Portland, Maine
a coastal New England wharf city with a bar scene that is unprecedentedly good
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Onward to Portland!
An early evening cocktail crawl begins at CBG — a polished dive with an impressive retro beer sign collection. A disco ball spinning matches the vibe of my top and Tricia’s skirt; just two Mom’s sending it with sparkles on this festive night out. We are drinking dainty coupe glass classics — my Aviation with its Crème de Violette purple hue (plus gin, maraschino and fresh lemon juice) is delicate, balanced and ice cold. The CBG fried cauliflower is impossibly crisp and toasty warm, dunked in the creamiest garlic aioli.
Our second stop is Paper Tiger. The jewel toned wallpaper with large format peacocks and tigers sets a funky, fun vibe while yet another outstandingly creative cocktail menu speaks to us. I order a drink with Szechuan Campari and Cava. T grabs the chalkboard special featuring Tarragon infused Whiskey. On corner seats at the thick mitered edge concrete bar we share pork and shrimp wontons that are spicy and sweet. We reminisce and laugh oh-so-hard about an incident in Spain with Peacocks.
[We were carded at the entrance to Paper Tiger — the hostess has Tricia’s ID first and remarks “oh a fellow Pisces!” Then mine. “You’re a Pisces too!” Showing us to our seats and bantering about our zodiac sign she tells us her birthday is March 19. “Same as my husband!” says Tricia. The hostess is knocked over in shock, telling us how she will not / can not / does not date fellow Pisces, that doesn’t work! Ready to blow her mind, I tell her my husband is a Pisces as well and she’s all discombobulated now. But she’s having a lightbulb moment. It’s cute. We’ve given her the clarity that the answer to a Pisces is a Pisces.]
We choose the third stop based on a glance at Google maps (I’m putting out: what’s nearby with a cool name kind of energy?) and then our (Paper Tiger) bartender has it as a suggestion from a list. It is Blythe & Burrows. IT IS BLYTHE & BURROWS. It smells like ethereal Christmas inside the expertly decorated, dimly lit and maritime homage paying space. Seated in the coziest corner at the upper bar lined with tiny flickering gas lamps we had proclaimed a switch to wine. And yet, this is not a bar where you order a glass of wine. This is a proper cocktail bar among them. We immediately reneged the proclamation. My Armstice has olive oil vodka, marjoram, dry vermouth and lemon oil. It is a silken, herbal, dry, house martini. In the Ship Captain Crew made with dandelion bourbon, rhum, montenegro (amaro), amontadillo (sherry), lemongrass, spruce tip and pecan wood smoke — there is a branded ice cube! I watch the young bartender enjoying his craft and I watch the bookcase next to me open revealing a hidden back room.
It is dinner time at REGARDS. I am in fact holding this restaurant in the highest of Regards because the scallop crudo sat atop the most innovative creamy-spicy-toasted-jasmine rice milk, matsutake xo, and chile de arbol sauce. Because the Hamachi collar was scrape the bone clean umami brilliance with shio koji meets tare flavored succulent fish meat that you could wrap in a crisp husk of butter lettuce and drizzle with a morita chile emulsion. I am moved by a really good meal filled with NEWNESS; when trying ingredients I have never heard of with preparations I’ve never had. I am sharing more photos and dish rundowns of this dinner on the blog.
We are the last two full and happy diners to leave Regards. Remarkably, my best gal wants another stop and we cobble down the brick sidewalks into Lazzari where a Bissell Brothers Lux Mosaic Pale Ale on draft kind of hits the spot for me. A girl across the bar from us complements my sparkly top and how much she loves my coordinating gem necklace with it. Since it is to be the little things, I appreciated this thoughtful compliment. We depart with only a block to walk to reach our 7th floor room at the Westin (But actually the Marriot Bonvoy as I notice dual branding throughout). At check in I had asked the front desk worker if Marriot Hotels have acquired…everything? His answer was yes. Yes they have.
We’ve got the Top Of The East Lounge at our hotel. And so we must check it out, must see the nighttime views, must grab glasses of Rosé and take them to sip in our room while we watch SNL to see Noah Kahan perform. We fall asleep before that happens. I do watch his performance the next day, which is uplifting and inspired. Stick Season and Dial Drunk were the soundtrack to my families Vermont Thanksgiving, on repeat all weekend.
Good morning cold and dreary Portland. A walk across town in the crisp weather is feeling mostly good. I’m craving a warm sip of coffee. Our destination: The Holy Donut. Donuts have long past the point of being overly hyped in the food scene and now they just are. Which is nice, right? My apple fritter donut is moist and doughy, perfectly apple-y with a crosshatch mold lending to the crackly sweet exterior. I bring home vanilla with holiday sprinkles for my boys and a lone pine pumpkin for my husband. These are outstanding breakfast treats.
PORTLAND, MAINE is A MARVELOUS CITY TO VISIT even if for one night out! All of our encounters and conversations with hostesses, bartenders, waitresses, hotel staff and locals revealed a thoughtful, kind, happy-to-be-here community.
Planning a trip? I have additional recommendations from the archives of Indulge Inspire Imbibe:
// Eventide Oyster Co. // The Honey Paw // Liquid Riot // Duckfat // Street & Co. //
So fun to read yours after writing mine! Def going to hit up these spots on my next visit :)
What a delightful read, Kristen! I love the Pisces to Pisces moment 🤣 you changed her world in that split second. Also, I think I could taste your apple fritter from here, now I want donuts!