AppetitePortland

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Archive for March, 2010

Duck Soup Dilemma

Mar 30

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining | No Comments

For me, Pom’s Thai Taste on Congress street has long been a one-dish destination. I flip to the full-page “build your own soup” section of the menu, smile up at the waitress and point: Medium noodles. Five spice broth. Crispy duck. Prepared medium spicy.

Pom's noodle soup with crispy duck and five spice broth.

It’s what I get every time.

Now, it’s not the best soup in the world, but it’s dependable, hearty, filling and affordable. At $8.95 (lunch size) and $12.95 (a formidable dinner size), it’s a deal. And, with a heat level that turns your cheeks rosy and sinuses clear — it’s a flavorful way to warm up in winter and sober up on First Friday’s.

So, branching out of my rut for this review was a bit tough. Sometimes I just like what I like. But, I set my resolve and waltzed in for lunch on a recent Friday.

Feeling slightly pressured by the regimented efficiency of Pom’s wait staff, I scanned the expansive menu for a suitable duck soup replacement. Still searching through town for great Pad Thai, I choose the restaurant’s Maine shrimp version. For an appetizer, I couldn’t resist the intriguingly titled Steamed Butterflies.

Billed as the Pom’s house specialty, the butterflies were mostly just a sticky and overly sweet mess. Essentially dumplings stuffed with ground chicken breast, ground peanuts, herbs and turnips, they tasted — strangely — as if they had been dipped in a vat of maple syrup. It was hard to get past the pasty texture of the dumpling shell and the cloying flavor of its contents. Even a dunk in the accompanying soy sauce didn’t mute the sweetness much.

The Pad Thai arrived looking promising. I enjoyed the first few bites. It was fresh. Noodles perfectly cooked. Shrimp the requisite blend of buttery and meaty. Crisp bean sprouts added snap. But, quickly, a sweetness (with undertones of fish sauce and overtones of peanut) took control. I scanned my plate for the lime.

No lime! What’s wrong with the Thai restaurants in this town!

Instead of suffering in silence I flagged down a waitress and begged for citrus. It came promptly. One squeeze and the flavor profile balanced out and I was able to contentedly finish the rest of my meal. Once tamed, the Pad Thai was quite tasty.

Through all this drama, across the table, Adam was happily slurping his duck noodle soup.

Lucky bastard.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the fourth in a series of Thai restaurant reviews being conducted — and posted on the same day — by a group of Portland bloggers and writers. For other reviews, check out Portland Food Map.

Poms Thai Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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C’est Magnifique

Mar 24

Posted by dawn in Fine Dining, Outside Portland | 1 Comment

We visited food heaven in Montreal last week. Evelyn and David – our uber-foodie friends from Vermont – planned each decadent instant. Adam and I went along for the ride.

Our uber-foodie friend Evelyn digs into her pig belly at Restaurant DNA in Montreal

And, oh, what a ride.

Trying to write – in flowing, descriptive prose – about the delights of this most culinary of North American cities has escaped my mind, pen and keyboard. I just can’t do the experience justice. Can’t.

So I offer this list of moments instead:

