A Good Year For The Osprey; Emilitsa Has 'No Oomph'

Like many a May to October restaurant, The Osprey, on Georgetown Island's Robinhood Cove, has had good seasons and bad. This is a good one, according to The Portland Press Herald's Shonna Milliken Humphrey, whose four-star review does not name the new chef, but applauds him or her for a revised menu that "shows a subtle and thoughtful hand." Humphrey doesn't like a skimpy, mayonnaise-y lobster roll, but more creative dishes - including a salmon BLT - merit much praise.

The high-quality, impossibly lean smoked bacon and tender salmon filet might be expected, but the expertly fried green tomatoes (if I closed my eyes, these tasted straight off a Southern table) and the tangy lemon aoli were not. The bacon, tangy green tomato with a crispy coating, smooth salmon and citrus aoli all combined to make a sandwich experience worth remembering.

John Golden of DownEast hypes Emilitsa as "Portland's only worthwhile Greek restaurant" but explains his rare visits with this: "The food is delicious, and the service is gracious and welcoming. Beyond that the place—for me—has no jushe, or in plain English, no oomph!" His review goes on to describe the delicious food: day boat scallops in a tomato-ouzo cream sauce with feta; "surprisingly buttery and soft" grilled octopus; lamb chops "about the best in town"; and a couple of fish dishes. Golden's only other complaint was about the narrow space, which with waiters continually walking by between the kitchen and dining room, "was like sitting ringside at a parade without escape."

The scene at Portland's Public Market House is getting more interesting, with several new eateries joining the mix recently. One of them is La Cocina Dominicana, which got a 3 1/2-star review in PPH's "Eat and Run" feature. The spaghetti con pollo was pronounced "muy deliciosa,"

The chicken was fall-off-the bone good, and although I'm not entirely sure what the brown sauce was covering it and the spaghetti -- it was plenty flavorful without being overpowering.

· The Osprey Gives Coastal Summer Dining A Creative Edge [PPH]
· Emilitsa: An Indulgence Revisited [TGD]
· La Cucina Dominicana, Portland [PPH]