The Golden Dish Blog Archive November, 2011

Riffs on Ribollita

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 11/29/2011 - 11:30am.

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Occasionally I consider going to Ribollita—an old Portland standby that still packs them in--but don’t very often because thinking about its cramped quarters nearly gives me fits of claustrophobia. Yet for others it’s the lure of rustic Italian fare—no New Age Italian here-- that is so appealing like hearty homemade pastas and gutsy entrees at moderate prices served in a cozy-café kind of ambiance.

Vittles on Main Street

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 11/22/2011 - 6:46am.

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When you find yourself deep in the heart of small town Maine, the chance of culinary intrigue invariably concedes to some family-style hash house with a disputatious Rachel Ray disciple sweating at the stove.

John Golden
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Fawning, Still, Over Fore Street

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 7:32am.

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What more can be said about Portland’s revered Fore Street Restaurant that hasn’t already been an iteration of reverential praise time and again since it opened its doors in 1996?

Say Grace

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 11/08/2011 - 7:21am.

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In matters of Grace — the Chestnut Street, Portland, restaurant that went through an extraordinary transformation in 2009 from dilapidated Gothic church to stunning cathedral like dining hall — it's all about the space: colossal, striking, and wondrously gorgeous.

But something else has been added that was fleeting before: a tempting menu of imaginative dishes both sweet and savory under the direction of new chef, Peter Sueltenfuss wh

John Golden
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Sitting Pretty on Perkins Cove

Submitted by John Golden on Tue, 11/01/2011 - 7:05am.

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Portland has its fair share of popular Sunday brunch hangouts. Most every one, from the popular Bintliff’s (huge portions) to Caiola’s and Local 188, are generally SRO without a reservation.

John Golden
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The Golden Dish

John Golden has written about food and dining for Gourmet Magazine, Cuisine Magazine, the New York Times, New York Post, and, most recently, wrote the blog Food for Thought on the Portland Press Herald’s MaineToday.com. He was also the NY editor of Cuisine Magazine and Publisher/editor Great Foods Magazine. In his highly opinionated blog, John reports on his experiences dining out all over Maine and on his visits to the many farmers’ markets throughout the state.

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Our New Books
	Maine ABC \| Illustrated with distinct Maine icons, such as moose, lobster, and Katahdin, this book has a rhyming verse that will have children singing the words, asking for it to be read again and again, and learning the alphabet in no time.
	Interventions \| Four individually bound stories presented in a lovely slipcase.
	Cartoons from Maine \| Collecting more than 100 of his best, most popular comics, Cartoons from Maine: How’s the Water, Bob? presents a hilarious alternative look at Maine.
	Hiking Mount Desert Island \| Long on information, but small enough to be tucked into a day pack, this pocket guide is the perfect companion for a trip to Acadia.