Evan and I drove from Acadia to Portland, Maine. We made a few stops along the way in Camden and Rockland and the famous lighthouse, Pemaquid Lighthouse. By the time we arrived in Portland, it was around four pm.
We had booked a cute hotel called the Blind Tiger. The blind tiger is a boutique hotel that had recently changed ownership right before the pandemic. Previously it was called the Darnsworth and had a cute restaurant and bar. Now, the kitchen, bar, and restaurant are open to guests. All the rooms at Blind Tiger are so different. It makes it fun when booking because there are so many options. One of my favorite rooms has blue walls and funky furniture. Some rooms have balconies and sitting areas, and others are more the basics! I couldn't stop taking pictures of the whole hotel because it was that cute. The Blind Tiger is about a mile from the downtown strip with all the restaurants and bars. It is walkable, but I wouldn't recommend walking home late at night. On our first night, we walked to dinner, which was at Fore St. On the walk, we came across one of the Portland landmarks, the Victoria Mansion. Fore St is part of a restaurant group that owns Scales, Standard Baking Company, Street & Company. Fore St had an open concept kitchen, and the menu was huge. Guests can see all the fresh produce they have. The menu showcases all the fresh seafood, meat, and vegetables. After getting the full rundown from our waiter, she recommended the wood-fired items were their specialty. Evan and I ordered so much food; the waitress was worried about us. But in true Evan and Tinsley fashion, we finished it all. We ordered the pork belly, which came highly recommended by our waitress. Evan usually hates pork belly, but he said it was fabulous. The next day, Evan and I checked out Reve Cycling, in an area called Woodfords, aka the "hipster" part. Funky restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops were in this area. Reve Cycling was a fun cycling spot. They do not rent shoes, so be prepared to strap in or bring your cleats. For lunch, Evan and I had plans at Portland Hunt & Alpine Club. It has excellent reviews for its cocktails and smaller bar menu. The menu was super funky. The sausage and the Swedish meatballs came highly recommended. The waitress said their lobster Louie roll was different - it has green goddess dressing and a quail egg. I had the Stonecipher salad with lobster on top. A great healthier option. After lunch, we had booked a sailing adventure through the Portland Schooner. Give yourself extra time if you choose to book through this crew because the location gets confused with the main ferry line. The boat we booked was a public charter, and guests could bring food & drink on board. Evan and I got white wine; we may have been the only guests partaking! We lucked out and had gorgeous weather. They sailed us down to see the fort, lighthouse, and Cape Elizabeth. All the homes on the coast of Cape Elizabeth were beautiful. After our sail, we tried to get into Eventide for a little oyster and wine happy hour, but the wait was crazy. So if you do want to go to Eventide, I highly recommend a reservation. We ended up heading back to our hotel to get cleaned up before heading to our dinner reservations. The dinner I booked was called Jordan Farm. Jordan Farm is on Cape Elizabeth. It is the cutest farm. It is open to the public for flower picking, grocery shopping, you name it! Evan and I got there early, so we walked through the grocery area. They had wine and beer as well as the freshest vegetables and some dairy products. Jordan Farm utilizes cute "huts" or verandas. These six verandas seat 6-8 people and then the central kitchen for smaller parties. They have a full-service bar and wine and beer selections, and Jordan Farm offers a tasting menu. After a delicious meal at Jordan Farm that Evan and I never wanted to end. We decided why not go to dinner number two, Scales! I had a reservation there that I never canceled when we were planning the trip. We decided to get some post-dinner cocktails there but ended up getting more oysters, and Evan even got a lobster roll! Scales is massive, and it has a vast dining area, bar area, and even a patio! For a Tuesday night, the restaurant was packed. Overall, thoughts on Portland? It is such a fun popping city! After visiting Camden, Rockland, and Desert Island, it was a strong contrast! It was a larger city with a downtown: a great restaurant scene and many breweries around town. Hotel Recommendations: Blind Tiger- boutique hotel with about 7 rooms on site. Trendy bed and breakfast. The Press Hotel Restaurant Recommendations: The Well at Jordan Farm- my favorite spot in Portland. Truly a special restaurant. Tasting Menu located on a farm in cape elizabeth. About a true 15 minute drive from Portland. Guests can rent gazebos for groups of 6 or more or sit in the main room/kitchen at the bar counter. Scales- located at the dock. Great spot for lobster rolls, oysters, and seafood. Huge restaurant with a patio and great vibe even on a weekday night this place is poppin. Portland Hunt and Alpine - great for cocktails and lunch food. Best known for polish hot dogs and lobster louie roll. Fore St Central provisions Street and co Via vecchia- Italian restaurant Eventide- highly rated restaurant for oysters. Snag a reservation, there is always a long wait here Montes fine foods- cute gourmet market Holy Donut- strangely enough portland is known for potato donuts. This one of the top potatoes donut shops. They have gluten free option too. Little woodfords- trendy coffeshop Belleville- french style bakery Duckfat Petite Jacqueline Standard Baking Co. |