How things have changed!
A year ago if I had purchased a book about sushi, it would been something like the "Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art" -- but my last two books were for the little guy. First Book of Sushi and Yum Yum Dim Sum, by Amy Wilson Sanger should prepare him well for the Asian delights that will soon grace his lips.
Plus, what could be more fun for Mom and Dad than reading out loud:
Miso in my sippy cup,
tofu in my bowl.
Crab and avocado
fill my California roll.
The Salt Exchange is now open for lunch and dinner. Located at 245 Commercial Street in Portland's Old Port, the restaurant has a beautiful interior and is more formal than I had expected. The dining room comprises half the restaurant, while the other half is filled with a long curved bar, a few tables in the lounge, and an open kitchen. White linens grace the tables; exposed brick and an industrial lime green ceiling complete the look.
In stark contrast to the scene at El Rayo during opening week, The Salt Exchange was nearly empty the day we dined for lunch. While I would define the menu as "cosmopolitan tapas," the owners state on their blog
that rather than tapas, they are serving "New American small plates." Either way, the plates are priced between $5 and $15. Our waiter suggested that we order two items each for lunch - if you don't want to leave hungry (as we did), I would suggest at least three plates - possibly four for dinner.
For dinner, the menu features "Amuse" (small bites) such as Pickled Maine Dilly Beans ($3) and Salt Cod Cromesquis ($5), two Soups , Cold Plates including Pork Pate ($8) and Caesar Salad ($7), and Hot Plates featuring 
the likes of Pea Risotto ($9) and Brioche Crusted Fish ($12). The lunch menu has eleven items, most of which are also on the dinner menu, though there are a few variations.
We opted to try the two soups: Spiced Maine Coast Cioppino ($12) and Green Asparagus ($7), the BBQ Duck Sliders ($9) and the Pea Arancini with Wild Mushroom Ragout ($6). The Cioppino was filled with white fish and mussels and topped with grilled sourdough crostini. Crab tempura was served alongside the stew, and should have stayed in the fryer a minute longer so that it was crispy. The "spiced" stew lacked flavor - it seemed like there was an ingredient missing and was deemed rather ordinary by my husband. He actually had to add salt -- and no, the irony wasn't lost on us.
Speaking of salt, our expectations were a bit high walking in, given the name. When we visited Amelia Island, we dined at a restaurant called "Salt" where we were presented 40 different types of salt - a little bit of gimmick, but I loved the focus on this key ingredient. When we sat down at The Salt Exchange and found Morton in a shaker,
and not Maldon in a dish, we realized the name wasn't driving the dining experience.
I fared well with my Asparagus Soup. Topped with a delicate goat cheese mousse, the soup was delicious. The Pea Arancini (deep fried risotto balls) was light and not at all greasy. The Duck Sliders were my husband's favorite; the mustard and vinegar slaw that topped the duck added a nice contrast to the tender fowl. He could have put down about a half dozen of these mini sandwiches for his lunch.
We were still quite hungry when we finished our four small plates and decided to share the Orange Blossom Poached Rhubarb for dessert. Lemon custard was topped with a meringue cookie and surrounded by tart rhubarb and sweet orange sections. The dish was light and the flavor combination worked well together.
It's our own fault that we left the Salt Exchange still hungry - we certainly could have ordered more - but there is only so much I am willing to spend on a weekday lunch. Our bill was nearly $50 (before tip), without alcohol.
Bottom Line: Although the Salt Exchange is an interesting concept, I left with the feeling that dining off a bar menu at one of the better Portland restaurants would be more satisfying and easier on the wallet.
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.
After readings Erik’s post, my husband and I decided to venture out to Evangeline with the little guy so we could try the Winnemere cheese. Oh, was it worth the visit! We spread the gooey cheese on Erik's homemade bread, dunked it in honey, and washed it down with a glass of Pino Gris.
We rounded out the meal with a sampling of items from the newly revised bar menu. My favorite dish was the beet and goat cheese plate; the tartness of the goat cheese contrasted well with the sweet red beet. The fries that came with the Smoked Salmon were amazing and worth the extra mile I had to tack onto my run this morning (still trying to shed that baby weight).
If you have time this week, I highly recommend heading to Evangeline for a cocktail and the delectable cheese and honey plate.
With help from my readers, I narrowed down my search for a new Espresso Machine to the Rancilio Silvia and the Breville 800ESXL.
My criteria was to get the best machine under $500. I already have a decent KitchenAid Burr Grinder
Both machines have had great reviews. Since there is a $175 price difference, I thought trying the Breville made more sense. If I don't like it, I'll just return it for the Rancilio. We just made the purchase last week, but so far, it's met my expectations. I'll keep you posted.
Last year's Dining Guide was one of my more popular posts, so I've reviewed and updated my suggestions.
Here are my picks for this year...
For Dinner:
(Scarborough) to find a comprehensive list of local dining options.
