By Munch Master
This is the first post in a series on Portland, Maine. Teresa and I spent the weekend in Portland. It was a dreary cold weekend. One you might see on a Maine postcard where the fog rolls in around a lighthouse (more on that later). We drove from NYC to Maine on Friday it was about a 5 hour trip, and one I highly recommend. Which is typically in the neighborhood of the amount of time where I don't really like driving anymore. We arrived approx midnight, so on Friday we didn't get to see anything but the Portland international Jetport. HA a "Jetport" guess they just had to be different it's just an airport people. The next morning we awake at around 7 to check out Chelsea's hockey game. They lost, oh well it wasn't a tournament so no worries. After the game we proceed to the Portland waterfront. Not really sure what we are in store for but it's Maine. What's the worst that can happen we get kidnapped by a giant lobster? Better bring a fork and butter just in case.
We arrive and start to wander around the wharfs. I am stunned to find, despite being the largest city in Maine it still feels like a sleepy fishing village. Every wharf lined with small fishing and lobstering boats. And right next to them are stacked the Lobster traps.
As we stroll we stumble on "Harbor Fish Market" a cool little seafood shop. It is a bit more 
pricey than the others we explored but their selection was also larger than the rest. Just look for the red door you can't miss it.
We saved the seafood shopping for Sunday. And I will save that for a later post :)
As we explore the water front better know as "Commercial St" we happen upon some pubs and a few great little gourmet and food stores. A couple of wine stores and even a shop that makes cool bags from recycled boat sails. Just tons of places to choose from to eat.
I didn't know until we got there, Maine was known for lighthouses. Makes sense I guess, rocky coastlines. If you have never seen a Maine light house in person. It's like standing in a postcard, and one of those things you don't realize you need to do it until you've done it. We checked out the Cape Elizabeth Head Light. Awe Inspiring to say the least. It's a shame it was soo cold. I would have loved to have spent more time there.
I admit, I didn't think I would like Maine as much as I did. It is an easy place to fall in love with. As the license plate says "Vacationland". I could see spending a lot more time there. In fact we are planning a trip in warmer weather. And I can't wait to tell you all about the wonderful food we ate. Not sure which was more shocking the good food or the scenery. Guess you'll have to judge for yourself. Not to worry, I am going to review each and every one of the places we munched at in the next couple of posts. I just felt the sights of Maine were more than deserving of their own post. Please enjoy the images and be on the look out for the Munching from Maine posts ;)
Later,
Munch Master
By Munch Master
So after a long day of great weather and beer, albeit warm beer. My friend John DeGiglio suggested we try one of his favorite places. It is called The Strip House . Now let me get this out of the way right now. I didn't know it was a chain when we agreed to go. As most of you know I am not a fan of chain restaurants. So maybe this review fared better because of my ignorance...lol...
The 6 of us hop in 2 cabs and go from Chelsea piers to 12th street at this point we have picked up a 6th person. A good friend, fellow foodie and proprietor of www.theuncommonkitchen.com Susie Tully (for the rest of the attendees see the previous post.) We arrive at the location a non descript white door with a red awing covering the sidewalk with the letters SH on it. But what is not said on the outside the interior decor makes up for. You enter, only to be overwhelmed with what can only be called a decor of "French Brothel Red". Not to say this is a bad thing it was very tastefully done, in fact I rather took a liking to it. There are hundreds maybe thousands of seductive black and white photos from the 1900's littering the walls as well as a few era nic nacks, the combination of which seem to almost transport you back to the speak-easy days. One could easily spend hours just looking at all the pictures, but we don't have time because I am hungry it's time to eat!!! After checking my coat we proceed to be seated at our table. Once seated Mr.D picks out a lovely red wine for the table to enjoy. The name of which escapes me at the moment. Mr.D please feel free to comment and reveal to everyone the mystery name of the bottle. :)
They also serve us onion soup shooters. Yes, I said onion soup shooters. It was a very flavorful thick onion soup (think really thick french onion soup) served in a shot glass. This soup although served in a shot glass should not be shot, instead sipped and savored. Besides who would shoot a defenseless soup anyway.
For the first course most of us order a mixed baby greens salad. Not much different than what you might receive elsewhere except for the cool little fried cheese bowl the salad comes perched in. It was great just salty enough to cut the greens and not have a need to add salt to the salad. Besides, who doesn't love fried cheese!!! It is like well... cheese porn....lol.. Carla had the lobster bisque with 1 ravioli which is all you need considering how rich, flavorful and filling this almost quart of soup was.
