Maine – rachel leff

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 3, Camden

December 22, 2018November 17, 20192 Comments

Our trip to Maine included a few days in Camden, a picturesque town on Penobscot Bay. Long a summer playground for wealthy vacationers, the town’s notable cultural attractions include the Camden Opera House and the Camden International Film Festival. You can stroll along the couple of blocks of Main Street, tucking in and out of shops that range from run-of-the-mill souvenirs to high-end home furnishings and clothing. There are many options for sailing out onto the bay. If you want to do some hiking, there’s Mt. Battie and the higher Mt. Megunticook, both of which offer gorgeous views. And then there’s the food…

Long Grain

20 Washington Street

Long Grain is a much lauded, practically cult-status Thai restaurant in this tony coastal town. They’ve had coverage by The New York Times, Boston Globe, Bon Appetit, Saveur … you get the gist. The Times article, from 2012, starts by referencing Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, a truly cult-status Thai restaurant, and that Gourmet article by the late, great Jonathan Gold in which he called Lotus of Siam the very best Thai restaurant in America. Needless to say, Long Grain was on the top of my list of places to eat in Maine, and my expectations were very high.

We ordered too much, as we usually do when we finally get somewhere we’ve been wanting to go. For appetizers: pan fried garlic chive rice cakes with sautéed bean sprouts and northeastern style Thai beef (nua nam tok). For mains: wide rice noodles with sweet soy sauce stir-fried with greens and pork belly (pad seaw) and beef panang curry with roasted red peppers, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil. For dessert: coconut flan.

Nua nam tok matches spicy beef with refreshing herbs for a dish of diverse yet balanced flavors. The rice cakes were tasty, if a bit glutinous…and a bit oily.

The specialty curry was beef panang, a thick red curry with braised beef, topped with kefir lime leaves and Thai basil. The sauce is a profound marriage of flavors, including, among other things, chiles, lemongrass, and galangal, and is thicker and less sweet than iterations you might get elsewhere. It’s a lovely dish: rich, spicy, and nuanced.

The pad seaw with pork belly uses their signature house-made wide rice noodles. I couldn’t believe how thick the noodles were—unlike any others I’ve ever had. I actually found them too thick (though, admittedly, I lack the necessary experience to know if this is how they should be). I was also struck by the fact that the greens (kale) were practically whole they were so large. And the pork belly was sliced very thin, which detracted from the best qualities of the cut—tender meat, soft fat that crisps up when rendered. All in all, the taste was very pleasant, with notes of sweetness and acid as well as heat from sliced red chiles, but the texture of the noodles, the tougher-than-expected pork belly, and the size and relative unwieldiness of the greens detracted from the dish.

We finished the meal with the one dessert they make—coconut flan.

The restaurant itself is a wide-open space, airy and modern, just off Camden’s main drag. My husband and I marveled at how much empty space there was! There’s probably room in there to double the seating capacity. And given the number of people who want to eat here, I can hardly believe they don’t. And did you notice the dishes? An eclectic mix of dainty, floral, modern, and Asian. And there’s a small market to the side of the dining room where you can pick up some Thai/southeast Asian ingredients.

If I sound down on Long Grain, let me be clear that it is the best Thai food I have had on the east coast. I think they’re doing great things. They don’t seem to be changing their recipes for an audience they think will not be prepared for Thai food; rather, they are presenting the food in its full-flavored glory and trusting that the good people of (or, more likely, passing through) Camden will love it. The resounding verdict is that they do.

Boynton-McKay

30 Main Street

Boynton-McKay is right in the middle of the short stretch of Camden’s touristy downtown. Opened in 1893 as a pharmacist shop, the space was transformed in 1999 into a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Boynton-McKay has impossibly high ceilings, loads and loads and loads of vintage charm, and a kitchen that offers lots of comfort classics. I loved this place the moment I walked in. You order at the counter in the back—the menu on a board above, some bakery items laid out before you, and a bustling prep area in full view—then grab a seat and wait. They make slow-roasted beef and pork that they use in things like tacos, sandwiches, Asian-flavored lettuce wraps, and burritos. They also have classic breakfast options, like eggs, hash, and French toast, and healthier plates, like steel-cut oatmeal and quinoa salad. Something for everyone. Oh, and they make bialys. That makes me happy. Go here.

