For a nightcap to end our first night in Portland, Maine, Kaitee and my friend Joshua and his friend all ventured to Flood's.

“[Flood’s] is a reference to a writer I’ve always loved named Joseph Mitchell,” Mitchell said (and no, there’s no relation to the author). “He did a lot of fun and poignant writing on fishermen and butchers and fishmongers around New York City. He had a character [in his book] called ‘Old Mr. Flood.’ [The character] wasn’t a real person; he was an amalgamation of characters at the South Street Seaport fish market. It kind of spoke to me, this collection of ideas and characters.” [source]


Flood's is owned by one of the same owners as Palace Diner and features dinner, drinks and desserts - kind of everything the Palace Diner doesn't.


We tried the blueberry-peach cobbler, which was a beautiful blend of homey, warm, sweet treat topped with a cold scoop of ice cream. Always a winner.

After having plans displaced, Kaitee and I decided on an impromptu trip to Local 188 (perk: They have parking behind the building!).

Local 188 specializes in Spanish cuisine and local ingredients - as well as an extensive beverage list.


"Staying true to Maine’s seasonal offerings, Executive Chef Jay Villani, Chef de Cuisine Travis Kern and Sous Chef Henry Remenapp construct a menu that is both innovative and familiar. Ingredients are sourced from local farmers, foragers, and fishermen. Many components of the menu, such as breads, charcuterie, pickled vegetables, and desserts, are prepared in-house. Local 188 has its roots in Spain but draws influence from all over the Mediterranean to create a unique blend of old and new."

I went with a Thyme Traveler drink, which has thyme and blackberry bourbon, lime, ginger liqueur, simple syrup, and bitters.

And, it was fabulous.

Then, we had some bread to start our meal - always a favorite of mine.

And, then, I ordered Potato Gnocchi with compound butter, ricotta, swiss chard, spiced sunflower seeds. Wow. This is one of my favorite dishes I've had in a very, very long time.

The love the bite of the gnocchi, the umami flavor, everything.

And we also got a cheeseboard that just looked beautiful!

The Honey Paw is regarded as one of the best restaurants in Maine. The Asian-inspired restaurant has been profiled in The New York Times, Bon Appetit and more.



"Having just awoken from a long winter hibernation a bear scoops a pawful of sweet honeycomb from a wild beehive. Despite the thick cloud of bees swarming about its head, the bear languidly feasts on the delicious honey, as content as can be. At The Honey Paw we aim to deliver the same experience for our guests, minus the bees. Instead of honeycomb we look to steaming broths, savory wontons, and wok-fried noodles to hit that same sweet spot."



The menu features handmade noodles and a unique East-meets-West menu with a Maine twist.


My first bite was some kimchi, as I waited for my first dish to arrive. Kimchi isn't my favorite of things, but I do like it paired with other flavors. I still nibbled to enjoy the flavors.


Then, the lobster wontons came out. LOBSTER WONTONS: seafood curry, cauliflower, mushroom, basil. These were served in a broth and had some really beautiful color and texture variation. I love the play on flavors here, too.


Then for my main dish, I ordered PORK & CRAB MEE GORENG: wok fried mien noodle, jonah crab, chili crab sambal. This packed some heat. And, there were fewer noodles than I would've loved, but still a fun and tasty dish.

Since we arrived in Portland, we saw a line wrapped around Duckfat.


I wanted to make sure I hit this place up, but I was mostly just interested in duckfat fries. So when we walked inside, I prepared myself for a long wait.


But, we were seating almost immediately. Win!


I ordered a small of the Belgian fries, which are fried in duck fat. I also opted for a flight of sauces, which included: truffle ketchup, thai chili mayo, curry mayo, horseradish mayo and garlic mayo.


Perfectly crispy - and my favorites were the truffle ketchup and the garlic mayo. Delish.


Also, the combination with a salty caramel milkshake was perfection.

While exploring Portland, Kaitee and I stumbled upon two local groceries.


And, I love a local grocery store so we popped in to check them out.


The first is Micucci Grocery, which is an Italian grocery store.


They have a deli with all kinds of fresh meats and cheeses, wine and microbrews, bakery, oils, pastas and more.


They even have hot slices and ready-made cannoli.


The other grocery we stopped at was Lois' Natural Marketplace.




They had tons of natural and health foods.


Plus some fresh-made options, too.


Kaitee got a portable fork/spoon to travel with - which is genius!

I'm not sure it's a real trip to Maine if you don't get oysters.


Kaitee and I went to Eventide Oyster Co. while in Portland.




"A revival of the great American oyster bar, Eventide offers pristine oysters and shellfish, the famed Brown Butter Lobster Roll, and a James Beard Award-winning take on classic New England fare—in Boston, Mass. and our original restaurant in Portland, Maine."


So,  I knew I wanted to try oysters. But I really know nothing about oysters. I kinda guess on the name and hope it's one that's smooth. But our server hooked me up and picked delicious ones for me.


I got some cocktail on the side, and each of these went down super duper smooth. Delicious, silky and tasty.


But this place is known for more than their oysters. They're also known for a delicious lobster roll.


The "Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll" is legendary - and for good reason. It's so, so tasty. Small, but mighty.


Have you been here?