Vegetarian reviewed in Portland, ME (and beyond)

The fermented black bean and tofu noodle bowl at the A1 Diner.

Two years ago when I agreed to join a pool of writers contributing restaurant reviews to The Maine Switch magazine, I knew I had a unique task. Like the other writers, I'd need to tease out story after story in the ordinary act of eating a meal and convey these tales to a mainstream audience. But unlike my fellow scribes dining in service of Switch, I'd be eating (and writing) from the vegetarian part of the plate.

A take-out Greek pizza without cheese from Bonobo.

Since then I've written about a number of local restaurants where a vegan can get a decent meal and an omnivore has plenty of options. I (almost) never forget to sample from the bar.

During these past two years, plant-based foods and meals have continued to blossom here in Portland. In 2007, The Green Elephant opened, giving the city it's first upscale, all-vegetarian dinner spot. That same year a pair of former restaurant owners began making the vegan Blue Mango Veggie burgers (which show up on many of the pub menus around town) and Sarah Conroy started the Maine Vegan Meet-Up group. Last year the owner of The Kitchen closed up shop in order to produce his popular Papou's Kitchen falafels for local stores and restaurants.

From soup shops to white tablecloth establishments, more and more vegan items are showing up on Portland menus. At Thai and Pan-Asian eateries, I've noticed many menus listing vegan white sauce as an alternative to garlic sauce. And this July 18 the city's 5th annual Vegetarian Food Festival takes place at the East End Community School.

It's definitely been an exciting time to contribute a vegetarian voice to the lively food discourse that takes place in Portland. Along the way I've hooked readers up with date night ideas, disturbed others with my fondness for cheese-free pizza (see above), learned how to properly appreciate martinis (in moderation) and developed a deep attachment to the Castelvetrano olives served at Novare Res Bier Bar.

Here are those gorgeous olives from Novare.

A garden salad and hummus plate at White Heart.

So in honor of Switch's two-year anniversary, I give you a round-up of my vegetarian restaurant reviews. I hope to write many more.

Novare Res Bier Cafe, Portland, February 4, 2009
¡Burrito!, Westbrook, December 22, 2008
Hot Suppa!, Portland, November 12, 2008
Portland Pie Company, Portland, September 30, 2008
Emilitsa, Portland, September 2, 2008
Flatbread Company, Portland, August 5, 2008
A1 Diner, Gardiner, June 17, 2008
Mesa Verde, Portland, April 23, 2008
David's, Portland, March 26, 2008
Katahdin, Portland, February 27, 2008
Pom's Thai Taste, Portland, January 30, 2008
Silly's, Portland, January 9, 2008
Bintliff's, Portland, December 20, 2007
Blue Spoon, Portland, October 2, 2007
Caiola's, Portland, September 11, 2007
Bonobo, Portland, August 14, 2007
Cockeyed Gull, Peaks Island, July 24, 2007
The Good Egg Cafe, Portland, July 3, 2007
The White Heart, Portland, June 12, 2007
Artemisia, Portland, May 22, 2007

Postcards from Vacationland

With sunny skies and warm breezes covering the state of Maine, Adam and I didn't think twice about where we would spend this week of vacation. The answer was obvious: Right here in Vacationland.

Earlier this week we took a trip up to the Midcoast. Our first stop was in lovely Camden, where we relaxed in the park overlooking the harbor. It was a wonderful spot to read the Press Herald and take in the ocean breezes.

But I had an ulterior motive in my visit to Camden. I was after the best hummus sandwich in the entire state.
And I found it tasting just as flavorful as I remembered at the Bagel Cafe. This little gem of a sandwich shop makes all its own bagels daily. I can't tell you how they season their hummus, but it's utterly divine.

Next we headed down to neighboring Rockport to check out the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. Here we enjoyed shows featuring the work of Lois Dodd and William Wegman and a group show titled "The Gleaners." This exhibition on the top floor is quite fascinating as it consists of random objects collected by artists as a source of inspiration. The show was assembled by found-object artist Jesse Gillespie.

A short drive down Rt. 1 brought us to Rockland. Our first stop was at the Good Tern Natural Foods Co-op & Cafe, where we stocked up on snacks for the road. Once we were in downtown Rockland, we parked the car and headed into the Farnsworth Art Museum.
The museum is brimming with work by well known artists, including the lovable Robert Indiana. We viewed a number of new exhibitions, including those showcasing work by Louise Nevelson, Alex Katz and many treasures from the museum's permanent collection. We also checked out the Wyeth Center (showing works by N.C. and Jamie) and toured the Farnsworth Homestead. After popping in at a few local galleries (including the Caldbeck), we hit the road once more.

Our final stop on this coastal tour brought us to Brunswick. Since we were on vacation, we didn't feel bad about having dessert before dinner. And in Brunswick the best place to get a sweet treat is The Gelato Fiasco. All their sorbettos are vegan and they had oodles and oodles to choose from.
I finally decided to go with the strawberry carrot (how could I resist?) and the dark chocolate (you may have heard about my dark chocolate obsessions?). If the sorbetto looks a little sloppy in this picture, it's because I had to have a taste (or three) before I paused to take a picture.

And that strawberry carrot? Absolutely delightful. So good in fact I bought a pint to go.

With dessert out of the way, we headed over to the famed and funky El Camino. Even though my photos were less than stellar, the food lived up to all the delicious hype we've heard.

We started out with the chips, salsa and guacamole. I loved that the chips came with tiny lime wedges (doesn't everything taste better with fresh lime?) and the salsa had a deep, smoky taste. I ordered the vegan Rajas Tacos, which consisted of a flavorful medley of market veggies on corn tortillas and served with a side of beans and rice. It was a perfect finish to a fun-filled day trip and a testament to the abundance of tasty vegan eats in Maine.