Hungrygals rides again. Yes, after a two year hiatus, Hungrygals has decided that we have been reneging on our duty to report out on what continues to be our favorite pastime: dining out in Portland, Maine! Hey, since the "gals" are still doing their part in sampling the many doggie bags that come their way - without complaint, I might add - the least we can do is share our experiences on the many culinary delights this little Northern corner of the world has to offer. So with that, we're off to review Miss Portland Diner!
Miss Portland Diner was an icon back in the day - nestled on Marginal Way on the edge of Bayside, the diner served hungry residents of Portland from all walks of life: early morning construction workers, commercial fisherman, hungry yuppies (ha! remember that term from the 80's!) looking for a cheap and hearty lunch. Sometime in the 90's, Miss Portland was up for sale, then offered up for auction and then finally disappeared from the foodie scene. Fortunately, a Mainer with a vision decided to resurrect Miss Portland, refurbished the structure, then delivered the iconic diner back to Marginal Way, not far from its original location.
On the day we visited, friendly waitress greeted us with a big smile and menus right away, a promising start to our late lunch. We ordered the open-faced Reuben sandwich and a pastrami on rye from the specials board. Since we both opted for the cole slaw (sandwiches come with a choice of chips or slaw; french fries, sweet potato fries, eggplant fries or onion rings can be added for an add'l charge), I was hankering for something different so I requested a side of sauteed mushrooms and onions.
After a reasonable wait, the sandwiches were delivered by a different waitress. The mushrooms and onions were nowhere to be seen. I inquired about them and was assured they'd be "right up". The open-faced Reuben was gorgeous in its presentation: a heaping serving of corned beef and saurkraut nestled under a substantial blanket of melted cheese. Delicious! The pastrami, while not as plentiful with meat, was also yummy. This sandwich came on toasted dark rye; the lean pastrami and swiss warm and tasty between thick slices of bread. The cole slaw was creamy, and not overloaded with mayo. Unfortunately, despite our first waitress also stopping by and assuring me the side dish of mushrooms and onions were almost ready, they didn't arrive until we were almost done with our lunch. Most of them ended up in the doggie bag along with the leftover pastrami and corned beef for the gals.
Bottom line: friendly service, good comfort food at very economical prices (total bill minus tip was $22) and a bustling diner atmosphere. Even though the side dish was a miss from a timing perspective, we give the Miss Portland Diner an overall two thumbs up for food and service. The gals, who enjoyed their pastrami and corned beef later that day, didn't mind waiting for their portion. Two paws up!
After a reasonable wait, the sandwiches were delivered by a different waitress. The mushrooms and onions were nowhere to be seen. I inquired about them and was assured they'd be "right up". The open-faced Reuben was gorgeous in its presentation: a heaping serving of corned beef and saurkraut nestled under a substantial blanket of melted cheese. Delicious! The pastrami, while not as plentiful with meat, was also yummy. This sandwich came on toasted dark rye; the lean pastrami and swiss warm and tasty between thick slices of bread. The cole slaw was creamy, and not overloaded with mayo. Unfortunately, despite our first waitress also stopping by and assuring me the side dish of mushrooms and onions were almost ready, they didn't arrive until we were almost done with our lunch. Most of them ended up in the doggie bag along with the leftover pastrami and corned beef for the gals.
Bottom line: friendly service, good comfort food at very economical prices (total bill minus tip was $22) and a bustling diner atmosphere. Even though the side dish was a miss from a timing perspective, we give the Miss Portland Diner an overall two thumbs up for food and service. The gals, who enjoyed their pastrami and corned beef later that day, didn't mind waiting for their portion. Two paws up!
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