November 1, 2022

The Danforth Excels in Portland’s West End

Ed note: The Danforth has closed since this article was originally published in Maine magazine, November 2022.

A moody aesthetic and top-notch drinks make this hot new destination an instant favorite.

The Danforth’s bartenders begin pouring drinks at 4 p.m., so I arrive at the Portland cocktail bar at 4 o’clock on the dot for an early happy hour. As I step through the restaurant’s front door toward the host stand, the afternoon sun is streaming through several large windows, illuminating the space that has been recently renovated into a posh, modern lounge. One wall of the bar area is lined with three plush, dark red velvet booths, while 12 backless barstools provide seating at the blond wooden counter. Midcentury modern glass pendant lights hang overhead, drawing the eye toward the sleek wooden shelving that showcases an extensive liquor collection.

Head bartender Carlo Caroscio and his team are shaking and stirring drinks, moving seamlessly around each other in the timeless dance of bartenders everywhere. I’m seated in a cozy booth, and shortly thereafter my friendly server delivers a cocktail named Down Ocean, a daiquiri made with grapefruit liqueur, sake, and sparkling wine. It’s tart and refreshing, as a well-made daiquiri always is, with some added complexity from the dry rice wine.

Expectations are high for the Danforth. The bar is the fourth establishment from Gin and Luck, a hospitality group headed by Portland resident Alex Day and his business partners Devon Tarby, David Kaplan, and Ravi DeRossi. The group owns three other cocktail bars—all called Death and Co.—in New York, Los Angeles, and Denver. The New York location opened in 2006 and became a trailblazer in the craft cocktail revival. While Day swears it was not his intention to open another bar in Portland, he was swayed by the opportunity to purchase the West End bistro Little Giant in September of 2021. Day and his husband, Andrew Ashey, whose architecture and design firm provided the makeover of the Danforth, moved to Portland from Los Angeles in 2019, attracted to the pace of life in a smaller city. After a substantial interior renovation, the Danforth opened in July and became an instant hit with Portlanders looking for a special night out and an upscale spot for a drink after work.

The cocktail list at the Danforth is composed of ten drinks, beginning with a light cucumber-melon spritz and ending with boozier classics such as variations on the old-fashioned and the Manhattan, called Hyperion Old Fashioned and West End, respectively. The menu, at least on its face, seems surprisingly simple—there’s no long list of ingredients, unfamiliar liqueurs, or specialty syrups mentioned. Rather, drink descriptions are short, with three to five ingredients that seem approachable and familiar. Later, Day tells me this simplicity is by design. He says the concise list “has hidden layers that you can peel back if you want to, but we’re not going to put them right in front of you.”

Day’s success in creating approachable yet intriguing cocktails is evident in the Impossible Love—a frothy mix of green chile vodka, peach liqueur, and pineapple juice. It’s another take on a daiquiri, made with vodka. Always popular with drinkers, vodka has long been eschewed by serious craft cocktail enthusiasts. But Day says no more. “We were the worst offenders back in the day,” he tells me. “We were such snooty, smug jerks. But that world doesn’t exist anymore.” At the Danforth, he’s more interested in ensuring that customers feel comfortable and have a good time than insisting that a proper martini is made with gin and not vodka.

The food at the Danforth is another surprise, revealing a depth I didn’t anticipate from an establishment that is primarily a cocktail bar. Chef Michael Boomhower, most recently of Central Provisions in the Old Port, offers a robust menu of nine share plates and five large-format entrees. When I return for dinner, my husband and I are seated in the lounge, a room adjacent to the bar that seats 75 in burgundy velvet booths and clusters of mustard-yellow swiveling barrel chairs. The mood in the lounge is energetic as our upbeat server delivers a parade of small plates. I sip an Echelon, a riff on a margarita made slightly savory by the addition of celery juice and sesame, and dig into the campanelle pasta, each bite coated in a radish-greens pesto that leaves a lingering spiciness.

Other popular appetizers include Pigs in a Blanket, small bites made from fennel sausage wrapped in puff pastry; griddled head-on shrimp; and beef tartare served on a crusty piece of Standard Baking Company sourdough. The salad, a simple combination of baby leaf lettuces, crispy fried shallots, croutons, and a light Caesar dressing, ends up being one of my favorite dishes. My entrée, a half chicken with a seared, crispy skin, is finished with smoked butter and sits atop a flavorful corn, zucchini, and pepper succotash. My husband’s vegetarian entrée, a decadent mushroom polenta, is reminiscent of a soufflé with its creamy, rich texture. Whole roasted branzino, a dry-aged rib eye, and a burger round out the meal options.

After only four months, the Danforth already feels like a classic. General manager Lucy Comaskey tells me that some repeat customers have found their favorites on the specialty drink list, while others ask for “dealer’s choice,” an off-menu drink of the bartender’s design. Whether it’s drinks and snacks at the bar or a multi-course meal in the loungy dining room, Portlanders are eagerly exploring the many moods of this multifaceted West End destination.

The Danforth | 211 Danforth St., Portland | 207.536.0361 

Good Neighbors

The small space adjacent to the Danforth on Clark Street has been home to several businesses, including a market, sandwich shop, and bakery. Now it’s home to Zu Bakery, from baker Barak Olins, who sold his bread at the Brunswick Farmers’ Market for years. Olins’s bread, including the burger buns used at the Danforth, is made from organic and Maine-grown grains. Coffee and pastries are available at the shop in the mornings, and freshly baked bread becomes available as it’s ready throughout the day.

October 1, 2022

555 North: A Fine-Dining Staple in Brunswick Lives Up to its Predecessor

 Originally published in Maine magazine, October 2022.

Restaurateurs Michelle and Steve Corry opened 555 North with fan-favorite dishes from their former Portland hotspot.

555 Congress Street in 2003, it was part of an emerging cadre of Portland date-night destinations, such as Fore Street, Street and Co., Rob Evans’s Hugo’s, and Walter’s on Exchange Street. Five Fifty-Five became known for its elevated American cuisine and impeccable service just as chefs across the country were embracing the farm-to-table movement. Chef Steve Corry was the first in Portland to serve truffled lobster mac and cheese, a now-classic comfort food mash-up that became the restaurant’s signature dish.

In the nearly two decades that have passed, a lot has changed, both in the Portland restaurant scene and in the Corrys’ lives. The couple opened their second restaurant, the French bistro Petite Jacqueline, and they had two sons, now teenagers. In early 2020 Steve and Michelle decided to close Five Fifty-Five to spend more time with their family. This proved to be a prescient decision, as COVID struck a few weeks later and pandemic restrictions hastened the restaurant’s discontinuance. The Corrys thought perhaps they would reopen Five Fifty-Five someday in a location closer to their home in Scarborough.

Then Steve’s friend Gerard Kiladjian, another longtime hospitality professional, called to ask if Steve was interested in reopening Five Fifty-Five in Brunswick. Kiladjian had signed on to manage the recently renovated Federal Hotel and was looking for a familiar name to anchor the property’s 150-seat restaurant. Corry initially said no, but after visiting to see the renovation of the historic property and negotiating a favorable schedule that would allow the couple plenty of family time, Five Fifty-Five was reborn.

