Betwixt and between and not sure where to go for dinner, I chose an old favorite for dinner the other night. It’s nearly a household name to many Portlanders. So we found ourselves, on a Friday night, calling up Back Bay Grill for a reservation. I was certain they’d be booked--and they were.

But they suggested that we eat at the bar and reserved two spots for us. I haven’t been there in a long while.

Perhaps it’s a lame excuse, but I don’t frequent Back Bay in the summer because their air conditioning system is nearly antediluvian. Understandably installing a hi-tech cooling system into the labyrinth of some of these old Portland structures is a task. As with all renovations, all it takes is money.

But Friday was an unusually cool night. And the ambient temperature at the restaurant was perfectly comfortable. From what I gather, their lack of an adequate cooling system has not kept people away this summer. The other night, the place was packed, filled with regulars and tourists alike.

Cinque Terre has hit its stride flawlessly into the network of Portland’s dining scene. I’ve been there three times in as many weeks and have enjoyed every meal there immensely.

It has settled into being both a restaurant for Portlanders to enjoy as well as a fine destination for visitors.

I was there last night to witness a well run establishment that
treats its regular patrons well and offers equally gracious service to newcomers.

But the important message is that the kitchen is capable of serving up some really fine fare under the guidance of Chef Lee Skawinski. This establishment is certainly the best—and only—source for exquisite Northern Italian fare in Portland, if not the entire state of Maine.

As I watched the staff in the open kitchen, they seemed to work perfectly in unison. The pacing of courses, the attentive service and the very attractive atmosphere all add up to a model for other area restaurants to emulate.

Besides the marvelous food—no easy feat to find these days in a wide world of mediocre restaurants—the place is fun, with a refreshing, insouciant style

The hallmark of Northern Italian cookery is the simplicity of flavors--clear and precise combinations that are a delight. Sauces are not heavy or obtuse. That’s what you’ll find here.

Good and sometimes great dining options are so readily available in Maine that you can really travel throughout the state and eat very well.

At least that’s been my experience so far. Granted I hardly ever go to the inland towns--though a friend of mine vows that Millinocket has a great restaurant downtown.

But the coast is what I know best. Just this week I was on Mt. Desert and had some wonderful meals and also happened upon great food finds.

The first was at Havana in Bar Harbor. That establishment has been there for a number of years and has a big following. The fare has a prominent Latin twist, borrowing from Cuban and South American cuisines. I had a great dinner there the other night. It began with coconut shrimp followed by a beef fillet with a crust of Cuban coffee and black pepper that was utterly succulent.

Another happy discovery was in Southwest Harbor, the restaurant XYZ, which was reviewed in this month’s issue of Maine Boats and Harbors. The restaurant is so named for the Mexican states Xalapa, Yucatan and Zacatecas.

Every so often one encounters a restaurant that is so good that the notion of going anywhere else other than to assuage the need for variety seems senseless.

That’s how I feel about Primo in Rockland. It belongs to that special class of American dining where the expectation of a fabulous meal reaches legendary status.

I’ve gone there on numerous occasions over the years without ever being disappointed. Each time the experience was exciting. The fare is sophisticated yet straightforward with subtle nuances that make it so special.

The kitchen heeds the principles of inventive Mediterranean cooking, offering up bold flavors with the freshest ingredients, much of which comes from their own gardens. Meats, fish and poultry all come from local purveyors who offer high quality, often organically grown items.

If there’s any blight on this near perfect gastronomic landscape it’s this: Getting in to Primo is not easy. Reservations need to be made weeks if not months in advance. And when one of their reservationists responds to your request for a table at a normal dining hour, don’t be surprised to hear that common refrain
“…Five-thirty or nine-thirty is available.”