  1. Au Pied Du Cochon’s guinea hen liver mousse with sweet aspic and pickled pearl onions nearly brought me to my knees.
  2. The melt-on-your-tongue duck carpaccio did bring Adam and Evelyn to theirs. (Topped with simple shaved cheddar, an over-easy egg, button mushrooms, olive oil and salt and pepper – it shouldn’t have been as good as it was.) I think Evelyn called the velvety dish  “Freakin’ awesome” – repeatedly and loudly.
  3. Watching the line chefs spin, swerve, and bend was like viewing a chaotic, clattering, French-speaking ballet. Hint: Sit on stools 3 and 4 down from the door (out of 6 total) at the Food Bar – no pepper mills and olive oil bottles block the action in these prime seats.
  4. I felt my arteries harden from gazing – zombie-like – at plate after plate of poutine. Cheese curd, topped with fries cooked in duck fat, topped with gravy, finished with a melting pile of foie gras. Yowza! We opted for the foie gras terrine instead. Marvelous.
  5. At the chic brassiere, Holder, Adam ordered the BEST EVER beef tartare. Better even than a much-beloved version devoured in Paris a few years ago. Onion forward. Fatty, succulent meat. Touches of red pepper. It had me at first bite.
  6. Holder also yielded the most impressive restaurant “triage” I’ve ever witnessed. The waitress spilled Evelyn’s espresso on delivery. Five waiters converged, stripped the plates and butcher paper, flung on a new tablecloth and plopped down a fresh espresso. Within seconds. We hardly had time to blink.
  7. At funky Restaurant DNA near the river, my red onion soup with chicken liver dumplings filled me with joy. I mean it. I sat in a warm huddle of happiness – letting the fragrant steam fill my nostrils. Paired with La Barberie Rouse, a Quebec-brewed bitter red ale, it made for a sensory, savory lunch.
  8. Each morning we sipped flavorful espresso and munched fresh fruit and flaky, crackly – and not too sweet – chocolate croissants at our hotel – Le Petit Hotel on Rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal. At $148 a night, this hip boutique hotel is a steal. Best beds and continental breakfast ever!

Now, not everything was wine and roses. Holder’s insane wine list mark-up drove us to cheap-ish Prosecco. The sauce on my gnocchi at DNA sadly resembled Chef Boyardee, and Adam’s chocolate pot de crème would cream Au Pied Du Cochon’s.

But, the things that were wonderful were out of this world wonderful.

Montreal is just a hair over 5 hours from Portland.

If you love food. Go.

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Pros and Cons of Kon

Mar 16

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene, Informal Dining | 1 Comment

Kitsch, swank and a tasty cocktail can go a loooong way with me when I’m in a party mood. And swank reigns supreme at Kon Asian Bistro.

Kon's groovy Buddha and mod lights.

The Asian fusion restaurant (located way the heck out on Brighton Street) earned immediate points for:

  1. A large, uplit Buddha statue – his groovy girth shimmering in a reflecting pool,
  2. Mod lights and floaty ceiling swags, and
  3. A seriously strong – totally-not-girly-although-it-sounds-like-it — pomtini (pomegranate vodka with a dash of cranberry juice.)

The food wasn’t half bad either. The non-Thai food, that is.

A group of Thai-o-rama reviewers gathered at Kon a few weeks back to check another one off the list and celebrate the b-days of two of our ilk: Joe of Portland Food Coma, and Seth, Jenner’s intrepid dinner date.

And, the great thing about a crowd? Sharing.

Joe and Jenner were Kon veterans, and their recommendations – all Chinese items – were the pros of the night.

The Thai food – a snapper chosen by A. of Portland Food Map and, unfortunately, my Pad Thai (sigh) — were the cons.

Adam’s Udon soup fell somewhere in the middle, and I honestly can’t recall what Kate of The Blueberry Files – who ordered late — had (damn you, pomtini!)

The Pros:

Mini Peking Duck Appetizer: I picked this deconstructed dim sum on Jenner’s strong recommendation. I wasn’t disappointed. Tasty shredded duck strands. Puffy little “min bun” pancakes. Julienned cucumber and scallions. Five spice rub. A Peking dipping sauce of salty soy and hoisin. Very Chinese and very flavorful.

Yummy rock shrimp appetizer at Kon Asian Bistro.

Rock Shrimp Appetizer: A pile of crispy little tempura shrimp poppers topped with a sweet, tangy sauce. Joe’s rock shrimp appetizer made me drool. The whole table loved it. He had to order a second round as a result. Served in a half-orange peel. Alight with sesame and fennel flavors. Drizzled with a creamy sauce akin to a light, orangey mayonnaise. Serious yum.

Crispy Szechuan Beef: Fried shredded beef. Sweet brown sauce. Celery and carrots. Very tasty, but kinda cloying after a few bites. I loved sampling, but probably wouldn’t want it for the entire meal.

