A Room With A View…Of Food

When people ask me what my favorite kind of food is, I tend to struggle to answer that question.  I like having options, and my palate has a wide range, starting with American food and ending with Mexican food.  Therefore, when a coworker told me about a series of restaurants owned by the same person, I jumped at the chance to try a wide variety of food.

My first stop was the Grill Room and Bar.  The Grill Room is a highly popular please, so I recommend making a reservation.  There are seats at the bar and tables available for patrons. The seats at the bar are first come, first serve.  Happy hour runs from 4pm to 6pm every day and is only available at the bar. The Grill Room is open Tuesday to Sunday, and they are only open for dinner. However, the dinner menu isn’t available until 5pm.  I went to The Grill Room twice and had a different meal with each visit.  For my first trip, I had a couple of oysters with the house burger.  My second trip included a Caesar salad and a filet mignon.  Both meals were absolutely delicious, and I recommend both entrees.

My second stop was The Corner Room. Specializing in Italian food, The Corner Room is only a block away from The Grill Room. There are seats at the bar, booths and tables available for guests.  Happy hour, again, runs from 4pm to 6pm, and dinner doesn’t start until 5pm. Happy hour is only available at the bar, and has such snacks as meatballs and mixed greens.  The Corner Room is open from Tuesday to Saturday, and reservations are highly recommended. Bar seating, like The Grill Room, is first come, first serve.  For my first trip, I had an order of garlic bread and a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.  For my second trip, I had a Caesar salad and a pepperoni pizza.  The food was delicious, and I recommend everything.

My final stop was The Front Room, which serves brunch and dinner.  There are seats at the bar, tables and booths available for patrons.  The Front Room has the typical breakfast fare like eggs, omelets, and pancakes. Furthermore, sides like potato salad, bacon, ham and sausage populate the menu. Finally, there are sandwiches like the B.L.T. is available for purchase as well.  Coffee, Bloody Mary’s and mimosas, as well as non-alcoholic beverages are also available. The dinner menu is vastly different.  There is sparkling, red and white wine, as well as beer and cocktails available for purchase.  Appetizers range from oysters and Caesar salads, while the main dishes range from the double wagyu burger and crab pasta.  For brunch, I had the two-egg plate, which was eggs any style, with home fries, bacon and a choice of toast. For dinner, I had the double wagyu smash burger.

I highly recommend all three restaurants, and as I’ve mentioned before, I recommend reservations for The Grill Room and The Corner Room. If you want to learn more about The Grill Room, click here.  If The Corner Room is more your speed, click here.  Finally, if The Front Room caught your eye, click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?

Feeling Blue? Go See a Live Show

Maine plays host to a lot of live shows.  Whether you’re in Bangor or in the Greater Portland Area, chances are you might be able to see a live show.  While I’ve never been big on live shows, I decided to broaden my horizons.  I chose to go see a comedy show, followed by some live music.  With my mission in mind, I decided to head to The Clambake in Scarborough to see Bob Marley.

 

If you’re confused by that statement, I don’t blame you.  I’m a fan of Bob Marley, the reggae singer, but I never heard of a comedian also named Bob Marley.  When I was planning which shows I was going to see, Bob Marley’s name kept popping up.  Marley happens to be from Maine himself, and cinema fans might recognize him from the cult classic film The Boondock Saints.  He has a long-standing relationship with The Clambake, which I’ve written about before, so he has a number of performances there. Marley also does shows around Maine and the US, so make sure to check his tour dates, to see if he is performing near you. The Clambake also has an event room for such an occasion.  There are tables at the back of the room for those who want to eat while watching the show, along with three rows of seats surrounding the stage.

 

Bob Marley is quite popular here in Maine and his tickets tend to sell out quickly, so make sure to buy your tickets early.  Furthermore, doors open at six pm for a seven pm show, enabling guests to get there early and pick out their seats.  If you want your pick of seats, make sure to get to the venue early so that you can get the seats you want.  There was an opening act, who was very funny, and he was able to warm up the crowd for Bob Marley.  After the opener finished at 7:30, Marley took the stage, and his material is hysterical. His show is quite dynamic, as Marley moves about the stage and interacts with audience members.

 

I was on a roll with my research, so the next day I went to Blue, a live music venue in Portland.  Blue is a small venue, so if you want a seat make sure to get there early.  Sometimes there is a cover charge, while other times the performance is donation based.  The doors open at seven pm, while the show starts at eight.  If you enjoy watching the band set up, go through their sound check, and prep for their show, definitely show up at seven.  There are tables facing the stage as well as seats at the bar.

