It may turn out to be the most important restaurant to have entered Portland’s dining universe because it’s cooking up such comfortably delicious food, fare that we all want and love. And Portland diners have taken notice. When I arrived last night at 6:30, there wasn’t a spare space in the house at Scales. That it was also filled with some of the cheffy-star-owners of other Portland dining rooms was no coincidence. Everyone wants to be there. Yes, I’ve heard some rumblings from those perennial malcontents who sort of shrug their shoulders, smirking, what’s all the fuss about? Especially one local restaurateur sitting at a booth for four looking sour-faced and unimpressed.
Hogwash!
The scene at Scales.
Scales is killing it, to be sure. There’s a lot of dishes on the menu that I want to try. As in my earlier review I cited the deliciousness of the clam chowder, the fish and chips, the pan seared cod, the lobster roll, the fried clams and the desserts served in such comely fashion as to be irresistible. Just about every food item on the menu is locally sourced and utterly fresh.
But last night I wanted to try the other side of the Scales menu. There are meat dishes like stews and burgers. So I set my sights to begin my dinner with a half dozen oysters, followed by the lobster bisque, with a main course of Scales’ monumental hamburger platter.
The oysters were from North Haven, which is one of my favorite places on earth, and the oysters—so briny but smooth—never disappoint.
North Haven oysters served on crushed ice at the bar
The lobster bisque isn’t the typical Sherry-laced butter-rich cup of soup that is the standard in Maine. Instead the lobster stock is intense, spiked with an acidic touch of tomato and tastes of the sea with a big chunk of lobster meat floating within. Served with the kitchen’s house-made crackers—everything is made from scratch here—it’s a marvelous cup of soup.
The rich, tomato laced lobster bisque with homemade crackers
The burger is served on a metal tray on which the slaw, pickles and fries share the space. The patty is so big and thick it’s the kind of burger one should dig in with a knife and fork. But you have to eat the roll, too, also made in-house and wonderfully chewy and luxurious. The quality of the beef is superb with its veil of melted cheddar draped over it like a designer frock. The fries are the way fries should be: salty, crisp and creamy within. The slaw wasn’t as vinegary as on other occasions but still a great side dish.
An epic hamburger platter
Certainly to gild the lily was the final dessert course: Indian pudding that would make our ancestors weep with pride. You can feel the slight graininess of the cornmeal in this slow-baked custard that is so smooth.
Beautifully made and utterly smooth Indian pudding
I want to also mention that if you dine at the bar and order oysters or other cold shellfish that sit on ice across the bar it’s served by placing them on a trough that lines the length of the bar. You just lean over, pick up your bivalve and shuck it down in delight. The empty shells are then brushed down a shoot where they are sustainably packed for their next incarnation.
If for all these years we’ve loved the venerable Fore Street, this new sister restaurant is just as beautiful and is truly defining Portland dining in its purest form.
Scales, On Maine Wharf, 68 Commercial St., Portland, ME 207-805-0444 www.scalesrestaurant.com
Rating: Absolutely wonderful, the perfect place to enjoy New England fare in a brasseries style setting
Ambiance: divinely local
Tables: at the bar, at white-clothed topped tables and booths
Service: impeccable
Bar: full, with a complete selection of locally sourced liquors
Parking: Limited paid parking on the wharf otherwise on the street
