grittys457's Profile
Moxie
Available at most corner stores. It is so bad that it's good. I hated it for years and drank it til I liked it. Now I love it.
Best Breakfast/Brunch in Portland Maine
Hot Suppa and Bayou are both great.
I'm probably the most fussy person on cleanliness of a place, so I'm wondering if you guys that are talking about the Porthole actually walk in and look at the kitchen. Good lord, it's like somebody threw a vat of grease covering every single thing in sight. No thank you.
Spread - new Portland restaurant to open in Gaucho/Oolong space
Such a great location and set up. Hoping someone finally makes it work.
Portland eats - how do these places sound?
I'd like to stick up for Portland Lobster company. Great place to go in the summer, listen to some music, and for tourist trap food, it's actually decent. Also have Allagash Black on tap so bonus points.
I had a great meal on my first visit to Petite Jacqueline this weekend. Same owners as 555 and a price notch down. Quality was right there though.
If you've never been to Grace, go there just to see it. Sit at the bar or lounge seats upstairs or have a full meal.
What's Open for Lunch on Monday in Portland?
Don't want to be a broken record on this forum but how about Nosh? Might get a little too loud but still bigger than Duckfat (and fries just as good even though everyone on this board will argue against that).
My other go lunch spots are Paciarino and The Crooked Mile.
New England dining in 2012
I just wanna eat more Nosh and more Paciarino and then eat at them twice more after that.
On a serious note, probably try Figa, maybe Bresca for lunch, and actually Elevation Burger for a chain once it opens soon out near the mall.
new years DAY (& monday) in portland?
Yeah, Novare is the place to be for beer. Nosh has some good beers on tap too like Oxbow Saison Noel.
You could check out a Maine Red Claws game if you're into basketball at all. They play at five on new years day.
Weekend in Portland report
You have got to be kidding me with the walking from your hotel to those spots? Somebody who lives here wouldn't do that walk probably in their entire life! lol, you're obviously earning your meals when you finally get there. Not exactly the most scenic of hikes you went on.
Weird you mentioned about the flies. We went a couple weeks ago and they were really buzzing around the bar. One was even mashed into the menu so we had to get a new one. Look, I love Grace but some of the portion sizes are stupidly small. Got the ravioli on the bar menu for 9 bucks. It was 3 small ones on a plate. Three, the number three, not three dozens, not three times three, but three. I almost called down to paciarino to bring me up a plate so I wouldn't starve to death. Their bar menu burger is awesome though. Little and awesome.
Gauchos in Portland has closed.
Spot has already been leased. Now that was fast. Don't know by who yet
Any decent sports bars in Portland?
For sports pub food I always thought Rivalries did a good job. You have Buffalo Wild Wings in south portland. Sweet setup and beer selection and you know what you're getting with the food.
Why not take him for a nice lunch first and then head to Rivalries for drinks and snacks or something?
Gauchos in Portland has closed.
It's a cursed spot now which there are many of in portland. Too bad because it's a great space. Somebody who is established with other restaurants here needs to open up in there. Can't be a restaurant from a new name. Seems to be the Portland way now. To open up a place that's successful, you already have to have one. Aspara closed too a block away. Both great spaces.
Best Cheeseburger in Portland, Maine
I don't have to have the kitchen in view. You know when a place has decent folks working the kitchen and how much they care about their place. Places like Paciarino or even the lunch place Crooked Mile, you know they care about what they are doing and they all look presentable. Obviously Primo is going to be doing everything right up there.
I've just talked with so many delivery guys and even health inspectors over the years, it's just a bad scene out there. I know this is off topic but you guys really don't get bothered walking up to a restaurant and seeing a couple filthy cooks chain smoking by the dumpster? You can tell when a cook wants to work at a place instead of just has to work.
And back on topic, I eat at almost no chain restaurants but for what it's worth, Five Guys is probably one of the better options in town for a burger.
