What better way to dull the chill of a relentless Maine winter than to celebrate the first annual Restaurant Week in style?  My friend and I headed out for our first trip to the Back Bay Grill to do just that. 



The Back Bay Grill www.backbaygrill.com is an elegant place – inviting bar, romantic lighting, black tin ceiling and contemporary art. The crowd seems older and smartly dressed.  I envisioned the clientele to be discussing their love of beef tartare and truffles.  The staff is well-trained, which seems to be the exception rather than the rule these days.  In addition to our waitress accommodating my meal preferences, I overheard someone requesting a gluten-free meal last minute and the waitress did not bat an eyelash.  Furthermore, they know the menu and can tell you about nuances in the wine list, how a seckel pear tastes and what confit is.  I’m not a regular patron of the fine dining scene these days, so sometimes I forget how important the small details are to me - a hostess took my coat, my water glass was always topped off and the crumbs were discreetly swept off the white tablecloth before dessert.

• 1st Place/Gold Medal went to DennyMike’s “Pixie Dust ” rub (category: “Barbecue Dry Rub/Seasonings: Southwest”).
• 1st Place/Gold Medal went to DennyMike’s “Chick Magnet ” rub (category: “Barbecue Dry Rub/Seasonings: All-Purpose”).
• In the “Best Overall Label of 2009” category, DennyMike’s earned the 2nd Place/Silver Medal for the unique design of its colorful “Cow Bell Hell ” rub packaging, designed by T.Doc Creative in Westbrook, ME .
• In the “Barbecue Sauce: Tomato Mild” category, DennyMike’s “Sweet ’N Spicy ” barbecue sauce earned the 4th Place award.
• In the “Barbecue Sauce: Vinegar Spicy” category, DennyMike’s received another 4th Place award.

It’s hard to overlook first impressions.  Stepping into the Grill Room at 8 pm on a Friday night and my first impression was – wow, this place is doing well.  Barely room to stand to wait for the hostess to seat us and watching party after party get ushered to their seats, my friend and I noted that it didn’t appear that slower financial times has hindered business here.  They must be doing something right. 

The restaurant, located at 84 Exchange Street in the space that was formerly “Natasha’s” has a masculine feel  — dark wood, a long bar, low lighting, and framed pictures of cows and sheep on the wall that have butcher’s lines drawn on them.  It’s bustling and full of energy.  The fare, described as “American Comfort Food” is hearty and filling.  This is a steak house, after all.  People come here for the meat.  While scanning the bar, I noticed a few guys eating steak and potatoes and drinking beer by themselves and wondering if they weren’t sneaking away from their vegetarian girlfriends to get a dose of something more satisfying. 

The wine list is extensive but …

Tickets on Sale Now for RestaurantWeekME Special Events

PORTLAND, Maine - With restaurant registration officially closed, RestaurantWeekME now has over 60 restaurants signed up to participate in locations from Ogunquit to Camden to Augusta. In addition to being able to dine affordably from March 1-10, foodies and curious diners can now purchase tickets for all RestaurantWeekME companion events.

To celebrate the excitement of RestaurantWeekME, the event organizers have put together an exciting catalog of events to kick off people’s dining experiences including local food and beverage pairings and tastings, educational opportunities, and meet-and-greet events. Attend one of these fun tasting events in the early evening before hitting the town to visit your favorite Restaurant Week location for dinner. The full list of events includes:…

For those of us who bid adieu to the blur of flowing beer, long lines and loud music of fraternity parties, the Maine Brewers Festival was a chance to relive those days.



After paying the $30 ticket fee to get in on Saturday’s Happy Hour, I was handed a small glass and a handful of beer tickets.  I entered the Portland Expo Center and was greeted by 2,100 other people who thought bright lights and long lines for beer and bathrooms sounded like a good idea.



It’s no secret that Maine has more than its fair share of delicious microbrews- just one more reason we love Maine.  Shipyard Pumpkinhead, Allagash White, Shipyard Longfellow, Casco Bay Winter Ale are some of my favorites that were being sampled much to my delight.  But, Geary’s, where were you?  We missed you!