*!!!News Flash!!!*

This Just In!

Move over J's Oyster Bar, step aside Old Port Sea Grill, there is a new Oyster game in town. The former site of the much loved Rabelais Book Store will now be home to Eventide Oyster Co. Located on 86 Middle Street (you know, where all the cool restaurants hang out), and connected to the Portland institution Hugo's, the newest entry into the Portland Seafood scene looks very promising (Love that window-front logo). Eventide is so new they don't even have a website up yet, only a facebook profile. With a projected opening date of mid-June, Portlanders won't have to wait long to start binging. But this hungry food writer cannot wait to take his first bite (read slurp.) So if you are smart (I know you are), come join me mid-June for a bakers dozen or two of these delicious mollusks... Oysters are good for you, after all... It's scientifically proven.

-The Novice Fork

Romancing the Restaurant, French Style

Hello faithful readers and welcome to the first review of 2012! I hope your New Year was as festive and slaphappy as mine was. (I’ll tell you now; I was a hot little tomato). Now that the stale taste of flat champagne and glitter has been eradicated, we need to get down to the good stuff, namely a new, fresh food post. But before we jump in with our forks, I feel the need to reflect. At the start of 2012 I have realized that we, you the reader and me the eater, have covered a lot of ground together. We have been to countless dinners, and had multiple, long conversations about food, wine and life. One might even say that we are dating, only in the platonic, food based and digital sense of course. (Is there any other kind? Please…)

It should be celebrated that you’ve made it this far with me, (since October 2010) because in that time we’ve laughed, cried and ate our way through some fantastic meals. This can only mean that we must be going steady, right? I’ve certainly taken you out to dinner a lot, had many glasses if wine with you across the table (or computer screen) and even took a few trips together, often to romantic places! (Vegas baby). I guess it’s time to consider this day, January 12^th, 2012 as an anniversary of sorts, and a celebration that we’ve made it past the casual blogging plateau. (All those flirty texts were getting exhausting, weren’t they?) Things are getting serious and for that, I thank you.

Now, on our anniversary, it is only fitting that I review a romantic restaurant. And because what’s more romantic then the French and their food, (Ok maybe Italy, or the Caribbean, or something like that) today we go to Petite Jacqueline, with a rave.

Petite Jacqueline

190 State Street

Portland, ME

207-553-7044

The Novice Fork gives this petite gem

4 forks for great French inspired food,

efficient service, and beautiful atmosphere.

The window front, so classy! 

(From cfwphotography.smugmug.com)

Having been to this restaurant several times before, I’m amazed I haven’t sat down to review it yet. Seriously, what have I been up to? (Damn you Brad Goreski and your corky style sense.) But now that I feel confident enough to peel myself away from “It’s a Brad, Brad World” to write a coherent sentence, all attention must be paid. While relatively new to the Portland scene, Petite’s roots run deep (its creators are also behind what makes 555 so special).  But as the more casual and affordable cousin to 555, don’t expect to pay an arm and leg for its amazing food. Well maybe just a hand, at around $21 for the average plate.

Its no surprise the food experience here is a delicious French meal. But it’s the atmosphere that transports the eater to another country. Its all in the details here. Marble table tops, light wood floors, baguettes wrapped in brown paper bags, blue and white dish towels as napkins, and some of the best oysters I’ve had. This is good. My last visit with my best college friend only confirmed this. On a cold, late December night, I could only think of Petite Jacqueline with its warm, cozy dinning room, and elevated bar, to sample some delicious wine and reconnect. After waiting at the bar for a table for about 30 minutes (call ahead to make a reservation) we were seated and within seconds, fresh wine, bread (the baguette in the brown paper) were delivered by the very appropriately dressed wait staff (blue and white striped shirts anyone?) and orders for appetizers were made.

Settling on oysters, naturally, and salads for the both of us. The oysters, as confirmed by my mate, were excellent, as were the salads we ordered, the “Salade d'automne” or autumn salad with bleu cheese and roasted beets. For our entrees? We both ordered the steak frites, or grilled steak with salt and cracked pepper with hand-cut fires. Ordered medium rare and dressed in a simple sauce, this is one of the most delicious and simple dishes. Petite Jacqueline masters it.

Ending the meal with Crème Brulee, (and more wine) was icing on the very French cake we just enjoyed. I’m very glad my friend got to experience a new place, and I’m happy my new favorite restaurant remains top quality. One proviso (it might be a bit cheesy so forgive me)… Do remember that this is a romantic spot, so love the person you are eating with when you go. (Mine was of the platonic variety, but you get the idea. Maybe next time it won’t be… here’s hoping)

There is nothing like discovering good food with a great friend, and there is truly no restaurant in Portland ME quite like Petite Jacqueline. A very well deserved 4 Forks to you. I’ll be back soon and I’d better see you all there too, with a date. 

New Years Eve, and Other Stuff

Well hello there. Its Mateo, your friendly food blogger here to wish you and yours a festive and safe New Years Eve. Can you believe its another year come and gone? Auld Lang Syne ya'll! I wanted to take a moment and get you all excited about some changes to the Novice Fork in the up coming 2012 calendar year. (I started this website/food review blog/best thing you've ever read over a year ago, and my how time flies!) 


I hope in the coming year Novice Fork can branch out from this one man operation, highlighting foodies and food appreciators around the country (yeah I got friends that can string together sentences), delve deeper into the "cultural highlights" of the many places I've traveled to and will travel to in 2012, and become better about posting about EVERY restaurant I go to, be it a Taco Bell (perish the though) or a 5 star (or fork) French institution. Wait a tick! This is smelling an awful lot like a New Years resolution. Am I going to become a better, faster, stronger blogger? You bet your bippy I am! So look out interwebs, I'm coming for you. 


