Go Figa Dining here whisks you breathlessly around the world. By Diane Hudson Like the iconic good luck talisman the figa, with origins traced from Brazil to Africa, Greece, and even Rome, Figa chef/owner Lee Farrington’s culinary sortilège gains its strength from...

Zen & the Art of Far East Cuisine Zen poet Li Bai described life as a “big dream,” but at Portland’s new Zen Chinese Bistro, the reality is delicious. The service at Zen Chinese Bistro is the warmest, kindest, and most attentive I’ve encountered almost anywhere....

Shuck & Thrive Eventide Oyster Company ups the ante for the rest of the bed. Review by Diane Hudson We talk of many things: shoes, ships, sealing wax, cabbages, and kings. But when at Eventide Oyster Company, oysters are the thing. That, and some of the best fried...

The Write Stuff By Diane Hudson Prepare to sound your barbaric yawp of praise over the rooftops of Portland. This is LFK. I feel like I’m in Paris,” quips a friend joining us at one of LFK’s long, dark tables. I agree, taking in the Lost-Gen décor, complete with...

Singular Sensations By Diane Hudson Solo Bistro has you at buon giorno, with its friendly lighting, Angela Adams hooked rugs hanging from warm brick walls, brightly colored chairs, crafted wood tables, and engaging staff. The eclectic international cuisine here is...

May 2012 Whistle Stop When you pull into Brunswick Station, prepare for the coast’s freshest seafood. by Diane Hudson Lured from Boston to Maine by Olympia Companies (Inn by the Sea, Hilton Garden Inn), Tavern at Brunswick Station’s chef Kevin Cunningham offers...

April 2012 By Diane Hudson Capt. Fabulous There’s something shape-shifting about dining at a restaurant that’s part of an inn. You slip in from the street and find yourself lavished with warm attention as though you’re an honored guest–even though you’re not staying...

February/March 2012 Café Caliente The new kid on Saint John Street shows us a thing or two about Latin entrées. By Diane Hudson Although it doesn’t bill itself as a pupusería, Sabor Latino qualifies for the distinguished title, serving delicious pupusa, a Salvadorian...

Winterguide 2012 Method Dining Nestled close to Portland Stage Co., Katahdin delivers on a promised performance. By Diane Hudson Walk into Katahdin, climb onto a comfy leather bar stools, and enjoy amazing drinks crafted by mixologist Winnie Moody. Straight-up...

December 2011 Head of the Class By Diane Hudson Kennebunk Inn’s surprising new “Academe.” Inspired by Cat Cora’s praise for Academe Brasserie and Tavern’s Lobster Pot Pie on Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate, we slip into the newly renovated Kennebunk Inn for a...

November 2011 Finding Fez By Diane Hudson Abraham Lembara is co-owner and chef at Fez on Washington Avenue. Born in Morocco, he spent 2.5 years at the Miami Culinary Institute before becoming executive chef at Miami’s Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. He specialized in...

October 2011 Sailor's Delight By Colin Sargent Handy Boat Yard has always been a must-stop watering hole for yachtsmen since Merle Hallett held court here as owner of The Galley restaurant here and skipper of his speedy sloop Scaramouche. If you bumped into Walter...