Street & Company - Portland, Maine

I met my husband's family for the first time at Street & Company - 14 years ago. In all those years, I don't think Street & Company has changed their menu, except for the nightly specials. And why should they? The place is always packed by locals and tourists alike, seeking well-prepared fresh fish, in a casual and fun, albeit loud, eatery.

We have been to Street & Company more than a dozen times. Our experiences have been mixed, with the issues primarily on the service side. In fact, for years we did not patronize the restaurant, after spending more than $100 for a dinner that was over in less than an hour. Literally, our entrees arrived before we had finished our appetizers. At that price point, one would expect a better paced meal.

But that is what you get at Street...a high quality meal - not a dining experience. I prefer both, and no one did it better than Erik at Bandol. Three hours of well-orchestrated entertainment and spectacularly creative fare.

Our most recent experience at Street and Company reinforced our opinion of "basic done well." Craving a bottle of red wine - perhaps an '04 or '05 Piniot Noir, we were not impressed with the selection and decided to try wines by the glass instead. There were only two that our waitress described as full bodied, and we tried one of each. The '05 Tempranillo from Spain lacked structure; my husband's '05 Sangiovese Centine, blended with Merlot and Cabernet, was full bodied and bright.

The Roasted Parsnip, carrot and squash soup was the standout dish of the evening. Perfectly blended, with just a hint of ginger and lemon to enhance the earthiness of the pureed vegetables, I would return to the restaurant simply to have this soup again.

Street and Company is well known for their mussels and my husband could not pass them up. Unlike the mussels at Fore Street (Dana Street's other Portland restaurant), the shells are not brittle from time spent in the oven, making them easier to eat. A huge serving, they are meant to two people to share. Unfortunately I have a severe allergy to mussels, so he was forced to enjoy them himself. And enjoy them he did, sopping up every last bit of the garlic and white wine butter sauce with the hearty bread from Standard Bakery.

My appetizer of marinated swordfish with par boiled purple potato, hard boiled egg and white anchovy sounded interesting, but wasn't. The chunks of swordfish were tender and encrusted with fresh herbs. When paired with the potato, egg and anchovy, the flavors did not meld or enhance one another.

While we waited for our entree (perfectly spaced and presented about 15 minutes after we finished our appetizers), we were amused by the waitstaff attire. The restaurant can get very warm, so comfort is a must, but it looked like a bad Gap ad, with the waitstaff in a variety of khaki bottoms (pants, shorts, capris) and white cotton tops, many of which were plain old "fruit of the loom" variety t-shirts...not becoming on many body types. Requiring a simple white collared polo type shirt would make the staff look a bit more professional.

After consuming so many mussels, my husband could only manage a few bits of his entree - the special of the evening - monkfish medallions with clams and shrimp (his request in lieu of the chorizo sausage) in a romesco sauce. The powerful and garlicky romesco sauce stood up well to the herb encrusted monkfish, though the herbs overpowered the taste of the fish. The leftovers made an exquisit lunch the next day when I made a grilled panini, by placing the sliced monkfish, romesco sauce, and a slice of swiss cheese between pieces of Naan (round flatbread, cooked in a tandoor oven).

I opted for my favorite Street & Company entree, the shrimp with tomatoes, garlic, capers and linguine, served in a frying pan, fresh from the flames of the gas range. On other visits I have been pleased with the blackened swordfish, particularly when it is featured as a special and served with a delicious sauce or salsa to enliven the dish. The tuna consistently disappoints, as it does not appear to be sushi grade and therefore cannot be enjoyed rare.

As mentioned, the restaurant is noisy and can get uncomfortably warm. The best bet is to ask for the "back room" where the tables are more comfortably spaced, the lighting is dimmer and more romantic, and you are away from the heat and the hustle and bustle of the kitchen.

We will return to Street & Company once or twice a year, as we have in the past. It's a great spot to dine before a show at The Merrill (they get you in an out in a timely fashion) - or to bring out-of-town guests and watch their eyes widen when their entree is served in a frying pan. Fine dining it is not, but for the best selection of seafood that Portland has to offer, it's the place to go.