Maine Food

The New Masters of Hugo's


From left to right Wiley, Smith and Taylor

In 2009 and 2010, cooks Arlin Smith, Andrew Taylor, and Mike Wiley convened, one by one, in the kitchen of Hugo’s restaurant to work with award winning chef Rob Evans. Little did they know that within a few years they would take the reigns from their mentor and preside over one of Portland's finest culinary institutions.

Chef Rob Evans: Artist in Residence


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Portland is Alive and Well at Lunchtime


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As I’ve noted before, the lunch hour used to be a dismal prospect in downtown Portland. The sundry sandwich shops and take-out havens ruled, and the notion of a proper lunch out was like flipping a coin and hoping for heads.

That has changed dramatically as Portland’s restaurant scene becomes exponentially finer. 

Portland’s Premiere Cafés


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When I stopped smoking nearly 15 years ago, that inimitable pairing of morning coffee and cigarettes became history. My routine was further amended by needing only one perfect cup of coffee in the morning as though without other incentives. But lately I’ve rediscovered the joys of an afternoon coffee break and have been frequenting Portland’s many cafes where the art of coffee making is in fine form. 

Eve's at the Garden Ready to Blossom


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Hotel dining rooms, once the wall flower of the restaurant world, are now a big deal where it’s very much in vogue to have a signature eatery housed within.

Portland's Only True Blue Spoon


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Small restaurants annoy me, especially those cramped 20-seat rooms where sitting down at a table is like putting a square peg into a round hole.

Comfort Fare at El Rayo Cantina


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What appealed to me so much about the newly opened El Rayo Cantina is its unyielding charm as a casually elegant venue for inventive Mexican cooking that’s typical of cantina-style fare. Call it Mexican comfort food.

 

Middling Fare at Romano's Macaroni Grill


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Take Two: Dinner at Schulte & Herr, Portland's German Standout


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When Chef Brian Davin and his wife Steffie opened the exceedingly engaging Schulte and Herr restaurant on Cumberland Avenue in Portland last fall serving breakfast and lunch, word spread fast that we had a culinary wunderkind in our midst. This was no doppelganger for heavy Germanic cooking, but rather the chef showed an exceedingly light touch in his interpretation of his homeland’s classics. 

It's Elemental At Elevation Burger


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The name could be considered eponymous, but there is a clear implication nonetheless: We’re better than the rest.

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