 

Blue is a twenty-one and over establishment, so there are wines, cocktails, shots, spirits, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks.  Blue also offers combo drinks like the Howdy Neighbor.  The Howdy Neighbor is a can of Narragansett and a shot of bourbon.  Their menu is small, offering hummus and naan, flat bread, and a variety of grilled cheese.  I had an OG Grilled Cheese, along with a Margarita and a double chocolate cupcake.  I saw a musician Javier Rosario perform, who plays jazz music.  The band was focused on the music, so there was little talking from the band between songs, which I definitely appreciated.

 

I’m glad that I got to experience these two shows.  I had so much fun that I’ll definitely see Bob Marley again, and I can see myself going to Blue a second time.  If you want to learn more about Bob Marley, you can click here. If you want to see what Blue has to offer, you can click here.  As always, I pose the question; where should I go next?  I already have my next post planned out so make sure to stay tuned.

Exploring Some of What Portland Has to Offer

Portland offers a lot of different places to eat, though some of these restaurants are easy to miss.  Over the course of a couple of days, I decided to discover some of these hidden gems.  My first stop was Black Cow Burgers for some lunch.  Situated right on the cusp of the Old Port, Black Cow Burgers has big windows overlooking a tree-lined plaza.  Seats are available at the bar, along with tables and booths around the restaurants. Though the menu is small, Black Cow Burgers still offers quite a bit.  There is a sampling of cocktails, along with house crafted sodas available for purchase.  Furthermore, there are floats and shakes if one is feeling adventurous.

 

There is a selection of sandwiches for patrons to peruse, ranging from burgers and grilled cheese to fried fish sandwiches. There are a ton of sides to add to your entrée as well.  French fries can be added, but there is so much more as well.  Tomato soup, fried brussel sprouts, and buffalo chicken dip is just some of what Black Cow Burgers has to offer.  If you still have room for dessert, there is plenty to choose from. Customers can buy ice cream or sundaes. I had a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake. I finished my meal with a vanilla shake and a tin roof sundae, and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

 

After I went to Black Cow Burger, I found myself craving oysters, so I decided to satisfy my hunger by sampling two different oyster bars. My first stop Eventide Oyster Company here in Portland.  While Eventide Oyster Company is small, there is a wide variety of seating available. Seats at the bar, tables overlooking the street, and wooden picnic tables are offered to diners. The picnic tables are big enough for multiple parties to be seated at. Their drink menu is extensive, offering cocktails, sake, beer and non-alcoholic drinks.

 

The oyster selection is massive, with plenty of oysters from Maine and from away. Furthermore, there is a sizable food menu available for those who might want something else. This includes soups like clam chowder, and sandwichs like burgers and lobster rolls.  There is even a dessert menu, that includes whoopie pie. I had a big meal while researching Eventide Oyster Company. I had a half-dozen oysters, an Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll, a burger, clam chowder, and a whoopie pie!  It was all delicious, and I recommend everything.

 

After I recovered from my feast at Eventide Oyster Company, I went to Maine Oyster Company.  This restaurant is smaller, with a more intimate setting.  There is beer on tap and in bottles and cans.  Wine is also available for purchase.  Oysters are definitely the star here at Maine Oyster Company. They offer oyster shucking classes, and you can visit their oyster farm here in Maine (I sense a future blog post!).  Their menu is definitely smaller, so I decided to focus on their oysters, which were delicious.  While during the off season, Maine Oyster Company has a small selection of oysters, the summer season sees six to eight different types of oysters available for purchase.

 

All that walking made my feet sore, so I decided to stop by Soakology, located right on Congress Street.  This massage parlor specializes in foot soaks, while offering twenty- or forty-minute messages.  The foot soaks come in a variety of scents, adding to the sense of peace that Soakology strides for.  Since my feet were bothering me, I decided to have a foot rub.  Soakology also offers a number of teas, along with hot chocolate. The soundproofing at the spa is incredible, and I found myself forgetting that I was in downtown Portland and was able to relax completely.

 

I thoroughly enjoy writing for you, dear reader, as it enables me to experience much of what Maine has to offer.  Portland itself has so much to do, so this little excursion took a couple of days to complete.  If you want to learn more about Black Cow Burgers, click here.  If you want to experience all that Eventide Oyster Company has to offer, click here.  If Maine Oyster Company is more your speed, click here.  Finally, if you want to research Soakology, you can click here.  As always, I have to ask, where should I go next?  As it happens, I know exactly where I’m going next.

Two Nations, Double the Fun

Whenever I discover a new restaurant, I feel a sense of excitement.  What kind of food will they serve?  How does the environment feed into the meal?  These are questions that I ask myself whenever I go somewhere new.  I discovered Dos Naciones when I was on my way to King of the Roll, and I knew I had to give this restaurant a chance.  Dos Naciones, which translates to Two Nations, serves Mexican and El Salvadorian food.  I admit that I have a soft spot for Latin American food, so I was excited to say the least.