Dubbed 555 North, the restaurant echoes its Portland predecessor with some familiar dishes and a time-tested approach to serving seasonal ingredients in palate-pleasing ways. Fans of the previous iteration will recognize several signature dishes on the menu, and will enjoy the same friendly and attentive service. The new restaurant is much brighter and larger than the old one, with floor-to-ceiling windows flanking one wall of the dining room and a large center bar that Steve plans to develop into a raw bar.

When I visit on a Friday night, we’re guided to our table in the side room by a young hostess. The restaurant is full, generating a pleasant buzz from our fellow patrons. Michelle Corry is known for her wine selection, having garnered a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2015, so I opt for a glass of a Chilean cabernet sauvignon to start the meal. With about 75 options, the list here is slimmer than the 400-plus bottles at Five Fifty-Five, but it still offers a crowd-pleasing variety of new- and old-world wines by the glass and bottle.

As I enjoy a slice of the housemade bread, served warm and slathered with delightfully salty chive-lemon butter, I see grilled Caesar salad and steamed mussels on the menu. The two dishes were staples at Five Fifty-Five, so I order both to begin the meal. The salad, which comes thoughtfully split between two plates after our server hears that my husband and I plan to share it, delivers a slightly smoky char from the grilled romaine and a classic creamy dressing with plenty of lemon. The meaty Bangs Island mussels are surrounded by a garlicky broth spiked with pickled cherry peppers that lend a pleasant heat.

The lobster mac and cheese has been temporarily replaced by the more summery “Knuckle Sandwich,” a stack of fried green tomatoes and a lobster salad dressed with basil-lemon mayonnaise that Steve developed for Food and Wine magazine. As the weather cools, the luxurious dish made with a blend of five cheeses and studded with chunks of butter-poached lobster will return to the menu. I opt for another Five Fifty-Five classic, the three-day marinated hangar steak, prepared on this night with a fresh chimichurri sauce and a side of rich, creamy, wilted spinach.

We also try the scallops, coated in freshly cracked black pepper and then seared until a hearty crust forms. Steve tells me later that applying high heat to the black pepper takes away some of the stinging spice, mellowing it into a warm complement to the meaty bivalve. Five scallops come arranged around a pile of fluffy mashed potatoes that are blended with a fennel cream sauce. An emulsion of carrot juice and butter, fragrant from the addition of vanilla bean seeds, completes the dish without overwhelming the fresh flavor of the scallops.

Desserts from sous chef Sean Hobson are also a hit, with the “Coffee and Donuts” standing out as the most popular. Three craggy beignets dusted with powdered sugar and accompanied by a mug of rich mocha pots de crème make a playful end to the meal. As the restaurant is only a few months old, 555 North is still finding its sea legs in its new iteration, but between Michelle’s front-of-the-house leadership and the competence of the kitchen team led by chef de cuisine Michael Greenstreet, the Corrys are confident their latest project will live up to the reputation of its predecessor.

555 North | 10 Water St., Brunswick | 207.481.4533

History in the Making

The Federal, home to 555 North, is a nineteenth-century sea captain’s home that takes its name from the building’s classic Federal style. Captain Daniel Stone began building the house around 1806 and lived in it until his death in 1825. The history of the property was part of what attracted Steve Corry to the project, as his Portland restaurant also had a storied history: the three-story building was once the home of the Machigonne Fire House, which had the illustrious honor of debuting Portland’s first steam-powered fire engine.

September 1, 2022

State Lunch: The Gastropub Reviving Maine’s Capital City

Originally published in Maine magazine, September 2022.

Offering an upscale pub menu in a hip industrial space, State Lunch is a key part of Augusta’s renaissance.

In 2019, inspired in part by the city-led revitalization efforts of Water Street in downtown Augusta, longtime bartender Shawn McLaughlin and chef Matt Margolskee decided it was the right time to open a restaurant together. The two friends had met years prior in the midcoast when McLaughlin was managing the Cellardoor Winery tasting room and Margolskee was cooking at farm-to-table pioneer Primo, and they envisioned a neighborhood pub with a variety of handmade ramens and a strong cocktail program. Between the city’s burgeoning restaurant scene and resurging interest in the state’s capital city, it seemed like it was Augusta’s moment.

So the pair bought a derelict former deli on Water Street and performed an extensive renovation. State Lunch opened its doors for business in late February 2020 to an enthusiastic reception from the city. But “it ended up that it was the worst time [to open a restaurant],” McLaughlin says, since the onset of the pandemic meant they had to switch to takeout and delivery only three weeks after opening. But two and a half years later, State Lunch has fully rebounded, and the city has embraced it as a go-to spot for elevated comfort food and well-mixed cocktails.

So popular is State Lunch that, when I call a few days prior to my planned visit, the hostess tells me the reservations are full for Saturday night, but that they save plenty of tables for walk-in customers. When I arrive a few days later, the brick-walled bar and dining room are a hive of activity, with a large party of several generations enjoying a celebratory dinner and Augusta’s young locals filling the 12-seat bar. There’s about a ten-minute wait, so I walk down the street to the Oak Table and Bar, another relatively new restaurant contributing to Augusta’s downtown renewal, for a drink.

After only a few sips of my Earl Grey–infused vodka grapefruit cocktail, my table is ready, so I head back to State Lunch for a seat at the long stone bar. Above the bar’s extensive collection of local spirits, 85 of which are whiskey, two televisions play 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and then the 2005 remake. The classic film inspires me to order the Golden Ticket, a take on a whiskey sour with added complexity from the addition of amaro and a housemade chile syrup.

As I sip my cocktail, I peruse the menu, which proves to be a mix of familiar Italian American specialties, like rigatoni with Italian sausage and chicken Parmesan, and dishes with a pan-Asian flair, ranging from fried Kung Pao Brussels sprouts to pork belly steamed buns. I order a selection from both categories: an order of Rhode Island calamari and a Thai beef salad, both nightly specials, of which there are several. The calamari sports a thick, crunchy coating and is mixed with pickled peppers and arugula that deliver a zippy tanginess. The Thai salad is a fresh mix of seared beef strips and vegetables, tossed with a lime–fish sauce dressing and showered with chopped fresh herbs. An order of pork belly bao buns offers a rewarding contrast of fatty pork and crisp, pickled vegetables in a thick, pillowy bun.

My husband and I share entrees—the spicy shrimp shio ramen is a must for us, and while it’s difficult to narrow down our other choice, I ultimately am swayed by the seared scallops in an enticing pool of potato-leek puree with spinach, pork belly, and mushrooms. Six scallops with a perfectly crusty sear arrive on a large plate with nearly as many cubes of crispy pork belly. The vegetable puree creates a silky, cream-like base for the seafood, while floating dots of a green herb oil lighten the dish. The handmade ramen noodles and fat shrimp are surrounded by a rich, savory broth that Margolskee makes from a variety of roasted poultry and beef bones. He’s been developing the broth recipe since the restaurant opened and says it only gets better each week.

My next cocktail is a Hot Pursuit, a mezcal-based drink with a tropical blend of mango, jalapeño, and strawberry-infused Aperol. It showcases McLaughlin and his bar team’s talents behind the bar, which clearly are a big draw. Later he tells me that, while he never planned to serve margaritas, after offering them to-go during the pandemic they have become the restaurant’s top-selling drink. He now features a “margarita of the moment,” which changes frequently—recent iterations have included spicy blackberry-peach and strawberry-ginger.