I also remember reading a blog or some food article on how good Blue Spoon's burgers are on munjoy hill. I've been there for breakfast but never for dinner. Anybody had the burger there?
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/11/grass-fed-burgers-review-the-blue-spoon-portland-maine.html
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Crooked Mile
8 Milk St, Portland, ME 04101
Blue Spoon
89 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101
Paciarino
468 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101
Best Cheeseburger in Portland, Maine
Nothing to do with the burger but the kitchen. I wouldn't eat at Rosie's either. I'm far from a food snob, quite the opposite. I just gotta have a clean and non creepy looking kitchen in view. Of the 150 places we have to eat in this city I probably only have 5-10 I'll eat at due to trusting them not to be nasty. I've worked in the food biz since I was a little kid and I'm just disgusted by what I see by side doors of restaurants. I don't need to see gnarly cook with a disgusting apron smoking a cancer stick and looking like he's out on bail. I must be alone in this feeling cause I see a lot of people packing places intown that obviously haven't had their kitchen cleaned since Clinton was in office.
Best Cheeseburger in Portland, Maine
I wouldn't eat at the Great Lost Bear with my dead great grandfather's mouth.
Nosh makes some pretty mean burgers.
Honestly the best burger I've had in Portland is the bar menu burger at Grace. It's kinda small but oh my god is it good. It's reminds me of a smaller version of the burger at 555 which is also really good.
We're getting Elevation Burger out by Buffalo Wild Wings in South Portland. Not sure when that's opening but I guess it's like an organic version of Five Guys with fries cooked in olive oil.
I also hear Wild Willy's by the mall is pretty good with good fries as well. I know Bruce who started King Henry VIII's runs Wild Willy's so I'm sure he's keeping it tight and in order.
But yeah, go to the bar at Grace sometime and get that burger.
Looking for some resurants in Portland,ME
lol, Irwin you gotta be a part investor in Becky's cause you always mention them and they are not good. Who on earth would pick breakfast there over something like Hot Suppa or even District from what I've heard. I used to go to Becky's all the time hungover on the weekend and finally realized it wasn't bad cause I was half drunk, it just wasn't good.
Nosh- If you want a great selection of microbrews and awesome hand carved meat sandwich and whatnot. Bacon dusted fries for the win.
Grace- Might be a good place to have a drink before dinner just to see the atmosphere there.
Novare Res- Best bar in the city, hands down. You like beer? You'll like Novare. Big outdoor deck too to roam on and get some air.
Fun bars to just drink some beer and be elbow to elbow with folks... Gritty's, Bull Feeney's, Rira.
Also love Paciarino and you're probably not going there but just want to agree with the other poster on here.
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Bull Feeney's
375 Fore St., Portland, ME 04101
Hot Suppa
703 Congress St, Portland, ME 04102
Paciarino
468 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101
Beer - Best place to fill a growler in Portland ME
"I assume these are pre-filled at the brewery, and these stores do not have filling stations?"
Yeah, my bad. Those are filled already. On a side beer note, I'm looking forward to trying the new Maine brewery Oxbow at Novare tonight. Supposed to be a nop notch farmhouse style beer.
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26439/72219
Beer - Best place to fill a growler in Portland ME
There are a few growlers of certain Maine beers at both whole foods and RSVP
When Pigs Fly Pizzeria In Kittery-- any thoughts?
Yeah just saw that TV Diner review tonight. From the highlights I'm now hungry. I live much closer to the Freeport location. Is that location good? I know it can't be what this new place is as it's fairly small I think.
Ebenezer's Annual Belgian Beer Dinner
Thanks Ezra. I've tried to cut down on my beer a bit but stopping at Kappy's yesterday for some Pretty Things beer didn't help. My fav beer on earth is still Black Albert which as you know was brewed in honor for the gang at Ebenezer's
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Kappy's
416 S Main St, Rutland, VT 05701
Ebenezer's Annual Belgian Beer Dinner
I'd skip the food and just drink those beers. What a lineup. Gotta make that drive up there sometime from Portland. On a side but related note, what's the opinion on Lion's Pride in Brunswick? I know it's the sister bar of Ebenezer's but how about the food and in general?
