A foodie overnight visit to Portland ME

This post was rather difficult for me to write. In June we had a lovely little getaway with Porscha and my parents. Unfortunately, an experience we had at lunch stayed with me for the rest of the weekend and still causes me sadness. Portland Maine is a wonderful city, filled with sights, restaurants, hotels, and good people. We will definitely visit again and still recommend it to you.

Early Saturday morning we loaded up our car and headed north. Fred doesn't travel so easily these days so we usually stop in Kittery Maine for a break. Starbucks provided the coffee and matcha lemonade while When Pigs Fly Bakery​ provided us with bread for breakfast.

Once we arrived in Portland we met my parents at Portland Head Lighthouse. We enjoyed a beautiful summer day looking at the lighthouse, the ocean, and strolling on a few different paths.  ​

We checked into the Hilton Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront. Only one of our 2 rooms was ready but that was fine. We booked a king bed room for my parents and a double queen room for us and Porscha. We brought up our luggage and settled in Fred. My mother and Fred were hot and tired so they decided to relax at the hotel while we went out for a drink and some lunch. 

Vena's Fizz House is a gem! The staff, store selections, and beverages are all wonderful. The 4 of us sat at a hightop and ordered a mixture of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. We did order a snack but the staff forgot about (we were probably better off without it anyway).  ​

For lunch, we popped into Mami. I first tried their food at Lamb Jamb in Boston and loved their bold take on cuisine. 

When you enter the restaurant you order at the counter, then find a table,  and the staff brings the food to you. I don't know if they are being financially efficient or if it was a tough day, but while there I noticed the one woman working (ringing up orders, getting drinks, delivering food, and cleaning tables) . Throughout our visit she look frazzled and this played into our difficult situation later on.

We ordered onigiri, takoyaki, karaage, kobayashi dog, shishito peppers, steamed buns, and the oyakadon.

Everything was cooked perfectly, seasoned nicely, and was a delight to eat. It's a combination of street, comfort, and modern food that is delicious.

Unfortunately, the woman working came over to our table to clean up. When my father commented that he loved the oyakadon she commented back that it was her husbands favorite. My dad replied that she should make it some time for him. The employee then said, "yup it's the woman's job to do all the cooking and cleaning right." My father's intention wasn't that she was a woman but that she works at the restaurant and so maybe should know the recipe. Little did she know that my 73-year-old father loves to cook, buys tons of cookbooks, does all of the cooking and most of the cleaning for my mother and the rest of his family. 

I kept my mouth shut inside the restaurant because I didn't want to embarrass my father further nor disrupt other patrons experiences but this left a horrible taste in my mouth. I wrote to Mami on Instagram and the response I received was very apologetic and understanding, however, I can't return to their restaurant. With that said I love their food and encourage others to visit them and experience their unique flavors.  

We ended up bringing lunch back to the hotel for my mother and all hung out together for a little while. Once the weather cooled down we went shopping and enjoyed a nice stroll through the city. Back at the hotel, we weren't able to sit in the bar area with Fred but the wonderful bartender said he would bring us drinks into the lobby area (where Fred was allowed to be). The front desk staff also offered to turn on the fireplace for us to enhance the ambiance. A Shirley Temple for Porscha, wine for my mother, and Manhattans for the rest of us were all perfectly made. 

For dinner, we opted to order food to go and watch a movie together. My dad and Greg walked up to The Thirsty Pig to pick up the order we called in. My favorite items from the Thirsty Pig are Matt's BBQ Banh Mi, Icelandic Hot Dog, and the Potato Salad. For a casual, balanced, and delicious hot dog or sausage definitely try The Thirsty Pig.  ​

The next morning we woke up early and walked around Portland and enjoyed the quiet. For breakfast, my parents popped over to Standard Baking Co but we headed to The Holy Donut (yay vegan donuts). Porscha is also obsessed with cannoli's so of course, she loves the holy donut's cannoli donut!

After checking out of the hotel we headed back to Kittery Maine. We stopped into When Pigs Fly Bakery once more for a loaf of sliced sourdough bread to enjoy during the week. Luckily, traffic was light and we made it the rest of the way home easily.  ​