12 Seats

Erik Desjarlais, Owner/Executive Chef of Evangeline confirmed rumors and provided details about a new dining experience called "12 Seats." He and his new wife, Krista Desjarlais (formally Kern) - Owner/Executive Chef of Bresca - will prepare a 12 course meal each month for 12 guests. 12 Seats will be housed in the same location as Bresca.





Here are the details:

• The last Sunday of every month they will seat 12 guests, by reservation only, and cook a 12 course meal.


• A paired wine flight, as well as a limited 12 bottle list will be offered.


• There will be one seating at one big table (think the dinner scene from the movie Babettes Feast)


• Krista and Erik will collaborate on the dishes - all original - not selections from Evangeline or Bresca.


• Bresca will be transformed into 12 Seats, with a different decor, and a 12 Seats sign to hang over the Bresca sign.

The goal is to create a highly personalized experience. For example there will be dialogue with every guest about dietary restrictions. The dinner will be $120pp, excluding wine.

Erik and Krista plan to secure a phone number over the weekend and will start taking reservations shortly. The first meal will be served on Sunday, October 25th. I'll update this post when the phone number is available.

Grace - Portland, Maine

Dramatic is the word that best describes the interior of Grace.

Whereas at many restaurants the bar is an afterthought - a staging area where diners wait for their table - at Grace, the large, circular bar is the focal point of the restaurant.

The effort made to incorporate elements of the historic church is readily apparent (check out Meredith Goad's article for a more extensive description of the renovations). By far, this restaurant has the most interesting ambiance of any Portland-area eatery. Request a table upstairs for a quieter dinner, and a birds eye view of the open kitchen, diners and bar patrons below.

The wine list at Grace features many recognizable bottles from California - priced with only a modest mark up from what you would pay retail. At the suggestion of our waitress, I ordered a glass of the Carmel Road Pinot Noir ($7) - a non-offensive, though unmemorable wine served in a stemless glass. My husband chose his favorite beer - Allagash White ($4) - on draft.

The Lobster Tacos - part of the bar menu at Grace -are not only a bargain at $5 (market price) for two, they are delicious! Soft corn shells contained a plentiful portion of lobster, cilantro, cabbage and red onion. Also part of the bar menu - and worth a taste - are the Truffled Deviled Eggs ($4) - with flavors of truffles, dijon mustard and mayonnaise filling a soft boiled egg.

The Chilled Avocado Soup with Peekytoe Crab Salad ($12) was refreshing, though I wouldn't order it again. Perhaps it was the addition of coconut - or maybe the avocado used wasn't ripe enough - but this soup lacked any "wow" factor. The same could be said of the loaf of house made oatmeal bread, though the presentation was nice - on a cutting board wrapped in a napkin.

I chose the Smoked Duck ($27) for my entree, while my husband opted for the Pan Seared Goat Cheese Gnocchi ($19). Other Entrees included cod, chicken, lamb and steak. The gnocchi dish consisted of soft pillows of goat cheese, beets and beet greens set in a vegetable consomme. Though the combination of flavors was interesting, my husband was not overly impressed with the dish. The amount of consomme made the entree more of a soup than he expected and the "gnocchi" quickly broke apart in the broth when he tried to fork or spoon them.

My duck was set upon a bed of quinoa and served with a hibiscus ginger jelly that overpowered the fowl. Without the jelly, the duck lacked its typical savoriness; I had to cover it in salt to give it flavor. The meat was tough and not cooked to my specification. I often find that quinoa is served with duck to absorb pan juices - unfortunately there weren't any in this dish to moisten the dry grain.

Sides can be ordered a la carte. We chose the Green Beans with Slivered Almonds ($5); fingerling potatoes and beets were the other options offered the evening we dined. The beans were fresh and cooked al dente.


For dessert we selected the Cinnamon and Chocolate Mousse Cake ($6) which I thoroughly enjoyed, though my husband thought the taste of cinnamon was overpowering (only order this if you really like cinnamon!).

The waitstaff appeared relatively relaxed for opening weekend, and were familiar with the menu items and wine list. Unfortunately, the kitchen was pushing plates out too quickly, so the pace of the meal was hurried, particularly given the price point. Hopefully this will be corrected once they get past the opening week.

Bottom line: We'll likely return to Grace with friends for the hip atmosphere, bar snacks and drinks. I would give them time to fine-tune their menu before trying dinner.

