A Little Grace Under Pressure

Hola readers. Well it’s been a few weeks, two to be exact, and man has the time flown. But what, you may ask, has been going on in my foodie life in all that time? Well… I was contacted for a job interview in Boston, score! I went to several amazing restaurants (double score) and it’s now the 8^th day of spring (thank the lord). My trip down to Boston last week was great, albeit a little out of sequence for the few reviews I have to cook up. But since it was the latest adventure I’ve had, I think it makes sense to include it here now. But, the review, a supplement to the Novice Fork review of Masa Restaurant, in the South End of Boston, will be coming soon. Let’s turn now, to a wonderful Portland restaurant I want to give a little attention to, Grace. Was it good?  For certain.

Grace Restaurant

15 Chestnut Street

Portland, ME

207-828-4422

www.restaurantgrace.com

The Novice Fork gives this church

turned luxe dinning establishment

4 Forks for its amazing atmosphere,

killer cocktails, and overall metropolitan appeal

The interior of Grace, so beautiful

What happens when you take three plucky twenty-somethings, a large (read very generous) gift certificate to one of Portland’s best restaurants, and a Friday night? Well a fantastic dinner and cocktail hour at Grace, of course. On this particular Friday, armed with two good friends and this (very generous) gift certificate, I thought a break from the normal bar hopping was in order. I crave good food, as most of you know, and thought how fun it would be to share this passion with a few friends. So to Grace we went, expecting the best. And we were not disappointed.

While Grace’s food is very good, the space and the drinks are really what one comes for. The site of a former church, the dinning rooms maintains most of the original gothic details, right down to leaving the altar intact behind the open concept kitchen. You enter on the main floor, with the spectacular central bar, round and with three gothic “sculptures” radiating out from it. And upstairs is more seating and a second bar, all overlooking the dinning room below from old church balconies. It’s simply a beautiful place to eat.

Before the food was decided upon, my friends and I enjoyed a few cocktails, a Greyhound for me, red wine for them. All of it was very tasty. The food? We, none too surprisingly, had enough money to sample a variety of different things so we did. I started with a warm salad with prosciutto and walnuts. Very good. My friend had the Pork Cretons, or a type of pork paté served with mustard and pickled vegetables. Wicked good. My other friend? The slider of course, which was perfect. (The girl loves her burgers) Are you sensing a trend with this restaurant?

These “starters” were all digested at the upstairs bar, but 4 lounge seats opened up right next to us so we migrated there and got even more food. For me it was the Pan Seared Goat Cheese Gnocchi, which was sweet, savory and fantastic. And my friend got the Hanger Steak, which, cooked medium rare, was perfection.

Now with this lavish meal you’d expect great service, and that’s certainly what you get here. Our bartender was excellent and I see her there every time I go. And our waitress was prompt and easygoing, my two favorite things and we felt taken care of but also left to our own deep conversations.   

So, if you go to Grace, you will find a diverse, inspired menu, banging good cocktails, and an atmosphere more big city than you’d expect to find in our little Port City. 4 Forks it is! You should go to Grace now if you’re smart… but no pressure.

Local Delicious, Whoopies and Spanish Eggs

Well hello everyone! The great thaw is slowly occurring in Maine and today, with temps around 50 and lots o’ rain, the snow is melting and with each inch we are all one step closer to summer. (I am over this). So in preparation for the “Great Thaw,” get out and enjoy the last three days of Maine Restaurant Week, and maybe if you wear a bathing suit, the sun will be forced to show up too. Additionally, I’d also like to briefly report on a business a new friend is starting. Her name is Beth and makes Whoopie Pies, so naturally I sniffed out a sample faster than you can say sugary goodness. Here is her contact info below.

Elizabeth Nason

Whoopie Pies, Breads,

Cookies, Cakes and more…

bethnason.com

These are the best Whoopie Pies I’ve ever had. The chocolate cake was moist, dark and not too sugary, and the cream filling? So fluffy, rich vanilla taste and again not riddled with that crunchy sugar issue that so often plagues the Whoopie. I’m telling you these little guys are delicious. Help my new friend Beth, the baking entrepreneur and BUY HER PIES! You won’t be disappointed.

Now that I’ve given Beth some pastry love, let’s turn now to the restaurant on deck today. Local 188 on Upper Congress Street in Portland.

Local 188

685 Congress St
Portland, ME 04102-3303

(207) 761-7909

www.local188.com

The Novice Fork gives this spot

4 Forks for fun artistic atmosphere,

inventive food and great people watching

Local 188's front door, pulled from their website.

Where do you go for an excellent brunch when in Downtown Portland? Where do you go to have a loaded Bloody Mary or delicious spiced home fries? The answer is, of course, Local 188, the art’s district spot with a lush atmosphere and scrumptious, Spanish influenced sustenance. I love this restaurant. Simply put its cool, laid back, sexy, stylish and the food is excellent, unique and inventive. I could end the review here, but that’s too short and I’m feeling talkative today, so hang in there.

On this gray Sunday, following some research at the Portland Museum of Art, my fellow docent suggested brunch to fuel up and discuss art. Local 188 is the perfect place to do both things, really. You first notice the mismatched furniture, the beautiful murals on the lofty walls, and the warmth the surrounds you when you enter the front door. With velvet drapes, and wonderful smells from the open kitchen, you understand why this place remains so popular, 10 years after its opening.

Because it was brunch, I had to enjoy a mimosa, which was a perfect blend of Champagne and fresh squeezed orange juice. My friend? The Bloody Mary, (I hate these, but she said it was good) The food? We both got the $8 Huevos Rancheros, which were perfect. Sunnyside up eggs, black beans, and sour cream, salsa and delicious ranchero sauce, these Rancheros rival the plate I had down in Boston at Masa (If you diehard readers may remember?) They were that good, and the perfect amount of food on the plate. If the egg dish isn’t for you, they have a great assortment of traditional brunch items (Bagels, salads, omelettes) or dishes with the ever present Spanish flair, something for everyone. Oley! Their dinner menu is ever more comprehensive without being overwhelming, so check it out as well!

The service here is friendly and very casual, but it matches the relaxed art vibe well. The only thing I was put off by is how popular this place gets on a Sunday. It was wall to wall people and we had to wait at least 30 minutes for a table. But the food (and certainly the drinks) makes the wait well worth it. Just call ahead if you’re hypoglycemic or don't like wating in lines.

There you have it, another rave 4 Forker. Go to Local 188 for brunch or anytime during the day, have a cocktail or two. You won’t regret the visit.   

Bright Lights, Date City

Salutations! Welcome to another installment of The Novice Fork, and may I say that I’ve had some rocking meals lately! For some reason I have been out more this month than any other, and it’s only March 8^th! Whatever the reason it’s not a bad thing, and now I can share the vital info with you all. Let’s begin.

This overdue issue of the Novice Fork brings us to Portsmouth NH and the restaurant du jour Portsmouth Gas Light Co.

Portsmouth Gas Light Co.

64 Market Street

Portsmouth, NH 03801

(603) 431-9122

www.portsmouthgaslight.com

The Novice Fork gives this multipurpose

restaurant 4 Forks for good food,

convenient downtown location and warm ambiance

The outside of Gas Light Co. Very Portsmouth.

Why was I in Portsmouth, you may ask? Well on this particularly blustery winter’s night I traveled down to Portsmouth NH for a date and a good meal. Shocking I know! Who do I think I am? I’m always open to a little romance (and if good food is included then of course even better). My cohort suggested Gas Light Co. after much debate and while I’m sure any restaurant would have been fine, I’m glad we went here. The space, naturally, is the first thing you notice. Exposed brick, copper topped tables, candles, live plants, a warmly lit and substantial bar and lots of seating options, it’s a beautiful restaurant. From the more formal street level dinning room or the downstairs pizza zone, the restaurant has a lot going for it.

The service here is professional and top notch. Our waitress had our waters refilled instantaneously, our happy hour half off wine (from 4-6pm) was very tasty and never empty, and our food came out so fast we didn’t have time to even ask those always comfy first date questions. (We had plenty of time after the food came though, not to worry.)

