Portland ME Restaurants

[phenomprincess]

I've been lurking on this board for a few weeks now, but I'd like to join in since Halcyon's topic is very closely related to mine, in fact it is identical. My husband and I are traveling to Maine for a week-long rental above Bar Harbor, however our last night will be spent in Portland. We have a reservation for Hugo's, mostly because my husband spent some time at Daniel a few years ago and Daniel recommended Hugo's. We are considering cancelling and checking out Duckfat and maybe a few other places - we are really into eating at the bar, ordering appetizers and trying lots of different food.

Any suggestions?

p.s. Thanks for all the great info on this thread - I've really enjoyed it!

[Siren]

Best to make the reservations as soon as you've decided about it, Halcyon.. I know it fills up on weekends.

Phenom, there is a place up on Munjoy Hill called Cafe Lola, they have tapas and the owners/staff have worked @ Street and Co./Fore Str. and it comes highly recommended. It's located @ 100 Congress St. and I would definately make reservations as it's a smaller venue and is very popular on the weekend.

[birder53]

I've been lurking on this board for a few weeks now, but I'd like to join in since Halcyon's topic is very closely related to mine, in fact it is identical.  My husband and I are traveling to Maine for a week-long rental above Bar Harbor, however our last night will be spent in Portland.  We have a reservation for Hugo's, mostly because my husband spent some time at Daniel a few years ago and Daniel recommended Hugo's.  We are considering cancelling and checking out Duckfat and maybe a few other places - we are really into eating at the bar, ordering appetizers and trying lots of different food. 

Any suggestions? 

p.s.  Thanks for all the great info on this thread - I've really enjoyed it!

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Duckfat is a very tiny place with limited seating at a counter and some bar tables. There is no waiter service and the menu is limited. It's a great spot for lunch, but not really what I would consider a replacement for the type of meal you would have at Hugo's. We have had dinner there and it was great, but it isn't fine dining.

[phenomprincess]

Duckfat is a very tiny place with limited seating at a counter and some bar tables. There is no waiter service and the menu is limited. It's a great spot for lunch, but not really what I would consider a replacement for the type of meal you would have at Hugo's. We have had dinner there and it was great, but it isn't fine dining.

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[erikd]

i agree with siren on the bar Lola route. Josh and Guy are owners of 158, and Christian was the chef at Fore Street way back. There isn't a bad dish on their menu, and the wine list is very affordable, as well as delicious. They are all great cooks.

Duckfat is perfect for a lunch. The fries live in the same world as gods and generals.....the sandwiches are so good that conversation at the table is not necessary.......

555 will offer a slick dining room with great service, and the food is eloquently simple....every morsel on the plate will taste wonderful, plus they are in tune with the Maine micro-seasons, and always offer the best of product from the local farms

Hugos is more of a commitment. Last month i ate 14 or 15 courses at hugos, with wine pairings. I clearly remember each dish, as well as the wine served (well, maybe not all of the wine) Rob, Nancy and their brilliant staff will knock your socks off. Janet seemed to be in charge of the wines, and managed to match a wine with a cod dish that had some (literal) smoke. She was spot on, and the whole table was without words. If you choose to dine at hugos, drag janet into the mix, and let her choose your wine for you. She's fuing brilliant

erik

[phenomprincess]

We actually won't exactly be in Portland for lunch time...our rental is 5+ hours from Portland, so we'll arrive around 3. We are staying over at the Sheraton by the airport on our way in (getting very, very late from NJ), and we intend to stop into Brown Trading Company to get some treats for the car, so maybe we can take a quick tour of the city too.

[phenomprincess]

So.....any other great bar recs?

I like the idea of Bar Lola, I just wish they had a website so I could see a menu. Quite frankly, I've never been to a tapas restaurant before, so I just wanted a preview of what is offered.

[Siren]

If you do a search, you may be able to find the review from mainetoday.com and thephoenix.com.

[johnnyd]

Further down Commercial Street is Oolong where eG member and mixologist extraordinaire fatdeko mans the bar Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Also Katahdin Restaurant, 106 High Street, has a great martini. Also, UNA at 505 Fore St makes a nice one too.

[johnnyd]

Mort Peche strikes again...

edit to add: see restaurant review archive for this article

Pat's Meat Market has been a fixture in Portland's Deering neighborhood since 1918. The Vacchiano family eventually installed an eatery on the second floor that's been manned by able chefs for years. For the last couple years, chef Karl Ronhave, a veteran of restaurants in Vermont and Portland, has been at the helm, and since then The Café at Pat's has become one of the most satisfying restaurant experiences off the peninsula.

"Deering's Best Kept Secret"?

...you decide.

[Siren]

ate there a few months back and had a great meal..

[WHS]

Our first visit to Portland got pushed back from Labor Day to Thanksgiving weekend, and Weather.com calls for freezing rain, low temps, blah blah. Food is the answer! We've made the obligatory reservation at Fore Street for Saturday night, and have a table at 555 on Friday night. Are there any great not-to-be-missed lunch places? We've got a B&B package at the Portland Regency so we'll be having breakfast there. Thanks--

[johnnyd]

Are there any great not-to-be-missed lunch places?

