So Rob and I took the early train up to Portland yesterday, ensuring we were able to take advantage of as many meals as we could. The considerable rain did not deter us as we made a beeline to Eventide, one of our two favorite places for oysters in Portland (the other is J’s, which is the exact opposite of Eventide in every way). 

Eventide prides itself on the selection of oyster, both local and “away”, which usually includes Massachusetts and Canada. (I’ve never seen west coast oysters here.)

We started with a dozen, from Maine, Mass & New Brunswick. 

Besides oysters, there are many creative hot and cold dishes. A favorite of ours is the fried chicken bun, a small (think slider-size) steamed bun, with a perfectly crispy and juicy piece of chicken, topped with cole slaw and pickled watermelon rind. 

But the real winner from our visit was a surprise side from the specials board: fried Brussels sprouts with chili garlic vinegar, crisp slices of carrot and mint leaves. The combo was really outstanding. 

After that, we checked out a few local stores–the Old Port is great for window (or real) shopping–and eventually made our way to Novare Res, Rob’s favorite beer bar. The selection is long and varied, and he always finds something new & local to try. Even though the focus is on beer, their wine selection is also interesting. We shared a small meat & cheese plate with our beverage, as they always have a list of charcuterie and local cheeses to mix & match. Forgot to get a pic of the plate, but it was delish, served with plenty of baguette, as well as honey, mustard, almonds and currants. Here’s a shot of the varied glass selection. 

After Novare Res, we went back to a place we had discovered with friends on our last visit, Mash Tun. We had become enamored of their Parmesan ranch fries, and thought that would make a nice mid afternoon snack. Alas, they did not live up to the first time. Almost no garlic flavor, way too much cheese and they were about a third of the size they were in March. Oh well, the beer was good. 

Finally, after a rest back at the hotel and a dip in the pool, we headed back out for dinner. In the Old Port you can be as fancy or unfancy as you want, and we really were in the mood for just a good, solid pizza from Pat’s. A pie with banana peppers, garlic, fresh mushrooms and hot Italian sausage hit exactly the right spot before crashing for the night. 

We have a couple of other posts on Portland from previous visits. This one has a lot of other local info. 

If you’ve been to Portland and have a favorite place, tell us in the comments. We love checking out new recommendations!