Four Stars for Mainely Meat; Praise for JP's Bistro; More

Shonna Milliken Humphrey finds that the "strange blend of contemporary and country-casual" atmosphere goes well with the "unadorned" but "succulent" meat at Mainely Meat on Main in Ellsworth in her review for the Maine Sunday Telegram, giving the barbecue joint four out of five stars. "The chicken thigh, cooked well but in no way dry, had a pleasant exterior char, and I happily picked my way through the portion. Ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender, and the pulled pork equally so. Sausage tasted salty and spicy." [MST]

Portland Monthly writes about JP's Bistro, which "lights up a warm summer night with the intimate neighborhood Italian specialties that are mostly northern-Italian, but with a nod to chef John Paul Gagnon's own French heritage." The small restaurant, in Portland's Rosemont neighborhood, has a following of "diehard regulars" for good reason: "Another starter is a real showstopper. Four ricotta-stuffed ravioli, pan-fried and topped with braised short ribs and Gorgonzola, arrive swimming in a broth of piquant rib juice ($10). We find the texture of the pasta to be sturdy and the dish substantial." [PM]

The anonymous Eat and Run reviewer for the Press Herald gives In'Finiti Fermentation & Distillation four out of five stars for lunch. A first visit for takeout goes poorly, as a pizza takes 25 minutes despite the restaurant being "fairly empty," but a second dine-in visit offers redemption: "This time around I ordered the pretzel crusted chicken sandwich ($7) which came with avocado, tomato, arugula and aioli on a Kaiser roll. It was moist, tender and a bit on the sinful side. Therefore I loved it." [PPH]

In his review of Little Tap House for the Portland Phoenix, Brian Duff is pleased to find that the humbly named establishment seems "happy to do simple things very well." Prices are reasonable and the food traditional: "An entrée of roast chicken was juicy and herby, with a just-crisp skin. The accompanying mashed potatoes and snap peas were quite good, unmarred by a compulsion to jazz up their classic appeal." [PP]

John Golden chronicles some recent visits to Yarmouth's Royal River Grillhouse for his The Golden Dish blog on the Press Herald site. His experiences are overwhelmingly positive. Earning high praise are the double-thick pork chops: "These were as tender as tenderloin. What gave it such succulence was the brine of birch beer and spices like cumin and coriander that gave it not only flavor distinction but incredible texture and tenderness." [TGD]

Mainely Meat on Main. [Photo: Official Site]