McLaughlin and Margolskee recognize the give-and-take required to run a neighborhood place. They certainly have ideas about what State Lunch is and should be, but they also recognize that, to truly fit into a community, a restaurant needs to be there for its customers just as the customers are there for it. “At the end of the day,” says McLaughlin, “food is food, and you can get it at a lot of places, but the most important thing to me is the experience you give people and the way you make them feel.” And if that means serving margaritas alongside specialty cocktails with more obscure ingredients and preparations, then McLaughlin is happy to do just that.

State Lunch | 217 Water St., Augusta | 207.213.6025

A Serendipitous Discovery

Augusta’s Water Street was once a thriving downtown district that featured State Lunch, a diner that served breakfast and lunch. When the 2019 renovation of the long vacant space uncovered a stained-glass window that spelled out the restaurant’s name, McLaughlin was initially dismayed, feeling obligated to give his project the same name. Ultimately, he’s glad he embraced the location’s history. “Kind of like your kid’s name, you define your name and it becomes what it is,” he says. “Turns out, that’s who we are, and who we were supposed to be.”

August 1, 2022

Wolfpeach: Maine’s Most Popular New Restaurant is a Locavore’s Delight

 Ed. note: Wolfpeach has since closed. Originally published in Maine magazine, August 2022.

I’m sitting at the six-seat bar in the 190-year-old building that now houses Wolfpeach, a new fine-dining restaurant in downtown Camden. My back is to the historic brick hearth that doubles as makeshift wine storage, and I’m enjoying a few deviled eggs and an intriguing terrine made from eel and pork. I finish the last of a flight of four house-made soft drinks— kombucha and kefir flavored with various tree saps and herbs—then turn to the cocktail list for my next drink. As I decide on a gin and tonic made with Blue Barren Distillery gin brewed in nearby Hope, a casual remark from owner Gabriela Acero makes me completely reevaluate the experience of my meal up until that point.

As she prepares my drink, Acero tells me that she doesn’t use lime as a garnish: would I like a pickled carrot instead? That’s when I realize that nearly all the food and drink served at Wolfpeach is grown or made in Maine. That seems easy enough to accomplish with dishes like smoked herring and crispy potatoes, but the owners’ goal also extends to less visible but crucial ingredients, like sunflower oil and apple cider vinegar. I take another look at the beverage list and see that the wine selection is exclusively from New England and Canada, while Maine beer and spirits fill out the beverage offerings. And, naturally, that means there are no lime wedges.

Wolfpeach, which takes its name from the Latin word for tomato, opened in December 2021 after Acero, who grew up in Waterville, and her partner, Derek Richard, bought the building once occupied by the Drouthy Bear, a Scottish pub. The two had met when they helped to open Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford, where Richard developed the sourdough pizza recipe and Acero was the general manager. Richard, who is originally from New Jersey, worked in the kitchens of Blue Hill at Stone Barns and then at Barley Swine, a fine-dining hyper-local restaurant in Austin, Texas, before moving to Maine. At Wolfpeach Acero and Richard use locally grown and foraged ingredients to create what Richard describes as “just really good, simple food.” He pauses before he adds, “Well, seemingly simple.”

The menu’s short descriptions belie complex flavors that Richard and his crew create through days and even months of effort. A robust fermentation program produces flavor-packed ingredients, like the vinegars that replace the acidic element typically provided by lemon juice, and a fish sauce called garum that is made from various seafoods and salt. Between the kimchi, garum, miso, and vinegars, Wolfpeach’s kitchen is full of bubbling containers of fermented condiments to amplify each dish. “All our ferments are funneled into the sauces, just helping with flavor,” Richard says.

All that behind-the-scenes effort is apparent in my entree, a smoked pork loin. Its preparation started a week prior, when Richard dry-aged the pasture-raised pork, then rubbed the meat with a fermented tomato powder before it went in the wood smoker. Before dinner service, Richard warmed the meat in a bath of liquid smoked pork fat, a trick he says he learned during his time in Texas, and then seared the chop to order. The thick slice of bone-in pork arrives, perfectly tender with a blackened, crispy edge, in a dark puddle of jus, the result of a multi-day process of reducing pork stock and a bottle of red wine from Cellardoor Winery into a rich, sticky sauce.

Dishes are served à la carte at Wolfpeach. A side of tender, charred collard florets complements the smokiness of the pork loin. The slight bitterness of the greens is offset by a silky house-made aioli that delivers a salty kick from the addition of a few raw oysters that were blended in. Richard says his goal is for the menu items to complement each other—and ideally be enjoyed with a side of his signature sourdough bread. He uses Maine Grains whole wheat flour, which results in loaves with a tender interior and a nutty, hearty crust. The butter, also made in-house, is mixed with locally grown kelp and then fermented for a few days, making it salty and slightly tangy.

Richard has a deft hand with pasta dough: he is filling thin sheets with spinach and a tangy cow’s- and goat’s-milk cheese. He flavors the mixture with a maitake mushroom miso and then serves the stuffed pasta in a browned butter sauce. He tells me he felt the dish needed to be finished with Parmesan cheese, so he bends his rules to include the Italian import. Of the exception, Acero says, “We’re not trying to make any aggressively hard-and-fast rules. At the end of the day, if we think the food needs something, we will use it.”

As I enjoy my dessert—a scoop of honey-thyme ice cream made by a local farmer—I’m left thinking that so often the discussion of a meal made exclusively with Maine foods focuses on its limitations—no lemon, no olive oil, no French wine. It’s a testament to Richard’s skill in the kitchen and Acero’s natural hospitality that you can be halfway through the meal at Wolfpeach before it occurs to you that anything might be missing.

Wolfpeach | 50 Elm St., Camden | 207.230.8315

No Tips, Please

Wolfpeach operates on a no-tipping model. Servers are paid $20 an hour, with the goal of everyone reaching $25–$35 an hour. Although the idea is not without its detractors, Acero says customers are receptive to it despite the higher prices. She’s quick to say that she knows the model doesn’t work for many small businesses: due to several factors Wolfpeach has “a deep freedom to do things the way we want.” (Although the prices initially seem higher, the total cost of the meal ends up comparable to that of a tipped fine-dining restaurant.)

July 1, 2022

If You Haven’t Tried Cafe Louis in Knightville, It’s Time

 Originally published in Maine magazine, July 2022.


Chef Evan Richardson has strong opinions about mustard—specifically, the mustard sauce used on the pressed pork sandwich known as a Cuban or a medianoche. He insists there shouldn’t be just mustard on the sandwich, but a sauce made from the drippings from roasted pork mixed with mustard. “I’ll never win that argument. It’s just one I’m willing to have,” he says with a laugh as we sit in the sunny dining room of his South Portland restaurant, Cafe Louis.

When I try Cafe Louis’s medianoche, I am struck by the difference made by the mustard sauce (or “salsa Louis,” as Richardson calls his version). Where mustard alone is usually sharp and overpowering, the addition of the drippings makes his sauce mellow and creamy. The heavily griddled pan suave bread is sweet and dense with crispy, browned bits of Swiss cheese. Inside, salty Virginia ham, roast pork, and briny pickles mingle together for a rich and satisfying lunch.

Cafe Louis’s menu is inspired by the food Richardson grew up eating while visiting his paternal grandparents outside of the Costa Rican capital of San José. He remembers eating the “tipico food”—traditional Costa Rican dishes—his grand-mother made. One of these is casado, a hearty plate of black beans, rice, cabbage, fried plantains, eggs, and homemade tortillas that now appears on Cafe Louis’s brunch menu. “I’m just cooking food that I used to eat as a kid,” Richardson tells me.

