Maine!! I love Maine!! Not only is it BEAUTIFUL and chock-full of good food and independent shops, it's the most gluten-free friendly state I've ever been! Upon driving into town we immediately saw Bam Bam Bakery, a whole bakery dedicated to GF and vegan sweets. And every pastry was beautiful and unbelievably creative and delicious! I know this because I went in 4 times and sampled 6 different treats including cinnamon rolls, a chocolate whoopie pie, a lemon meringue tartlet, a choc cupcake with lavender icing, a peanut butter s'more bar, and a choc eclair. Our first meal was at Becky's Diner. When i opened the rental car door I caught my first whiff of Maine. it smelled like salty, sandy oyster shells and fried fish. I'd read that Becky's Diner was a cozy diner with real deal seafood and it was. It was my first lobster roll and they even had GF bread. The lobster roll was good but the haddock chowder was great! (I'd later realize that the sweetest lobster meat is the lobster you crack open yourself). Paul loved the egg sandwich, coleslaw, and fries. I really enjoyed the vibe of this place with friendly waiters, packed booths and a packed counter full of hungry locals.
After lunch we drove and walked all around the Old Port where we stayed. I believe that Portland can be done in a day and a half even if you only have a vague itinerary in mind. There are a million lobster restaurants and pizza joints to choose from and very fun tourist shops all along Commercial Street. For dinner we ate at Otto Pizza and I created my own pepperoni, black olive and Vidalia onion pizza. Paul loves Hawaiian pizzas and his was amazing! Prosciutto, fresh pineapple, red pepper flakes and rosemary were a perfect combination. We also went to The Holy Donut. I'd watched Youtube videos about it. This place was popular and I can see why. The doughnuts are made from Maine potatoes but I only tasted delicious cake doughnut. They had three GF flavors so I tried all of them: cinnamon, pomegranate and sea salt dark chocolate. Heavenly, soft cake doughnuts with good flavors. The texture is even better than the flavor. Paul got a regular chocolate doughnut with vanilla icing and he loved it. As the sun went down we walked out on one of the wharfs and watched seagulls pull fish from nets drying out for the day. These birds were large and calm. Their eyes said, "You've come to the right part of the country to eat, friends."
The next morning Paul drove back to New Hampshire to hike the White Mountains. I hit the streets of Old Port and discovered many treasures. I started at The Holy Donut and enjoyed a chocolate doughnut and truly yummy hazelnut hot coffee with cream and sugar. I found Folly 101 where I bought a pretty apron and cooking postcards. The sales clerk had lived in Paris so we chatted in French for a while. I felt so chic making jokes in French with this lady! I had an iced coffee in The Crooked Mile Coffee House and Cafe. I loved the illustration of the crooked man nursery rhyme hanging on the wall. I went to East End Cupcakes and had a GF salted caramel cupcake. Though tasty, the icing was too creamy and airy. I bought postcards, a squeaky stuffed moose toy for our dog, a coffee mug that says Wicked Good Maine, and some Vermont cheese curds. I also walked down to Standard Baking Company and even though it's not GF it is gorgeous food. I sampled the almond coconut macaroons and they are perfection.
For lunch I went to the Portland Lobster Company and sat outside at the counter facing the water. I ordered a shrimp cocktail and a whole steamed lobster with corn on the cob, slaw and fries. I assumed the lobster would be cracked for me. Nope. I had to figure it out. I felt like one of The Three Stooges trying to take it apart but I pretended it was a giant crawfish and started eating. It was buttery goodness from start to finish. i just wish there was more lobster meat in a lobster. When I was almost done a lady came up behind me and asked me if it was difficult to eat a whole lobster. I told her it was my first one and she said she'd been watching me for 15 minutes and thought I was an expert. We talked for a while and Marty is one of those fellow travelers that you love to meet. She reminded me of the joy of meeting new people who enjoy discovering the world too. She also validated me by gasping with happiness at the descriptions of my past in Memphis and my current life in Dodge City. She reminded me of the goodness inside me that I tend to forget about.
Afterwards I went to the Portland Museum of Art and it was a great museum with 4 small floors of all the greats. I'd never seen Andy Warhol's Man on the Moon as a painting, only as the MTV logo back in the day. After more wandering and snacking it was time for dinner.
When Paul came back for dinner we ate at Hot Suppa! This place was voted Best Southern Food Outside the South and there's a reason for it. Flavor, flavor, flavor is the only way I can describe this place. Yes, it's hard to ruin turnip greens and cornbread but though these were okay, the bacon deviled eggs made me squeal and so did the giant shrimp in the shrimp and grits. The Bloody Mary and the hurricane we drank were the best I've ever had outside New Orleans. Paul's pulled pork sandwich was delicious too. Hot Suppa was such a treat to discover. The whole day was really perfect.