We ordered a slow-roasted beef burrito, French toast, and a simple bacon and egg sandwich on an English muffin.

Drouthy Bear

50 Elm Street

Just south of Camden’s main drag sits the Scottish pub Drouthy Bear, which is as cozy as can be. It’s only been open since 2015, but the combination of classic pub ambience and a charming antique home make it feel like it’s been there for much, much longer. The menu offers Scottish/English classics (Scotch egg, haggis, pasties, bangers and mash) and American standards (burgers, nachos, Caesar salad). The standout for us was the chicken tikka pie—mild yet flavorful chicken tikka masala beneath a blanket of flaky puff pastry. And since it’s a Scottish pub, there were lots of great beers on tap and a long menu of whisky. This is the kind of place you want to be when a cold wind blows in off Penobscot Bay, warming up, tucking into a shepard’s pie, and sipping something delicious.

Zoot Coffee

31 Elm Street

Zoot Coffee is a very nice coffee shop just down from the center of town (where Main Street turns to Elm). I sure enjoyed their iced espresso, and the baristas were absolute dolls to my daughter. Looking for coffee in Camden? This place does not disappoint.

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 2, Bar Harbor

October 27, 2018November 6, 2018Leave a comment

A few days visiting Acadia National Park was a primary purpose of our trip to Maine, so we found ourselves in Bar Harbor, which is nestled at the northeast corner of the seaside park. It’s an exceedingly picturesque town that swells with tourists, especially in the summer. There are gift shops and bed and breakfasts, and gift shops and a few more gift shops. There are also many restaurants. And while some are very popular, we were underwhelmed several times. But I’ll just talk about the things we liked.

Side Street Café

49 Rodick St

The lobster roll at this very popular Bar Harbor restaurant and bar was on the Eater list of the best lobster rolls in Maine, so we went to check it out. It includes the meat of two whole lobsters! My god! Along with that borderline obscene quantity of sweet, delectable lobster is mayo and old bay seasoning. While I’m usually in the plain-lobster-with-drawn-butter camp when it comes to lobster rolls, this was pretty amazing. The heat of the seasoning accentuates the sweetness of the lobster, and again, with so much lobster, how could I complain?

Coffee Hound Coffee Bar

27 Main St B

In a part of town overrun by mediocre restaurants and souvenir shops, but also graced with exceptional harbor views, one might be skeptical about Coffee Hound Coffee Bar, and rightfully so. But I was very pleasantly surprised by their very satisfying cappuccinos. The owners are coffee enthusiasts, the baristas take their craft seriously, and the beans are from a local small-batch roaster in Maine. Check, check, and check.

My husband kindly picked me up a cappuccino from here and brought it back to the hotel. (He hates coffee, so yes, he’s very nice to do it.) We went back later in the day and I got another. The owner, Chris, was working both times. He recognized my husband and daughter, and I told him how pleased I had been with the coffee they brought back to me. We talked about the importance of a good coffee to start the day. And he shared a story with me…

A woman and her husband were staying at the West Street Hotel, a high-end hotel right on the waterfront, just a short walk from Coffee Hound. In the morning she sent her husband out to get her a cup of coffee, and explained to him that there was a place around the corner. He missed it and kept walking, until he came to a gas station. He got her a cup from there and walked it back to her. She was livid. Wrapped in her bathrobe, she escorted her husband to Coffee Hound and angrily explained that this was the place. When he came back to the coffee shop again the next morning, he mentioned to Chris that he had been banished to the couch of their $600-a-night room for his transgression. We had a good laugh. Now that’s a woman who understands the importance of a good cup of coffee, and now her husband does, too.

If you love coffee and you’re in town, check them out. They operate out of this location May through October.