Richardson first made a name for himself in Portland with his Creole cooking at Eaux—classics like gumbo, po’boys, and jambalaya. The native New Orleanian opened Eaux in 2017, first as a food cart and then, a year later, as a 40-seat restaurant on Portland’s Exchange Street. At Eaux, which closed in November 2020, Richardson served French-inspired Creole food as a “sit-down, proper dinner [with] white plates,” he says. But at Cafe Louis, he’s exploring his family’s Central American heritage with a lively, fun vibe. “At Louis, you can come as you are at any given time and pop in for a burger. It’s a neighborhood spot,” Richardson says.

The casual atmosphere at Cafe Louis invites diners to linger over bocas, small snacks that are served at bars in Costa Rica. Patacones, or fried plantains, deliver a crispy, salty crunch that yields to a tender interior. The gallo pinto—black beans and rice—is packed with flavor from a base of aromatic vegetables called sofrito, spices, and a drizzle of Salsa Lizano, a flavorful bottled Costa Rican condiment that’s similar to Worcestershire sauce. Slices of queso para freir—a soft cow’s milk cheese—are grilled until brown and crispy, then finished with honey and chopped macadamia nuts.

I enjoy dinner at Cafe Louis’s seven-seat bar with helpful recommendations from our server Peter Murphy, who also operates the food cart Rebel Cheesesteak. We exchange banter under the gaze of a large toucan featured in a mural on the far wall of the restaurant. The cafe is small, roughly 700 square feet, but despite its size, it has seating for about 35.

Costa Rican food has a reputation for being a bit bland. But Richardson’s skillful cooking amplifies the signature flavors of the cuisine, particularly evident in his take on ron don, a Jamaican fish stew popular on the East Coast of Costa Rica. Plump Bangs Island mussels are nestled into a sweet, slightly spicy green curry of coconut milk broth thickened with cassava. Slim slices of corn on the cob, sweet potato, and crab meat crowd the bowl. When it arrives, I initially focus on the mussels, thinking they are the star of the show as usual in steamed mussel dishes, but then I realize the flavor-packed dish is more reminiscent of a New England chowder, so I eat the broth with a spoon.

Richardson upgrades another relatively simple Central American staple in his marmahon. In this Lebanese dish, which migrated to Honduras with Arab immigrants, he stirs Israeli couscous while it cooks, making it decadent and creamy like risotto. Several preparations of mushrooms—pickled, fried, and powdered—are added, and it’s finished with a shower of nutty, aged Manchego and a spiced, bright red achiote oil to make for a hearty vegetarian entree.

Despite the focus on Central American food, Richardson is quick to say Cafe Louis is not “handcuffed” to one region’s fare. Richardson and chef de cuisine Khristian Martinez use seasonal, local ingredients in their rotating vegetable dishes and salads, like charred bok choy with fermented kohlrabi and an empanada filled with fiddleheads and cheddar. “We do our best to use seasonal ingredients,” Richardson says. “We’re not going to not use fiddleheads, but if I showed them to my grandmother, she’d have no idea what to do with them.” While she may not recognize all the ingredients, his grandmother would surely be proud of how well Richardson is representing the cuisine of Costa Rica in Maine.

Cafe Louis | 173 Ocean St., South Portland | 207.536.0169

SoPo Restaurant Row

Cafe Louis joins a flourishing neighborhood of South Port-land in a strip of new businesses on Ocean Street. The closure of longtime favorites RJ’s Pub and Uncle Andy’s Diner made room for Cafe Louis along with Judy Gibson (helmed by Eventide alum Chris Gibson) and SoPo Seafood, a raw bar-cum-fish market. With Taco Trio and Foul-mouthed Brewing nearby, this South Portland neighborhood provides several enticing alternatives to dining on the busier Portland peninsula. 

June 27, 2022

New Menu at Crown Jewel on Great Diamond Island, Portland, Maine


If you've spent any time at all reading this blog over the years, you know one of my favorite summertime activities in Maine is to visit Crown Jewel on Portland's Great Diamond Island. I first visited in 2018 when Chef Rocky was at the helm and then featured it the following year for Down East magazine

In 2020, we enjoyed some takeout and cocktails from then-chef Sara's menu on our friend's boat, as it was mostly serving to-go during the pandemic. Then in 2021, we tried it both as a pop-up at Little Giant and in July for our friend's 50th birthday. 


2022 brings a new chef, Chef Jef, formerly of Sur Lie, so of course I booked a reservation for my family's visit last week. We ended up going for brunch, which due to the available reservations, happened to be on a rainy Sunday, so it was a pretty chill afternoon in the restaurant. 

I started with one of their fantastic cocktails, but virgin because #aging. The Run the Jewel is typically gin, rhubarb shrub, Campari, and yuzu, but with some magic they made it into a fantastic brunch mocktail. 


There's always been great deviled eggs ($8 for 3) on the menu and this iteration is no exception—with bacon jam holding a fingerling potato chip on top.  

I really struggled not to order so many things but kept it restrained with the oysters Rockefeller, crunchy and herby with butter, green Chartreuse, and breadcrumbs ($24 for 4). 


I must insist you try the snap pea salad ($9) which I mostly ordered like "fine, a vegetable" but it was perhaps my favorite dish of the visit. It was just crispy snap peas tossed with miso and sesame and then showered with ricotta salata. So fresh, salty, and savory. 

The whitefish over corn and tomatoes with chimichurri ($24) was delicious, summery, but still great for the dreary day we had. There were so many other tempting options, from the seared scallops to the eggs and crab on the brunch menu. 


My mom and sister both had the Spanish French toast, making an excellent substitution for the Dutch baby that everyone was looking forward to. It's soaked through with a creamy custard, and then caramelized on the outside and piled high with Maine blueberries. 


We never pass up pudding for dessert, this one topped with a marshmallow fluff and some graham cracker crumbs, giving it a S'mores vibe. 


And that was another great meal at Crown Jewel! I love that owner Alex Wight mixes it up every few years. While the incredible experience that is boating to an island for a meal alone would be enough to make the trip every summer, I also love to see how Alex and the new chef work together to create the perfect island escape—even on a glum June day. 


 Crown Jewel | 255 Diamond Ave, Great Diamond Island, ME | 207.464.2829

June 1, 2022

Smalls is Portland’s Hippest New All-Day Cafe

Originally published in Maine magazine, June 2022. 

The first time I stop in at Smalls, a new cafe in Portland’s West End, it’s for a breakfast sandwich. A friend told me it is in the running for the best in the city, so I parked on a steep hill off Brackett Street and found the entrance to the shop, which is in a rambling gray-shingled building. Inside, a long white counter with a gleaming blue espresso machine runs the length of one wall and provides bar seating for seven. A large mirror with a mod black and white tile surround hangs over the bar and reflects three globe pendant lights.

After I place my order at the counter, I walk through the cafe into the next room to peruse the selection of housewares, beauty products, and pantry items. Shelves display tapered beeswax candles, herbal tinctures promising relaxation, and small, funky ceramic pieces. Yet another room of goodies beckons me up four slightly crooked stairs, where I find tins of cured fish, honey-sweetened jams, spice mixes, and vegan candies. A refrigerator case holds local beers, funky wines, cured meats, cheeses, and pickled items.

