From the divine dining annals of Middle Street (Eventide, Duckfat, East Ender, et al) to the proprietors on the four corners of Longfellow Square, the legion of brunch buckaroos waiting on line to get into Portland’s trendiest eateries has spiraled to new highs. All that craving rush for variations on eggs Benedict or the latest take on tater tots define this culinary madness.
The hot spots, Local 188, Eventide, East Ender and Duckfat
Even the elite of Portland’s top chefs has entered the fray in recent years to raise the bar on brunch-time vittles. And Portland gastronauts have taken notice big time. As such these exclusive toque-bearers sling their refined hash at Central Provisions (sourdough pancakes), Piccolo (lardo muffins),Sur-Lie (broken eggs), Five-fifty Five (caramelized banana French toast), Caiola’s (the Hot Brown) Isa (croquet Madame), Petite Jacqueline (house-cured salmon), Duckfat and Eventide (though no codified brunch menu at those two). On Sunday, with the temperature barely above 60 degrees, even Outlier’s outside dining porch was SRO.
For stick to the ribs grub you can’t beat the hash at LFK or Marcy’s. But be sure the enfant terrible of the flat-top–mad Darla of Marcy’s–is featuring her homemade version (otherwise it’s out of a can).
On a drive-by tour this Sunday I poked around to see who was the busiest. And unless there was something really wrong there was hardly a midday Sunday eatery not crushed with diners.
Bustling inside the Front Room on Munjoy Hill and Tandem Bakery on Congress
At 11:00 AM the usual line was out the door at Bintliff’s. Even RiRa at one end of town and Holy Donut at the other had a long lines outside. The Porthole was abuzz and the usual lines formed outside Hot Suppa and Local 188. At Pai Men the crowd was so dense the windows were fogged up, and it was as hot and heavy at Empire Chinese and Bao Bao. But the busiest two places had to be Duckfat and Eventide (Honey Paw was eerily quiet)—no goiters on that street of good eats (LOL)—and the East Ender had a respectable crowd shuffling to and fro.
Still, where do you go without the likelihood of a wait? Petite Jacqueline and Five-fifty Five are good bets as are Isa and Sur-Lie, the latter offering an amazing array of small-plate brunch dishes. Lolita, Sonny’s, the Front Room, though always busy, generally don’t have the same crush.
Amongt the many, Outliers, Porthole, Hot Suppa, Rira
Though while we still have warm weather, I’ll hold off on the breakfast flapjacks and head to our various lobster and clam joints to spend a Sunday afternoon (after breakfast).