The Cons:

Pad Thai: Not the worst I’ve ever had, but certainly not the best. The noodles were a tad clumpy and the chicken – while nice and tender — was scarce. Too mild (Kon doesn’t offer heat options), it was mainly just humdrum. And, although it came with the requisite lime, it was dry and curled on the edges.

Thai Red Snapper: Deep fried and prepared with onions, snow peas, peppers, basil and Thai sweet chili sauce, it sounded promising. Unfortunately, it tasted muddy (more like catfish than snapper) and had an unappealing spongy texture. Not spicy. Not aromatic. The only positive thing I can say — there was a lot of it.

The Service: Earnest and friendly, but a bit slow.

The Bottom Line: Kon really is more Asian Fusion than Thai, and its Thai offerings seem to be its weakest link. While I’m not a big fan of hibachi, if that’s your bag, the folks in the secluded hibachi area were having a grand, raucous time. For me, the Chinese dishes were stellar – and well worth repeat visits.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the third in a series of Thai restaurant reviews being conducted — and posted on the same day — by a group of Portland bloggers and writers. For other reviews, check out Portland Food Map.

Kon asian bistro on Urbanspoon

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The Beloved Bistro

Mar 12

Posted by dawn in Fine Dining, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 1 Comment

Entering a beloved neighborhood bistro is a welcoming embrace for the senses.

Pepper-crusted ahi at David's 388 in South Portland

Oil sizzles in a pan. A pungent haze smells of garlic and butter. Furtive glances flicker from tightly clustered diners. A hostess beams in greeting.

Crossing the threshold into David’s 388 in South Portland last night was — exactly — that.

Upscale, yet relaxed, the restaurant features painted tin ceilings, speckled drop lights and flickering candles on a smattering of two-tops. At the rear, a raised marble Chef’s Counter and four leather stools overlook a compact kitchen.

Ushered through the small, packed space we settled in at the counter. More of an eater than a cook, these “sneak a peek” food bars are just my speed. I felt immediately at home. Tensions of the day eased as I sipped a glass of Pinot Noir.

Order in, I shifted my attention to the action and watched Chef de Cuisine, Bo Byrne, shake and shuffle skillets of all sizes – steam billowing with scent. His assistant chef, Katie, molded little green balls of wasabi to pair with the night’s most popular dish – pepper crusted sushi rare tuna.

Adam opted for this ahi along with crispy duck potstickers as an appetizer. I choose a caprese salad and mushroom dusted haddock.

The Ahi: Served with a Szechwan citrus dipping sauce, the Ahi itself was pink and fresh with a plump sashimi texture. Pepper dominated, but did not overwhelm. Heat (red chile, maybe?) and sesame perfectly flavored the accompanying asparagus. A pile of soba noodles was the downer of the dish. Fixed too far ahead of serving, the noodles were squishy and listless — and lay there uneaten.

The exceptional mushroom-dusted haddock.

Crispy Potstickers: In a word – tasty. Very, very tasty. Hoisin-forward in flavor, the crunchy little pockets crackled when bitten and burst with sweetness and tang. Filled with tender duck, cabbage and carrots, they sat atop arugula riddled with tiny apricot chunks. Killer combination. Our only issue – a tad too oily.

Caprese Salad: While pleasantly — and simply — flavored with balsamic and salt, the salad was the night’s disappointment. Tomatoes were kinda mealy and the mozzarella uninspired. Scants sprigs of basil did little to help. Not totally bad, mind you, just boring.

Mushroom Dusted Haddock: The night’s BIG standout. Moist, meaty haddock encased in an earthy mushroom essence draped over a bed of savory risotto. Spinach, first steamed in vegetable stock, then braised to perfection by the artistic pour of a sizzling ragout, added a bright, fresh zip.

And – OMG — the ragout: a delicious blend of white button, shitake and oyster mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, leeks and white wine — finished with healthy splash of delicate clam broth and butter at the very end. Awesome.

