About a month ago I had the pleasure of visiting Portland, Maine. It had been a while since I have spent any time in the downtown. Portland is a gem of a city. There is an eclectic vibe, as bars, restaurants, dives, diners, and shops all tumble on top of each other. The city has done a credible job retaining and repurposing many of the classic old buildings. From the Waterfront District all the way up the hill, there are classic buildings and inviting joints to venture into.
History has dealt Portland an interesting hand to play. The area was known as Casco when it was permanently settled in 1633 as a fishing village. In 1658 the area became known as Falmouth. As was the custom in New England, all the towns seem to be named after a city in England. Falmouth had a tough row to hoe, as it was destroyed by the Wampanoag in 1676. In 1690 the French, along with a group of Native Americans, destroyed the village. As if this wasn’t enough, the Royal Navy burned the village during the Revolutionary War in 1775. So much for having a village named after an English city. In 1786 a portion of Falmouth, called the Neck, became known as Portland. This was the site of the docks and where commerce was centered. The area was prosperous enough that Portland was the capital of Maine for a brief twelve years before the capital was moved to Augusta in 1832.
Fate continued to deal a tough hand to Portland as the city became the site of the northernmost battle fought during the Civil War. In 1866 the Great Fire of Portland destroyed the commercial district and left thousands homeless. To say the locals come from stout stock that can overcome adversity is an understatement.
A lot has changed since the formative years of Portland. Over the last 378 years Portland has transformed itself many times. Today the city is home to close to 70,000 residents and boasts a metro population of about 500,000 people. The charm of the city is apparent in the well-maintained buildings that crowd together in a very pedestrian-friendly city. The docks are still vibrant, and fishmongers still buy the local catch and ship it throughout the world. There are fabulous restaurants throughout the city that know what to do with the local fare. The Farmer’s Table, Duckfat, Vignola, and Fore Street are some of the finer places for a meal. There are excellent diners to visit which cater to the blue collar crowd. Becky’s Diner, Andy’s Old Port Pub, The Dogfish Café and Marcy’s are a few notable joints.
A couple of Carhartt compatriots and I chose to wander down Custom House Wharf to visit a quintessential hole in the wall joint recommended by Rick Fecowicz. Since opening in 1929 as a coffee house, The Porthole has been serving meals to locals that are as hearty as the people who belly up to the bar. As evidenced by the pictures, the place is off the beaten path. There is no parking lot to drive your SUV into. The alley parking is taken up by beat-up F-150s which exemplify what a pickup is meant to be.
Specials are written on the menu board, and you are either going to sit at the bar or at one of the many mismatched tables. We chose a table by a potbelly stove that had yet to be cranked up for the season. The ambience is that of the typical hash house, but the menu board told a different story. Crab Boursin and asparagus frittata for eleven bucks, scallops and bacon for ten bucks, and Nova Benedict for ten bucks. This is not your typical hash house. The breakfast menu is hearty. Corned beef hash with poached eggs, blueberry pancakes, lobster omelet, eggs Florentine, biscuits and sausage gravy, steak and eggs, Huevos rancheros, French toast, and so much more. The breakfast menu contains the expected and the totally unexpected. It was a pleasure to sip coffee and laugh out loud while reading the most eclectic menu I have seen in years.
I opted for the classic corned beef hash with poached eggs, toast and home fries. The corned beef hash was terrific. Nice pieces of corned beef with just the right amount of char. The home fries are a mixture of sweet potatoes and regular potatoes. A nice touch. We also sampled the pancakes and biscuits and gravy. All standard fare by which to judge a joint. They passed with flying colors. I look forward to another visit to The Porthole. I will opt for a special of the day for breakfast and try a lobster roll for lunch.
There is a great outdoor deck where you can experience the sights, sounds, and I am sure the smells of the waterfront of Portland. If you need an experience where you are coddled and hovered over, this is not the place for you. If you want to experience the local flavor of Portland and you want to see who gets up and works for a living, head over to The Porthole for a “wicked good” breakfast. This is a place that didn’t let a visit by Guy Fieri go to its head.
The Porthole
20 Custom House Wharf
Portland, Maine 04101
207-780-6533
Winter Hours: 7 days a week, 7:00AM – 2:00PM
Summer Hours: Monday – Saturday, 7:00AM – 10:00PM and Sunday, 8:00AM – 8:00PM
http://portholemaine.com/
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