The Corner Room - Portland, Maine

The Corner Room completes Harding Lee Smith's trio of restaurants in Portland, which also includes The Front Room and The Grill Room.

Located at the corner of Exchange and Federal Streets, The Corner Room occupies the space that formerly housed the Salt Gallery. The interior has been transformed into a contemporary eatery, complete with tall ceilings, wood floors and whitewashed walls.

It was standing room only opening night. Many patrons had stopped first at Grace before moving on to try out The Corner Room. Portlanders love restaurant openings! The staff handled the crowd with expertise; there was little evidence of opening night kinks that plague many restaurants.

Value is what you can expect when visiting this restaurant. Wines are mostly in the $20-$30 range, while pasta entrees are all $9 for "traditional size" and $15 for large. Paninis are $8, while Pizzas are priced in the low-to-mid teens.

"Create your own" antipasti allows dinners to mix and match meats, cheeses, seafood and vegetables. We selected the Shrimp & Ceci ($6) and Eggplant Caponata ($4). Served chilled, the Maine shrimp were combined with marinated chickpeas, scallions, garlic and olive oil. This appetizer was light, fresh and delicious. The eggplant, pepper and onion medley also contained raisins, making it a bit sweeter than I expected, though it was wonderful when spooned on the soft Italian bread.

My husband described the mozzarella en crozza ($9) appetizer as "similar to french toast, but with cheese." Mozzarella cheese, on a Baguette slice, is dredged in flour and egg, then lightly fried, to create soft pillows. Paired with charred cherry tomatoes, this appetizer was outstanding! Equally impressive was the Roasted Beet Salad ($8) with arugula and Castelmagno cheese. Perfectly dressed with white balsamic vinegar, the medley of flavors worked wonderfully together.

I love fresh pasta so I couldn't resist the house made Pappardelle and Mushrooms ($9). Soft ribbons of pasta were tossed with meaty mushrooms, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley. Though the pasta was slightly overcooked and a bit starchy, I enjoyed the dish enough to finish every bite. My husband selected a special offered that evening - Pan Roasted Cod served with mussels ($15). The seafood was set in a Sambuca sauce that added an enjoyable touch of sweetness.

Our waitress - Jordan - was knowledgeable about the wines and menu items - impressive given that it was opening night. When we asked for her recommendation on full bodied red wines by the glass, she steered us to the Gabbiano Chianti ($6.50) and the Castello Moracia ($8) - both of which were excellent. The latter was my favorite as it had characteristics similar to those of Zinfandel - smooth with a slight pepper finish (it is so nice to enjoy wine once again with dinner!).

The only dish that did not impress was the tiramasu ($6); it was overly sweet for our taste and saturated in soupy custard. When we expressed our dislike, we were told it was an unfortunate casualty of a snafu involving "the Pepsi man and a refrigerator." I would have simply removed this item from the menu, rather than serving a sub par dessert. However, to the credit of staff, the item was removed from our bill when they learned that it was not to our liking.

My only word of caution for those visiting this restaurant is the noise level. While the noise makes for a festive atmosphere, I would think twice before having a business lunch or a quiet date night dinner at this restaurant. But for those seeking a fun, moderately priced meal out with friends, The Corner Room fits the bill. It definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of food, atmosphere and price.

Bottom line: In a city with many Italian food options, The Corner Room finds its niche as a moderately priced restaurant with creative cuisine.

2009 Q2 Update

The top 10 most read posts April thru June:

1. El Rayo Taqueria


2. The Farmer's Table


3. Evangeline


4. Best Restaurants in Portland Maine


5. Salt Exchange Portland Maine


6. 2008 Dining Guide


7. Miyake


8. Johnny's Bistro


9. Bresca


10. Emilitsa

Interesting Facts on the Stats:

• The blog had a 66% increase in the number of visitors compared to the same quarter last year


• Two of busiest days in this blog's history were May 22 and June 11th - the rush to read about El Rayo and the Salt Exchange.

Looking Back:

We enjoyed Father's Day Brunch at Five Fifty Five. If you haven't been there in awhile, the fresh baked cinnamon buns with vanilla icing are worth the trip alone. This is definitely my favorite local brunch spot.

Willard Scoops is now open in South Portland (across the street from Scratch Bakery). Not your everyday ice cream parlor, they feature such creations as Hot Chili Chocolate, Nutella and Salt Caramel ice creams. I tried a half dozen flavors before settling on a the chocolate coconut. Though Beal's is still my favorite (I love their triple chocolate frozen yogurt), I'll definitely return to Willard Scoops.