 

There is plenty of seating. Booths, tables, high tops, and seats at the bar are all available to guests who want a meal.  Latin American music plays over the speakers, adding to the ambiance.  The food, as well as the service are both great, making this a great place to eat.  As I ate my meal, the restaurant continued to fill up, making Dos Naciones a sure-fire hit!

 

Since Dos Naciones is a new restaurant, the number of websites dealing with this eatery are limited.  For the time being, I will link Yelp here, which shows that Dos Naciones with a five star rating.  My meal at Dos Naciones marks the end of my Restaurant Week.  It was a great experience, and I had the opportunity to try a new restaurant.  So now, I look towards my next adventure, completely unsure of where my next adventure will take me.  So, with some excitement, I ask; where should I go next?

A Meal Fit for a King

Growing up, I was never a big fan of sushi.  There was something about eating raw fish that grossed me out.  However, I’ve recently found that my palate has changed, and I absolutely love sushi.   So, for the fifth day of Restaurant Week, I made my way to King of the Roll, a Japanese restaurant located right here in Portland.

 

Stepping into King of the Roll, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported Japan.  Beautiful, Japanese inspired decorations adorn the walls and hang from the ceiling, while Japanese music emanates from the speakers.  Booths, tables, and seats at the sushi bar are available for patrons, so seating is plentiful.

 

While there are conventional menus, the main menu is quite unusual.  It lists most, if not all, of the sushi offered at King of the Roll.  Guests mark the quantity of the sushi they want, and hand the menu to their server.  Once ready the sushi is brought to the table, and you’re ready to dig in.  The drink menu is also quite extensive, with plenty of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available for purchase.

 

King of the Roll is able to fulfill any sushi lover’s dream, and I highly recommend anyone visiting Portland make the trip to this Japanese restaurant.  If you want to learn more about King of the Roll, you can click here.  With my Restaurant Week starting to wind down, I ask myself, where should I go next?

…And Now, For Something Completely Different.

The state of Maine, along with a number of other states, participate in an event called Restaurant Week.  In span of twelve days, foodies can delight in the celebration of food, drink, and good times. While there is an extensive list of restaurants who are participating in Restaurant Week, I will be doing something a little different.

 

For the first seven days of Restaurant week, I will be going to a different restaurant each day, and bringing my experience to you.  However, here is the twist, I will be going to restaurants that are not featured on Restaurant Week’s list.  I can expect certain question’s to be asked of me.  “Merry Mainer, doesn’t it defeat the purpose of Restaurant Week if you do your own thing?”  That is a good question, and my answer is two-fold.  My first response is that many of the restaurants are open only for dinner, and my schedule for the time being does not permit me to eat at these restaurants while many of them are open.

 

My second answer is that the restaurants that participate in Restaurant Week are featured on Restaurant Week’s website, with links to their site.  I want to write about restaurants that won’t be featured, to add to the ever-extensive list of restaurants.

 

My first stop was Boda, a Thai restaurant located on Congress Street.  They have an extensive drink menu, with plenty of beers, wines, cocktails, and non-alcholic drinks to choose from.  Boda offers two menus, a dinner and a late night menu.  Boda has a sizable dinner menu, with classic Thai food, including the ever-popular Pad Thai, along with a variety of other food like skewers and sticky rice.

 

There are tables and seats at the bar available, but make sure you leave enough time for a wait if you go during peak hour.  There’s sometimes a wait for a table, but the turnover is pretty quick, so you don’t have to wait long.

 

As I mentioned, this is the first posting in a series of posts in honor of Restaurant Week.  Make sure to check in daily, as I will be posting a restaurant review every day for the first seven days of Restaurant Week.  If you want to learn more about Boda, you can click here, and if you want to learn more about Restaurant Week, you can click here.

A double date with Linda and Maria

One of my biggest talking points about Maine is the versatility of the food.  While it’s easy to see Maine as a major seafood destination, there is so much more to experience.  To showcase Maine’s range in dining options, I’ve decided to do another double feature.  I had the opportunity to dine at Linda Beans, located in Freeport, as well as Maria’s in Portland.

 

Linda’s is situated right across the street from L.L. Bean, which provides shoppers with a great dining experience.  Linda Bean’s is one of the bigger restaurants in Freeport, boasting two floors with plenty of seating.  Each floor has it’s own bar, with seating available at the bar, along with high tops, tables, and booths.  There is patio seating on the first floor, while the balcony is open for those who wish to sit outside during their meal.  During the peak summer months, Linda’s is absolutely packed, so make sure you get there early enough to beat the rush.

 

The first floor looks like your standard restaurant, but the second floor has more of a lounge feel. Art is found all along the walls, and a brightly colored Grandfather Clock sits up against the far wall.  The seating is comfortable on both floors, and the menu is extensive.  Seafood and pub fare dominate the menu, and I have to admit that Linda’s is one of my favorite places to grab a burger.  Televisions can be found at both bars, with news outlets and sports channels being broadcast to the patrons.