The Service: Excellent, friendly, prompt and laid-back. Truly perfect. Our waitress, Jane (I asked, she didn’t offer – points in her favor), served with a wonderful mixture of warmth and efficiency. Bo and Katie juggled questions from me with poise and professionalism. All three made a point to thank us for coming.

Our Opinion: Mostly lovely food and a remarkably enjoyable dining environment.  We will certainly visit this welcoming neighborhood bistro again.

David's 388 Restaurant on Urbanspoon

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Pine State Palate Passions

Mar 6

Posted by dawn in Bar Scene, Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 2 Comments

In honor of Maine Restaurant Week, I offer a partial list of my Pine State edible obsessions (hat tip to my friend’s so-named blog). In my view, these are some of the “best ofs” in Portland and a little beyond:

New-fangled fish and chips at Big Fish in Kennebunkport.

Best thing in a bun: The blackened fish po’ boy at Po’ Boys and Pickles. Massive pile of seasoned New Orleans style whitefish stuffed in a crusted French bread bun — oozing roasted red pepper mayo and Cajun coleslaw. Perfection.

Best tubular bakery item: The chocolate cork at Standard Baking Company. Essentially the world’s most awesome dense chocolate cake packed into a portable, palm-sized tube. A “to-go” cocoa rush.

Best new take on a classic: The fish and chips at Big Fish in Kennebunkport. Tempura-fried ahi crusted with pepper and crunchy panko crumbs. Hand-cut shoestring fries crisped to a golden brown and dipped in hoisin ketchup. Killer.

Best booze named for a dead British actor: The Rathbone Sour from John Myers at The Corner Room. Brilliant at all things cocktail, the mix master has outdone himself with this one. Ingredients — basil muddled in ice, a dash of lemon juice, gin and — the kicker — St Germaine Elderflower Liqueur.

Best reason to stay overnight in Camden: The pork breakfast sausage at The Hartstone Inn. Cumin-spiced sausage patty the size of a fist wrapped in thick, juicy slices of applewood smoked bacon. Seriously. Made by James Beard Award finalist, chef Michael Salmon.

Best thing to squirt in your Latte: The liquid “crack” at Scratch Baking Co. in South Portland. Espresso and sugar boiled down into a gooey simple syrup. ‘Nuff said.

Best noggin’-sized breakfast pastry: The cinnamon roll at The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth. Steamy fresh, the size of my head and wafting with fragrant sugar and spice.

Best drink in a plastic-coated paper cup. The What’s Shakin’ Bacon shake at Silly’s. Thick sprigs of meaty bacon sprouting from peanut butter creaminess. Picture a well-tended chia pet. A mind-blowing blend of salt and sweetness.

South Portland Bagel Battle

Mar 3

Posted by dawn in Breakfast & Brunch, Informal Dining, Outside Portland | 1 Comment

The Unwitting Competitors: Scratch Baking Company and 158 Pickett Street.

The sweet chicken wire bagel bin at 158 Pickett Street.

The Judges: Adam and me

The Battleground: South Portland, Maine — one weekend in late February.

The Weapons of Choice: Everything and Sea Salt Bagels.

The Reason: Foodies we deeply respect deemed the bagels at 158 the “best in Maine.” Yet, the voraciously happy bagel buyers at Scratch seemed to know something. Who was right? Which of these former partners did bagels best?

We were determined to find out.

Scratch: Bagels purchased and brought home for toasting:

My face scrunched in doubt when I first pulled the Scratch bagels out of the bag. They were so light. When they buckled under the pressure of the knife – reacting more like croissants than bagels – I got worried.

Once toasted and slathered in Scratch’s homemade herb and chive cream cheese, however, my fears went out the window.

Good. God. Almighty. They were great bagels.

Light and airy, yes, but intensely flavorful. The Sea Salt bagel, especially, hit my tastebuds with a savory barley malt. Smoky salt slowly dissolved on my tongue. As I chewed, the wheat and grain came alive and perfectly blended with the fluffy cream cheese that was whipped into a delicate froth. Simply marvelous.

