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Sunday, March 9, 2003
2003 READERS' POLL RESULTS Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | |||
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DISHIN' IT OUT: GET THIS PARTY STARTED: GET OUT AND PLAY: ONES TO WATCH : Maine's Best Restaurant Fore Street, with its wood-fired grill specialties and cozy location across from the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal, has won this category the past few years. Nothing against Olive Garden, but hey, voters, it's a national chain! That said, people on the lookout for good local restaurants can check out some of the people's choices from past polls, such as Street & Company or Walter's. Both are in Portland. Most Romantic Restaurant If you get a seat with a view of the harbor and the twinkling lights of South Portland, it's hard to beat the atmosphere at DiMillo's. This is a floating restaurant docked in a marina on Commercial Street. Roma, on Congress Street, is a dimly lit hideaway that caters to diners, and places high on our survey every year. Best Meal Under $10 Granny's is a true local treasure. For about five bucks, you can get a meal-sized burrito crammed with your choice of two kinds of beans, Jamaican jerk chicken, mango, rice and fresh veggies. The tortillas are flavored with basil, cilantro or other herbs. It's in the middle of the Old Port, on Fore Street. Wendy's, on the other hand, is everywhere. Tastiest Fried Clams Aye, ol' Cap'n Newick knows what he's doing. The venerable fried fish joint on Broadway is big and busy. Still, its seafood lands high on our poll each year. The Village Inn has been gaining votes in our poll for the last four or five years, so it's worth checking out. Best Clam Chowder Ever see that TV commercial for Tim Horton's where the guy makes a joke, something like this: "Yesterday for lunch I had a bowl of chicken stew, then I ate the bowl. Ha ha." But it's not that funny, since Gilbert's has been serving its thick-as-molasses chowders in bread bowls for years. Seafood, clam and fish are the staple chowders. The Commercial Street eatery also has a deck with a view of the Casco Bay Lines boats and the back of Custom House Wharf. The Best Lobster Roll The Lobster Shack, near two lighthouses and the appropriately named Two Lights State Park, is worth a trip for the dramatic view and crashing surf. The picnic tables are steps from the rocky coast. But the lobster roll gets kudos as well, for its big chunks of lobster, with only a dollop of mayonnaise. Best Chinese Restaurant Imperial China, tucked away in the Ames plaza across from the Maine Mall, also places high on several New England polls of Chinese restaurants. Unlike some of the newer Chinese places in the area, it's not a buffet, just a friendly sit-down place that is known for its good food. Wok Inn always gets high grades from foodies as a great place for fast Chinese take-out. Most Kid-Friendly Restaurant As I slap myself gently against the side of my head, I say, "Most kid-friendly restaurant Friendly's, of course." Though I never saw the connection before, there's no way a kid wouldn't love the fun finger foods and scrumptious sundaes with Oreo cookies or Reese's Pieces. Best Vegetarian Restaurant I actually had some great Middle-Eastern meatballs made of lamb and spices at Pepper Club, so meat-eaters and vegetarians can dine harmoniously there. It's the kind of place where you don't know the meatless dishes are meatless, because of the tasty spices. On any given night the cuisine can range from Indian to Mediterranean and Caribbean. O'Naturals is known as a healthy fast-food place, and is planning to open a second location this spring on Exchange Street. Best Take-Out Amato's regular Maine Italian, for about $2, is an incredible deal. The veggies taste fresh, the roll is soft and doughy, and you're in and out in five minutes. Plus, the Italian they specialize in (boiled ham, American cheese, veggies and oil on a soft roll) only can be found in Maine. So enjoy it while you can. Most Creative Burgers There are often 19 or 20 kinds of burgers on the menu at The Great Lost Bear, a fun and funky eatery on Forest Avenue. Whether you like blue cheese or a basic American ''cheese'' cheeseburger, you're covered. And the restaurant serves at least that many kinds of beer to go with the burgers. Second place went to another national chain. I think of all the people who voted who truly believe national chains are better than the great local eateries in Maine and I feel sad, truly sad, for them. Best Maine Italian Sandwich Amato's didn't simply win this category, the takeout place invented it. The Amato family bakery near Portland's waterfront started serving what is now known as a Maine Italian shortly after the turn of the century. While most of our categories are fractioned into much smaller vote totals, say 100 or so for a win, Amato's has a whopping 1,057. So in a sense, it won a mandate to continue the sandwich legacy. Best Cup of Coffee OK, so Dunkin' Donuts is a big chain. But it's as New England as you can get. People use their local Dunkin' Donuts as a landmark in giving directions. And the joe is pure, honest, coffee in a confusing world of lattes and cocoa-chinos. Starbucks, while offering fancier fare, does have much nicer seating than Dunkin' Donuts, what with the leather couches and all. Best Bakery Both are local, both have wonderful baked goods. Foley's, on Congress Street, has dramatic, mousse-stuffed, lemon-infused cakes and pastries. It has the kinds of goodies you buy to impress your gourmet friends down at the club. But if you are