Fore Street - Portland, Maine (First Review)

Note: A more recent Fore Steet Review is available.

Rated #26 in the Country by Gourmet Magazine (2006), it is difficult to secure reservations at Fore Street (Portland, Maine) without some advance planning, particularly if you are hoping to dine on a Friday or Saturday night. Reservations are available on Opentable.com; they also reserve 1/3 of their tables for “walk ins”. I used to think this was a joke, as anytime I have “walked in “ at 7pm hoping for one of these tables, it is always a 1 ½ -2 hour wait. But I now know that you just have to show up between 5:30 and 6 to secure your reservation for the evening, you don’t necessarily have to dine then.

I stopped in after work on a recent Friday night at 5:40 pm, inquired about availability for two, and was told they had plenty of “walk in” tables. They asked what time I would like to dine and I was lucky enough to secure a 7pm dining reservation. I then went home, changed into more comfortable attire, grabbed my husband and returned shortly before 7.

Upon our arrival, we were shown to a table in the main dining room, next to the tall windows overlooking the parking lot, and the dock for Casco Bay Lines. In warmer weather this is a “premier” table, as you can observe the passers-by, have a view of the entire restaurant, and watch the chefs work their magic in the wood ovens. It sure beats the tables that look into the brightly lit parking garage. But on the night we dined, it was fiercely cold and we immediately felt a draft when we were seated. The hostess offered to seat us in a warmer area if we could wait 10-15 minutes, which allowed us a chance to sink into one of the comfy couches in the lounge and enjoy glasses of ’04 Bridlewood Syrah from Healdsburg, my favorite California town. Note: the wine list advertises this wine as an ’05, the bottle it is poured from is an ’04 – a very good year for California reds. Slightly jammy, full bodied and soft on the tannins, the wine was exceptionally smooth on the finish. We selected the same wine for dinner, ordering a bottle for $32.

I frequent Fore Street four to five times a year, mostly with out-of-town guests dying to try the famed Fore Street. I’ve always been satisfied, though not overly impressed with my meals. Sure, Sam Hayward puts together dishes of only the freshest ingredients, whether it be day-boat fish or local organic vegetables that are in season, showcased in all of their natural splendor. I just typically long for more creativity. Alice Waters of Chez Panisse in Berkley, California seems to share many of the same philosophies as Sam Hayward, yet she manages to shake things up a bit, allowing the freshest ingredients to set the stage for a bit of creativity and flair.

On our most recent visit I was impressed to find more creativity in the Fore Street menu than in past visits. Maybe Sam is getting tired of ultra simple preparations. I started with the Pan Seared Jumbo Oyster Mushrooms, set in mushroom jus and served with a white cornmeal hasty pudding. The mushrooms were perfectly shaped and gigantic. Served in a tiny cast iron skillet, they were sheer perfection to look at and tasted even better. I have never tasted a mushroom so earthy, meaty and delicious. The cornmeal hasty pudding was a bit dry and granular until I mixed in the mushroom reduction; the combination was unbelievable, as the jus added an earthy mushroom moisture to the cornmeal. Aside from the goat cheese and roasted tomato salad I had on a previous visit, this was the best dish I have had – ever – at Fore Street. If you enjoy mushrooms, I would encourage you to order it when it next appears on the menu.

My husband started with the Penne and Maine Cheddar, served with roasted cipollini, fennel and kale. This dish turned out to be a fantastic “grown up” and sophisticated version of macaroni and cheese. The combination of roasted onions and cellar-aged Maine cheddar cheese, lent a distinctive element to the dish. The fennel and kale were roasted and added a subtle and pleasing enhancement to the pasta and cheese. I could have had this as my entrée, it was so filling and utterly satisfying.

As with many restaurants, I find the entrees at Fore Street to be far less interesting than the appetizers. It seems that chefs, for the most part, take chances and showcase their creativity in the smaller dishes, while the entrees are typically more traditional. On the night we dined, I was hoping to enjoy the Artic Char for my entrée, but was discouraged when I was told that there were no substitutions for the leeks and apple bacon that accompanied the dish. I was surprised that a restaurant such as Fore Street had such rigid guidelines. Instead I settled for the Day Boat Atlantic Halibut, which was extremely fresh and served with white bean mash, roasted garlic and braised greens.

My husband selected the Atlantic Monkfish with sweet onions and a shellfish broth as his entree. A "broth lover," he was highly disappointed with the scant amount of liquid in the bottom of the dish. The restaurant’s signature dish is the Dry Rubbed Pork Loin. If you like Pork and are visiting this restaurant for the first time, I strongly encourage you to order this dish. Moist and tender, I'll bet you've never tasted Pork like this; it literally falls off the bone and melts in your mouth.

I fell in love with the fresh beets at Fore Street years ago, and order them each time I dine there. Unfortunately, the side of organic beets with sherry apricot butter that I had on this particular evening was overcooked. The Roasted Fall Squash, a combination of Delicato and Butternut Squash was fabulous. The sweet squash was nicely contrasted by acidity from the cider used to moisten the vegetable when mashing. The Garlic Mashed Potatoes are always a favorite; light on the butter to allow the taste of the local organic potatoes to shine. The brussel sprouts with horseradish chive butter are ho-hum; when I've had them they have always been overcooked.

Desserts are always a treat at Fore Street. We often stop into the lounge after having dined elsewhere to share the Warm Dark Chocolate Torte, which is always on the menu, though the the accompanying ice-cream is ever changing. A tempting recent addition to the dessert menu is the Three Macaroons: pistachio-almond, coconut and espresso almond, served with a mug of hot chocolate. Seemingly, taking a cue from Chef Corey and his signature dessert at Five-Fifty-Five, Fore Street has added unusual house-made sorbets to the menu, as well.

I never feel that I am overcharged when eating at Fore Street. I always leave fully satisfied and very happy with the bill; it’s difficult to get to the $150 price point, even with a nice bottle of wine and tip.

Fore Street certainly deserves the number three ranking, as voted by my readers in the "Best Restaurants in Southern Maine" poll. If you are seeking creativity, try Five Fifty-Five or Hugo's. If you're seeking simplicity done right, Fore Street is a sure bet.

Bon Appetit!