The Golden Dish Blog Archive 2012

Dining Well Far Out to Sea

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 07/26/2012 - 2:16pm.

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In the surging gastronomy of food-centric Maine, who would have thought that an island 12 miles out to sea would join the ranks of the culinary elite? But such a food escapade awaits the weary traveler at North Haven Island’s inimitable Nebo Lodge. Here dining on the island’s bountiful harvest is the stuff of memorable meals based on a righteous pedigree of provisions grown, raised and yielding freshness and purity that’s flawless.

Aloft in the Hallowed Halls of Camden Dining

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 07/19/2012 - 4:27pm.

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As soon as I walked into Natalie’s, so smartly nestled in the posh confines of the very European style Camden Harbour Inn, I knew this is where I’d have dinner during a recent overnight stay in Camden. Until then I was conflicted about where to go.

Emilitsa: An Indulgence Revisited

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 07/12/2012 - 3:31am.

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Over the years I have gone to Emilitsa—Portland’s only worthwhile Greek restaurant —and have been impressed by the creative cuisine served in its refurbished store front dining room. As such it’s remained a rare beacon along this sparsely gentrified stretch of Congress Street where the have and have not’s co-mingle in detached tolerance.

Eventide: A Dining Event Beyond Compare

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 07/03/2012 - 2:53pm.

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After the usual buzz, Portland’s dining swells can finally thrill seek at the Eventide Oyster Co.--the new venture headed by the enterprising owners of the award-winning Hugo’s.

Eventide bears no resemblance to Portland’s other so named emporium, J’s Oyster, located on a skinny stretch of Portland Harbor, where gawki

Two Lights: A Lobster Shack On the Rocks

Submitted by John Golden on Fri, 06/29/2012 - 4:35pm.

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Undeniably, The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth has one of the most dramatic settings of any lobster pound in Maine. With a stunning panorama of bold cliffs and crashing surf, this is picture-perfect rocky Maine coast.

Circle Back to 100 Commercial

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 06/21/2012 - 6:44am.

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Now known as Spread, the restaurant space at 100 Commercial Street has not been kind to its predecessors. Forerunners Oolong and Gaucho failed miserably spiraling to default for three reasons: bad food, bad economy, and bad luck.

Fortunately Spread is a winner on all counts, well on its way to a lucky charm of success. Diners can count on a stellar trio of chefs with great resumes and consummate skill to deliver a very promising meal indeed.

A Star Chef Comes to Portland

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 06/14/2012 - 7:37am.

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Consider the accidental tourist who happens upon the Danforth Inn, seduced by its coolly stylish interiors, and then proceeds to revel in a remarkable dinner beyond compare.

That in a nutshell is Carmen at the Danforth, the restaurant that opened last month at one of Portland’s most refined lodging establishments in the gentrified West End.

Where the Elite Meet: The Tavern at Brunswick Station

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 06/07/2012 - 8:55am.

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Restaurant hosted wine dinners are often a heady confluence of too much food and drink. To the epicurean, these can come off as testimonial dinners where windbag hosts pontificate between courses like schoolmarms teaching the abc’s. From my experience, after the fifth or sixth glass is poured and the sweet course served, I’m ready to bolt like the wildebeest.

But what if the food is superb and the wines extraordinary? Are one’s exhortations expendable?

David's Restaurant: In the Eye of the Beholder

Submitted by John Golden on Wed, 05/30/2012 - 9:33am.

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That David’s Restaurant continues to thrive in a town that’s become an inspired collective of highly creative young chefs says a lot about this dining mainstay on Portland’s Monument Square.

New, Novel and Noteworthy

Submitted by John Golden on Thu, 05/24/2012 - 9:23am.

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Bagels, coffee, oysters, ice cream, Latin fare and star chefs are all elements of the new dining and food establishments that will arrive on Portland’s shifting culinary landscape in the weeks ahead. Let’s see who will survive and who might not.

The Golden Dish

John Golden has written about food and dining for Gourmet Magazine, Cuisine Magazine, the New York Times, New York Post, and, most recently, wrote the blog Food for Thought on the Portland Press Herald’s MaineToday.com. He was also the NY editor of Cuisine Magazine and Publisher/editor Great Foods Magazine. In his highly opinionated blog, John reports on his experiences dining out all over Maine and on his visits to the many farmers’ markets throughout the state.

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Our New Books
	Maine ABC \| Illustrated with distinct Maine icons, such as moose, lobster, and Katahdin, this book has a rhyming verse that will have children singing the words, asking for it to be read again and again, and learning the alphabet in no time.
	Interventions \| Four individually bound stories presented in a lovely slipcase.
	Cartoons from Maine \| Collecting more than 100 of his best, most popular comics, Cartoons from Maine: How’s the Water, Bob? presents a hilarious alternative look at Maine.
	Hiking Mount Desert Island \| Long on information, but small enough to be tucked into a day pack, this pocket guide is the perfect companion for a trip to Acadia.