Now, bagel purists may say that Scratch’s soft-style bagels are simply rolls with holes posing as bagels. But me? I am more a stickler for flavor than texture. And these were killer.

­

A pile of Sea Salt and Everything bagels at Scratch Baking Co.

158 Pickett Street: Eaten in the restaurant:
Bedazzled by an abundant bagel bin and the aroma of fresh bread, my senses were heightened simply by walking into 158. Tempted by the more expansive options (Scratch only offered three), we nevertheless stayed the course and ordered the Everything and Sea Salt with herbed cream cheese.

Denser and chewier with a more assertive wheat taste,158’s bagels certainly were more traditional. An interesting fact considering the common beginnings.

Piled high with seeds of all sorts – including copious amounts of sunflower – the Everything was the perfect example of what a classic bagel should be.

The Sea Salt bagel, however was a bit too salty. An herb cream cheese­­ mellowed it slightly, but I still puckered.

The Verdict: Scratch by a nose. But, just barely. Both establishments make truly fab bagels. And, If there is one thing I’ve learned, it is that bagel preferences are extremely subjective – and very, VERY personal.

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Go for the Pho

Mar 2

Posted by dawn in Informal Dining | 5 Comments

There are two reasons to visit Viet Bangkok Thai on St John Street and they both hail from Vietnam.

Weird and wonderful flashing-eyed lobster at Viet Bangkok.

1. The authentic Pho.

2. The trippy, giant lobster mounted to the wall.

I’ll take them one at a time.

The Pho: Viet Bangkok serves a pleasant version of this classic noodle soup. Laced with roasted ginger, anise and freshly chopped scallions and cilantro, the restaurant nailed the “musts” of this Southeast Asian stable. Thin rice noodles were velvety and fresh – easy to wind around chopsticks and slurp up into our awaiting mouths. Aromatic steam billowed and curled from the light, sesame-oiled broth.

Two juicy lime slices (thank God!), a handful of cool, crisp bean sprouts, a few sprigs of Asian basil and a pile of fresh chiles waited on a side plate for our measured addition. The result – an earthy “green” flavor that epitomized tasty Pho.

Where the dish faltered a bit was with the beef. Most traditional Pho requires that rare meat slip into a hot broth for a flash boil. Our Viet Bangkok beef was pre-cooked, a tad tough, and clumped in the middle of the bowl in a huddled mass. We had to pry it apart. Not any easy feat with chopsticks.

While the Pho didn’t quite pass our strict “San Francisco” test, it was good — and a lovely surprise here in Maine.

The Lobster: Three feet long with flashing eyes that blink while you eat – what’s not to love?! The fake lobster was just the sort of wacky Asian-restaurant kitsch that makes me giggle. Our waitress confirmed that the mounted masterpiece is a native of Vietnam. Beyond that, she had no more insights. Pity.

As for the rest of our meal? Mixed results.

I was disappointed in a Basil Roll starter. Adam kinda liked it. As thick as an Italian salami, the roll featured scarce chunks of pork, scant bits of cucumber and rare sprigs of basil hiding amongst vast amounts of fridge-flavored lettuce. Not a homerun.

Tom Kha soup and basil rolls -- a mixed bag of starters.

A Tom Kha soup pleased us both with tender chicken floating in a rich coconut milk, a zingy balance of sweet and sour flavors, and fresh onions, mushrooms and galingale (a root related to ginger).

The night’s big fail was a massive bowl of Duck Masaman Curry. An overly heavy sauce drowned hapless potatoes, onions and bell peppers in a dense morass. Not one hint of spiciness managed to burst through the gloppy stuff, which was more like a burnt brown sauce than a curry. The duck itself resembled shoe leather — in both consistency and taste. Truly unappetizing.

So, my advice? Stay away from the curry and go for the Pho.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the second in a series of Thai restaurant reviews being conducted — and posted on the same day — by a group of Portland bloggers and writers. For other reviews, check out Portland Food Map.

Viet Bangkok Cuisine on Urbanspoon

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