The curator behind the eclectic offerings at Smalls is Samantha Knopf, who opened the cafe and market in January with business partner Karl Deuben of East Ender, a restaurant on Middle Street. Knopf lived in New York City for over 20 years and worked at times as a designer, bartender, server, doula, and florist before moving to Maine in February 2020. She says her aim at Smalls is to provide a comfortable space for people to connect with friends over good, affordable food and drink while also showcasing products from small, independent makers.

The early popularity of Smalls indicates it has quickly built a loyal following with Portlanders. The breakfast sandwich does end up being superlative-worthy, with a soft, toasted bun, crispy bacon, and a square of tender steamed eggs. A garlic-herb feta spread delivers a sharp saltiness without overwhelming the mild egg, and a smear of tomato mayonnaise lends sweetness to the whole thing.

The cafe’s kitchen is just a small corner of the space behind the bar. Chef Chelsea Cayer borrows kitchen space from East Ender to prepare many of the makings of the cafe’s 20 menu items. At Smalls, Cayer turns out a selection of sandwiches, salads, and snacks like marinated beets and spiced nuts using just a convection oven and a panini press. When I return to Smalls for dinner, I grab an available barstool next to a couple and a pair of friends. The rest of the seats are full—six more barstools line a counter along the other wall, and a table and bench seating are tucked into the nooks next to the front entrance. Knopf says she loves the small space of the cafe, which seats about 20, and has no plans to expand. The simple counter service model allows one or two staff members to keep an eye on all the customers.

I begin my meal with a Last Word cocktail, a gin-based classic with lime and green chartreuse over crushed ice in a vintage tumbler. My half-portion of the Caesar salad is simple and well done. Knopf tells me she judges a place by its Caesar salad, so if you offer one, it has to be good. Smalls’ version is indeed good, dressed with a shallot-Parmesan vinaigrette and filled with pebbly nubs of cheese and craggy croutons.

A wide ceramic bowl full of fat white cannellini beans warmed in olive oil arrives next. I scoop up the beans with a thick piece of toast from South Portland’s Solo Cucina market. They’re pleasantly salty and contain chunks of oil-poached swordfish and dabs of a bright arugula pesto. I round out my meal with half a ball of burrata and a few slices of salty serrano ham in a pool of housemade red pepper jelly.

My third visit to Smalls is for happy hour with a few friends, and we cozy up on a striped window seat. We share the crispy grilled cheese sweetened with caramelized onions, and chicken liver pâté complemented by a tangy cherry chutney. Afterward we browse the shop, and I weigh purchasing a rose-pistachio spice blend against restocking my chili crisp from Portland’s Little Brother Chinese Food.

Whatever you find yourself in need of, Smalls likely has the answer. Whether it’s a latte in the morning or a flower bouquet and a bottle of wine on your way to a friend’s, this cafe and market can provide. Special enough for date night but casual enough for a laptop session, Smalls successfully navigates the changing landscape of dining as we all reestablish our habits in this new world.

Smalls | 28 Brackett St., Portland

What’s in a Name?

Smalls’ owner Samantha Knopf envisioned a cafe/gift shop/ market that would be at home in the back of a New York bodega. She says the name refers to “small makers, small products, small space,” and the idea of treating yourself with something every day. The accessible prices of Smalls’ food and drink make daily visits possible.

May 5, 2022

Portland Public Market House Update

If, like me, you haven't been into the Portland Public Market House for a while due to the pandemic, here's an update on the businesses there. 

I went a few weeks ago to check out Frying Dutchman, one of the newer business there, for one of its pop-up dinners. But before we get into that, here's a rundown of the other businesses in the building:

On the first floor, Mr. Tuna and Roll Call are the sole vendors. Mr. Tuna serves sushi and other Japanese food and has plenty of bar seating along the counter. I frequently pop in to pick up my takeout after ordering online, which I find a really easy experience. 


Roll Call, which opens today, began as a food cart serving roast beef sandwiches. It's run by the same people that own Wayside Tavern, which has great food. But it's so much more than roast beef—there's an amazing grilled cheese, kale salad, and caramelized onion dip. Plus a fantastic sounding pot de creme that I haven't tried yet. So I am very excited to experience Roll Call in its new home.  



Upstairs, Kamasouptra (soup), Daily Greens (salad), and Pho Huong (Vietnamese) are joined by relative newcomer Dila's Kitchen, which serves Turkish food like kabobs and bulgar bowls. 


There's also Yardie Ting, which is always tempting me on Instagram with its tantalizing Jamaican curries and chicken. 


But this time, it was Frying Dutchman that drew me in. When it first opened, it served Dutch-style cones of French fries with toppings. But the owners took a break from fries for a while—for some R&D, I believe—and began offering other fried treats like a Korean cheese dog and a fried chicken sandwich. 


So I made the very adult decision to try both for my dinner. The fried cheese dog was a real delight, simple some breaded, fried cheese with a wasabi aioli and smoky bonito flakes. The sandwich was super crunchy with a Thai red curry mayo. 

Its Instagram now says it serves "global street tapas," so stay tuned to see what other international delights they come up with. 


Hopefully you're inspired to check out a new Public Market House business! Each business has different hours, so be sure to check its website or social media for the latest. 

May 1, 2022

Chez Rosa Brings French Dining to Kennebunkport

 Originally published in Maine magazine, May 2022.

Yazmin Saraya Jean, owner and general manager of Chez Rosa, says she and chef Kyle Robinson have only one hard-and-fast rule: “We’re pretty strict about not putting things on the menu that are not French.” She says it’s tempting at times to stray from their self-imposed edict, but they enjoy researching until they discover a French dish that fits the season and the availability of ingredients in Maine. “We’re not quite purists, but we always want to stick with French cuisine,” Saraya Jean says.

To that end, Chez Rosa’s menu is full of French classics like steak frites, beef bourguignon, and crème brûlée. The husband-and-wife team opened Chez Rosa (a portmanteau of the couple’s last names) two years ago in Kennebunkport’s Dock Square. Since then, the town has enthusiastically embraced Saraya Jean and Robinson’s bistro as a destination for socializing with friends with a glass of earthy Bordeaux or a plate of perfectly crisped frites. 

Although Chez Rosa opened in late May 2020, Saraya Jean and Robinson had intended to open the month prior, after leaving their jobs at Portland’s now-closed Five Fifty-Five. Due to coronavirus restrictions, they were limited to serving takeout until the owners of nearby Abacus Gallery offered their patio for outdoor dining. “They were our angels. We would literally not be here without them,” says Robinson. The couple accented the patio with string lights, which, along with the lush greenery and the gallery’s sculptures, made the perfect al fresco bistro scene.

By the time my husband and I come to dine at Chez Rosa, it’s midwinter, and Robinson has swapped lighter coastal French cuisine like ratatouille and salade Niçoise for heartier dishes such as beef bourguignon and cheese fondue, which are popular in the snowy mountainous regions. Saraya Jean says, “French cuisine is so big, and the regions are so different, that you can almost never get bored. The options are endless.”

We begin our meal with a round of original cocktails from bar manager Julia Russell. My well-balanced Noix de Pecan is a rum-based sour made with lime juice and a tea brewed from pecans. Next, our server recommends we try the charcuterie, as Robinson makes his own spreads like chicken liver pâté and chicken and mushroom terrine. I opt for the pâté, a customer favorite, and slather it on toasted bread from Kennebunk’s Boulangerie bakery. The rich flavor of the liver is cut by a dollop of tart cranberry compote.