When I got home from our trip I discovered the June 2016 Bon Appetit had an article on great places to eat that I had missed! Here is 72 hours in Portland.
After lunch we drove and walked all around the Old Port where we stayed. I believe that Portland can be done in a day and a half even if you only have a vague itinerary in mind. There are a million lobster restaurants and pizza joints to choose from and very fun tourist shops all along Commercial Street. For dinner we ate at Otto Pizza and I created my own pepperoni, black olive and Vidalia onion pizza. Paul loves Hawaiian pizzas and his was amazing! Prosciutto, fresh pineapple, red pepper flakes and rosemary were a perfect combination. We also went to The Holy Donut. I'd watched Youtube videos about it. This place was popular and I can see why. The doughnuts are made from Maine potatoes but I only tasted delicious cake doughnut. They had three GF flavors so I tried all of them: cinnamon, pomegranate and sea salt dark chocolate. Heavenly, soft cake doughnuts with good flavors. The texture is even better than the flavor. Paul got a regular chocolate doughnut with vanilla icing and he loved it. As the sun went down we walked out on one of the wharfs and watched seagulls pull fish from nets drying out for the day. These birds were large and calm. Their eyes said, "You've come to the right part of the country to eat, friends."
The next morning Paul drove back to New Hampshire to hike the White Mountains. I hit the streets of Old Port and discovered many treasures. I started at The Holy Donut and enjoyed a chocolate doughnut and truly yummy hazelnut hot coffee with cream and sugar. I found Folly 101 where I bought a pretty apron and cooking postcards. The sales clerk had lived in Paris so we chatted in French for a while. I felt so chic making jokes in French with this lady! I had an iced coffee in The Crooked Mile Coffee House and Cafe. I loved the illustration of the crooked man nursery rhyme hanging on the wall. I went to East End Cupcakes and had a GF salted caramel cupcake. Though tasty, the icing was too creamy and airy. I bought postcards, a squeaky stuffed moose toy for our dog, a coffee mug that says Wicked Good Maine, and some Vermont cheese curds. I also walked down to Standard Baking Company and even though it's not GF it is gorgeous food. I sampled the almond coconut macaroons and they are perfection.
For lunch I went to the Portland Lobster Company and sat outside at the counter facing the water. I ordered a shrimp cocktail and a whole steamed lobster with corn on the cob, slaw and fries. I assumed the lobster would be cracked for me. Nope. I had to figure it out. I felt like one of The Three Stooges trying to take it apart but I pretended it was a giant crawfish and started eating. It was buttery goodness from start to finish. i just wish there was more lobster meat in a lobster. When I was almost done a lady came up behind me and asked me if it was difficult to eat a whole lobster. I told her it was my first one and she said she'd been watching me for 15 minutes and thought I was an expert. We talked for a while and Marty is one of those fellow travelers that you love to meet. She reminded me of the joy of meeting new people who enjoy discovering the world too. She also validated me by gasping with happiness at the descriptions of my past in Memphis and my current life in Dodge City. She reminded me of the goodness inside me that I tend to forget about.
Afterwards I went to the Portland Museum of Art and it was a great museum with 4 small floors of all the greats. I'd never seen Andy Warhol's Man on the Moon as a painting, only as the MTV logo back in the day. After more wandering and snacking it was time for dinner.
When Paul came back for dinner we ate at Hot Suppa! This place was voted Best Southern Food Outside the South and there's a reason for it. Flavor, flavor, flavor is the only way I can describe this place. Yes, it's hard to ruin turnip greens and cornbread but though these were okay, the bacon deviled eggs made me squeal and so did the giant shrimp in the shrimp and grits. The Bloody Mary and the hurricane we drank were the best I've ever had outside New Orleans. Paul's pulled pork sandwich was delicious too. Hot Suppa was such a treat to discover. The whole day was really perfect.
When I got home from our trip I discovered the June 2016 Bon Appetit had an article on great places to eat that I had missed! Here is 72 hours in Portland.
Becky's Diner pictures below
Bam Bam Bakery was my first gluten-free discovery in Portland. The whole bakery is gluten-free and the flavors are amazing! And East End Cupcakes had GF cupcakes as well!
The Holy Donut had regular and GF doughnuts made of Maine potatoes! This place was so heavenly.
Portland Lobster Company was the perfect food and perfect setting for my perfect second day in Portland, Maine. I ate my first whole lobster and it was delicious. I also met and chatted with a sweet lady named Marty.
Otto Pizza was so incredibly yummy!
The Crooked Mile Coffee House and Café was a treat! I loved the illustration of the nursery rhyme.
Hot Suppa! was voted best Southern food outside the South. The drinks were ridiculously good and so were the deviled eggs!
Another beautiful food discovery was Standard Baking Company. I couldn't eat the beautiful breads and pastries but I took some home to Mom.
Here are some of my souvenirs of Portland. I loved the store Folly 101.