Regards | Portland, ME

I have started writing over on Substack. I'd love it if you subscribed! I was seeking a way to re-circulate my blog and email my community. Perhaps a newsletter of sorts is the answer? What I have found on Substack is a vast community of very good writers that inspired me to write a bit more, too. My hope is that Substack gives me some more visibility. I recently wrote about this very night in Portland, Maine which will publish straight to the inbox of my subscribers. 

I loved our experience at REGARDS and would fondly recommend it!

They have an excellent wine program and (after cocktails at CBG, Paper Tiger and Blythe & Burrows) we went straight for wine by the glass. Our first was from the skin contact or orange wine section: a Bosman ($16) Fides Grenache Blanc from Western Cape, South Africa. Second, from the whites, a glass of Dorcha ($13) Sauvignon Blanc from Lower Styria, Slovenia. 

To eat, some of the most inventive, thought provoking plates:

casco bay oysters ($10) smoked trout roe, bergamot mignonette

scallop crudo ($24) matsutake xo, chile de arbol, toasted jasmine rice milk

birra tacos ($22) preserved tomatillo, queso oxaco

hamachi collar ($36) shio koji x tare, morita emulsion

Regards

547 Congress St.

Portland, ME

The Honey Paw | Portland

Portland was a surprise stop for lunch on our drive North up the coast; we later checked into The Inn at Ocean's Edge and got engaged on Islesboro Island! 

We attempted to lunch at Eventide but with a 2 hour wait we opted to try the hip looking restaurant next door. As it turns out, Honey Paw is the same owners (Big Tree Hospitality Group). Serving local cuisine, their kitchen borrows traditions, techniques and styles from Southeast Asia with a focus on hand made noodles. 

This fused menu of Far East meets New England fare is served in a bustling space with communal seating. We scored two seats at the wraparound window front bar almost immediately. I along with the rest of Portland was desperately craving Eventide's famed brown butter lobster roll, but one taste of the Lobster Wontons ($15) with a striking lobster dashi and earthy confit mushrooms and I forgot all about it. We shared a lovely plate of Halibut Crudo ($13) dotted with calamansi, sour coconut and pineapple before tucking into a sumptuous bowl of Smoked Lamb Khao Soi ($22). The hand made egg noodles in Burmese coconut curry with fermented mustard greens, tender shredded lamb, crispy fried noodle and lime are immensely satisfying.

Honey Paw not only kicked off our engagement weekend, it kicked of a weekend of incredible meals. Primo in Rockland and Hartstone Inn in Camden are two of many reasons why the Maine coast is a bucket list worthy destination.

The Honey Paw

78 Middle Street

Portland, ME 04101

Palm Springs | Eat + Drink

Truss + Twine | Uptown Design District | 800 North Palm Canyon Drive

We arrived to Palm Springs from Joshua Tree on a sleepy Monday evening. I quickly realized 3-4 places on my hit list were either closed (Monday is the industry off day!) or done serving dinner by 8pm. We hit the jackpot with Truss + Twine located a few blocks away and serving food until late. A super dark, industrial, minimalist space, was quietly suffering from lack of a crowd, but the staff turned out to be incredibly welcoming! They got to work shaking up strong cocktails and were eager to serve us from the small plates menu of elevated desert cuisine. 

We drank: Brooklyn ($15) rye, dry vermouth, Amaro Cio-Ciara, maraschino, orange bitters, lemon zest. And drank: Game Changer ($12) gin, lime, cucumber, sugar, onion brine, sea salt, celery bitters. And drank some more: Velvet Touch ($15) Dickel rye, Amaro Nonino, Pedro Ximinez sherry, orange zest

~~~

And we ate! Wagyu Beef Tartare ($18) celery root puree, horseradish, pickled quail egg
Red Snapper Crudo ($10) golden beet, pink peppercorn, shiso pesto 
Smoked Trout Rillettes ($10) trout roe, cucumber gel
Drake Farm's Goat Cheese ($8) bougainvillea dust, Temecula valley honeycomb, cactus confit

Bootlegger Tiki | Uptown Design District | 1011 N Palm Canyon Drive

Does it get any better than a night cap at the Hawaiian themed tiki-cocktail den that happens to be your next door neighbor? From the Pod Thai ($10) with white rum, lime, coconut crème, cardamom lemongrass syrup and soda to the For Luck Sake ($12) with tequila, mezcal, lime, honey, yellow chartreuse, serrano pepper tincture, and basil - these expertly crafted cocktails prove even if you aren't staying right next door, this Palm Springs speakeasy is a must visit.

Ernest Coffee | Uptown Design District

Conveniently located next door to The Twist (our Airbnb) is Ernest Coffee - Palm Springs only independent roasters. This hip, light filled, booze serving coffee shop (it is actually the front for Bootlegger Tiki) was our first stop each morning for fresh brewed Stumptown Coffee alongside chocolate croissants and spinach quiches on the sunny patio. 

Lulu California Bistro | Downtown | 200 S Palm Canyon Drive

Lulu is affirmatively the it spot in town. The large colorful terrace sprawling along Palm Canyon Drive opens to a retro airy bar defined by two massive chandeliers covered in pastel green and purple lampshades. The dining room is awash in all white everything, bordered by tall scalloped booths and lined with Old Hollywood photos. Every seat in the house is packed with breezy lunch dates and mingling locals. Nothing we ate or drank was particularly must visit worthy - Cobb Salad, Asian Lettuce Wraps, a Desert Haze Martini and a Raspberry Mojito, but they do have a vast menu and offer prompt and polished service. Lulu proved a fun, energetic stop for lunch as we continued on our bike ride exploring the city!

Purple Palm | Colony Palms Hotel | 572 N Indian Canyon Drive

The Purple Palm is one restaurant not to miss in Palm Springs. The menu features imaginative California fare and the Hollywood hideaway atmosphere is so incredibly alluring. Fantastic food and excellent wines are enhanced by dining under a cabana overlooking the relaxed pool setting, backed by a gorgeous open interior with towering halo light fixtures and striking purple wallpaper, ceilings, and tiled floors. We had the best time here. A top trip moment for sure!

Aperol on Fire - Aperol, gin, lemon, singed orange
Pinot Noir ($16) | Colene Clemens, Willamette Valley, Oregon

West Coast Oysters ($18) | Kumaia - Baja, California | watermelon mignonette 

Gai Lan ($8) | maitake mushrooms, goat cheese, black garlic, Chile de arbol
Seared Scallops + Smoked Pork Belly ($30) | chanterelles, parsnip, arugula, lemon verbena

Marinated + Grilled Swordfish ($29) | red pomelo, toasted pine nuts, baby spinach, pearl couscous, fresh herbs, saffron yogurt citronette

Our night out followed with drinks at Trio and Bootlegger!

 

Peabody's Cafe | Downtown | 134 S Palm Canyon Drive

Peabody's is a casual café + bar with an outdoor patio. We brunched here on a whim after learning our first choice (Cheeky's - Uptown) was a 45 minute wait. While we might have missed out on bacon flights back at Cheeky's, this runny egg - crispy potato - cheesy refried beans - homemade salsa + hot sauce covered plate of Huevos Rancheros was everything I needed to affirm the choice. 

More on where we stayed and all the desert modern vibes up next!

Eventide Oyster Co. | Portland, Maine

 The coastal city of Portland, Maine has been on my bucket list for quite a few years now. Someone is always talking about how they spent a nice little weekend get-away, how lovely it is, the many breweries they toured and how good those fries at Duckfat are.  

 Our visit to Portland was midweek, sandwiched in between some relaxing days with Bob's family at their house in New Hampshire on Lake Winnipesauke and a wild outdoorsy weekend further North in the Sunday River area with friends. 

We booked the Hampton Inn Downtown on Fore Street which is connected to the Sebago Brewing Company and nestled in the Old Port District; the quaint brick and cobblestone lined harbor front street scene that you want to be a part of. The hotel was convenient and hassle free, we enjoyed our stay. We were pleasantly surprised to discover that it also sits directly in front of the restaurant on the very top of the Portland-can't-miss-list, Eventide Oyster Company. 

Our date night at Eventide was a vacation highlight. Around 9 pm on a Wednesday we waited in front of the majestic oyster display no more than 20 minutes for our seats; sipping our respective go-tos with an Eventide twist. A Dirty Dirty (vodka - olive brine - oyster brine - hot sauce) for her and an ET Manhattan (Eagle Rare - Doulin rouge sweet - warm spice) for him. We spent the rest of the evening tucked in an intimate corner of the wide granite bar underneath the neatly composed and brightly colored chalkboard menu.  

Our bartender was fantastic, fitting the bill of super friendly while remaining unobtrusive, makes an excellent cocktail and knows her oysters! We familiarized ourselves with the Maine oysters first and then chose some from far away to ensure solid variety. Additionally, we took our pick of from the intriguing list of accoutrements - the kimchee ice and cucumber ginger mignonette were both refreshing.

Winterpoint Selects (Maine) | Glidden Point (Maine)  

Beau Soliel (New Brunswick) | Kumamoto (Washington)

The Green Mimosa ($9) with celery, bubbles and Berg & Hauck's celery bitters offered a delicate and refreshing pairing with those briny bivalves. A Kentucky Cyclist ($9) is not listed on the current menu but I can assure you it was good and it had bourbon, Bob drank two. Not to be outpaced, my final cocktail of the evening was a Fernet Sour ($9) featuring Fernet Branca with angostura bitters, lime and soda.

Other delights included the Fried Oyster Bun ($7) with tartar and pickles, Mackerel Crudo ($8) with egg yolk, Corn on the Cob ($5) smothered in a phenomenal peanut aioli, and one amazing Lobster Stew ($13). The velvety, creamy, not-too-thick stew rich in complex sherry and paprika flavors with plenty of tender lobster chunks would be my top recommendation! (Truly, everything was terrific - I get the sense this is one of those menus where you can't make a wrong move.)

Pristine shellfish, a creative take on classic New England seafood dishes, cocktails that make you want to linger long into the evening and a fresh, inviting atmosphere, Eventide rightfully earns that spot at the top of the list. A must visit in Portland!

Eventide Oyster Co.

86 Middle Street

Portland, Maine

[Sorry about the photo quality here. When I don't bring the Canon Rebel to meals this exceptional, I always end up feeling slightly disappointed after the fact. In the moment I am content to enjoy the experience and company that much more - but then end up taking a few bad pictures on my phone anyways! Thank goodness for that.]

More Portland snapshots and recommends coming!