Before our entrees, I enjoy a ramekin of onion soup, a savory beef and chicken broth packed with caramelized onions. It’s topped with a few slices of baguette and a salty, smooth lid of browned Swiss cheeses. Robinson says the soup’s components take three days to make, and that customers order this French classic no matter the weather: “Even in the summer, it’ll be so hot out, and we’ll still sell 30 of them.”

With tempting options like steak frites and cassoulet, narrowing down our choice of entrees proves difficult. Robinson makes two versions of cassoulet: one with locally raised duck and chicken, the other topped with delicately fried cubes of tofu that are enlivened by a sprinkle of herbed salt. Intrigued by the vegetarian version, I try the tofu, which proves to pleasantly lighten the hearty bean and vegetable dish.

My husband orders an entree in which Robinson wraps fish, kale, and a crème fraîche lemon mousse in a square of puff pastry. The filled golden pastry, scored with small semicircles to give the appearance of scales, is nestled alongside nutty farro and roasted cauliflower. The surrounding vadouvan velouté, a creamy sauce with Indian-inspired spices, gives the dish a luscious finish.

Both of the main dishes we enjoyed at Chez Rosa have since been traded for others to match the changing seasons. By early spring, Robinson features in-season Maine day boat scallops instead of the pollock, and mushroom bourguignon in the tofu cassoulet’s place. He says he’s looking to strike a balance, offering dishes that feature seasonal ingredients while also keeping customer favorites available. “I’ve learned that, if you’ve got to take something away, whatever you put in its place better be good!” Robinson says with a laugh.

My one regret after dinner at Chez Rosa is that I didn’t order the cheese fondue. I spied a couple at a neighboring table dipping skewered cubes of fruit, ham, and bread into a miniature cast-iron dish of gooey cheese kept warm by a small Sterno can. A return visit to the cozy bistro in Kennebunkport is in my future, and while the menu may have changed, I know that I’ll find Robinson and Saraya Jean taking cues from the Maine seasons to create dishes that are, first and foremost, French.

Chez Rosa | Cross St., Kennebunkport | 207.204.0183

Ocean Approved

Chez Rosa is one of a handful ocean-friendly restaurants in Maine, a certification given by the Surfrider Foundation. The restaurant recycles, composts, and uses compostable takeout containers and drink straws made from hay. All of the seafood served at Chez Rosa is sustainably sourced, which means that the salade Niçoise served in the summer features Maine lobster or crab instead of tuna, a species that has been over-fished in some areas. Since Chez Rosa received its certification, several other Maine restaurants have followed suit.

March 21, 2022

First Look at Paper Tiger


Paper Tiger, the latest from restaurateur Mike Fraser (Bramhall, Roma), chef Nace Cohen, and manager Marcus Alcantara opens today. The restaurant in on Fore Street, in the space formerly occupied by Maine Lobster Shack. The renovation changes the look from New England seafood shack to a moody cocktail bar. 







Cocktails are the focus on the bar menu here, with three pages of original drinks to choose from. Many have a tropical or tiki theme, featuring coconut, fresh juices, rum, and tiki syrups. There's also two large format choices, a scorpion bowl and party punch, meant to be shared. 

My husband had the spicy cilantro swizzle which was very tart and herbal. We also enjoyed the slushie, a delicious frozen blend of lime, ginger, and tequila. 

The menu at Paper Tiger is inspired by "traditional fast food, oyster bars, and late night Chinese restaurants." And there is a little bit of everything—wings, fries, and a burger, but also scallop crudo, roast oysters, stir-fried vegetables, and whole roast fish. 

We started with the wings and fries. The wings ($11) are coconut sambal with pineapple and cilantro and were a great combination of spicy and sweet. We also ordered the tuna crudo ($18) and the scallop crudo ($14), each thinly sliced with different vinaigrettes. 

Next, we went for a round of veggie sides, the garlic-sesame-peanut baby bok choy ($9), the Brussel sprouts with caramelized onions ($12), and the black pepper mushrooms ($10.50). The mushrooms were my favorite, as the slightly thickened sauce delivered the most unique flavors of the night, with plenty of black pepper and Szechuan peppercorns. 


To finish, we shared the classic double patty burger ($16) and the monkfish tail for two ($35). The burger was delicious, with a soft bun and crispy fries. The fish came with a great chili-crisp like sauce on top and then a plate of accoutrements (herbs, kimchi, sauces) to make lettuce wraps with. We had also ordered a side of sticky rice to go with our veggies, so I added in some rice to make a nice finish to the meal. 

Paper Tiger is a nice addition to the Old Port's restaurant scene. I will definitely be back to explore the very deep cocktail selection and enjoy some nice snacks.  

Paper Tiger | 425 Fore St, Suite 104, Portland, Maine | (207) 613-9823

March 1, 2022

Wayside Tavern in Portland Serves Dishes to Meet Your Mood

 Originally published in Maine magazine, March 2022.

A new type of tavern is open in the West End of Portland. With its deep burgundy leather banquettes, glass-globed sconces that cast a warm glow, and flickering candles perched on stacks of cookbooks, Wayside Tavern sets the mood as a cozy destination for meeting with friends. The restaurant and bar are located in the Francis, a boutique hotel in a recently renovated 1881 Italianate mansion with natural wood crown mouldings, hardwood floors, and a brick fireplace.

The food at Wayside Tavern manages to be both comforting and exciting at the same time. Owners Siobhán and Michael Sindoni pull from their travels in Italy and Michael’s classic culinary training to create a menu with hints of intrigue. Michael rolls foie gras in crushed maple-candied almonds to create truffles that then sit in a pool of hot pepper jelly. Roasted half-moons of delicata squash come garnished with tangy Gorgonzola cheese and drizzled with spicy honey, while bitter chicory greens get the Caesar salad treatment, tossed with a creamy anchovy-laden dressing and crunchy bread crumbs.

Those looking for more traditional tavern fare will find items like fried cod bites, crispy-skinned roast chicken, and a satisfyingly peppery steak au poivre. Mondays bring a ten-dollar smashed patty burger on a potato roll. “The use of the word ‘tavern’ was very deliberate,” says Michael, who is the chef. “You can come in and get a burger or beer-battered fish if that’s what you’re going for.”

Michael is very familiar with the experience of sitting at the marble-topped bar that flanks one wall of the three small dining rooms: he regularly enjoyed meals at Flood’s, the restaurant that Palace Diner owner Greg Mitchell ran in the space until August 2020. Siobhán and Michael live down the street, and both loved the neighborhood feel of Flood’s. The closure of Mitchell’s restaurant presented the couple with the serendipitous opportunity to realize their own dreams of owning a restaurant. Conscious that three restaurants have occupied the space in the past four years, Siobhán says, “We want to be here for years to come.”

Many West End residents seem to concur, as Wayside Tavern attracts regulars drawn to the Italian influences that appear throughout the menu. The eggplant terrine has become a fixture at the insistence of customers, even when it is out of season. Chef de cuisine Matt Jatczak, who runs the daily operations of the restaurant, prepares the dish Sicilian-style, which means forgoing the heavy breading. Instead, he coats the eggplant only in egg before frying it, then layers it into a mold with garlic and chile-spiked ricotta. The terrine is then sliced and topped with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella cheese, resulting in an elevated version of a homey eggplant parmesan.

