You talk about this restaurant like it's been around for a long time.

And you seem to think that a restaurant's success is somehow correlated to it's quality.

Better restaurants in Portland have closed over the years, and I think it's too soon to say tha this one will succeed. Heck, Aubergine was a GREAT restaurant in that same exact space and didn't make it. What does that tell you?

I don't think 555 has even matched Aubergine's longevity yet.

P.S. When will you go someplace NEW??

The descriptions here are superb. If I hadn't just finished a late breakfast, I'd be hungry for lunch already.

Do you know if they serve dessert only? My husband and I were trying to think of a place close to the movies to have dessert last weekend. 555 would be the perfect option next time if they'll seat us.

~Jes

I'd say that it's rather easy for a restaurant's success to be tied to its quality. Other than junk food places, junk doesn't win out unless it's for junk sake.

I wrote about it, though not for the first time, because it was new and fresh to me, having not been there for a while and wanted to pass on my good experiences. I'm so sorry if I wasn't up to your standards, whatever dubious level they might be. Perhaps it would be best to comment on my comments rather than pick bones up off the floor for the sake of spewing...

You didn't like Aubergine?

Quality is part of success, but it certainly doesn't ensure it.

And thank you for apologizing, that's refreshing.

Jes -

I've found that most restaurants in town are strangely averse to dessert-only dining. We've gone in to a couple places and said we just wanted to get dessert and maybe a glass of wine. They look at you kind of funny and then usually seat you at the bar, even though we usually try to go later (9pm) if we're just getting dessert and the rooms are usually starting to empty by that point.

On a side note, did anyone read the "readers comments" under N.L. English's column this last Sunday? Apparantly she dissed Katahdin a couple weeks ago (I was out of town that weekend), but one person wrote that they were tired of English "tearing apart every good restaurant" in her reviews. I almost couldn't stop laughing as it seems to me that almost any restaurant in the history of the Taste & Tell column has gotten a free pass, and nary a genuinely harsh word is ever spoken.

Just imagine the outrage if John's Cole Farms review had hit the Sunday Telegram!!! Ha!!

David's always seems accomodating to me for a late night dessert and wine/cocktail.

Jill, I hear you. We were actually turned away from Walter's once when we said we wanted dessert. It was later in the evening, the restaurant was not full, and I was shocked. All I could think was we should have said nothing, looked at the menu, then just said, "Actually, I think I'll just have dessert and coffee."

I hate being punished for being honest.

I wouldn't mind sitting at the bar, and I understand that waitstaff don't want dessert-only people taking up tables that could feed a dinner party.

But if you can't spare a two-top at 9:15, then I won't be back for dinner anytime soon.

Are there any restauranteurs who can chime in and explain this aversion?

~Jesilu

What we need therefore is a good old-fashioned cafe, where service of demi tasse and pastry is the norm. Arabica should beef up its pastry menu and other coffee houses, too.

Oh Lord, if Arabica would serve a variety of desserts and be open on the weekend (normal waking hours, that is), I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Please, John, can you lean on them?!

~Jes

We could use a place like Serendipity III on the east side of Manhattan, only less hyped and pretentious. A place where a couple or a family could go on a cold Saturday night in January and a huge, fancy hot chocolate and a slice of pie or cake. Oh and what about a crepe shop! A really good crepe shop, serving both savory and sweet crepes! Man I could spend many a winter's night with a sweet crepe and a hot cocoa...

Owners and managers have specific goals they need to reach. If they think they can sell two seats apps, entrees, dessert and drinks,($40-80 per person in many restaurants) they would much prefer this over just desserts and coffee (maybe drinks)totalling less than $20 per person. The average check for the seat is much higher in the case of a full meal and there is only so much time in one evening to sell that seat, maybe 2 or 3 times max per night and mostly likely only twice in your better restaurants as people tend to spend a much longer time eating. On the other hand, giving up revenue in the hopes of more can be foolish as well. "Bird in the hand...".

Developing a dessert restaurant is something I have been contemplating for a while. With real estate so high, there may not be enough business generated to keep it going successfully. I continue to develop this plan however.

I can completely understand that a restaurant would rather serve a meal than just a dessert, which is why I would never go into a busy restaurant at 7pm and just get dessert. However, if it's 9pm and the place is half empty, I don't see the harm in letting someone linger over a dessert and a cappucino at a table.

Actually all this dessert talk has got me thinking about stopping at Duckfat after work. I could go for a sweet panini and a french press coffee. Actually, if Duckfat added one or two more sweet items to their menu and stayed open an hour later, it would kind of fit my mold of a good dessert restaurant.

fyi, the link at the top of the article is wrong; it should be to "fivefifty-five.com" (rather "than five-fiftyfive.com").

I completely agree with your review of 555. It is terrific! We went there a few weeks ago for a fabulous meal to celebrate my birthday. I had a divine pork entree, served with tamale, pazole, and spinach. It was the most imaginative preparation of pork I've had in a long time. My starter was a delicious salad featuring local heirloom tomatoes. We completed our meal with some cheese that was accompanied by honey comb - surprisingly perfect combination. We had been there once before, a long time ago, but had forgotten about it. Your praise of the restaurant was what got us back there and we'll return again soon. Thank you for reminding us about this wonderful gem that is in such a forgetful location.

mmmmm, crepes and hot cocoa.

A good crepe is so easy to make and yet not easy to find. How is this possible in our French-influenced State O Maine?

Restauranteur -- please keep us posted!

~Jes

I go to Uffa! all the time for dessert.

You can have dessert or wine and cheese and they don't stick you at the bar. They had an ad in the Metro all summer promoting dessert tables. Plus their chocolate is sooooooooo good!!!!
They have crepes too.

OK, I have contemplated starting a crepe restaurant before. I make a damn good crepe, if I do say so myself. Now I have a reason to!

BTW, if you're ever in Northampton, Mass., there's a great crepe place called Cafe Casablanca.

And also BTW: Anyone here interested in getting together for dinner one night to eat, drink and be merry? A meeting of the foodies?

Anyone?

Gee Colleen, sounds like a good idea, though sort of strangers on a train, don't you think?

I like to eat and drink.

~Jes

LOL. My review of Colleen's post made me rethink my reply.

I did not intentionally leave out "be merry."

I like to do that, too.

~Jes

Can we name this foodie club?

Golden's Grub Club?

hi- i would just like to say that we both welcome and encourage people coming to the restaurant just for desserts! we actually have quite a few people who do that, especially with our pastry chef. it really should not matter what you intend to order, a customer is a customer and should be treated with equal respect and graciousness whether they spend $100 or $10! By the way John- you were a VERY GOOD sport about your table the other night, i am just glad we were able to get you more comfortable!!! thanks, michelle corry-five fifty-five

I'd be game for a night of food...

OK, wanna throw out dates and a place?

I'm generally good for any weeknight except Wednesdays, because I have to get up at an ungodly hour on Thursdays.

I for one would prefer to go somewhere kind of affordable. A good BBQ joint or something like that maybe? One of the many new ethnic places? Is Portland the most logical location?

Ain't nothing wrong with strangers on a train, John. I used to do this all the time with people I knew through blogs and forums at my old site. Always good to put faces with names!

Can we get hammered? Once hammered, can we then tell you how good you smell?

If I have to ask, does that mean I'm not invited?

Brett Weir -- will you make it?

Hammered? If you're not driving and don't have a tendency to get violent, start hugging inappropriately, disrobe or anything weird like that, then it's your dime and headache, I guess.

Comments about me smelling good are always welcome unless you're a scary man in Hannaford. Or a scary man (heck, and a scary woman) anywhere, really.

how about Honey's place?