What a display of Portland diners flocking to first night this past Tuesday at the newly opened Roustabout. To wit–it’s the latest darling in the mannered pleasures of our city’s boundlessly good restaurants. Located in the historic Nissen Bakery Building on Washington Avenue, it joins a diverse roster of establishments already on the strip, most notably the recently opened Terlingua.
Roustabout’s conceptual karma is the handiwork of Portland branding specialists, Might and Main who’ve helped fashion such high fliers as Central Provisions, Hugo’s, Honey Paw and more among the trendy watering holes and eateries that are defining the city.
Roustabout’s dining room and bar
You see the Might and Main touches right away in the blond wood, the prominent bar and the generally cool sleekness in design. While brand-building helps, ultimately it’s what co-owners Kit Paschal and Anders Tallberg have delivered in decor, ambiance and food. Paschal hails as bar and beverage personality from Boston and Tallberg has had some impressive chef credentials in that city too.
Together this duo is delivering in spades. After two dinners there I experienced superb food served by a first-rate wait staff and, for once, the front- of -the house attention to detail was meaningful.
The gleaming new partially open kitchen; private dining room
In fact I was very impressed that Paschal was insistent on taking our coats when our party of four arrived so that unkempt look of outerwear slumped over chair backs wouldn’t happen as it does almost everywhere else. I’ve written about that in the past; but wouldn’t you know, yours truly kept his jacket, a vintage Prada number that I‘ve become newly reacquainted with and unwilling to surrender to coat check.
Bar-dining areas
The main dining room is part of the long and relatively narrow space that defines the room. It has banquette seating and tables for two and four along a half-wall separating the room from the bar area. That has already become a popular spot with diners and those dropping in for a drink; there’s also high-tops and banquettes for additional seating.
The cooking is exactly described as updated Italian-American fare. Take for instance Roustabout’s chicken Fra diavolo, a classic Italian-American dish, with many variations, depending on the chef. However it’s done as the name implies with the devil in the sauce.
Chicken fra diavolo
Roustabout’s version is totally unique in that the chicken pieces—all brown and crispy—are bathed in a Calabrian oil vinaigrette with a buttermilk dressing on the side. It’s one of those homey dishes that you can have over and over again. I had it on first night and loved it.
Other main courses that we enjoyed were a very respectable lobster with spaghetti, crushed red pepper and bread crumbs. The pasta was perfectly cooked and lobster in the shell was splashed judiciously in a lusty tomato sauce. A faultless dish.
Spaghetti with lobster and skate piccata
The skate piccata was wrapped in a salsa verde with capers and accompanied with sautéed broccoli rabe. The fish was finely cooked, utterly flaky and flavorful.
Tartare, Caesar salad and the fabulous garlic bread
First courses included steak tartare, which a friend ordered and who is a big fan of this preparation. He pronounced this as one of the best he’s had. (Or at least as good as that served at Back Bay Grill.) The accompaniment of Saltines on which to spread the tartare was a cute approach. The other starter of big leaf Caesar in a Meyer lemon dressing and anchovies hit the spot too. We ordered a side of garlic bread, which for $7 is a bit pricey on a menu where most dishes are moderately priced (on average entrees are under $20, except for the lobster at $28). But it’s well worth the surcharge because the delicious bread is made in-house and the coating of garlic and olive oil is phenomenally good slathered over these toasty chunks.
Desserts are made by veteran Fore Street pastry chef, Brant Dadaleares who is now at Roustabout. His contribution alone is worth the visit. We loved his apple galette, and even the tireless tiramisu, which he gave new life to. But also don’t miss something called the Mess—a luscious blending of salted caramel brownie, vanilla ice cream and sprinkles—all of which truly topped off the evening meal so sweetly.
Apple galette and “the Mess”–brownie
The bar menu has some good drinks on it though our party stuck to Negronis, which were well made. The wine list both by the glass and bottle is a short selection of interesting Italian wines; the restaurant’s supplier is right next door from the intriguing wine shop, Loire and Maine.
On my second visit I ate at the bar and picked two dishes that I noticed on the menu before and already made up my mind to have. These were the seafood salad and the eggplant parmigiana.
Eggplant parm
The salad was a fine mix of calamari and mussels mixed in with plenty of chick peas, both cooked and fried, but I thought it lacked the crucial acid component, which this should have. It was my only disappointment—though minor. The eggplant was classic –not too heavy but nicely swathed pieces of fried eggplant in a lusty tomato sauce and melted mozzarella.
Seafood salad
Roustabout fits in perfectly with the casual nature of the new Washington Avenue and the city’s greater generation of highly refined dining. Yet, the restaurant also aims to be a do-drop-in kind of place, serving from 5PM to midnight; hours will expand to serve lunch and there will be a late afternoon menu as well as a late-night bar menu of small bites.
The setting is very familial, meaning that the noise level is up there, battling with high volume music over the sound system. Yet, all this contributes to the great energy that you feel as soon as you enter one of the most attractive new restaurants quickly expanding the scene in Portland’s unique dining universe.
Roustabout, 59 Washington Ave., Portland, ME 207-536-4008 www.roustabout.me
Rating: 4 1/2 stars and definitely sky’s the limit as this restaurant matures
Ambiance: extremely relaxed and hipster friendly
Bar: a definite scene
Tables, well-spaced with banquettes, tables for 4 and high tops:
Noise: high decibel
Service: excellent from a professional wait-staff
Parking: available in lot to the side of 75 Washington after 5 PM
$$$: moderately expensive