Michael hand makes pasta, mozzarella, and bread using techniques he honed during several stints cooking in Italy. He tosses strands of fettuccini with a tomato sauce blended with ’nduja, a spicy Italian sausage. Toasted sourdough bread is dunked in chicken broth until it softens, thickly spread with ricotta cheese, and topped with slices of crispy-skinned chicken thighs. Pine nuts and wine-plumped golden raisins deliver contrasting texture and acidity. These simple yet elegant dishes show off the chef’s ability to deliver unexpected twists using familiar ingredients.

Siobhán oversees the wine and bar program, using her experience as a certified sommelier to curate a list of primarily Italian and French wines. She gravitates toward wine “that has a sense of place, that’s not cookie-cutter.” She tells me the most popular wine served by the glass last summer was an orange wine made from white grapes that were fermented with the skins, resulting in an amber color and bolder flavor. As for how her atypical wine selections are received, Siobhán says, “People here are really open. It’s been pretty incredible.”

The cocktail selection hews closer to the traditional, with just six classics listed. A gin martini, grapefruit daquiri, and rye Manhattan all receive small tweaks—an offbeat vermouth here, a housemade cordial there. After dinner, a long list of amari—Italian liqueurs—offer a sweet, herbaceous nightcap. The Irish-ish Coffee, a blend of coffee, crème de cacao, and a housemade walnut liqueur called nocino topped with a thick cap of pistachio cream, nicely balances the sweetness of a tiramisu or apple butternut squash cake.

Siobhán says it can be challenging for a restaurant to be seen as a place to enjoy a burger at the bar as well as a four-course meal with nice wine. But Wayside Tavern manages to pull off both. On a recent visit, my friends and I shared several of the dozen or so small plates, from garlic-chile butter broiled oysters to a creamy salt cod and olive tapenade dip. Then I dug in to a grass-fed steak accompanied by a glass of Mendocino red from Siobhán’s thoughtful wine list. Whatever route you take, Wayside Tavern provides a pleasant path to get there.

Wayside Tavern | 747 Congress St., Portland | 207.613.9568

On A Roll

After living in Dallas, Texas, for seven years, Siobhán and Michael Sindoni made the move to Portland in 2019 after hearing from friends how incredible Maine life is. With “plenty of time for R and D” during the pandemic, Michael opened Roll Call, a food cart serving roast beef, porchetta, and turkey sandwiches. The cart was a hit with the busy staff at Maine Medical Center, where many food trucks gather during the lunch hour. Michael’s younger brother, Nick, manages the cart’s day-to-day operations and is currently searching for a brick-and-mortar home for the business.

February 1, 2022

First Look at Regards in Portland, Maine

Regards opens tonight—a new restaurant on Congress Street in Portland where Emilitsa was. The chef is Neil Zabriskie, formerly of Little Giant, and co-owned by his wife Kimberly Lund and Cameron Lewin, also formerly of Little Giant. 

The menu was described to us during the Friday night preview as "L.A.-meets-Maine" and has a strong seafood focus with a big selection of tequila and mezcal. The menu definitely belies the cold temperatures we've had in Maine lately, but still felt hearty enough to enjoy on a January evening. 


I started off with a delicious Paloma cocktail and a beautiful plate of raw Japanese yellowfin tuna, buttermilk aguachile (chili water), and onions ($18). This dish was one of my favorites, with its rich broth and silky herb oil. I loved the bite of the raw onions too. 


Next came charred cabbage, anchovy caesar, white kimchi salt ($16) followed closely by a salad of endive, brown butter & soy, bosc pear, sheep gouda, hazelnuts ($18). 

The bitter char on the cabbage was cut nicely by the Caesar dressing, and same for the classic pairing of bitter endive and rich cheese and pear. 



Crab claws with smoked butter and charred lemon ($16) were a fun diversion as we cracked and picked the meat out of the hard shells. 


The grilled king oyster mushrooms ($16) were both lightly grilled and raw with a scallop garum (like a fish sauce). The broth by itself was so salty, but where it lightly coated the mushrooms, it added great flavor. 


Lastly, we had the Hamachi collar, garlic aioli, raw lettuce, toasted nori ($24). Our server described as a take on fish tacos, as we used the lettuce and nori to enjoy the sweet-glazed fish and rich mayo. Just add a little rice and you've got an upscale version of that viral TikTok dish! 


We tried both desserts—a sheep ricotta ice cream with blackberry and lime folded in ($12) and a coconut crema catalana (custard) with a kumquat granita ($12). It was like a creamsicle dream. 


There's so much more to the menu—another 10 small plates and even a 40 oz. dry-aged ribeye that I bet is fantastic. I love seeing what Chef Neil (an L.A. native) wants to offer now that he's opened his own restaurant and the concept is certainly unlike anything else Portland has. 

Regards | 547 Congress St, Portland | 207.747.5940 

January 1, 2022

Where to Go in Portland, Maine For Date Night This Winter

Originally published in Maine magazine, January 2022

The challenge of eating outdoors last winter was sometimes fun (and necessary), but this year I’m ready to go back inside where it’s warm. Let’s reconnect with loved ones over a shared meal, surrounded by the pleasant buzz of strangers enjoying a night out. Maine has so many destination restaurants, so here’s a pared-down list of nine worthy spots for when you need to shake up your “Netflix and chill” routine. Ditch the sweatpants and put down the takeout menu: we’re going out. 

Joshua’s | 1637 Post Rd. Wells

Cozy up with some farm-to-table fare at this restaurant located in a restored 1774 Colonial-style house on Route 1 in Wells. Chef Josh Mather serves upscale American dishes using many ingredients grown nearby on his parents’ farm. The dining room is partitioned into several small rooms, providing plenty of intimate corners in which to enjoy your meal. Share a dish of wood-grilled mushrooms with truffle butter to start, and don’t miss my favorite entree: roasted haddock with caramelized onion crust served over mushroom risotto.

The White Barn Inn | 37 Beach Ave. Kennebunk | whitebarninn.com

This luxury inn’s restaurant is regularly voted one of Maine’s most romantic dining spots, and for good reason. With white tablecloths, a huge window that overlooks trees wrapped in twinkling lights, and even a piano player, the setting is primed for romance. Classic Maine dishes have luxurious touches, like caviar atop the lobster roll and sherry-laced lobster bisque. The Little Barn offers a more casual environment with a bistro menu, but you may find yourself envious of the diners in the main dining room.

North 43 Bistro | 1 Spring Point Dr. South Portland | north43bistro.com

For the best view of the Portland skyline, venture across the river to South Portland’s Ferry Village neighborhood. The window-lined dining room overlooks Spring Point Marina, and the expansive menu offers dishes for everyone, from boar bolognese to miso-ginger-glazed salmon. A date night at this waterfront bistro will make you feel like you’ve gotten farther away than just South Portland.

Chaval | 58 Pine St. Portland | chavalmaine.com

With its warm lighting and French- and Spanish-inspired cuisine, Chaval in Portland’s West End is a great date-night destination. Don’t miss the starters, like the simple pan con tomate or trumpet mushrooms with chorizo and duck egg. Entrees like swordfish a la plancha and coq au vin are hearty wintertime favorites. For a truly special evening, reserve one of the heated greenhouses on the patio and enjoy a private meal in comfort.

