Jul 16 2008
The Ethicurean: Eating SOLE in Portland, Maine
Renowned food blog The Ethicurean just posted a lovely review of some of Portland’s finer fare in a piece entitled Eating SOLE in Portland, Maine: Fore Street, Gilbert’s Chowder House, and Hugo’s. For the uninitiated, SOLE stands for “Sustainable, Organic, Local, and/or Ethical.” The folks who write for the blog are as concerned about food policy as they are about food taste (well, almost).
Blogger Ali spent the past weekend sampling the aforementioned establishments and came away with nothing but praise for all three. Well, she did lament the styrofoam service at Gilbert’s, but the food received rave reviews. Having only tried one of the three restaurants on her list, I found new inspiration to justify making reservations at Hugo’s.
Fore Street got top marks for its dessert, a bread pudding, its side of morels, and its impressive efforts to serve locally sourced foods. The casual atmosphere, the mix of patrons, and the view of the kitchen from all tables were also praised. She summed up her review stating Fore Street “was just that kind of place; comfortable, and all about honest, good food.” I agree.
Gilbert’s Chowder House, which I have not yet experienced (Amber and I are still working up to full-blown love of seafood), received low marks for sustainability, but high marks besides. The Maine shrimp were a highlight for Ali, and the Shipyard IPA (really, they have Fuggles on draft?) complemented it nicely. “In the end, it wasn’t fancy, but the truth is, sometimes chowder and fried seafood, served with a cold beer, is exactly what you want.”
The highest praise was, not unexpectedly, saved for Hugo’s, which continues to wow just about every reviewer that gets a table. Amber and I haven’t gotten around to eating there (sad, I know, given that we’ve now lived here for 51 weeks), but it continues to float near the top of our list. Our full-scale, price-be-damned dining has slowed of late, so I’m not sure when exactly we’ll get there, but when we do, I’m sure we’ll be as delighted as Ali. “The whole experience—the unlikely pairing of flavors, the ethereal aromas—was intoxicating.”
If you’ve not yet tried the food scene up here, you owe it to yourself to make the trip, especially while the weather is wonderful. Just call ahead for reservations, or plan to arrive very early. Fore Street and Hugo’s are both tough tables to get.
Jason,
Thanks for the heads up re: Hugo. Please post your review as that is one restaurant we also want to try. Note that they just recently switched to a new course format. Steve