Feb/March 2018

Tuscan Terrific

Wonderful surprises await you at the sign of the swine. Look out for the
colorful pig mural that catches your eye as you approach the Maine Mall.

By Claire Z. Cramer

“You’ll love this table,” says the hostess as she leads the way up one of the two staircases to the second-floor balcony dining room of Tuscan Table. “You can see all the action.”

Can we ever. Settling into comfy wing chairs at a table overlooking a huge, bustling universe, we’re enchanted. Soaring, latticed light fixtures of delicately shaved and shaped wood hang from the distant ceiling. As choice as our table is, there doesn’t appear to be a bad seat in the house.

We select glasses of Circa pinot grigio and Dipinti sauvignon blanc ($7.50 and $8 respectively) from the 20 Italian wines available by the glass. Drinks arrive in delicate stemware, quickly followed by bread and a dish of fruity, peppery olive oil.

We ponder choices while sharing an antipasto of cavolfiore–roasted cauliflower set on leaves of romaine hearts sparked by a zingy anchovy-lemon dressing laced with Grana Padano ($9). Dainty, crisp garlic croutons bring to mind a glammed-up Caesar salad. Other antipasti include platters of salumi and formaggio, $3 to $5 per selection; polpette (pork meatballs in tomato agrodolce), $9.50; and a fritto of scallops, whitefish fritters, and calamari served with artichoke aioli, $11.

A bowl of gnocchi with fresh porcini mushrooms braised in butter with leeks, garlic, and thyme ($19) is perfect for sharing. The airy, potato-fragrant gnocchi and the intensely earthy sauce are a deeply satisfying combination. Gnocchi and all pastas here are house-made–we spot spaghetti carbonara ($17) being served below us at the bar, glistening strands beautifully coiled. Other pastas include fettuccine with Bolognese ragu ($19) and lemon-buttered capellini with clams, mussels, and lobster ($23).

Around Portland, gourmet pizza is pretty competitive, and our Porchetta pizza ($17) jumps right into the front of that pack. Sizzling from the glowing, wood-fired oven downstairs, it’s topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, rich bits of pork belly and loin, and mozzarella. To serve, it’s been dressed with a little green storm of baby arugula and a few judicious drops of pomegranate balsamic vinegar. Everything comes together–crisp, chewy crust, divine porkiness, gooey cheese, and piquant garnishes. There’s also a classic Margherita pizza that can be embellished with salami, prosciutto, or meatballs ($12 to $16). Fancier pies include the Bianco pie with roasted garlic, mozzarella, and fried sage ($13). Executive chef Lee Skawinski is the secret weapon here. He made Portland’s Cinque Terre a haute-Italian runaway success back in the early 2000s. Skawinski and sous-chef Charles White make expert use of the restaurant’s two rustic wood ovens.

The lunch and dinner menus are very similar (including in price), though the wood-grilled burger, the fried haddock sandwich, or your pick from a selection of paninis are unique to the lunch menu ($11 to $14). The dinner menu adds wood-grilled salmon, haddock, or scallops, along with old favorites like chicken parmigiana ($19 to $29). Steak Fiorentina for two with Tuscan white beans and anchovy-lemon dressed salad is $79.

A pair of pretty little gelato-filled profiteroles finishes our feast–one pistachio and the other salted caramel, topped with the delicious house chocolate sauce ($6.50). We sip cappuccino ($5) as we enjoy the people-watching.

The location adjacent to the Maine Mall notwithstanding, you’ll never mistake this for a mall or chain restaurant. (It does have two popular sister-establishments, the Tuscan Bistro in Freeport and Royal River Grill House in Yarmouth.) Most diners appear to be on dates or enjoying multi-generational, multi-coursed family meals. Everyone appears to have caught the celebratory vibe. n

Tuscan Table, serving lunch and dinner daily 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., & until 10 p.m. Fri. & Sat. 390 Gorham Rd., South Portland; 536-0240; tuscantablemaine.com