners, Kum and Myung You, decided to re-vamp the menu and stick to what they do best - Korean "home-style" food. Helped by the local Korean community, they put together a menu showcasing typical and much-loved fare.
At a friends invitation, I attended a menu sampling a few weeks ago that featured some of their dishes. They included three kinds of whole-grilled fish, spicy octopus stew, bbq short rib, kimchi fried rice, a couple egg-based dishes, mussels and scallions in a spicy broth, and stuff I don't remember - all of it was pretty good and the spices were good too. Kum's daughter showed me the giant pot of simmering broth in the kitchen - the "Mother" of her Kum's soup items. She knows her stuff.
The best part - for me - is they have decided to not dumb down their menu with items one might find in a typical "Asian" American restaurant and I hope they can stick to their plan to serve authentic Korean food - some of it, I found, might be a bit challenging to some palates.
And with the opening of another Korean place on Exchange Street, it appears that the demand is really there.
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Korea House
630 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Pai Men Miyake - Noodle Bar In Portland
Yes, I did copy/paste detail from PFC - my posts with non-CH sources are usually deleted so I didn't bother attributing a source, and. no, I am not PFC nor do I work at PMM.
It sounds like an exciting first weekend here! Too bad I was in Rockport, Mass. eating shitty fried fish instead. Please don't get in a froth about PMM's opening week. It's the opening week! People who expect too much are invariably disappointed. Let's all go NEXT week and reboot.
Pai Men Miyake - Noodle Bar In Portland
[Note: With the permission of the poster, we've replaced the content of this post with a link to where it originally appeared. -- The Chowhound Team]
http://portlandfoodcoma.blogspot.com/2010/09/pai-men-miyake-now-open.html
Ebenezers Beer Dinner
Dude!
That bunch probably finally got to sleep a couple hours ago! Be patient! I can't wait either!!!
16-course gastronomic Belgian dinner - NH/ME, Aug 19
I have to echo that, adKmike. Your post was most illuminating. Sounds like a very, very special event. Thanks for sharing - and if you all are up for it, come back after and tell us how it all went.
Proust!
16-course gastronomic Belgian dinner - NH/ME, Aug 19
Thanks for posting this. Not only is the meal extra ordinary, the beers fabulous, the endless of probably really small but innovative courses jaw-dropping, but even the menu is a work of art. I wish I could go to this.
Any Oyster or Lobster Special recommendations?
Exactly. Get the steamers instead - perfection every time.
Once I had an amazing lobster on pasta in a pernod cream sauce on the outdoor patio area. J's is great fun - per cfolio - just stay away from the oysters.
Kon, Portland
About a year I think. Portland Food Coma has a hilarious review from a while back
Any Oyster or Lobster Special recommendations?
If you are serious about your oysters then you pack a quiver of shucking knives and go to Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Wharf in Portland. There are usually no less than four locally farmed oysters for sale at about $1.20 each - less if bought by the dozen - then find a spot on the pier, crack open a bottle of Sancerre, and go for it.
Where to buy fresh octopus?
Harbor Fish Market here in Portland occasionally gets fresh baby polpo - that's far, but you could call them and see what you can find out about their sourcing and be surprised that they might get it in Boston. Who knows?
Pho Hanoi in South Portland
It will be tough even approaching Seattle's Viet scene West of, well Seattle, I'd imagine.
There's another thread that mentions the unco-ordinated take-out/sit down menus. Also, I confused the numbering once and got a different pho, but I didn't mind.
Pho Hanoi in South Portland
Nope. Consistently good for us - we've been going almost every Saturday afternoon since their first week. If anything, there is a little bit of inexperience at the FOH. Give them another chance. The fried squid app is a must, as is any pho order - which is the only main I've had so far.
Cafe Zeta in SoPO
Saw that yesterday. Looks all packed up and vacant. No idea why yet
Havana South (Portland) anyone?
Some food-forum chums came up from NYC so we checked it out. Over-all, we had a good time and a quality dinner.
Started at the bar with a Mojito, Caipirinha, the "Scorned Woman" ("A Bar Harbor legend comes to Havana South -- House infused chile vodka, passion fruit juice and a chile garnish"), and some Coronas. The bar is BIG and separated from the main dining area - the foot print s largely the same as the many forgettable bars on that corner over the years. Caipirinha was properly mulled but a shade on the weak side The barkeep graciously added a capful or so of Cachaca at my request. The Scorned Woman was pretty damned exciting if you ask me - a hit.
Our party of three ordered as a team so we could share everything - 4 apps and 2 mains.
Ceviche of the day was Halibut - a regular menu item anyway but hey, it was a Monday - served in a cappuccino-style cup. VERY nice (and I make a ton of it at home) with a surprise coconut milk finish at the end. "Fire & Ice Ceviche" had a good kick to it, and a more citrus-y base. Even though the shrimp had to have been frozen, I couldn't really tell.
Tuna Escabeche was nicely paired with avocado and charred vidalia onion. I could have had more tuna, or thicker slices, but it left room for plates to come. The hit of the apps, however, were the Huitlacoche-dusted scallops. Seared and served as exotic little dark-green lumps on field greens in an agave-lime vinaigrette. Fascinating truffle-like accent. Highly recommended.
Our two mains were hotly debated, but our very pleasant server broke the deadlock with her fave, braised short ribs served over “red flannel” hash (with beets & chorizo) in a grilled tomato mole. Nicely done, even though I reserve these strictly for fall and winter, they were melt-in-your-mouth, almost like candy. The paella arrived on a white plate, startling the hell out of me since I've always had it - or cooked it - terra-cotta style. It didn't smell promising either, but as we picked through the shrimp and perfectly-done chicken thigh, I realized we were dealing with that char one finds on the business side of a paella pan. The rice was gloriously muddy, and since we ended up sopping every last grain, mussel, and chorizo slice, I realized I had no reason to be faulting this kitchen for this effort. We chose a Cava for our apps and the house sangria for the mains which made for a most enjoyable dinner.
So it may not be Cuba, or Brazil or Spain or whatever, I feel the effort to bring a respectful approach to Latin-inspired cuisine to Portland is largely successful. If it were a smaller venue, it would make more sense to geo-specialize like Tu Casa, or chef-focused like Figa, but Mr. Boland and Mr. Pappas have put many cuisines on a broad menu under a large roof on Wharf Street where a change was sorely needed.
We were seated in a brick alcove at the edge of the open-air terrace on the Old Port Cobblestones, the Eastern-most end of this cavernous place. I began counting the incarnations that had been in that spot; I remember the pizza place next to The Forge; G'vannis attempt at deli fare; some other sub and coffee ventures, but on this warm summer night, I was transported back to Brazil where I lived with my parents having a great night with friends, and this bit of Wharf street seemed to have finally become what it was meant to be.
