It’s time to review restaurants again. To step inside and sit down at a table if the coming winter chill is too daunting to sit outside without wearing socks, high boots, shrugs and overcoats.
I always thought that the Lilliputian confines of the old Blue Spoon were OK but not enough to warrant the trek from my various West End residence to the far reaches of Munjoy Hill. That was then. But now that I live on the Hill, this has become my neighborhood restaurant. And after enjoying a wonderful al fresco meal there last week it indeed qualifies as my neighborhood haunt–outside for now but inside soon.
Blue Spoon outside patio and indoor dining room
Coincidentally, the night that I was at the Blue Spoon last week, it was on the same day that in my work as a real estate broker I had closed on the sale of the retail condo that housed Lolita for so many years. It was a long haul getting it done. Any restaurant to fulfill the Lolita mystique has big shoes to fill. But the new owners, Britt Langford and Leo Zhang, plan to open Jing Yan (is that a play on Ying Yang?) and offer an Asian Fusion menu, which will initially be take out and a few seats for inside dining.
Small restaurants like the upcoming Jing Yan and the Blue Spoon are anomalies compared to the big-deal dining rooms that have shaped Portland’s dining scene. Yet these tiny boits offer a kind of intimacy that works in these pandemic moments. While dining inside at confined spaces is still a touchy subject, we’ll have to learn to adapt, playing by safe rules.
The Blue Spoon owned by David Iovino from 2004 to 2018 sold the business to Liz Konigsberg and chef Will Lavey. The menu is pure American-European bistro and every dish we had was beautifully prepared. We dined at their charming outdoor patio, replete with potted plants and two gas heaters. These were necessary as the night turned chilly. We could have dined inside, too, but chose the airier option. I looked inside to see the room half full (required by law), which meant that the ten or so happy diners looked incredibly comfy, nestled into the room at thecorner of Congress and Merrill Street. It’s a charming corner dotted with vintage Portland houses; and the visual is pure Parisian streetscape.
The two artful starters we had were memorable: a meticulously prepared steak tartare with fresh farm egg and crostini and a crock of charred, smoked sweet potatoes with pickled red onion and rosemary with dollops of goat cheese.
Steak tartare
Sweet potatoes with pickled red onion and goat cheese
There aren’t many main course dishes on the menu but enough to satisfy food esthetes generously. My choice of the heritage chicken breast (pan roasted) atop a mélange of roasted delicata squash satisfied my needs. I liked that the nicely caramelized delicata squash fit so well with the base of potato puree. I think the dish would have benefited, however, if the breast had been brined first, giving it a more distinctive flavor oomph.
The monkfish that my dinner companion had was a vibrant dish of the pan-roasted fish on a bed of chunky tomato sauce, white beans, fennel, a spray of local mussels and grilled crostini. The dish was a fine, fresh seafood choice and exemplified the chef’s easy ability to blend flavor and texture flawlessly.
Monkfish. chicken breast
The restaurant is still known for its colossal hamburger, which I ordered several months ago for take out. I’m sorry–a dish like a hamburger loaded with toppings does not travel well, ending up soggy, with a roll falling apart. It’s a great hamburger but keep it to onsite ordering.
The waitstaff was very attentive and the kitchen kept pace well. I think if the new “Lolita” is as good as I hope it will be, this culinary corner (Rosemont is still there) is once again a compelling Munjoy Hill destination.
The Blue Spoon, 89 Congress St., Portland, ME 207-773-1116, www.thebluespoon.com; online ordering, info@bluespoonme.com
Rating: Easily 4-stars
Ambiance: Charming inside and out
Service: Swift and friendly
Parking: On street
$$$ Moderately expensive