West Street Café

76 West Street

After a walk across the Bar Island Land Bridge, up to the top of Bar Island, and back into town, we stopped at the West Street Café for lunch. I got a special that included a cup of clam chowder, a lobster roll, and a slice of blueberry pie; my husband, a salad; and my daughter, a hotdog and fries. The food was fine, though not great. I mention the restaurant here because the place itself was absolutely lovely, filled with light from full-length windows, with views of the picturesque waterside buildings along West Street and peeks of the harbor. A partial second floor at the front of the restaurant affords even better water views. We were there on a glorious day, and the restaurant opened their windows to let a gentle sea breeze sail into the airy dining room. Sitting there, I had one of those moments when I looked at my husband and daughter and felt so lucky, so grateful to the universe that I have them, that we have each other. So, while the chowder was a little bland and the lobster roll was a little lackluster, I still had a truly lovely lunch.

And also, importantly, West Street Café has what must be the very best lighting on the planet. The lighting in the bathroom—something I would not ordinarily mention—was borderline magical. Like, seriously, I doubt I have ever looked as good as I looked in there. Why can’t the entire world be lit like the ladies’ bathroom at West Street Café?!

Havana Parrilla

318 Main Street

Closed for the Winter season

(Sorry about the photos! The restaurant is very dark.) Havana Parilla is the more casual sister of Havana, located just to the side of the more formal restaurant’s entrance. Despite the name, Havana Parrilla is not a Cuban restaurant, but rather a pan-Latin tapas bar with a large outdoor grill area. The menu ranges from elotes and spicy tuna salad, on the lighter side, to mixed grill and steak. We tried the “sausage party,” which is a trio of grilled sausages, and the carnitas tacos, which were nice, if a tad bland. The staff is warm and knowledgeable, and the drink menu is full of local beers and ciders, great cocktails, and an approachable wine list. If we find ourselves back in Bar Harbor, we’ll make reservations at Havana. Their menu looks pretty compelling.

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 1, Portland

September 29, 2018December 16, 2018Leave a comment

We traveled along the coast of Maine earlier this month, a trip we had toyed with taking for some time. My husband wanted to go to Acadia National Park. I wanted to eat some lobster rolls and check out some restaurants in Portland and Camden. I hadn’t been to Maine in probably 15 years; my husband had never been. Seemed like it was about time to go. We drove up to Bar Harbor, with an initial stop in Portland, then worked our way back down, through Camden, back to Portland, and to some of the beaches south of Portland on our way back home.

Pre-trip research into where to eat in Portland resulted in a long list of contenders. I could hardly believe how many amazing-sounding places had blossomed in this port town in the 15 or so years since I had been there last. And in addition to this robust food scene, it’s a major beer town, too. I couldn’t help but think of that other Portland, thousands of miles west.

Becky’s Diner

390 Commercial Street

We first stopped in Portland just for an early dinner, intent on making it up to Acadia National Park for the following morning, and knowing we’d be back for a longer stay at the end of our trip. The plan had been to try Eventide Oyster Co. or The Honey Paw, which stand side by side on Middle Street (and are owned by the same team), but the lines for each were prohibitively long. We’d also considered Portland Lobster Co., but it was packed, with a line snaking outside on Commercial Street, amidst throngs of tourists on a busy holiday weekend. Pass.

Driving along Commercial Street, away from the tourist shops and through a part of town that reminds you Portland is still an active commercial port city, we passed the very charming-looking Becky’s Diner. Seemed like our kind of place. I had come across the name on a list of best lobster rolls in the city, so we pulled into the lot, put in our name at the counter, and waited a little bit for a booth. (I have since realized that the diner has been featured in a lot of places: Road Food, Eater, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives…and more.)

Becky’s Diner is bright and friendly, without frills or pretension. It’s been open since 1991, serving dinner since 1993. As we walked to our booth, we passed tables where diners of all ages tucked into dishes ranging from burgers to pancakes to a very tempting twin lobster special.