So a happy New Year everyone, may the coming year bring you nothing but joy, lots of happiness, and a crap ton of good food to eat. And if you wanna, send some info my way, I want to know where to eat next. (Take that Urban Spoon!) The Novice Fork and 2011, over and out. 

City of Sin: an Overview

Greetings intrepid eaters/brave travelers and welcome to another installment of the Novice Fork. Well, tts that time of year, when the world falls in love. That’s right, in case you didn’t know (for some hermit behavioral reason) the holiday season is in full swing. It’s a time when carols are a singing, the Maine Mall is a busy, and the snow begins to fly. (Except this year, on today, December 5^th, its currently 52 degrees in Port City. This is an issue.)

I love the holidays for many reasons and they all relate to my interests as a food critic. The food, first and foremost, is always more festive and lavish, the shopping is fast paced and fun, (minus the Black Friday cattle call now employed as a sales gimmick) and the world shines just a bit brighter from all that tinsel… (However a bitch to clean out of a vacuum, take it from me.) I love wrapping gifts for friends and family, I love the feasts, I love Christmas Mass at the Cathedral. It’s all good stuff. But maybe your poor soul is not a fan of the Christmas (or holiday) cheer? Allow me to offer some friendly advice. Get over it. Stop being a Scrooge and smile a bit, sing a carol, wear that ridiculous sweater, and wrap a damn gift, you’ll be glad you did.

So, aside from all this holiday cheeriness and general merriment, I recently traveled to Sin City and enjoyed a week in the desert. Wait, was I in Las Vegas? Heck yeah I was, Viva Las fantastic time out west! Now you, the reader, get to share it with me. Giddy up.

Today I’m going to highlight Celebrity chef and “The Chew” cohost Mario Batali’s Restaurant, B&B Ristorante.

B&B Ristorante

The Venetian 


3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South


Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 


702- 266 -9977

The Novice Fork gives this celebrity restaurant 5 forks,

for professional service, amazing,

gourmet food, and calm classy atmosphere.

Classy, no?

Why Vegas? Having never been, I was always curious about the adult Disney World, where gambling, drinking, and debauchery is a 24/7 business and where the word “entertainment” takes on a whole new level of enthusiastic tackiness. Having friends with altruistic tendencies doesn’t hurt either and when they invite you along for a week long trip to the City of Sin, you don’t say no.

So I packed my bags (overly so) and jumped on the next plane out of Maine. And what a week it was. I stayed at The Venetian, and what a hotel! It was opulent and totally over-the-top, and yet tasteful at the same time. My room had its own gold velour sectional, a crystal chandelier over the king bed (complete with a canopy) and a bathroom so gilded I thought I was a Medici. This place was awesome. I felt like Scarface.

The strange and awesome thing about Vegas is the total inauthenticity. (Obviously) You have “New York” next to “Paris,” “Venice” complete with singing gondoliers under a fake sky in The Venetian, and even fake palm trees in the airport, complete with plastic coconuts. This environment creates a sense of disorientation that lingers into everything you do. So stealing myself away from the hotel room and from the overwhelming spectacle that is Vegas was difficult, as was not spending 3 hours a day at the resort’s spa, none other than Canyon Ranch, or shopping the many, many malls. But I did have to eat sometime, right?

Luckily, in my hotel alone, there were 20+ restaurants from which to choose. Literally like throwing a dart at a dartboard (with or without a picture of Penn and Teller attached) my friend and I decided upon celeb chef Mario Batali’s restaurant B&B Ristorante. None too surprisingly, this was a fantastic idea.

The review…

When you enter this old school, dark wood paneled eatery the confusion, excitement and chaos of Vegas melts into a quite white noise and you are actually transported to Italy or New York, someplace decidedly less “Vegasfied.” White tablecloths, candlelight, leather bound menu books; this place is classy. The fact that it’s right next door to the casino floor, makes this fact all the more remarkable.  After being watered, and fed an amuse bouche, compliments of the kitchen, our very knowledgeable waiter gave us the complete rundown on the slightly esoteric and very authentic fine Italian menu. (He even spoke Italian himself, bonus points.) The service here matches the high price point for the meal, as it should. Check one for B&B.

The guest, this particular evening, had the option for a prix fixe tasting menu selected by the chef, or choosing menu items a la carte, which is what we did. In true Matt tradition, I ordered the beet salad with local Vegas pistachios (what?!) and baked ricotta over field greens. At $17, this salad was spectacular. (Whether its worth it to you or not is your call.) I followed this with Capellacci di Zucca, a spaghetti similar pasta with almonds and sage in a ultra-light cream sauce. This was simple, delicious and the perfect portion size, paired with a side of roasted root vegetables, this was the perfect, gourmet meal. The bottle of wine we ordered for the table, a fantastic Pinot Grigio sent this meal over the top. Ending with a flight of daily house made gelatos (because I was clearly forced to eat more) made the total experience complete. If you eat here, be prepared to pay, a lot. But when in Vegas, where better to experience this kind of gastro-excess? Trust me, the food more than makes up for the much lighter wallet.

Now what makes this a 5 Fork restaurant, one may ask? It has to do with the fact that the experience was exactly what I wanted it to be. It was an inspired and authentic meal in a strange new land, it provided top quality service and an amazing atmosphere in which to enjoy it. Maybe Mario’s celebrity seduced me, maybe it was the Pinot, but this was a meal I wont forget for a long time. That is worth 5 Forks.  I’ll be back and when I return watch out Mario, I’ll want an autograph.