We made the rounds to our favorite restaurants the last few weeks before the baby was born. Among them was Hugo's, where we had the most incredible Truffle & Parmesan Cheese Puffs (part of the bar/snack menu). The puffs were light as air, but packed with wonderfully pungent flavor.

We celebrated our anniversary with dinner at Fore Street. They have a new (much improved) supplier for their duck - it was more tender and less gamey than the duck we have had there in the past. Paired with a goat cheese mash, it was fantastic!

When we found ourselves still hungry after lunch at the Salt Exchange, we stopped in at Miccuci's for an utterly amazing chocolate almond cannoli. I hope they still have these this winter, because they will be my choice to serve for Christmas Eve dessert.

Upcoming:

We are looking forward to two new restaurant openings: The Corner Room and Grace.

I will be heading back to work after twelve weeks off on maternity leave. I predict several nights of take out as I learn to adjust to my new schedule. Thankfully I discovered a relatively healthy pizza at Ricetta's The Florentine...with roasted chicken, tomatoes, onion and spinach. Combined with their spinach salad (hold the cheese and Prosciutto) and you almost have a healthy meal. Thankfully, Benkay is on my way home too!

We'll keep looking for restaurants that are "baby friendly." So far I've found that we can go to most of our favorite spots without issue, as long as we dine early. I always used to wonder who booked the 5:30 reservations...now I know.

Baby Update:

• He's thriving! Happy and healthy at ten and a half weeks, he is eating up a storm.


• Baby's first meal out was lunch at El Rayo. Despite the crowds and noise, he slept the entire time. Much to the delight of the diners around us, he also slept through his first dinner on the town - at Pacarino. Write-up coming soon...


• He had his first of what will be many dining experiences at Evangeline, Benkay, and Five Fifty-Five. Now that he is getting older, he always seems to want his bottle just as our meals are served...go figure.

Yum Yum Dim Sum

How things have changed!

A year ago if I had purchased a book about sushi, it would been something like the "Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art" -- but my last two books were for the little guy. First Book of Sushi and Yum Yum Dim Sum, by Amy Wilson Sanger should prepare him well for the Asian delights that will soon grace his lips.














Plus, what could be more fun for Mom and Dad than reading out loud:

Miso in my sippy cup,

tofu in my bowl.

Crab and avocado

fill my California roll.

The Salt Exchange - Portland, Maine

The Salt Exchange is now open for lunch and dinner. Located at 245 Commercial Street in Portland's Old Port, the restaurant has a beautiful interior and is more formal than I had expected. The dining room comprises half the restaurant, while the other half is filled with a long curved bar, a few tables in the lounge, and an open kitchen. White linens grace the tables; exposed brick and an industrial lime green ceiling complete the look.

In stark contrast to the scene at El Rayo during opening week, The Salt Exchange was nearly empty the day we dined for lunch. While I would define the menu as "cosmopolitan tapas," the owners state on their blog that rather than tapas, they are serving "New American small plates." Either way, the plates are priced between $5 and $15. Our waiter suggested that we order two items each for lunch - if you don't want to leave hungry (as we did), I would suggest at least three plates - possibly four for dinner.

For dinner, the menu features "Amuse" (small bites) such as Pickled Maine Dilly Beans ($3) and Salt Cod Cromesquis ($5), two Soups , Cold Plates including Pork Pate ($8) and Caesar Salad ($7), and Hot Plates featuring the likes of Pea Risotto ($9) and Brioche Crusted Fish ($12). The lunch menu has eleven items, most of which are also on the dinner menu, though there are a few variations.

We opted to try the two soups: Spiced Maine Coast Cioppino ($12) and Green Asparagus ($7), the BBQ Duck Sliders ($9) and the Pea Arancini with Wild Mushroom Ragout ($6). The Cioppino was filled with white fish and mussels and topped with grilled sourdough crostini. Crab tempura was served alongside the stew, and should have stayed in the fryer a minute longer so that it was crispy. The "spiced" stew lacked flavor - it seemed like there was an ingredient missing and was deemed rather ordinary by my husband. He actually had to add salt -- and no, the irony wasn't lost on us.