Duck Fat is a local legend. Operated by the Hugo's crowd.

[WHS]

Are there any great not-to-be-missed lunch places?

Duck Fat is a local legend. Operated by the Hugo's crowd.

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Thanks Johnny!

[johnnyd]

Uncle Billy's BBQ is back! - see "briefs" at www.bollard.com

The prayers of the Portland pig-faithful have been answered. Uncle Billy's barbeque joint is coming back to town.

Uncle Billy's achieved notoriety (for its barbeque and otherwise) in South Portland during the '80s before moving across the bay. Chef Jonathan St. Laurent revived the restaurant, named after his uncle, ten years ago on Newbury Street, at the foot of Munjoy Hill. That location was heavily damaged by fire in 2002, prompting a move to Yarmouth.

That move proved unfortuitous, as St. Laurent soon had to butt heads with town officials over seating capacity regulations. Last year, he tried to switch from his Southern barbeque specialties to Portuguese-style flavors, but soon switched back. By last spring, he was out.

New address:

643 Congress St

Site of the now defunct "Nile"

Scheduled to open early-December, but if I know Johnny...

[skeeter]

Hey, johnnyd, thanks for this post about Uncle Billy's! I used to go since it's S. Portland days and was so sad when it burned down while it was located on Munjoy hill. Can't wait for the super BBQ and I just loved the beans and cornbread! I never made it to their Yarmouth joint... I tried to find it while just passing through town but I could not find it.

Give me a hint as to where on Congress the new place will be... it's been a while since I've lived in Portland. Is it near Maine Medical Center or the other way, nearer munjoy hill or is it right in the middle of town?

[Siren]

i believe it's right next to the usm dorm on congress street...

[Irwin]

HONEYS PLACE IS OUT OF BUSINESS

[Siren]

honey's place has been out of business since 4/30..

[johnnyd]

Shahnaz Persian Grille has sold the restaurant (but not the building) to Nico and Zoe, new owner/chefs of The Acropolis Greek Cuisine.

A friend saw a banner over the Shahnaz sign y'day so I called the old number and talked to Zoe. I'll have to check it out but I'll miss that delicious Koresh-e Fessenjan.

[Ellie]

Shahnaz Persian Grille has sold the restaurant (but not the building) to Nico and Zoe, new owner/chefs of The Acropolis Greek Cuisine.

A friend saw a banner over the Shahnaz sign y'day so I called the old number and talked to Zoe.  I'll have to check it out but I'll miss that delicious Koresh-e Fessenjan.

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I just heard about this the other day! I'm looking forward to giving it a try and to hearing reviews. I found that the new Greek place on Exchange St ... failed to meet expectations. I have my fingers crossed that Acropolis will be good. I'm very pleased to see that they have a daily special.

My friend stopped in to grab a menu and the lovely owner from Shahnaz was there with the new owners. I did enjoy the Persian food and am sorry to see it gone. johnnyd, do you know anything about the new owners of Acropolis?

[johnnyd]

Someone mentioned the change over there and I called the Shahnaz number - which is when I chatted with Zoe. She has an accent to die for - but can she cook?!

What happened at the Exchange St place? I heard those folks are nepalese and have, or ha,d a greek place around Boston somewhere.

[esme]

Hi all- it's been a while since I last checked out eGullet. I would like to echo the accolades for the Cheese Iron. Camille, the former sous chef at Hugo's and former chef at Duckfat is working there now. She had a bunch of us over for Thanksgiving and served a cornucopia (pun totally intended) of meats and cheeses from there. All were fantastic.

Erik- Thanks for the kind words, but Rob really makes my job easy. Since each plate is already balanced, all I have to do is pick something to accentuate.

johnnyd- I'm totally looking forward to Maine shrimp season 2006-2007 thread. When does the season open this year?

[johnnyd]

johnnyd- I'm totally looking forward to Maine shrimp season 2006-2007 thread. When does the season open this year?

Funny you should ask!

[erikd]

I saw camille up at The Cheese Iron last week....definately out of context. Vincent and Jill are great folks, and I'm sure are great to work with/for. She seemed happy with the change of pace.

I can't get enough of that place.....it's like food-porn. They just got in their Neal's Yard shipment and it's glorious.

Prakash is the nepaleese guy who opened the Greek place in my old spot....I sold him a bunch of retro-fit custom stuff from bandol. He's a sweet guy, really humble and hardworking. I've heard mixed thoughts on the food tho.

He's been having the same problems as I did with the whack-ball landlord (which, contrary to popular belief, was one of the main reasons I left that space..flooding from the apartments upstairs, indian restaurant next door, freezing pipes, bad plumbing...not because I'm "as French as the Durkee Onions on green bean casserole"...but that's a different story)...mmmmm......green bean casserole.

If anyone cares, the Ladle bakeshop is taking form....and I think we have settled on which building to purchase for bandol and the butcher shop.......finally