Remembering Maine's Biggest Dining Surprises of 2015

As is tradition at Eater, we close the year with a survey of food writers, bloggers, and industry experts. We posed eight questions, from meal of the year to top restaurant newcomers. All will be answered by the time we turn off the lights at the end of 2015. Responses have been cut, pasted, and largely unedited. Readers, please add your survey answers in the comments.

Q: What was the biggest dining surprise of 2015?

Kate McCarty, The Blueberry Files blog, Eater Maine contributor:
That Taco Escobarr serves good food again.

Emily Burnham, Bangor Daily News:
The breakfast sandwich at Tandem Bakery. I actually had a dream about it. I want to eat it right now, as I type this. It is the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had, and breakfast sandwiches are among my favorite foods.

Kathy Gunst, cookbook author:
That quality seemed to be go up higher than the prices.

Peggy Grodinsky, Portland Press Herald:
Tempo Dulu: ridiculously sophisticated. Food that made me think. Elegant, extravagant, gorgeous space. Plus it reminded me very happily of my best friend since childhood whose parents were Dutch Indonesians and used to have me over for rijsttafel when I was growing up.

Claire Jeffers, MaineToday:
The Marshmallow Cart is everything I never knew I always wanted.

John Golden, The Golden Dish blog:
Tempo Dulu.

Joe Ricchio, Dispatch magazine:
Pine Point Grille in Scarborough — so damn good.

Rob Schatz, Eating Portland Alive blog:
The Treehouse.

Karen Watterson, Maine magazine:
MK Kitchen in Gorham — so good!

Kathleen Pierce, Bangor Daily News:
There's a Plan B. As in Bangor and Biddeford. These second tier cities are getting serious and hungry for more restaurants.

Susan Axelrod, Portland Press Herald:
Trevin Hutchins' wild and crazy cocktails at Tempo Dulu — they are both over-the-top and delicious.

Paul Koenig, Old Port magazine:
The magic of The Black Birch's Scotch eggs.