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Had I planned this all out better, we would probably be spending a few days in Portland instead of just 24 hours. But this being a trip on a budget, we have to get to New York by Thursday to enjoy four nights of free accommodation (thanks, Mom!), so we're left with too little time to sample what's on offer in the promising city of Portland, Maine (this may necessitate a return trip in the future).
Dinner at the bar at Five Fifty-Five or Evangeline? The duckfat poutine at Duckfat? (Can I handle another poutine?) Fore Street? Bresca? Hugo's? Or is it better to try an appetizer or two at a few of these selections, making the evening something of a "tapas walk" in Portland?
As usual, please feel free to add whatever we're missing in the comments, and comment on why you made the choice you did. And be sure to include your favorite dish of your choice as well. Cheers.
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No disrespect to any of the other restaurants -- my wife and I go to 555 weekly, and Fore St. continues to amaze -- but if I have people in town for a single night and I want to give them something both awesome and a little bit out of the ordinary, lately I've been taking them to Evangeline. There's no more confident chef in town than Erik D. (for good reason), the menu balances the traditional and the new perfectly, and the staff and room are absolutely top notch.
I'd throw Bar Lola into the list of considerations, also -- I wouldn't have said that a year ago, but in the last couple of months they've really been hitting on all cylinders.
This was a great recommendation, hnice, many thanks. We found time to hit Fore St as well, and I'll be writing about both soon.
Go to Fore Street and have the tuna bolognese. It is unique and amazing.
Fore Street. Oven roasted mussels. Nom nom nom...
Neither the bolognese or the roasted mussels were on the menu last night, but some other winners were. I'll be posting more about the results soon.
I completely respect Sam Hayward's work and what he has to offer at Fore Street (and Street & Co.), but if want to be able to hear yourself think, I would strongly forego the current winning poll choice and go for either Five Fifty-Five or Hugo's since you only have 24 hours here. I've heard many people agree that, although Fore Street has been in the top spot for years and years, it has slipped because the loud ambience kind of ruins the whole dining experience. These three, I believe, are considered the big mainstays of Maine cuisine in downtown Portland. But the other two are not as loud and rambunctious and Fore Street.
Also, if you had 24 hours in Portland, here is roughly what I would do to experience just some of what Portland, ME has to offer:
Start with breakfast at either Brea Lu Cafe on Forest Ave. or Becky's Diner on Commercial St. to get a fantastically awesome and cheap breakfast. Then spend your morning roaming around and digesting, maybe with a visit to Longfellow's House or the Victorian Mansion, and possibly stop by the Standard Baking Co. to nibble on some amazing bread and pastries (right below Fore Street) mid-morning. If you go to Becky's diner in the morning, walk along Commercial St, drop by the Harbor Fish Market to see some traditional fishmongering, and stop in at LeRoux Kitchen to drool over some awesome cooking utensils and taste some amazingly infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. If you need a caffeine refueling, be sure to stop by any of the Coffee by Design shops spread around town. Then for lunch, Duckfat will be your destination, hands down. Rob Evans' other restaurant has great paninis (crisp and light, not tough doughy breads), their handmade sodas (cilantro lime!) and thick milkshakes are innovative, and the duckfat fries don't even really need the complimentary dipping sauce, but the truffle ketchup and curry mayo will not disappoint. When you're done, cross the street and drop by Dean's Sweets, who specialize in dark chocolate truffles with intriguing flavors like cayenne to blueberry to stout. Pick your chocolates and head next door to Rabelais to nibble your chocolates and peruse over their fantastic collection of cooking, gardening, and eating books - new, used, and antique! After you've spent your requisite two hours in Rabelais, stay in town and take a soak at Soakology and sip on some of their wondrous teas or if you can, hop in a car and head over to Cape Elizabeth where you can visit all the farms dedicated to bringing local produce to us, including Maxwell's, who just opened up their strawberry picking season 3 weeks ago. Stop by Fort Williams on your way back to Portland and check out the Portland Headlight, the quintessential lighthouse. Then get yourself prepared for your next culinary adventure at dinner!
I'd definitely do dinner at Hugo's or Five Fifty-Five. Both are great settings for intimate couples or a large group of friends, you can actually see your menu, and you can hear yourself and your companions as the night goes on. Hugo's is great to be able to catch Rob Evans, the newest James Beard Award winner for Best Chef of the Northeast. But if you feel like you've given him his nod at Duckfat, ask for a table up top in the 555 dining room, and watch the open kitchen from above as Steve Corry works his magic. Both places have fantastic desserts, but you may have to pass on it so you can take a leisurely stroll down to Old Port and have some of Beal's Ice Cream.
Spend the rest of your night at Slainte, Novare Res, or White Heart, or catch a music show at Port City Music Hall, Empire, or Space Gallery. Finally, to finish your late night, stop by Otto's Pizza, a new Neapolitan pizza restaurant open until 1am, for your late night snack or go for the 24 hour diner, and finish full circle at Becky's Diner again, where the fishermen will be at 4am getting ready with a cup of joe for the catch of the day.
And that should take you your whole 24 hours in Portland!
Damn, it looks like a return trip to Portland is definitely in order. I'd have to stretch your plan out over a few days (since I can't stretch my stomach out any further), but your suggestions make me lament the all-too-brief amount of time we had in Portland.
In case you're in Maine for more than 24 hours, have some jingle in your jeans, and are not looking for food that requires a plastic bib, drive 90 minutes up Route One (well, 295, then 1), past L.L. Bean and Bowdoin College to Rockland.
This Penobscot Bay-side town used to smell of the harbor side sardine canning factories and stale beer. As of a decade ago, Rockland sports two of the best restaurants in the state. One, Primo, http://www.primorestaurant.com/, is arguably among the best in the country. The other, Cafe Miranda, http://www.cafemiranda.com/, is more reasonable and casual.
It seems odd that you say you are only in Portland for 24 hours because you are on a budget and you have chosen the most expensive restaurants to visit. HMMMMM. So if you are truly on a budget and you want some great scratch food that may be a bit messy served by some characters try going to La bodega latina or Hot suppa on congress, Herb's gully and Greek corner are yummy, becky's or Gilbert's on commercial, Silly's, tu casa and loco pollo on Washington, on the west end Ruski's, oh no cafe or aurora provisions are nice and if you want a bump up in price try rachel's, Blue Spoon, pepperclub, Dogfish (union station) Ribbolita or pat's cafe. The restaurants you have selected have wonderful food. This list won't leave you hungry and poor whereas the others may do just that.
Sorry you couldn't stay longer. Next time though. I'm originally from Los Angeles and I just love this city much more because it's just so much more intimate with some amazing opportunities for food. If you come back, look me up at http://meru-neechan.livejournal.com if you ever come back. We'll try not to jam your next Portland adventure in exactly 24 consecutive hours. =D
Just a little reality here. most of the name restaurants in town, alluded to above, are of average quality, rapacious prices, and poor service, 555 perhaps being an exception. stick to middlebrows and you will eat well and not fool yourself. it is mainly the national food mags that have inflated things out of proportion here. what we notice is missing is mention of a very fine food bookstore, right near hugo's. it and its owners are first rate.