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.