Ahhh, now for my favorite part THE MEAT otherwise know as the main course. Teresa and Carla decide to split a seafood special which consisted of a large plateau of seafood and contained a range of items from 3 types of raw oysters, steamed Maine lobster and King Crab legs, to a spicy scallop ceviche. All of it very fresh and was enough to feed 4 folks, although it was suppose to be for 2. JD, Simon and I order what the Strip House is famous for steak. Simon and I order the 22oz rib eye medium rare. And in case your wondering yes, I ate it all in one sitting. It comes bone in lightly seasoned and was very flavorful. Or so I thought until I tried John's NY Strip. It made our rib eye seem almost boring. Tender, juicy and damn tasty. If you find yourself peering at their menu and are having a hard time deciding might I suggest the Strip. It's what I would order.
As for sides, it is like all high end steak houses family style ala carte. We order a few to share the potatoes romanoff, crisp goose fat potatoes, and black truffle creamed spinach. I can't provide an opinion on the potatoes romanoff, I was unable to eat them because they contained "pork love" better known as bacon. As for the goose fat potatoes, they were like a ball of mashed potatoes seasoned and deep fried in goose fat until crisp on the outside. YUMMY. But as much as I love the goose fat the creamed black truffle spinach was the shining star of the 3. It was creamed spinach seasoned with S&P, cheese and a touch of black truffle which totally changes the flavor from just OK to "WHOA". Not your run of the mill Popeye verity... It was a lovely main course.
Now as we all sit in a slightly lackadaisical state the waiter asks if we would like dessert. John promptly orders the creme brulee. For anyone who doesn't know, this is one of my 2 favorite desserts. So please forgive the berating this one is about to take because, I am hard on a restaurant when it comes to brulee. I know what it takes to make one. It is not to awfully hard to make a brulee that is descent. Add some time, caring and and a good pastry chef and its easy to make a great one. But, I will jump off my soap box for the moment and get back to the brulee. So I had high hopes when John ordered the dessert. The rest of the meal was awesome. There was no reason to think the dessert would be any different. I hate it when I am wrong. This creme brulee was well uninspired. The top didn't really crack when the spoon was placed into it. It seamed a bit watery just below the crust and the filling was not as thick and creamy as it should have been. But the biggest travesty of all, and as anyone who loves creme brulee knows. There was no vanilla bean to be found. Not in the custard or at the bottom where it usually is. No none, zip, zilch, nada.
Ok ok, I know it was a bit harsh what can I say, I love my brulee. But in the Strip House's defense that is not their signature dessert. Their signature dessert is a 24 layer chocolate cake. Next time, this is the route I will take.
Would I go back, sure I would it was great. Great steak, sides and an ambiance makes "Ruth's Chris" look like "Steak and Shake". Just don't order the creme brulee.
Munch Master
By Munch Master
We are at chelsea brewing company partaking in the 3rd. Annual nyc
cask festival. Nothing better than warm ale on a cool day... no really,
it brings out the flavor.
So the 5 muskateers are here; Teresa,Simon,John,Carla and of course,
yours truly. But enough about the drunks at the table including
me....lol and on to the reviews.
1st- Gwatkin 'norman cider' an uneventful hard cider easy on the
palette from Abbey Dore, Herefordshire, England
2nd- Pittsfield Brew Works 'chipotle brown' it's a nice brown with a
smokey beef flavor and a spicy finish. Great beer, but I am afraid I
would have heart burn after a few. Unique none the less.
3rd- Voodooo 'Big Black Voodoo Daddy'. All I have to say is STRONG
and DARK. 12.5% WOW. A bit bitter and very stout.
4th- Butternuts 'MOO THUNDER' boring bland and really no thunder and I
think they left the moo in the barn. Very disappointing, the name had
potential.
But there were great beers had by others at the table, for instance...
Carla had 'NUGGET NECTAR' yes you read it correctly and to spite the
name it was very tasty even though it's hard to order with a straight
face.
Teresa had a great american amber ale. John stumbled on a tart but
very tasty cuvee june and Simon didn't have a bad one to speak of.
But alass, as all good drunks must do it was food time, so off to the
'Strip House' with us. That's strip house as in 'NY strip' I don't know
what you were thinking. ;)
Up next strip house.
Munch Master
As we stroll we stumble on "Harbor Fish Market" a cool little seafood shop. It is a bit more 
pricey than the others we explored but their selection was also larger than the rest. Just look for the red door you can't miss it.