I got the lobster roll, a portrait of simplicity and tradition: plain cold lobster meat on a toasted bun with a side of drawn butter. We also got some clam cakes and a very satisfying seafood chowder, which was served in a chipped Becky’s Diner mug, thick and creamy and filled with haddock and whole scallops. Heaven.

As we paid, we (or rather, my daughter) couldn’t resist the cookies in the case by the register. Off we went, a bag with a huge cookie shaped like a lobster topped with red frosting in hand.

Central Provisions

414 Fore Street

Upon our return to Portland, we had a lot of places we wanted to try. But a limited amount of time—much more limited than we had initially intended—meant we could really only get one great meal, and a lunch at that. We decided on Central Provisions. They don’t take reservations, but we arrived early in the lunch service. We got seated right away at a table for three in the front window, and a line started to form right after us. Phew.

Central Provisions is a warm space with wood tones and brick walls, and a bar that overlooks part of the kitchen. Downstairs is a full bar and more seating. The menu is eclectic: seasonal (heirloom tomatoes and crab), playful (foie gras parfait, which is a dessert that pairs foie with custard and fruit gelée), classic (bone marrow toast, seared foie gras), wide-ranging (spicy raw beef salad), and homey (cole slaw, cheeseburger). We ordered chop salad (bacon, pickle, iceberg lettuce, and ranch dressing), fried cauliflower (with ras el hanout, chickpeas, feta, and herbs), baja fish sandwich (with avocado aioli, red onion, and lettuce), and a bacon cheeseburger. (Not the most adventurous choices on the menu, but we have to accommodate the tastes of a four year old, after all.)

The cauliflower was the standout. Its flavors—ras el hanout, mint, apple, feta—balanced each other playfully, creating a dish at once earthy and fresh, crisp and creamy. It was a lovely meal from a menu that springs from a team clearly committed to dynamic flavors.

The Holy Donut

7 Exchange Street & 194 Park Avenue

At this Portland donut shop, a veritable culinary tourist attraction, the special ingredient is mashed Maine potatoes. We stopped in at the Exchange Street location on a Saturday morning and took our place in the long line. Holy Donuts has a charming story, growing from one woman making a dozen handmade donuts a day to be sold at Coffee by Design (a community-minded coffee roaster with a quartet of coffee shops as well as a certified B corporation—look it up, it’s very cool) in 2011 to three stores, almost 80 employees, and 2 million donuts a year—still all handmade—in March 2017, and still run by that same woman!

We went a little crazy and got six donuts: pomegranate, Maine apple, dark chocolate sea salt, maple bacon, toasted coconut, and sweet potato ginger glazed. Madness. We dug into the apple and pomegranate. They were moist and denser than most donuts, yet not heavy. They were less sweet than the garden variety as well. They were very good, but we would have struggled to finish two between the three of us, let alone six! So that box of donuts stayed with us for a few days….

To be honest, I’ve always admired donuts for their looks more than the way they taste. They can be so pretty and festive. The donuts here were simply gorgeous.

HiFi Donuts

30 City Center

Not terribly far from the Exchange Street location of Holy Donut is HiFi Donuts, a relative newcomer (they opened in May of 2017) to the Portland donut scene. As a differentiating factor, they feature biere donuts, which are made with beer and sourdough starter, which imparts a floral sourdough taste that tempers the sweetness. In addition to a biere specimen (not pictured), we also tried a HiFi French cruller, a honey dip, and a Simpsons—essentially a honey dip with glorious pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles…I’d classify that one as vibrant and beautiful for sure. That one was for the kid, and she enjoyed it. The cruller was light and custardy and the honey dip was a lovely specimen, though admittedly a pedestrian choice.

Unlike their juggernaut neighbor, they also offer sandwiches. The breakfast menu consists of variations of breakfast sandwiches, like bacon or masala sausage with egg and cheese, and the lunch menu, sandwiches like peri peri fried chicken (an item I saw on quite a few Maine menus…) and eggplant panini.

Bard Coffee

185 Middle Street

Exceptional coffee in an airy, open, bustling coffee shop. There are probably dozens of wonderful coffee shops in Portland. I went to Bard, loved it, and went back for more.