Putting Boda in the same category as the rest of Portland’s Thai restaurants is like equating grandma’s from-scratch Sicilian with greasy-good college town pizza. It’s a matter of ethnic authenticity.

Boda's exquisite bitter melon soup

The Thai food at Boda is simply – well – unAmerican.

And in this case (unlike Arizona’s hideous new immigration law) – it’s a good thing.

Boda’s menu doesn’t cater to the sweet-craving American palate the way 95% of Thai restaurant menus do. I challenge you to find another Thai restaurant in Portland (or in Maine for that matter) that serves bitter melon soup stuffed with minced pork.

Oily and aromatic with sesame overtones in a savory broth, the soup provoked my tastebuds like little I’ve tried before or since. It awoke areas of my tongue I didn’t know existed! A remarkable balance of flavors, it played the role of appetizer to a “T” – kicking my hunger into overdrive.

And it killed with a crisp martini.

We started the meal with the soup and an obligatory grilled skewer (the house specialty). The list ranged from pork belly, to king oyster, to asparagus wrapped in bacon. Not much of a skewer fan (I just don’t see the point, really), I found the shiitake version a tad underwhelming. The teriyaki seasoning tasted predominantly of soy and the nicely roasted mushrooms just seemed lonely on that skinny stick. The accompanying pickled onions were tasty, but did little to perk up the dish for me.

I turned back to the soup with its acerbic bouillon and spoonfuls of bean thread noodles and was happy as a clam until the entrees arrived.

My tilapia with herbs in a banana leaf conjured memories of mountainous rice terraces and thick jungles. Earthy, like a cauliflower, the fish was dense in a way that tilapia rarely is – buoyed by a bed of cabbage, shallots and hearty mushrooms. Cooked in a bevy of spices (chili, Thai basil, lime leaves, lemongrass, lemon basil, garlic) — it was heaven for the senses.  Aromatic steam released the moment I pierced the leaf and it wafted through the rest of the meal. I alternated bites of meaty fish with balls of sticky rice dipped into a puddle of spicy lemon basil broth. Sheer perfection.

Tilapia with herbs in banana leaf

While not at the level of my fish, Adam’s Thai chicken wings were fun to eat (gotta love messy finger food) — piping hot and doused with chile. Each bite into the spicy carmelized skin revealed hints of vinegar and fish oil in equal amounts. An accompanying pile of uninspired daikon and carrots lacked a strong pickled flavor, however, and did little to cool the wings’ heat.

Full at this point, I began to rethink my anti-skewer stance and wish we’d leaned more toward the lighter dishes and tapas. Fried taro sticks, Thai Northern-style sausage and Kanom-krok quail eggs all sounded just brilliant. Ah well, next time.

Boda’s atmosphere blended mod and rustic. Rough pine tables and floors mixed with cement walls and platinum and glass drop lights. Service was earnest and knowledgable. Our server was dead right with each insight and suggestion.

My one quibble with the environment is the large television hanging over the bar in the back dining room. Tuned to a reality show and set a bit too loud, IT was very American indeed.

Blogger’s Note: This post is the sixth 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'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.

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.

Unibroue's "anniversary" ales paired well with meats and cheeses.

Specifically, Belgian-style re-fermented Canadian beer sporting noir-ish labels that depict Quebecois folklore.

Novare Res Bier Cafe held what I can only describe as a seriously kick-ass, nine-beer Unibroue tasting last night. It was well worth getting drenched in the downpour.

Richard, the Unibroue rep, was cheerful, knowledgeable, and told damn good stories. Something about a flying horse and something else about a devil. Well, anyway, I truly did learn so much about these strong, (mostly 9%) award-winning ales that my head is still spinning.

Er. . .or, maybe I’m just a tad hungover (time for some Hair of the Kahn?).

Best-selling golden ale La Fin Du Monde kicked off the evening with its champagne-like effervesence. Triple wheat Don De Dieu followed right on its heels. But the evening really got swinging when the corks popped on the next few beers — Unibroue’s three, hard-to-find anniversary ales and its out-of-stock strong amber, Seigreuriale. Novare Res owner, Eric, matched these four with a savory selection of meats and cheeses.

What I (and many others) particularly love about Unibroue ales is that they pair exceedingly well with food. Balanced and full bodied, these brews have character and complex taste, yet they don’t take your tastebuds hostage (like say, a Victory HopDevil does — albeit in a good way).

Edition 2005, mahogany colored with a rich head of foam, was my favorite of the anniversaries. Paired with a Tuscan ham and blue cheese, the beer’s dark spice and cinnamon balanced the bite of the blue. Adam preferred the Unibroue 17, an intensely malty dark ale with mocha accents. We both loved the Seigreuriale — as did everyone else in the room. Its subtle notes of citrus and apricot tamed the salty salami and pungent New Hampshire landaff.

