It’s been a while since another barbecue restaurant has opened in Greater Portland beyond Salvage and Elsmere. Otherwise, our restaurant world bulges with Asian and American bistro cuisines, with the plethora of small-plates in a continual burst of fusion flourishes. But now we have Terlingua, on the burgeoning restaurant row of Washington Avenue, formerly one of the grimiest byways in the city. But gentrification is everywhere in Portland, and even the disparities of this neighborhood are coming together.
The start of an outdoor patio and the pleasant interiors of Terlingua
Terlingua’s handle is to offer barbecue with a Latin flavor. After one visit (on opening night), my first impression has left me nonplussed regarding having a romp through a Latin style of barbecue. If you look deep and hard into the flavor profile of the menu, it does have a subtle Latin bent (more border cuisine of Tex-Mex), but I wouldn’t say it goes whole hog. There’s the use of various chilies; hominy (homemade or canned?) in the chicken pozole; the shell-on shrimp is bathed in a guajillo chili sauce. And such dishes as chicharron of pork belly with a honeyed glazed were impressive presentations.
A luscious pork belly, grilled shrimp and a well-made gimlet
I suppose I was confused by the fact that the food wasn’t more Latingastro. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy everything I had there.
I did. And this included the cold smoked fish dip alive with pungent flavors of sour orange, Vidalia onion and sweet peppers. It was served with commercial taco chips, which were good, but they need to replace those with homemade, something that’s in the works, according to management. Another good preparation was, as mentioned, the grilled shell-on shrimp ( fresh from the Gulf coast or previously frozen?), though the otherwise winey, sweet flavors of the guajillo chili sauce in which it was bathed could have been more prominent. I liked the smoked brisket—meltingly tender–and the honey coated flat breads served with it were delicious.
Smoked brisket and smoked fish dip
The setting is attractively simple with comfortable tables and a lively bar. Here at last is a barbecue-inflected restaurant that is not trying to replicate a road-side barbecue dive in the south where pit masters are gods with their secret sauces and intensely smoked meats.
It’s definitely a neighborhood style restaurant and one that I’m sure I’ll return to when I want BBQ that’s slightly different from the rest.
By the way if you’re wondering why the restaurant is called Terlingua, it refers to an old mining town in Terlingua, Texas, made famous because it’s a virtual ghost town with a population of 12 and a vibrant destination for Texas-style barbecue.
Photo courtesy of Terlingua website
Photos, John Golden
Terlingua, 52 Washington Ave., Portland, ME 207-808-8502; www.terlingua.me
Rating: 3 1/2 stars as a first impression but higher rating likely in the future
Ambiance: very casual
Tables: comfortable and lively bar seating
Service: good
$$$: moderate, $4 to $18 and option for small and large plate servings and prices