Speaking of salt, our expectations were a bit high walking in, given the name. When we visited Amelia Island, we dined at a restaurant called "Salt" where we were presented 40 different types of salt - a little bit of gimmick, but I loved the focus on this key ingredient. When we sat down at The Salt Exchange and found Morton in a shaker, and not Maldon in a dish, we realized the name wasn't driving the dining experience.

I fared well with my Asparagus Soup. Topped with a delicate goat cheese mousse, the soup was delicious. The Pea Arancini (deep fried risotto balls) was light and not at all greasy. The Duck Sliders were my husband's favorite; the mustard and vinegar slaw that topped the duck added a nice contrast to the tender fowl. He could have put down about a half dozen of these mini sandwiches for his lunch.

We were still quite hungry when we finished our four small plates and decided to share the Orange Blossom Poached Rhubarb for dessert. Lemon custard was topped with a meringue cookie and surrounded by tart rhubarb and sweet orange sections. The dish was light and the flavor combination worked well together.

It's our own fault that we left the Salt Exchange still hungry - we certainly could have ordered more - but there is only so much I am willing to spend on a weekday lunch. Our bill was nearly $50 (before tip), without alcohol.

Bottom Line: Although the Salt Exchange is an interesting concept, I left with the feeling that dining off a bar menu at one of the better Portland restaurants would be more satisfying and easier on the wallet.

Portland Maine Take-out

As you might have guessed, dining out after the arrival of the little one came to a screeching halt for the first five weeks of his life. Between the lack of sleep and Swine Flu warnings, we had a record number of dinners at home, with ample opportunity to try various spots for take out.

Our favorite "find" was the Nor'Easter Pizza from Portland Pie. Chicken, Buffalo Sauce, Bleu Cheese and Diced Celery make this my new favorite pizza! We enjoyed the pie along with one of their super fresh garden salads our first night in the hospital. And because they deliver, we have ordered the pizza several times since we've been home. We also tried Ricetta's version - the Buffalo Gorgonzola pizza - which pales in comparison to its counterpart at Portland Pie. The cheese was far less pungent and less hot sauce is used in the preparation, making the pizza a bit bland.

Breakfast and lunch came from Aurora Provisions while we were hospital bound. Skip the breakfast panini (which was too greasy for me) and go for the the breakfast burrito and lattes instead. They make great sandwiches for lunch, and always have interesting side salads (quinoa, lentil, etc).

We ordered take out from Veranda Thai several times because they also deliver in the Greater Portland area (including Falmouth). Though the food is a bit greasier than the cuisine you'll find at Pom's (my favorite Thai), the Vegetable Spring Rolls are fresh, the Chicken Satay is tender and moist, and the Pad Thai and Curries are well prepared using fresh ingredients.

My husband made a couple of trips to Benkay for take out to satisfy my sushi cravings. I also purchased numerous maki rolls at Whole Foods (the perfect food to eat one-handed while holding a baby). Though I prefer the sushi at Benkay, you can't beat Whole Foods' convenience - and I love that many of the rolls are made with brown rice.

For meals that can be reheated at home, I like Clayton's. They have entrees such as salmon, pork loin and chicken burritos, but I am hooked on their crab cakes. I heat them up on the panini grill at home and serve them on toasted Scratch English Muffins for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. I've also purchased the crab cakes at Terra Cotta Pasta (which are a close second to Clayton's) - and served them along with their delicious tortellini salad for a light meal.

I've been sorely disappointed with the lack of low fat take out options in the area. There are an abundance of options for comfort food, such as mac & cheese, chicken pot pies and meatloaf, but very little for those watching their waistlines. Given that I am trying to drop my baby weight (12 lbs to go), I've returned to cooking - though admittedly much simpler fare until we fall into a better schedule. If anyone knows of local establishments that feature low fat pre-cooked meals, please let me know.

Cheese Goodness

After readings Erik’s post, my husband and I decided to venture out to Evangeline with the little guy so we could try the Winnemere cheese. Oh, was it worth the visit! We spread the gooey cheese on Erik's homemade bread, dunked it in honey, and washed it down with a glass of Pino Gris.

We rounded out the meal with a sampling of items from the newly revised bar menu. My favorite dish was the beet and goat cheese plate; the tartness of the goat cheese contrasted well with the sweet red beet. The fries that came with the Smoked Salmon were amazing and worth the extra mile I had to tack onto my run this morning (still trying to shed that baby weight).

If you have time this week, I highly recommend heading to Evangeline for a cocktail and the delectable cheese and honey plate.