Category: Restaurants & Dining Out

Virtual dinners from Wine Wise provide a way to connect from a distance.

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The current measures to fight COVID-19 are devastating for many local businesses. But I am also amazed at the creativity I have seen come from these stressful times.

Local businesses have shown impressive adaptability. Many businesses have found ways to pivot, seemingly instantaneously, from textile artisans who have transitioned to making masks or the rapid move to curb side pickup at some of my favorite breweries and restaurants. I know these changes can’t make up fully for the economic stress businesses are experiencing but it is impressive.

Recently, we took advantage of one such reinvention.

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#AtoZChallenge | S is for Solo Italiano and Maine Restaurant Week

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While cold temperatures may encourage you to stay in and hunker down, there are some enticing winter incentives in Maine to get you to venture outside. One of my favorites is Maine Restaurant Week which takes place at the beginning of March each year. Maine Restaurant Week is a week-long series of food related events throughout the greater Portland area.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so what better way to start this food celebration than with a breakfast cook-off. Chefs put forth their most creative breakfast dishes in a friendly competition. I blogged about our visit to the cook-off a few years ago in my post Incredible Breakfast Cook-Off 2016. It was a wonderful event. I highly recommend it.

Last year we attended Spirit Quest, a self-guided walking tour through Portland, where local restaurants compete in a cocktail and small bites pairing competition. It was another delicious experience and a great way to visit many of the local Portland area restaurants.

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Eight things I learned about bocce during lunch at 33 Elmwood in Westbrook.

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We’ve had amazing summer weather but this past week took a turn and things got cloudy and cooled off. No complaints. You appreciate the sunshine more when there are the occasional bad weather days. Plus, those cooler nights make for great sleeping weather.

We had a friend coming up for a visit and, while originally planning to relax lakeside, had to rethink our agenda when the weather changed. We headed to 33 Elmwood in Westbrook for lunch and bocce. 33 Elmwood is an expansive place with food, drink and games. We walked in and were immediately greeted by the receptionist standing behind the front desk where you can also pick up bocce balls or bowling shoes.

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Celebrating the Year of the Rooster with a stop into Empire Chinese Kitchen

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I love award shows. Until we cut the cable cord recently, I watched them all. As part of my ritual a family tradition was born where we always get Chinese take-out to enjoy during the show. This tradition became a favorite with my girls even if they didn’t always watch the show with me. But, one thing that we have struggled with even as the tradition has persisted is finding good Chinese food.

When we lived in Massachusetts, we lived close to a Chinese restaurant with excellent take-out so we had fairly high standards. While we’ve circled through a variety of local places we still haven’t found the right one yet. After reading great reviews for Empire Chinese Kitchen, I was hopeful we would finally find a restaurant that matched our standards.

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Having Lunch at Tomaso’s Canteen in Portland while Shopping Local

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One dollar jello shots and three dollar craft cans were on special to celebrate the first anniversary of Tomaso’s Canteen in Portland this past Saturday. But, it wasn’t the bargain pricing that I noticed, but rather the eclectic mix of beverages on the menu generating both a dive bar and more upscale neighborhood hangout feel all at the same time.

I was out shopping for Small Business Saturday, and only stopped in for a quick bite between local shopping destinations, so I didn’t get the full bar experience but was able to scope things out for future outings. It’s a cozy, narrow space with a long bar running the length of one side and a single row of table seating along the other.

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