Last night my friend Christopher and I dined at The Grill Room in Portland. The restaurant is on the site where Natasha's used to be (on Exchange Street). It was his choice to go there & I knew it would be an evening of "stepping outside the box" for me.
I started my meal with Chicken-of-the-Woods Mushrooms (yes, these taste like chicken!) battered and served on top of a (slightly bland) Bleu Cheese Cream Sauce streaked with a yummy balsamic reduction. I am not a big proponent of streaking sauces on plates at all; my cooking is classic homespun. Nice dish, though!
After more wine, my selected entree was a Grilled Scallops pierced with a rosemary sprig served on Roasted Root Vegetables and a "Zippy Sauce." It was lovely and clean-tasting. More wine....
Christopher and I split a decadent piece of Earl Grey Flourless Chocolate Cake accompanied with a Raspberry Coulis on the side. Christopher is a Doctor in nearby Falmouth, Maine and he is experimenting with a Gluten Free lifestyle. I didn't pick up the Earl Grey (tea) flavor in the rich cake but it did not fail to please. Moscato and Framboise (two dessert wines) were sweet endings for this enchanting evening of conversation and dining. Stephanie, our waitress, was a beautiful young lady and excellent at serving us.
While I have happily positioned myself as a classic "home cook", it was nice to step outside my comfort zone (I often do) to compare and contrast.
Expecting lots of snow coming from the mid-West into Maine today, so time to put on the gloves and maintain the inn grounds and watch Mother Nature's latest offering of Winter. Best to all--and STAY WARM wherever you are!
Your Maine Innkeeper,
Keith
Naples, Maine
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