NYC Tastes

I woke up Sunday morning ready to leave Portland, filled with visions of lobster rolls, Cantillon and Financiers from Standard Baking Company.  But as I was taking a mental note of all of my glorious food experiences, I realized I had kind of missed out on one of Maine's most prized possessions- the blueberry.  So I took a trip down to Two Fat Cats Bakery and picked up a luscious looking blueberry muffin for the car ride home. Then I saw this sign in the front of the bakery and thought...why yes, I do love pie for breakfast! Forget the slice...I wanted the full pie experience.   Yes this had absolutely everything....a buttery crust that cracked in all the right places, an interior oozing with sweet, tart Maine blueberries and an amazing flaky shell perfect for sopping up each and every morsel of pie goodness. I'd like to say I stopped at this point but I was on a roll.  So I went back to Standard Baking Company for one last Fin...

After all my planning...my lists of everything we had to eat in Portland... my 30 day out reservation call for Street & Company...and we end up back at Eventide for the last dinner.   Both of us were so relaxed after some beers and music on the pier that dressing up for a formal dinner later just seemed like work...and who wants to work on vacation?   So we passed our reservation to another lucky soul and went back to Eventide to finally get some oysters.  I have to say these were simply glorious... incredibly fresh, salty and just about the perfect size with a crisp Horseradish Ice accoutrement. Mr. T tried out the Battered Maine Hake appetizer which came piping hot and sprinkled with a bit of Old Bay and paprika. The fish inside was perfect but both of us found the breading a little too thick and overbearing for such a mild fish. A much better choice was the Lobster Stew with huge chunks of fresh seafood doused in a creamy broth of milk and sherry....

We woke up Sunday morning after a fabulous wedding and made our way downstairs for brunch in the hotel.  Twenty Milk Street isn't just any hotel restaurant...it's a serious food place with a fantastic Bloody Mary and some great breakfast options like the Seafood Fritatta. What's not to love about lobster, shrimp and crab meat all folded into some eggs with a tangy dill havarti on top?  It was just what the doctor ordered for the morning. We spent the day relaxing with friends, made a quick trip to The Great Lost Bear and then sat in the sun for a late lunch at Portland Lobster Company. The sun was shining as we sat on the deck and shared some Steamers. A local bank was playing some great music so we stayed on for an order of crispy fried clams before stopping back at our favorite place of the trip Novare Res. It's was an easy decision to return with so many amazing Cantillon's on the list.  We probably could have stayed for more than o...

After my incredible trip to Standard Baking Co. I went  back to the hotel and got Mr. T so we could grab an early lunch.  I had heard horror stories about the long wait at Eventide Oyster Co. so I wanted to make sure we beat the lunch rush.  Our pre-noon arrival ended up being perfect as we were seated immediately in two seats by the window.  It was a little too early for me to think about oysters so we started with a bowl of homemade chips instead. These reminded me a little of  Cape Cod potato chips with a thicker chip that gave way to an amazing crunch.  They were a perfect side to what was coming up next...why some lobster rolls of course! Eventide serves lobster rolls that are just about the size of your hand so it's easy to pick up and nosh on. Instead of the standard split top roll they use a steamed Chinese bun and top with mayo and herbs.  This was an incredible roll...the lobster meat was super fresh and seasoned just right wh...

I woke up like a bolt of lightening our first morning in Portland.  I knew Mr. T would be taking advantage of vacation time with an extra long sleep so I didn't think twice about heading out for some early morning treats at Standard Baking Company. It was about 8:45 when I arrived and the line was already out the door.  I crossed my fingers the sticky bun and scones were still in stock and lucky for me they were! The Sticky Bun was all I dreamed it would be...thick and fluffy with a crunchy caramel bottom and swirls of cinnamon, nuts and brown sugar folded into the dough.  I would be back for another one of these:) The Blueberry Scone was a complete disappointment- lots of blueberries but too much flour and no crunch.  It just kind of fell apart in a mealy, oat mess. I had been hoping to round out breakfast with an Almond Croissant but they sold out just minutes before my arrival so I subbed in a Financier.  I took a bite as I walked...

We woke up day two of our trip and quickly walked around the city of Portsmouth before hopping back in the car.  We had a LOT to accomplish so it was a bright and early start for our ride up to Freeport and Maine Beer Company. The Freeport Tasting Room was located in a cute old motel space off the main drag.  It was much smaller than I had imagined, with a homey neighborhood feel just perfect for escaping a rainy day.   I love just about everything Maine puts out so I went for a flight of beers including two that are brewery only releases.  Everything was fabulous, the beer was super fresh and I loved the sleek serving tray and rounded glassware. They had a bunch of board games out for people to play and a small assortment of local food options including this delicious Cheddar Pretzel that was still warm from the oven. The tasting room looked out onto the brewing floor where some work was being done.  I honestly could have st...