Quatre Centieme, a frothy blonde ale, held its own as a gingery palate cleanser before the dessert course. Then, hauled out with a bit of theatrics, gooey raspberry-filled donuts helped prove how Trois Pistoles conquers sweetness. Black and port-like, the popular dark ale is perhaps my go-to pick of Unibroue’s easy-to-finds.

Capping off the evening was a display of versatility by the strangely delicious Quelque Chose. Served three ways — lightly chilled, on the rocks, and steeped to 130 degrees — the ripe cherry, clove and honey flavors presented themselves in widely varying degrees. Fruity and refreshing, the iced version was my choice. I promptly pictured myself on a tropical beach sipping a frosty glass — fanned by palm-frond wielding muscle men.

All in all — a fantastic evening with a truly magnificent brewery. I’ll let Adam’s photos tell the rest of the story:

The hand-chalked Unibroue sign announcing the event.

Happy campers sample the brews.

The organizer of a Boston-based barrel-tasting event poses with his wife and oversized Unibroue bottle labels.

The three preparations of Quelque Chose: (From left: lightly chilled, heated and iced).

Coasters bearing Unibroue's distinctive logo.

Trois Pistoles tamed the sweetness of the gooey raspberry filled donut.

The giant chalkboard menu at Nosh.

A few hours ago, Adam and I entered the hip, orange-painted environment of the new Congress street cafe starving and craving a bit of the naughty.

Our diet this past week leaned heavily toward salads and homemade soups, so we may have over compensated a bit with our choices — pig belly reuben, duck confit sandwich and hand-cut fries sprinkled with bacon dust and dipped in blue cheese.

Yes, yes — I’ve un-buttoned my pants in order to sit upright and type this.

Everything we ate tonight was terrific. Simultaneously crispy and meaty, the fries were piping hot and full of just-yanked-from-the-ground spud flavor. Sprinkled with sea salt and the aforementioned bacon dust, these puppies just may give the reigning champs at Duck Fat a run for their money. My only quibble? The quantity seemed a tad meager for the $5 price tag.

My duck confit sandwich featured shavings of braised duck leg, candied orange and cherries, fresh greens and cotija (a hard Mexican cow’s milk cheese) — all piled on a thick white bread grilled until brown and dripping with butter. Heavenly.

This devilish porker on the men's bathroom wall.

Truly a triple-bypass on a plate, Adam’s reuben almost defies description. I can’t remember the last time I sank my teeth into something so decadent and rich (and I’m counting desserts). Pork belly slathered in melted cheddar, caramelized onions and Russian dressing oozed out both sides of the grilled rye bread and caused that stain on my jeans. I could handle just a few nibbles.

The atmosphere at Nosh is lively, trendy and cozy all at once. A brick wall and poured concrete bar run one length of the room, while a wooden banquette and copper-topped tables extend across the other. At the far end, menu items cram an enormous chalkboard that hulks over the sandwich-making area.

Down the back corridor, the loos feature cheeky hand-painted murals of giant pudgy pigs – tipsy looking flying ones for the ladies and devilish ones for the guys. Check out the photo on the left (but you really need to see these for yourself. . .).

Not all the food is quite as caloric and artery-hardening as our first-visit selections — the menu includes albacore tuna and roasted turkey –- but none of the fare seems the least bit ordinary. Offering gourmet sandwiches and small plates along with local-leaning draft beer options and an impressive wine list, this mid-priced eatery is just what Portland needed.

In my humble — and very full — opinion, Nosh has hit it out of the park from the start.

Mark Tipton and his New Orleans jazz band wow the crowd at Blue

We’ve seen Celtic, Middle Eastern, Blues, Old Time, Jazz, Folk — you name it — at this Congress Street lounge and music venue. On the Eve of Christmas Eve we reveled in classic carols re-imagined by the styling trumpet of Mark Tipton and his mod Jazztet. On an earlier visit he wowed the crowd with a New Orleans-style jazz band.

Neighborhood buzz fills the air between songs, flatware clinks against bowls of hearty pasta or plates of tasty snacks. Microbrews — including Maudite from Unibroue and the latest from Dogfish Head — flow from the tap. Folks don’t come any nicer than owner Barry Martin. And his ever-present girlfriend Therez? Well, Therez has baked her way into my heart. Not with fancy pastries or complicated desserts, but with bakery traditions made with care.

At Thanksgiving her pumpkin pie was more spice than sweet and topped with luscious homemade whipped cream. Christmas brought a plump and flavorful gingerbread — part chewy, part crumbly and all good. Last night she debuted her streusel-top apple pie a la mode. Hints of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg,  and — if I’m not mistaken — brandy steamed up from the generous slice that disappeared all too quickly.

I can’t wait to see what Therez bakes up next.