Having had wonderful meals at Evangeline, Bresca and Fore Street within the last month and half, we decided to try a few restaurants we haven't been to in awhile during Restaurant Week Maine.
Restaurant Week seems to be doing its thing, as evidenced by the full tables at Cinque Terre on Wednesday night, and the people still dining at Bresca and Fore Street that we noticed on the drive home at 9:30pm. The hostess at Cinque Terre said they had been busy all week and had numerous reservations for the remainder of Restaurant Week (which ends March 10).
For our first two courses we tried the Arancini (crispy risotto and Maine crab balls served with romesco sauce and pesto) and the cajun-style Grilled Monkfish served with chickpeas, arugula pesto and Sicilian tapenade (fabulous!). As a bonus Chef Lee Skawinski has added a free cheese course - served with candied walnuts - to the prix fixe menu. Our only disappointment was the dessert. Though the flavors were delicious, my husband's Butterscotch and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta had a soupy consistency, while the crust on my Chocolate Espresso Mousse was dry.
Unfortunately, many of the shortcomings I described in my Summer 2007 Cinque Terre post still exist. Most noticeable is the inconsistent timing between courses. We had a long wait before the first course, and there was almost no spacing between the first and second courses. Then another long wait between the cheese and the dessert.
Priced at $30.09,
the Restaurant Week menu at Cinque Terre is probably the best deal you'll ever find at this restaurant. At $84 before tip (we also ordered sparkling water, a glass of wine and a beer), we received about a 20% discount compared to similar quality meals at other area restaurants. Given this, if you've ever wanted to try Cinque Terre, I would suggest doing so during Restaurant Week Maine.
On another note, Back Bay Grill has decided to offer the Restaurant Week menu on Saturday night. One restaurant that I was surprised to learn was not participating in this local foodie week promotion is Street and Company.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Restaurant Week Maine at Cinque Terre
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
How was the bread? On our last visit there, while the appetizers and entrees were great, the bread could have been a pre-sliced Italian loaf from Hannaford. A big disappointment in a town that boasts Standard among others. I was hoping it was a one-time supplier issue, but noticed the same bread on a subsequent visit to Vignola.
The bread was certainly not a highlight of the meal - slices of stale foccacia served with olive oil. You are correct that with such bakeries as Standard & Scratch nearby, there is no excuse for local restaurants not to have great bread.
I think it is also worth mentioning that in the winter, or during colder weather there are terrible drafts that come on everytime someone opens the door. In a restaurant like this that is very poor indeed. I have also found the service to be quite variable!
Post a Comment