Brief jaunt to Portland, Maine

georgia · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 456 Location: california

In a couple of weeks I'll be spending a brief time (only a day or so) in Portland, Maine. Any dining suggestions would be much appreciated. Lunch? Dinner? I do love lobster Laughing

, but I think it won't be in season. What else should I look for? Thanks much.

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

That's a loong way to go for one lunch and dinner, even lobster--have you considered Portland, Oregon instead? Wink

If there are no C&Z responses from Main--what are people from Maine called?? -- you could take a look at the Chowhound site, they usually have suggestions galore.

georgia · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 456 Location: california

GP, you crack me up! They're called Mainers, I think. Maybe DownEasters. They crack me up, too. It's another world, particularly the rural areas. Once on a vacation there many years ago my husband (he of the Tin Ear) listened intently and politely to an entire evening's conversation with the owner of the B&B where we were staying. When we retired, he finally asked me, "What language was he speaking? German?" Duh. No matter that I do not speak German...

Nevertheless, Maine is beautiful, and I'm glad to be going there again even for a cup of coffee.

***Radio advertisement I heard while I was there--can't imagine what it was advertising:

Old Timer: You newcomers just don't understand our ways.

Man: Newcomers? My parents moved here when I was a baby. I've lived here for years and years. My children were born here. Wouldn't you call them Mainers?

Old Timer: Welllll (draw this out looong), my cat had kittens in my kitchen stove, but I wouldn't call them biscuits...

And there you have Maine....

robinorig · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:27 am Post subject:

here's one suggestion:
Fore Street
Portland's best-known restaurant, headed by Chef/Owner Sam Hayward, is located on, you guessed it, Fore Street, above Standard Baking Company, which is on the outskirts of the Old Port near the Franklin Arterial. Food is cooked in an apple wood-fired oven and on spits turning over an open hearth in view of diners. It can take several days to get a reservation, so be sure to call ahead, especially in summer. The restaurant has been written up in nearly every fine food magazine, including Saveur, Food Arts and Wine Spectator, and was ranked 16th of the nation's top 50 restaurants by Gourmet Magazine. 288 Fore Street, Portland. 207-775-2717.

There are loads of restaurants there, so you could also wander around town and find something nice. It's a very charming place. I'm about 2 hours from there in Boston.
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
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http://www.robinoriginals.com/eats.html

Melly · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:06 am Post subject:

We lived in Portland when we were first married. (We called them Mainiacs, but we are crazy Floridians.) Our favorite restaurant was Walter's which is on Exchange Street. Whenever my husband has to go up there for work, he still goes there. (It has been a few years since he's been up there, though.) Their calamari appetizer is wonderful. It is unlike any other calamari dish I have ever had, and involves balsamic vinegar. After dinner, head over to Gritty McDuff's for a microbrew. We enjoyed living there, but for the weather.

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

Georgia, it sounds like a charming place, even if one would always be an "outsider". Somehow that makes me respect them, being a private person myself..

~~Try the biscuits~~

I have a fat cookbook-- "The L.L. Bean Book of New New England Cookery" which I have barely looked at. It does state that New Englanders are as competitive as Texans when it comes to chili!

friend · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:15 pm Post subject:

Fore Street is amazing! It has been listed as one of the top joints in country. There is a bakery just below Fore Street that is incredible, seek it out! If you need something a little more casual, try Flat Bread. It is a superb organic pizza place right on the water. They have giant handmade pizza ovens made of river rocks and mortar.

NYT's ranked the fish market/monger the third best in the US. The guy does dinner's at the market from time to time and is open for lunch. There is also a really great kitchen store down by the water.

Portland is a great food town and is easily wandered on foot. I ate at a few other places that were also good but their names escape me now. A word of warning, Portland has a very large and unsavoury homeless population. While I pity their plight, most have been released from mental institutions and are very unstable. Most are from further south and given one way bus tickets on their release and Portland happens to be the end of the line.

georgia · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 456 Location: california

Thanks, Everyone, for such great ideas and recommendations. Now I'm sorry I won't be spending more time in Portland (as it is, the Portland jaunt will just be part of a long weekend with an old friend).

Gingerpale, take another look at your L.L. Bean book on New England cookery. It's by Judith and Evan Jones. Judith Jones is the great book editor who convinced her publishing house (Knopf, I think) to pick up a manuscript other houses had rejected: Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Yes, that Mastering the Art... She's also the editor of Claudia Roden and other top-flight food writers and chefs. Her own biography is due to be published in October, and I fully expect it to be fascinating and well written.

Can you tell she's one of my heroes?

Once again, thanks to all for all the Portland tips.

georgia · Joined: 16 May 2006 Posts: 456 Location: california

Correction: it's Judith Jones' autobiography that's due. Hence, my expectation of excellence.

robinorig · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 6:27 am Post subject: re: Judith Jones

There was an article about her in last week's Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/ae/food/articles/2007/09/26/behind_every_great_cookbook/

I just read it earlier today while catching up on some of my stacks of reading material...

I'm sure the book will be great reading!
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
- Albert Einstein
http://www.robinoriginals.com/eats.html

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

georgia and robinorig--oh yes! the Anne Frank lady* from the Julia Child book!--I had no idea. And sitting on my shelves are Irene Kuo, Edna Lewis, Joan Nathan**--again, I had no idea. It is nice to hear that her autobiography won't be so "edgy" that it makes you sort of cringe to read it, which has sort of been the trend lately?

*Judith Jones not only jumped on "Mastering.." but also "The Diary of Anne Frank", which she rescued from a reject pile.

**you'd think I'd be a much better meal maker by now

robinorig · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject: re: Judith Jones

That she "discovered" Anne Frank's diary was remarkable enough and could have been construed as lucky. But having discovered and championed so many great talents shows her taste and brilliance, even if she was very tough. I am looking forward to reading her book!
_________________
"Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
- Albert Einstein
http://www.robinoriginals.com/eats.html