Category Archives: dining

Places I go to eat.

Outliers = Sunday Funday

Today we stopped in at Outliers my favorite spot for brunch in Portland,Maine. I love the cool beautifully designed space,and Ralph Steadman artwork. Overlooking the Casco Bay Bridge, their sidewalk seating is possibly the best place to see and be seen by Portland’s beautiful people. On top of all that they have one of the best brunch menus in the area and their stunning bar tender makes inspired drinks.

My companion and I started by sharing delicious made to order donut holes and a bialy with smoked salmon and sliced heritage tomatoes. Both were fantastic! For my main course I then had the oxtail poutine. What a dish! It was just bursting with savory/meaty flavor and evoked an immediate sense of comfort. So good… so good.
Beverages consumed by me, were a darn fine iced boozy coffee and a corpse reviver that lived up to its name.
Happy,Happy!
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Robert’s Maine Grill

I really enjoy Robert’s Maine Grill, for me it represents the traditional Maine Seafood restaurant remade using only the best local ingredients. This is particularly impressive located as they are in Kittery, a southern Maine town previously known for its factory outlet shopping and tourist trap restaurants.

It’s almost impossible for me not to stop here whenever  I travel down or back from Boston. There focus on the  freshest seafood and local farm raised ingredients just makes their food just burst with flavor.  Most importantly when they say jumbo lobster roll they mean it. Below are some photos from a recent lunch time visit. As an added bonus during peak summer traffic they offer free valet parking for guests.

Jumbo Lobster Roll

Jumbo Lobster Roll

Beer Battered Fish

Beer Battered Fish

Blueberry Pie

Blueberry Pie

The view from the dining room.

The view from the dining room.

Hugo’s: The Big Show!

More than a meal, more than a restaurant. Hugo’s is one of the most satisfying diner as art experiences to be found in Portland.

It begins with the space intimate but not small. Perfectly designed to be warm and bring comfort to diners weary from the outside world. Fulfilling this promise are the friendly and impeccably professional staff. Ask any employee the heritage of your tomato and chances are they will know! A special nod to our waiter Patrick I can’t imagine anyone being better at their chosen profession. These are people that know and love food and it shows!

The menu itself is a work of art. The dishes are always changing, but the innovative format remains. Divided into sections: Foraged and Farmed, From the Sea, Forest and Field. Mix and match or eat your way down a column. Either way you will experience amazing food and it is impossible to leave without both your tummy and spirit satisfied.
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Food and Wine 10 Portland Plates

Food and wine just gave another shoutout to Portland Maine. Among their favorites are the perennial Central Provisions, but also making the list were a few surprises like Salvage and David Levi’s Vinland. Congratulations to all. Seems like a good excuse to plan a fall trip.
For the full list please see Food and Wine magazine.
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