looking for yummy chocolate-chip cookies as big as a stop sign, Big Sky Bread Co., near Woodfords Corner and at the Public Market, is a great place to go. Freshest Produce I guess it's true, Hannaford never does stop surprising us! Didn't expect to see the state's two biggest supermarket chains on the "freshest" list, but it's certainly a good sign. Both advertise the fact that they buy from local farmers, another good sign. Best Pizza Every year Ricetta's wins this category, and deservedly so. The wood-fired ovens produce heavenly crust, light and airy. The mozzarella always tastes fresh, and the sauce is a very light red. More like North End of Boston sauce than the Ragu-like sauce at most pizza joints. And the list of toppings is endless. Make mine fresh basil, roasted red peppers and caramelized onions! Mmmm. Best Restaurant for Out-of-Town Guests It's a safe bet that someone coming from out of town doesn't eat on a floating restaurant very often. So DiMillo's certainly stands out. The Great Lost Bear has one of the area's widest variety of beers, an innovative menu, and a fun atmosphere. The Ultimate Martini1. Una Wine Bar and Lounge, Portland - 208 2. Margaritas, Portland - 80 3. Applebee's - 18 4. Top of the East, Eastland Park Hotel, Portland - 15 3. DiMillo's, Portland - 13 When Una opened on the edge of the Old Port a few years ago, some thought it was too hip, too trendy, to make it in Portland. But Una serves a great martini in several varieties with some high-quality appetizers as well. It's actually a very comfortable, and hip, alternative to the standard Old Port bar. Best Free Food at Happy Hour Margaritas, with two Portland locations, has incredible plates of nachos at happy hour. One could make a meal off the six-inch high pile of beef, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, etc. The chips are under there somewhere. It's a hopping place, especially the one on Brown Street near the Cumberland County Civic Center, so get there early. Best Bar Gritty McDuff's was one of Portland's first microbrew pubs more than a decade ago. It still makes great beer (try the Best Bitter) and has top-notch English pub-type food like shepherd's pie. Most Likely Place to See Someone Famous Best Place to Hear Live Music Nice to see the Big Easy atop this list. The cozy Market Street club has specialized in blues for years, but is now expanding to include more local rock acts as well. When Tony Boffa, Big Chief, or some other local big band plays, the Big Easy swings. The Merrill of course is a top-notch concert hall, fit for symphonies and the like, and draws rave reviews from musicians who play there. Best Dance Club The Pavilion, on Middle Street, feels a little more like a big-city club than most around here. The Asylum, is adding a couple of dance nights this year to its regular Saturday dance night. And Asylum also has a sports bar in its complex, so you can catch a game between dances. Best Brewery This is one of those win-win categories. Maine is blessed with an incredibly vibrant and high-quality brew scene. Brewing magazines say only Alaska and Vermont have more microbrews per capita, thanks to their small populations. Best Place to Celebrate Kids' Birthdays Chuck E. Cheese is the new kid on the block. The chain opened its first Greater Portland location at the Maine Mall recently, and it's already a hit with kids. Joker's, on Warren Avenue, also has an outdoor mini-golf course, besides all the standard indoor arcade games. Best Place to Propose Cape Elizabeth seems to have a stranglehold on the good proposal spots. So keep this in mind, ladies, if your boyfriend starts driving toward Cape Elizabeth for no apparent reason, he might be ready to pop the question. Or he might be in the mood for fried clams at The Lobster Shack. Best Place to Hang Out With Friends Last year, the Maine Mall and the Old Port beat out Margaritas Mexican Restaurant. But with Mexican food, fun decor and a hopping after-work scene, Margaritas has taken over the category this year. Best Place to Break Up In this new category, the Maine Mall wins by a nose. Maybe it's because there are so many stores to hide in, or so many possible diversions. "Honey, the Gap's fall line is in. ... wow, there's a Pottery Barn here. ... I can smell Arby's. ... I'm not sure this is working out." Best Maine Band Even though they played their final show as a band last May, Rustic Overtones still tops our survey. The Don Campbell Band, a country band trying hard to make it nationally, is worth listening to even if you think you don't like country. Best Movie Theater Hoyts is the largest chain in Maine, so no matter where you live, it's probably the theater showing most of the Hollywood blockbusters. Cinemagic is one of the area's newest first-run theaters, with stadium seating. Most Inviting Place to Ice Skate Kudos to the Portland parks people for doing an admirable job this year keeping Deering Oaks in fairly good skating shape, weather permitting. This place is so picturesque, it was used in the skating scenes of the Whitney Houston flick, ''The Preacher's Wife.'' Family Ice is good because the outdoor rink is man-made, refrigerated, and always in good shape. But there is an admission fee. Most Exciting Sledding Hill Where else but in recreation-minded Maine would state officials build a prison near a sledding hill? Payson Park, on the Back Cove, has a nice view of Portland but no armed guards. Most Picturesque Picnic Spot These were also the winners in the best proposal spot category. The ocean views are the best in Greater Portland at both spots. Fort Williams has lots of grassy areas for the