3 1/2 Stars For 45 North; The Armory A 'Best Kept Secret'

45 North is a welcome addition to the "heretofore less-than-stellar mix" at Sugarloaf Mountain Resort and in the entire area, writes Nancy Heiser in The Portland Press Herald. The revamp of the former Double Diamond restaurant has "changed the character of that traditional dining room (with traditional menu to match) into something contemporary and jazzy, yet warm and welcoming." She didn't warm to iPad wine list and faulted "minor details" in some of the dishes. But enough wows to merit 3 1/2 stars. "This is the up-to-date culinary spot on the mountain that many visitors and locals willing to spend a little money have been waiting for."

Post-blizzard, John Golden of The Portland Press Herald's The Golden Dish blog winds up at The Armory, the subterranean lounge at The Portland Regency Hotel. He sneers at the look of the place:

I mean what a cliché of interior décor sporting painted books on wallpaper, wood paneling and discounted wall sconces so much like a cheap version of city sophistication? To me it felt like Methuselah's world of darkness.

But the food is another story, making the Armory "one of Portland's best kept restaurant secrets." An appetizer of scallops Veronique is "a divine concoction" and "the tallest burger in Portland" is "perfection." For dessert: "Dark and Stormy was delicious rum ganache cake with ginger rum sauce, lime confit and ginger ice cream. Fabulous."

· Enjoy A Perfect Mix Of Latitude And Attitude At 45 North [PPH]
· The Armory: Steadily Fine Fare [TGD]