Locavore, delicious and original, these restaurants have it all

By Frank Whitman

Our recent three-night visit to the seaport city of Portland, Maine turned into a feast of memorable eating. Restaurants, bakeries, breweries and shacks, just about any style and flavor of food is available in this charming, historic and picturesque destination.  We did lots: a city tour, a stroll through the historic old port district and some family genealogy in nearby Saco.  Each activity was punctuated by some good eats.  

At Scales the modest door opened up into a vast restaurant. Formerly a commercial fishing warehouse on the historic Maine Wharf, the space held at least 200 seats. “We’ll serve 700 on a busy night,” our server explained. Our table was right in front of the open kitchen, where intense, focused calm produced an unending stream of delicious, creative meals. Bubbling lobster tanks

Salt Cod Croquettes

and a bin of whole fish on ice separated us from the hot stoves.  Lobster boats, in for the night, were tied up alongside the restaurant.

The menu style is contemporary, but occasionally reaches back to the roots of New England cooking.  Salt cod croquettes ($10.50), with the traditional mashed potato and fish filling sealed in a crunchy, golden-brown crust, evoked the era when New England salt cod fueled the world on both sides of the Atlantic. House-made breads included cloverleaf rolls ($6), anadama bread, corn bread and griddled brown bread (each $5). The headliner on the dessert menu was Indian pudding ($12).  A lemon and berry posset ($12) also harked back to another era. 

Branzino

Local oysters, their provenance posted on the wall behind the raw bar, were plump and perfectly shucked. The whole branzino ($34) was expertly boned tableside, a process that requires perfectly cooked fish and an experienced hand. (Watch for more on this, coming soon) Halibut ($44)in brown butter with hazelnuts was a winner.  The oven-roasted baby potatoes were, of course, from Maine.  Local bluefin tuna ($44) was dressed with sesame romesco, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and a touch of smoky speck XO sauce.  Apricot pudding cake ($12) with honey-cardamom frozen custard was a fine finish to a memorable meal. 

Lobster rolls have become a summer must-have up and down the New England coast. Luke’s Lobster at the end of the Portland Pier is famous for their version.  4, 6, or 8 oz ($28, 39 & 50), the meat was tender and sweet – the style, “New England” with mayo not melted butter. The split-top bun had been griddle-toasted for a golden crust that added authentic texture.  

Included at no charge was the enthralling show put on by the harbor activity. Lobstermen with barrels of bait fish on deck docked alongside the restaurant to load and prepare their pots for another trip in local waters.  A harbor seal bobbed and dove on our port side as gulls spun in the sky. Pleasure craft, working boats and the occasional schooner cruised back and forth past the mega yachts tied up at the marina.

Restaurants in Maine are proud to name the local sources for their wonderfully fresh fish, vegetables, and even meat. A chalkboard outside Luke’s listed an impressive roster of local, regional and even international suppliers and their place on the menu. Scales was happy to credit specific sources.  It’s no surprise that there is a lot of local beer brewed in a creative range of flavors and styles. 

Even the Japanese hot spot Izakaya Minato, on a hip stretch of Washington Street in Portland’s East End, was featuring local ingredients.  Tomatoes, shishito peppers, mackerel, crabmeat and grilled fish ($10 to 14) were all from nearby farms and fisheries.

After checking out on our last day, we scored two seats at the very popular Eventide Oyster Co. for an early lunch.  Sitting at the bar next to the heap of iced Maine oysters was a front-row seat to watch the two shuckers make a hard job look easy. Oysters are the thing here, although there is other delicious stuff on the menu too. Our chosen dozen, covering six unique oyster beds, was a lesson in coastal provenance.  

All oysters on the East Coast are Bluepoints, but the waters in each location infuse a distinctive flavor profile.  Plump Wolfe Necks from Casco Bay lay next to petite Sweet Lucy’s from Maquoit.  Briny Long Reach were from Harpswell.  A trio were from Damariscotta: Pleasant Cove’s (“tasted like the sea,”)  Farewell Bluffs (well-balanced and subtle) and Blackstone Points (bold). Like fine Burgundy, each example had its own terroir.  ($36/dz)  From the range of sauces we chose a flavorful mignonette and horseradish ice (like a granita with a kick) but a simple squeeze of lemon was our favorite way to experience the unique character of each variety.  

Updated clam chowder ($16) featured whole soft-shell clams bathed in salty cream with chunks of bacon and finely diced potatoes.  The garnish of chive oil and a square of Nori was an original twist. Shimmering slices of Bluefin Tuna Crudo ($19) were dressed with ginger and scallion, tare sauce and slices of bright radish.  Well-satisfied and ready to leave town, we threaded our way out through the waiting line that forms every day. 

In hip and charming Portland restaurants of all stripes, a thriving coffee culture, breweries, bakeries, and even distilleries are all satellites orbiting around the rich supply of fresh, local seafood, an ever-evolving scene that keeps drawing us back. 

Local Mackerel and Tomatoes at Minato