kids to run around, hit the old baseball, etc. Best Beach to Escape the Crowds Ferry Beach is a good place to escape because it's not on the way to anywhere. You have to take Route 207, which dead-ends at exclusive Prout's Neck. And the turnoff for the beach looks like a little residential road, so it's hard to spot. Still, the soft white sand and scarcity of people is worth making it your destination. Best Spot for a Swim 6. Higgins Beach, Scarborough - 36 If you're not lucky enough to own a home on Sebago Lake, Sebago Lake State Park is a nice, big public beach on the lake. Old Orchard Beach can get a little crowded, but one can usually find open beach if one is willing to walk a few minutes. Favorite Day Trip Boothbay is especially nice in the off-season, when you can appreciate the natural beauty of the area without fighting crowds. Bar Harbor is a bike ride away from Acadia National Park, so there's plenty to keep you busy for more than a day. Best Round of Golf Few states offer golf courses in such scenic surroundings. Sugarloaf's course is in the wild mountains of ski country, while Purpoodock is near some of the prettiest coast in southern Maine. Most Imaginative Kids Playground The Maze Craze, behind the Plummer-Motz School on Route 9, wins every year. It's a very cool wooden playscape with castle overtones. Joker's has lots of stuff to play on indoors, perfect for rainy days. The Must-See Place to Bring Visitors People who live in Cape Elizabeth don't have to go very far to show their visitors the best of Greater Portland's coastal scenery. Portland Head Light is cool to see, and since it's on calendars, cards and brochures around the country, it might be the most recognizable lighthouse in the country. Best "Pick Your Own" Produce Spot Voters weren't very specific with the farmers' markets, partly because there are so many. Maxwell's is a popular spot in the Portland area, especially during strawberry season. Best Workout Club/Gym/Health Club Gold's has a loyal following, who swear by the equipment and staff there. The Bay Club has a little more star power. On at least three occasions Bruce Springsteen has been seen working out there while he was in town mastering an album at Gateway Mastering Studio. Best Downhill Skiing These are two of the best-known ski resorts in New England, not just Maine. Both have plenty of lodging, dining and entertainment to go with the well-groomed slopes. Best Snowboarding It makes sense that the places with the best skiing also have the best snowboarding. Best Skateboarding Before the skate park on Marginal Way was built a few years ago, some youngsters said it wasn't cool to skate and skateboard on man-made ramps. You needed to go down concrete steps and on iron hand-rails to be cool. Apparently there are lots of kids who feel otherwise, and the park is usually jammed with activity in nice weather. Best TV Hair1. Shannon Moss, WCSH (Channel 6) - 385 2. Cindy Williams, WCSH (Channel 6) - 197 3. Kim Block, WGME (Channel 13) - 158 4. Sharon Rose, WCSH (Channel 6) - 44 5. Lee Nelson, WCSH (Channel 6) - 27 This was just a matter of time. Moss' untamed, super-curly locks are unmatched in TV news. Think Shirley Temple as news anchor. But before this year, Moss was mostly a reporter and wasn't seen as much. Now that she's anchoring every night, she's getting the recognition she deserves. Best TV News Anchor Longevity pays. Block has been on WGME since 1980 and Williams has been on WCSH since 1989. In other markets TV anchors come and go, but nobody ever wants to leave Maine. Most Accurate TV Weathercaster Besides being on TV, Santoro is heard daily on the stations of Maine Public Radio, which may have helped him get more votes. Joe Cupo may have gotten less votes, but his station's news gets higher ratings. Most Knowledgeable TV Sports Anchor Very close here. Both of these guys are big fans, but both know their stuff. It's not always easy to see that during a 5-minute sports report. Outstanding Radio Personality or Radio Team Ivy and Persky win again, followed by Tim Wright and Liz Seidel. Wright has had several partners over the years, but always comes out high on our survey. Best Maine Politician Collins wins this after one full term in office. Angus King left office in January but still he's only six votes shy of Collins. Not bad. Best Maine Athlete It's good to see Mainers don't take Samuelson for granted, because her accomplishments are amazing. She won the Boston Marathon twice and won the first-ever women's Olympic marathon, in 1984. Sports Illustrated placed her at No. 20 on its Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century list. Best-Dressed Public Figure (Male) Chitwood has to dress well because of all the press conferences he gives. (Just kidding, Mike.) King was always well-dressed, but now that he's embarked on a cross-country RV trip with his wife and kids, sweats and fleece are probably the wardrobe of choice. Best-Dressed Public Figure (Female) Both women reflect the quintessential Maine style. They dress well, but nothing fancy. Maine Celebrity You Most Want to Meet This is pretty heady company for Bob Marley, No. 2 behind Stephen King. The thing about Marley is, you probably have met him and don't even know it. He's a fairly unassuming, mild-mannered boy-next-door type. Or at least he is when he's not on stage screaming about pork and beans or 3 a.m. trips to L.L. Bean. Best Deejay The Captain & Mark is the on-air moniker for the team of Mark Persky and Herb Ivy at classic rock station WBLM. So their combined numbers blow the competition away.
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