 

My next stop was to Maria’s Ristorante.  A classic Italian eatery located right in Portland, it’s easy to miss this hidden gem. Found within a brick building, Maria’s is a cozy and intimate restaurant, and it’s chef owned and operated. Artwork and family photos dot the wall making the atmosphere welcoming and friendly.  Opera music greets guests as the walk in and the music can be heard through out the restaurant.  Booths, tables, and seats at the bar are available for patrons looking for a classic Italian meal.  The food and wine menu offer a great selection, and my Caesar salad and lasagna were delicious.  I highly recommend making a reservation, as Maria’s tends to fill up quickly.  \Recently, Maria’s has revealed that they acquired a new space, and will be moving in October 2019.  This means, that I’ll be able to visit their new location, sample more of their food, and update my readers on Maria’s exciting new move, so make sure to stay tuned.

 

Eating in Maine is so much more than seafood, and it always brings me joy when I get to share my dining experience with my readers.  Maine’s culinary experience is just as extraordinary as the rest of the state, and I’m eager to bring it to you.  Make sure to check back regularly, as I some exciting new trips planned in the near future. Typically I will ask where I’ll be going next, but this time around, I already have something cooking.

From Preble Street to High Street

I recently had an interesting question posed to me by a tourist from the New York area.  He was in town for a family obligation, and wanted to know about the Portland nightlife.  I provided him with the information that he was looking for, and as he left, I found myself inspired.

As I started to plan my next excursion out, I decided that a “double feature” of sorts was in order. Therefore, I settled on Arcadia National Bar and Top of the East.  Both are located in Downtown Portland, and both are very much worth a visit. Arcadia (not to be confused with Acadia National Park) is great experience, whether you just turned twenty-one or forty-one.  Arcadia sets itself apart for having an impressive collection of games.  Arcade cabinets are scattered around the bar for those who want to relive their arcade days.  Classic games like Tetris can be found, along with modern classics like The Simpson’s game and Tekken.  If pinball is more your speed, don’t despair, as pinball machines can be found as well. There are even a couple of skee ball machines at the back of the bar!  While the arcade games and the pinball machines are not free to play, Arcadia provides an ATM, a change machine, and Tupperware’s so patrons can carry their quarters around with them.

Arcadia even has a number of different consoles available.  These gaming systems are free to play, and are quite popular. Customers can find a Super Nintendo, a Nintendo 64, a Wii U, an X-Box One, and a PlayStation 4.  Most of the games available are multiplayer games, so friends don’t have to be left out.  Arcadia also offers a selection of board games, like Settlers of Catan and Battleships. While playing these games at the bar can pose a problem, there are tables where patrons can eat, drink, and play their chosen board games.  Arcadia even provides a couple of picnic tables for larger groups of people.

Arcadia National Bar has a wide selection of craft beers available on draft, in a can, as well as in bottles.  It’s quite an impressive selection, and I quickly discovered, to my delight, that there were quite a few beers that were brewed in Maine.  Cocktails are made here as well, and their names reference different characters from “nerd-culture,” such names as Falcon Punch, Doctor Manhattan, and Pickle Rick.  If you’re craving a late night snack, Arcadia has you covered.  The kitchen closes at 12:30 am, which provides ample time for patrons to get their fill of food.

With my trip to Arcadia concluded, my excursion to the Top of the East started.  The Top of the East sits atop of The Westin and provides a great view of the city of Portland.  I entered the lounge around 6 pm, and since it was mid-October, the sun was setting, lighting the sky up in beautiful colors.  From my table, I saw the city of Portland sprawl out before me, while airplanes came into to the nearby airport.  The ocean was also visible from my table, which added to an already beautiful sight.

There were plenty of seating options when entering the Top of the East.  There are tables in the middle of the restaurant, while other tables line the perimeter.  Patrons can also sit at the bar if they prefer, and depending on where you sit, you can still catch a glimpse of the city of Portland.  For a much more intimate setting, couches are provided along one of the walls.  The Top of the East even provides a TV, and a small party was gathered around watching the football game.

When my Caser Salad arrived, I dug in and was extremely happy with what I was eating.  Mixed greens sat on top of my salad, and it definitely added to the already flavorful meal.  The cocktails were masterfully made, and quite delicious.  I even ordered a cheesecake, which was made in a mason jar.

All in all, both experiences are fine examples of the nightlife in this extraordinary state. While each experience was vastly different, there is still a lot of fun and good times to be had regardless of where you go.  If you’re looking for more information on Arcadia you can find it here, and for information on the Top of the East, you can find it here.  Now that these two adventures are over, I ask myself the ever-present question in my life, where do I go next?