2008 - Q1 Update

I frequently re-visit restaurants I've already written about, so I thought I'd post an update on a few of the places I've hit over the past quarter. Following the Restaurant Updates are some Stats from Q1, for those who are interested, as well as a Sneak Peak of a few of the restaurants I'll be visiting in the upcoming quarter.

Restaurant Updates:

• Demonstrating ongoing inconsistency, a recent dinner at Street & Company with friends was less-than-stellar. Sticking with my Street & Co. "usual", shrimp with tomatoes, garlic, capers and linguine, I was surprised and disappointed with the overcooked shrimp. One of my friends ordered the scallops and after taking one bite, declared them "not fresh" and in-edible.

• During one of the numerous snowstorms that shut Portland down mid-day, I was in the mood for sushi. While both Benkay and Sapporo closed their doors, Yosaku proudly displayed their "open" flag. Inside, they were serving a dozen hearty souls who braved the storm. I am happy to report that the fish that day was fresh and delicious, and the sushi rice was sticky (not falling apart as in past visits). Perhaps they are making a comeback....

• I've had a half-dozen lunches at Benkay this quarter, primarily so I could feed my addiction to their new and improved shumai (steamed shrimp dumplings). Nearly identical to those those I had at Miyake, the delicate, thin wrappers are bursting with sweet, tiny shrimp. They are fantastic!

• During another snow/sleet storm we decided to stop in for dinner at Bresca. I can only go so long without Krista's amazing Bruschetta and pasta dishes. It was 8:30 on a Tuesday evening, the driving was treacherous, and the place was packed. Still as good as ever, if you haven't tried this place yet, you are missing out.

• I would be remiss if I didn't also mention the delectable Honey Glazed Cavendish Quail with Chanterelle Brioche Stuffing that I recently enjoyed at Five Fifty-Five...it even surpassed Gary Danko's version. Pungent and crunchy peppercorns contrasted smooth cream in the other "stand-out" dish of the evening - Chef Corry's unique and sophisticated Pink Peppercorn Creme Brulee. They've also added a five course tasting menu, in addition to the regular menu, offered each night.

• Leavitt & Son's first wine tasting was a blast! More like a party than any wine tasting I've been to, the "pours" were generous, the people interesting and the food samples delicious.

• While enjoying drinks at Fore Street with friends, we shared a creative fig and blue cheese pizza. This is still one of the best places in town for cocktails and appetizers, particularly if you arrive early enough to score one of the highly-coveted, hard-to-come by comfy couches.

The following are the top posts, January through March, ranked by the number of times each post was viewed.

• Emilitsa

• Brunch at Five Fifty-Five

• Passage to India

• Rachels L'Osteria

• Leavitt & Sons

• Poms Thai Taste Restaurant & Noodle House

• Caiola's

• Five Stars for Five Fifty-Five

• Lydia Shire Comes to Maine

• Bresca

Other Interesting Facts:

• In the first quarter of this year, the blog received double the amount of traffic received in all of 2007.

• Google continues to be the greatest source of referrals; Portland Food Map edged out Portland Psst for second place.

• Portland Food Map visitors spent the most time reading the blog, compared to all other visitors.

• Aside from people looking for the blog directly, some of the other popular search keywords were related to restaurants that opened, and were reviewed recently, such as Emilitsa, Leavitt & Sons, Blue Sky, Chopstick and Passage to India.

• Also in the top 10 search phrases were people looking for more information on Evangeline, Erik Desjarlais' much anticipated and soon-to-open restaurant.

• A strong showing of visitors came from Thailand, during the time that we were polling for the Best Portland Thai.

Sneak Peak:

• I enjoy hearing your thoughts on places I should try and have many of your suggestions on my list for the upcoming quarter.

• I'll knock off a few more of America's Top 50 Restaurants (as ranked by Gourmet) when I visit Vegas in a few months ... Guy Savoy, Joel Rubuchon (16 courses!!) and Bartolotta....as well as the highly recommended Alex ... I better start running now to work off all those caloric meals!

Thanks for reading, and for your comments.