Via Vecchia | 10 Dana St. Portland | vvoldport.com

Between the glam decor and the standout cocktails, a visit to this Old Port restaurant makes for a memorable evening. Velvet-lined banquettes and leather club chairs offer comfortable seating in the front bar area, while the mezzanine in the back provides a more intimate environment. Tropical cocktail lovers won’t want to miss the Averna Mai Tai, and there are a variety of housemade pastas and flatbreads perfect for sharing.

Evo Kitchen + Bar | 443 Fore St. Portland | evoportland.com

Sit at the chef’s counter at this buzzy Mediterranean spot in the Old Port to watch the kitchen prepare modern takes on classics like baba ghanoush and chicken shawarma. Tables in the upstairs dining room offer more privacy for enjoying small plates of the restaurant’s signature chickpea fries and bluefin tuna crudo. Don’t miss dessert at Evo—pastry chef Maureen Hobby’s creative sweets are perfect for sharing.

Water Street Kitchen + Bar | 15 Water St. Wiscasset | waterstreetmaine.com

With big windows that overlook the Sheepscot River from its enclosed porch, Water Street Kitchen and Bar’s ambiance creates the right conditions for romance. Chef Ed Colburn serves a menu featuring plenty of Maine seafood with French, Italian, and Spanish influences, like roasted lobster with tarragon butter and a shellfish paella. The recent renovation of this property makes it a great destination for a romantic midcoast road trip.

Nina June | 24 Central St. Rockport | ninajunerestaurant.com

This Mediterranean restaurant from chef Sara Jenkins is located in charming Rockport, which feels like a getaway all on its own. The restaurant has great views of the harbor from its dining room, where a four-course prix fixe meal made up of Italian, Spanish, and other Mediterranean dishes is served. Enjoy the same ambiance with a more casual menu in the cafe seating. Take home a memento from the selection of imported groceries, like tahini, olive oil, or dried pasta.

The Fiddlehead Restaurant | 84 Hammond St. Bangor | thefiddleheadrestaurant.com 

Diners in Bangor love this casual yet elegant spot for its farm-to-table fare and extensive list of unique cocktails. With exposed brick and hardwood floors, the restaurant has a cozy vibe that will warm you up on a winter night. Start with a plate of local cheeses, duck rillettes, and housemade tomatillo jam, or marinated mushrooms over farro. Entrees like vegetable chow mein and lamb tamales reflect the global influence of chef Melissa Chaiken’s international childhood.

Flux Brings Creative From-Scratch Cooking to Lisbon Falls

 Originally published in Maine magazine, January 2022.

The town of Lisbon has seen a lot of changes in the past half-decade. The defunct Worumbo Mill that anchored the town at its southern end was demolished in 2016, and a medical cannabis shop recently popped up on the site. The Moxie Museum, an homage to Maine’s iconic soft drink, shuttered after owner Frank Anicetti passed away in 2017. In its place came Frank’s Pub, which pays tribute to the museum’s charismatic owner with plenty of Moxie memorabilia on the walls. Then, in April 2018, brothers Jason and Tyson LaVerdiere opened their restaurant, Flux, serving modern American cuisine.

As the name implies, the LaVerdiere brothers are embracing the wave of change they’re a part of in Lisbon Falls. Over the past three and a half years, the restaurant has built a loyal following with its 12 or so core menu items, which include a decadent poutine and a signature burger topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and caramelized onions. “People would lose it if we took [those items] off,” Tyson says.

Jason, an alum of the now-closed Walter’s in Portland, fulfills his desire for creativity with an extensive selection of specials, offering seven to eight additional dishes a night. The specials are “hyper-local, hyper-seasonal,” he says, and reflect what’s abundant at the farmers’ market or what foragers are finding in the woods. On a raw, rainy night in the late fall he served wild mushrooms alongside lemon sole and a warming pheasant and bean cassoulet.

The night I am dining at Flux, a deep bowl of plump steamed mussels comes topped with a mound of fresh herbs and two long, buttery slices of grilled sourdough baguette. The dish is inspired by Bissell Brothers’ Substance Ale, with lemongrass and lime leaves added to mirror the flavors of the hoppy beer and cream sauce. I see why diners often order extra bread to sop up the remaining sauce—Jason reports he once saw someone put it in a glass and drink it.

Much of the popularity of Flux’s fare can be attributed to Jason’s from-scratch approach to cooking. From pasta and bread to fermented foods and stocks, nearly everything served at Flux is homemade. “We make everything but the ketchup,” Tyson says. The pair acknowledge that making many foods that can be purchased can be difficult, but they’re dedicated to the approach nonetheless. Jason lives two blocks away, so he can pop over and tend to longer projects, like the veal demi-glace that cooks for three days before becoming a part of the restaurant’s signature poutine.

Jason studied biology before attending culinary school and uses his knowledge of microbiology in his many fermentation projects. A tangy, purple sauerkraut cuts through the richness of the fried chicken sandwich, while koji, a mold-inoculated rice used in the chicken’s marinade, intensifies the meat’s savory flavors. Chefs in the know love this Japanese technique, which amplifies the flavor of anything it’s added to, making foods “taste more like themselves,” according to Jason.

Jason employs other unusual ingredients to maximize a dish’s flavor, like sodium citrate in the macaroni and cheese. The acidic powder thickens the cheese sauce and keeps it emulsified, resulting in a rich sauce with the flavor of a tangy English cheddar and the smoothness of melted American cheese. It coats curly housemade cavatelli pasta without becoming oily or grainy.

But the food at Flux doesn’t rely solely on chemistry tricks to deliver flavor. Jason uses classic techniques when making the poutine but then substitutes fried potato pavé for the French fries: thinly sliced potatoes are layered with cream and baked, then pressed and cut into cubes. The layers expand when fried, creating crispy edges around a soft, creamy interior. The potatoes are topped with cheese curds and the veal demi-glace, then roasted in a mini cast-iron skillet. “It’s like highbrow stoner food,” Jason says. “It’s probably the best thing I’ve ever made.”

The restaurant’s bread and desserts are all made by baker Kristal Robishaw, who took over the duties from Jason within the past year. Traditional desserts like cheesecake, tres leches cake, and chocolate cake impress with their modern plating. Take the latter, for example: a smooth shell of ganache covers a dome of chocolate cake atop a layer of rich mousse. Torn bits of cake surround it, and a few chewy beet macaron shells rest atop dollops of whipped cream. This elevated take on a standard is a fitting end to my fantastic meal.Cocktails at Flux also feature many housemade ingredients, like the jalapeno-infused tequila that warms up the Spring Heat, a margarita with the floral flavors of St. Germain liqueur. Twelve taps feature exclusively Maine-brewed beers, and there’s a varied list of wines, 30 of which are available by the glass.

Flux offers options for nostalgic and adventurous diners alike. Order the classic Flux burger at every visit, or branch out and try one (or several) of Jason’s inventive specials. As his brother Tyson says, “You’ll never get flavor-bored here. Never.”

Flux | 12 Main St., Lisbon Falls | 207.407.4109

Rock Around the Clock

The restaurant’s location was a diner before the LaVerdiere brothers took over, and Flux’s exterior still bears a retro stainless-steel facade. The former diner is rumored to be the inspiration for the time-travel portal in Stephen King’s novel 11/22/63, in which the main character attempts to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Fans of the Maine writer often ask to see the stairs to the restaurant’s basement, but so far no one’s reported discovering a way to turn back time.