Dining 'Well' Down On The Farm; Freedom In Food; More

The pleasures and idiosyncrasies of dining at The Well, the "rustic eatery on the grounds of Jordan's Farm in Cape Elizabeth" are fully vetted in Nancy Heiser's 3 1/2-star review for The Portland Press Herald. The Well's picnic tables, screened gazebos and chef Jason Williams' kitchen shed are set in the fields.

The focus here is on fresh and simple farm-to-fork cuisine served outdoors at the source. It's the rural aesthetic taken to its end point.

Orders are placed at a counter and delivered by "casually clad servers" and for the most part, Heiser finds Williams' food to be "very well-executed" in its simplicity.

Slices of supremely tasty grilled lamb, sourced locally from North Star Farm, centered a plate that included another impeccable and uncomplicated pairing of sides from the farm, wilted chard and caramelized onions. White basmati rice soaked up the sweet and savory jus ($25).

Prices, which are not "budget-friendly" are "suggested, not firm." Diners pay by putting money into a locked wooden box on the counter." No one counted our bills or even gave them much of a look," Heiser said.

Maine Magazine's Joe Ricchio doesn't hold back (not that he ever does) in his praise for Eventide in the September issue.

A staggering array of fresh oysters is only the beginning at Portland's newest seafood destination, which serves up traditional and modern fare as you have never experienced it before. Ricchio points out that while oysters and other raw seafood specialties are the focus of this "New England-style sushi bar," there are other options, "including the same pristine-quality charcuterie served at neighboring Hugo's," as well as cooked fish and seafood. Raw is the focus, though.

According to (co-owner Arlin) Smith, the restaurant's crudo dishes are almost as popular as the oysters, and standouts include a lightly cured arctic char served resting in a small pool of raw egg yolk, and topped with creme fraiche, piquant capers, and sweet, briny salmon roe. The dish is then garnished with "fried bagel."

It's the rare restaurant review that manages to tie in the war in Iraq, bongs and body jewelry, but that's exactly what Brian Duff of The Portland Phoenix does to establish a freedom theme in his review of Tandoor in Portland.

(Bongs and body jewelry) are pretty representative of our typical American uses of freedom — escapism and self-adornment. But around the corner at Tandoor, they have different habits: freedom as an opportunity for cheerful dedication to work at something you love.

Unusual metaphors notwithstanding, Duff enjoys the food at the small Iraqi restaurant where his meal is accompanied by the sounds of owner Audai Naser making the flatbread called tenur.

It is terrific bread — soft but chewy with a paper-thin layer of crispness, airy yet substantial. It forms the centerpiece of a menu that focuses on doing a few things very well.

From the blogs: Malcolm Bedell of From Away revisits his childhood for a review of The Slipway in Thomaston; The Blueberry Files breakfasts with Portland Food Map at Portland's only German restaurant, Schulte & Herr; and George Smith winds his way down the Pemaquid peninsula to find local favorite, Anchor Inn in Round Pond.

· The Well Has Fresh, Simple Food Outdoors At Its Source [PPH]
· Eventide Oyster Co. [MM]
· Tandoor's Full Menu Is Worth The Trip [PP]
· The Slipway [FA]
· Shulte & Herr Breakfast [TBF]
· Anchor Yourself At A Round Pond Restaurant [GS]

The Well at Jordan's Farm

21 Wells Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME