Bringing you all things tea Thanks for Buying Local! Purveyor of fine teas, treats, tea wares, accoutrements, books, linens–offered in an atmosphere of calm and eclectic beauty. Tea Tasting Class • Knowledgeable assistance. Available for speaking engagements. 5 Industry Road, Suite 1A, South Portland • (207)761-8041 • www.nelliestea.com The perfect spot to catch up with a friend over tea and a scone. The perfect spot to catch up with WEDS–FRI 10 am-5 pm SAT 10 am-3 pm Other times by appointment. 5 Depot Street, Freeport, Maine 207-865-0779 • www.freeportknife.com Fine cutlery, cookware and cooks’ tools, plus unique gifts to entertain and please the chef Hungry Eye 60 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine courtesy photo fé at the Regency is a nice place for a lunch date on a balmy day. And whenever you get a hankering for top-notch homey Ger- man food (and who doesn’t?) there’s no- where like Schulte & Herr for bratwurst and sauerkraut. As for sushi, no one does it better than Masa Miyake. But Benkay and Yosaku are damned good, too. As for Vietnamese, whether you’re Team Thanh Thanh or Team Saigon, it’s okay—they’re both great. U ltimately, I’m glad that most of my favorite places weren’t men- tioned. Let the crowds from Bos- ton and New York buy up all the baked goods at Tandem, throng the sidewalks of Washington Avenue, book seats at Drifter’s Wife and Little Giant months in advance, and follow Mr. Tuna wherever his truck goes. While the hordes demand vodka ton- ics and chili dogs at Ruski’s, I’ll have a qui- et rye and soda with loaded potato chips at Bramhall. Let them eat fried clams at Di- Millo’s—more twin lobster specials at the Porthole for the rest of us. I’m starting to feel a bit out of breath, and I’ve neglected to mention so many oth- er places. For a small city, Portland is ridic- ulously rich in restaurants that serve tru- ly good and beautiful food on a daily basis. And I do realize that, in arguing with the premise of Bon Appétit’s choices, I’ve just proved their point. Yes, this is a great restaurant city. The magic of Portland is that there is a restau- rant for every mood, budget, appetite, and aesthetic. My hat is off to the original chefs who made this town what it is, like Sam Hay- ward, Dana Street, Masa Miyake, and Steve Corry—the originators who paved the way for these ambitious young upstarts. Thanks to these brilliant trailblazers, there’s room for everyone. n KateChristensenistheauthorofsevennovels,includingThe GreatMan,whichwonthe2008PEN/FaulknerAwardfor fiction,and,mostrecently,TheLastCruise.Sheisalsothe authoroftwoculinary memoirs,BluePlateSpe- cialandHowtoCooka Moose,whichwonthe 2016MaineLiteraryAward forMemoir.Sheliveswith herhusbandanddogin Portland,Maine.