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...

September 2011 ¡Holy Mole! Pedro’s brings a piquant-touch to Kennebunk. Never thought I’d go to Kennebunk’s Lower Village to get my mojito on, but there it is, a delight to behold at Pedro’s, the new high-concept Mexican watering hole smack dab in the middle of the...

July/August 2011 By Diane Hudson In the Zone After-work oasis is defining the city’s studio area as its own District. District’s assistant manager, Justin Roig, loves the seven-month-old bistro’s new format change. “We see ourselves as the go-to place for locals who...

Summerguide 2011 By Diane Hudson Postcards From Bologna Theme dinners at Arrows let you travel the world and return to Ogunquit in time to catch a show. Arrows is going places. Tonight it’s Bologna. And we gorge ourselves from the get-go with sumptuous gnocchi,...

May 2011 Portland’s new bistro in Longfellow Square “has the peach” and is at the top of its game. By Diane Hudson Welcome Petite Jacqueline! The impressive French bistro is the brainchild of the folks who gave us five fifty-five on Congress Street: chef/owner Steve...

April 2011 By Diane Hudson Northern Comfort Buck's 'Naked' lunch and dinner is down & delicious–roadhouse style. Upon entering the rough but warm roadhouse atmosphere, immediately it hits you–the aroma of good, old-fashioned barbecue. The sweet, smoky scent is...

February/March 2011 By Diane Hudson Base Camp Sugarloaf's beloved Italian hot spot comes down from the mount to delight Falmouth diners. Located in the former haunts of Johnny’s Bistro, Hug’s Italian Restaurant is rapidly assembling a fan base that includes regular...

Winterguide 2011 By Diane Hudson Jacques Brel* 'Likes' This… *Theatricality is alive and well and living in the Old Port at The Salt Exchange. Tonight, our stop is nothing short of fantastic. First, we slide into a precious parking space reserved for Salt Exchange...

December 2010 Big Heart By Colin W. Sargent On a chilly December evening, you can’t beat Little Seoul. Exciting, perfectly located Little Seoul doesn’t just offer one kind of kimchi. To my way of thinking, that would be not-so-deep kimchi. Instead, they offer no fewer...

Love is in the island air and on the plate at the newly renovated Nebo Lodge Restaurant. By Karen E. Hofreiter Amanda stole my heart with kale chips. A less confident chef might woo urban diners with a cute and refined amuse-bouche, perhaps a scallop with lobster foam...