After all of its preparatory time you’d think that the new iteration of El Rayo, which opened on Free Street earlier this week, would have managed to include dinner service in its debut.  Instead, for now, it’s breakfast and lunch only, as though we all want a burrito to start our day.  I have an open mind about the new restaurant (it looks great inside), but I never considered it much of a contender in the  Mexican cuisine category beyond the  Americanization of its menu serving ersatz south-of-the border grub.

For now, then, I’m offering a multi-review of Portland eateries since there’s nothing that compelling to write about in the new and novel category. In fact, I had an interesting mix of dishes all week, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Moody’s Indian pudding

Empire Chinese.  It remains the standard for Chinese cuisine in Maine.  Its largely Cantonese-fusion menu produces the authentic flavors of this finely varied regional cuisine.  The place is always packed and is truly one of the great success stories of Portland’s restaurant world.  We all love Asian food, and it never disappoints.  Two of us shared the Peking duck buns, Kung pao chicken and chicken teriyaki with a side of perfectly stir-fried  bok choy.

At Empire Chinese clockwise: bok choy, the bar, Kung Pao Chicken, Peking duck buns

Moody’s.  What more can you say about this iconic diner that is a landmark on Route 1 in Waldoboro except that it’s always good?  Staff has been there for years and most everyone seems to know one another.  When I was there earlier this week, a long-time waitress at the counter said this to me: “Did you see that, pointing to the man sitting at the end of the counter, “he took the leftovers from a stranger’s plate and finished it off.  They didn’t even know each other,” she concluded with an arched eyebrow. For my own meal, after a large bowl of split pea soup, a special of the day, served with cornbread, I couldn’t resist the  day’s special dessert: Indian pudding.  This was the classic blend of molasses, cornmeal and raisins, so sweet and rich.

At Moody’s, clockwise: diners lining up, split-pea soup, Indian pudding, the front ramp to enter

Becky’s.  The tourists are gone.  It’s easy to get a parking place, a table or a counter stool.  For classic egg dishes or other breakfast goodies, this is the real deal for diner food.  At lunch, specials such as chicken pot pie, baked beans with hot dogs, grilled cheese with tomato soup, a towering roast beef melt and so much more are hearty dishes.  My most recent meal was as breakfast to enjoy a perfect plate of ham and eggs: the home fries are classic, the ham, all smoky and salty, and a pile of buttered toast completed the meal.  Even the coffee is good since the diner uses Coffee by Design.

At Becky’s, the perfect plate of ham and eggs; the manageable dining crowd

Terlingua.  It remains the only place where you can have authentic Tex-Mex fare in Portland. Owner Pliny Reynolds, who hails from Austin, Texas, sees to that and chef Wilson Rothschild keeps the food up to snuff.  At my recent visit two of us shared a great shrimp ceviche, all citrusy and spicy with the addition of thinly sliced radishes in the mix.

At Terlingua, smoked pork butt with grilled corn bread

A tortilla soup was classic and a salad of local tomatoes with a crumbly Mexican cheese was a great starter.   A main course of smoked pork butt with grilled cornbread was another winner—very well smoked and fall-of-the bone tender.

At Terlingua, carne asada taco, shrimp ceviche and tortilla soup