Family friendly Maine fare before seadogs game?
I really think Portland Lobster is the most underrated place to eat in the old port. So many of those eateries along the waterfront are old, dirty, and have some characters for cooks out by the dumpster looking rather not clean. It's like Portland Lobster knows it's only open for a few months and they get a great crew who just crank it out during that time with a smile on their face. Prices are super cheap for a tourist trap for many items on the menu and it's great for kids, a couples night out or out with friends. Avocado wrap, allagash beer, sitting on the water, listening to Pete Kilpatrick band for free? That's a good deal.
Lunch in Portland ME near the train station?
This is why the Forefront at Thompson's Point is going to be such a great project when it's built and completed in a couple years. Turn an entire wasteland near the station into a big new clean area with eating and entertainment. I would also think they'd start providing more shuttle service from there to the old port.
Family friendly Maine fare before seadogs game?
I would go to Portland Lobster company. It's literally out on the water, outdoors with picnic tables, very decent food for a tourist trap, workers are all presentable, great beers on tap (get an allagash black) and there might even be some music. After that cross the street and get some ice cream at Beal's or go to gorgeous gelato.
Lunch in Portland ME near the train station?
I sound like I'm on the city council the way they do things. I lived across from that apartment where it happened before. Nice neighborhood, just a bad apartment where that occured. Just thought it was weird we were just talking about that stretch of road hours before on this thread. It's 100% safe walk from the train station to the union station area, it's just depressing though.
Lunch in Portland ME near the train station?
I can't believe somebody was shot to death outside on Congress street this morning right in the area I was talking about in this thread. Creepy coincidence. Yeah, better get that cab
Lunch in Portland ME near the train station?
lol, as a lifetime Portlander, I don't want to think of this person taking that scenic walk from the train station to union station. Only homeless people, drunks, and lost Sea Dogs players walk that part of Congress. Dogfish would be a good stop for food though.
Just take a cab intown. There is no way it's 15 bucks. Runs you right through that first exit and down on commercial street, take three minutes. Plenty of time to walk the exchange street, fore street, commercial street loop and hit up Duckfat if that's what you want. It's seriously such a short cab ride, I'd avoid the walking part unless you wanna wrestle a dude with a shopping cart and a makeshift knife under the bridge.
September in Portland, ME
Surprised nobody has said Grace yet. Most visually appealing restaurant with lots of a room and no pretensiousness at all. Plenty of options on the menu for people who aren't foodies like myself. I like going out to eat but I have the eating range of a four year old.
Has anyone been to 15 Exchange St.?
It's just G'Vanni's under a different name isn't it? I know they had their sign up but switched it before or right after opening. I don't ever see anybody in there. I still have no idea how Linda Bean's place is still open. I mean that place is always dead.
A couple doors down from 15 Exchange there is another italian place going in by people who owned places in Boston. Popular tourist street but it seems nothing for food does well on it besides Fuji.
http://www.mainebiz.biz/news47764.html
Cocktail Bar Saturday Night, Coffee Shop Sunday Morning...Portland
You're right next to Paciarino in the hotel. Perhaps a few peeks in will make you change your mind for a saturday lunch spot.
You could try to go to Walter's across the street from you for a cocktail. Probably super busy but it's right there so you could check real quick. Armory and Standard are good choices though.
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Paciarino
468 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101
Henry VIII in Portland is closing!
Used to go there all the time years ago when Bruce was still running it. I know he's running Wild Willy's by the mall now.
The sandwiches were so good at Henry's, very underrated by most people and never talked about on this board. That's too bad, wonder what will go in there. Such a compact spot, seems better for a smoothie shop or something.