So the food? The menu here is sort of pan American with Asian and Mediterranean influences and a strong focus on seafood. (Wow I wonder why, we were near the ocean.) I had a really, really good Greek inspired garden salad with freshly grilled chicken atop, adorned with feta cheese and cucumbers. This was such a good salad I didn’t mind the massive portion and I ate the whole thing. My date? An “Apple Harvest Salad” a spinach salad with fresh cut apples and bacon with a cider vinaigrette and bleu cheese. (Which was just as large and looked real tasty too).

The prices here are a bit steep, my salad came out to be around $14 once including chicken. But you get what you pay for, with the great service and the atmosphere that surrounds you as you eat. The dessert list looked great and since my date knew I’d be writing a review, they insisted I get one to try. (Do I need any more reason? No.) So we got the very tasty fresh berry cake, a yellow cake with compote made of fresh berries on top and cream inside. It was very, VERY good too.

So, a summary? The food is good here, and spans a few different culinary influences, allowing you to get whatever you want. The service is good here, so you’ll never be waiting for your wine, and the restaurant itself is nice, which adds atmosphere to a fun and romantic date. (I’m happy to report this last fact and I’ll keep you all posted.) A 4 fork experience for certain. Hooray!  

Words for the day...

Simply to go out and enjoy the last remaining days of restaurant week, you never know what kind of adventure you'll have. Over and out.

The Lost Weekend, Part II

Well hello readers! We are back for round two of my Connecticut weekend of frivolity and I’m happy to serve it all to ya! In this second installment you may notice some slight changes on our little website, namely now you’ll be able to click directly on a restaurant’s name to get to that review. Revolutionary I know. But what’s behind my new proficiency in web design, you may ask? Well… I recently took a course at the Maine College of Art in web design and I learned a heck of a lot, namely how to use the great templates provided by Blogger better and faster. So enjoy the fruits of my colligate labor and the fresh, efficient new layout!

So, on to the review. Today we are highlighting a Stonington Borough, CT institution Noah’s.

Noah’s

113 Water Street
Stonington, CT 06378

http://noahsfinefood.com/new/

The Novice Fork gives this spot

4 Forks for its neighborhood feel,

great food, and chilled out atmosphere

The outside of Noah's, cute right?

On the sleep deprived last day of my weekend, desperately seeking a nap or a chocolate shake, my friend decided to take me and his main squeeze to Noah’s, in Stonington Borough. Established in 1979, Noah’s is the type of neighborhood spot reserved for and revered by the locals and tuned in tourists who know where to go. The first thing you may notice about this joint is that the entire restaurant is covered in art and colorful gimcracks one can only accumulate over many years. Plaques, paintings of the restaurant, costal Connecticut memorabilia and wood paneling adorn the walls, the bar is deep and comfy, and the tables are sunlit and well worn. This pleasant scene is continued when greeted with the very friendly and casual (while at times, a tad slow) service, especially at the bar where it seems everyone actually knows your name.

On any given Sunday they have a brunch, lunch and dinner menu and I’m sure whatever you order off of any of these menus would be delicious. Having had French toast earlier that day, I thought a salad would be a better fit for me so I ordered the garden salad. Smart move. Mine was composed of field greens, tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms and red onion, dressed in vinaigrette. Simple and classic. My friend ordered the bacon and onion quiche with a side arugula salad, and his girlfriend ordered the Asian noodle bowl which looked incredible and tasted good too, I had to test it of course. My cohorts enjoyed a beer or two and I couldn’t possibly, but several glasses of water were my drink of desperate choice. The prices arfe right here too, my salad was only $6 and just the right amount of food.   

All and all, the service, food and atmosphere here makes one understand Noah’s longevity and the reason locals and visitors keep coming back. Its only shortcoming could be that restrooms, past the kitchen (which is awkward), are so small you need to sit on the toilet to wash your hands. But if you’re an optimistic person, this only adds to the charm of this, well, charming little restaurant. 4 Forks it is, but just because you’re so damn cute, Noah’s. Eat here now!

Great, now we have the end of my time in CT. I’m as sad as you that my time there was so brief, but have no fear. I’ll be back soon and I know Mystic and its surrounding communities will be ready. (Or god I hope so)

Words for the day…

Only this. With so much negativity in the world currently, any break for you is well worth it. Take a lunch break from a hectic day, reconnect with an old friend, and enjoy any quiet moment you can. Don’t worry, be happy now. (Or eat chocolate.) Have a great one all!