Street and Co. (Portland, ME)

Am I the only one that hates going to a restaurant that doesn’t offer reservations?  If a restaurant doesn’t offer reservations, there’s a high chance that I won’t be in a rush to get there.  I hate waiting in lines, and to wait a few hours for food that may not be good, would be a huge disappointment.  Fortunately, Street and Co. offers reservations, but they fill up faster than you can blink.  So, what’s next?  Choose another restaurant?  Absolutely not.  There management apparently thought this through and gives 1/3 of their restaurant to individuals who couldn’t make a reservation and allows them to “walk-in”.  Genius.  Oscar Worthy.  Noble Worthy.  Common Sense.

Street and Co., which is located off of Wharf St. gives off a simple, yet upscale preparation of local fish in a rustic cobblestone alley.  The interior of this restaurant is beautiful.  It gives off a “What’s the password” before entering vibe.  They have a beautiful waiting area, bar area, and an area where you will get a mini-show while your food is being prepared.  If you’re able to be the first ones seated at this establishment, make sure you ask for the seat next to the kitchen.  (Thank me later)

During my visit I was able to indulge in four dishes.  Stuffed Devil Eggs, Calamari, Mushroom Soup, and Lobster Diavolo were the item choices.  I’ll start off this review with the Deviled Eggs.  Two Deviled Eggs were presented topped with Smoked Artic Char and Pickled Red Onion.  This dish took me for a turn.  It had a salty, flavorful, and sweet taste to it with a smooth texture.  Deviled Eggs are a hate it or love it dish.  Not everyone agrees with mayonnaise being mixed with eggs, but I believe if it has the right amount of ingredients the mayonnaise will be overshadowed.  The fresh dill that was added on the Eggs gave it a nice touch, too.

The next dish that was ordered was the Creamy Mushroom and Fennel with Herb Sea Salt soup.  If anyone knows me, you know how much I love mushrooms.  I can literally eat them everyday.  The earthy flavor of the mushrooms to go along with a condensed cream and topped with herb sea salt made me lose my mind.  This soup was absolutely perfect.  This dish was light and had a more creamy flavor than an earthy flavor.  The black pepper added to this dish gave it the extra kick that it needed to go along with the Herb Sea Salt.  If this dish was ever presented to me again, there’s no doubt that I’d order it.

The third dish that was ordered was the Calamari with Piquillo Pepper, Fennel and Capers in Dill Butter.  I’d like to say unequivocally that this was the best Calamari dish that I’ve ever had.  The Calamari was sauteed to perfection and didn’t have a rubbery texture to them.  The texture that it had isn’t explainable.  Is melt in your mouth a texture?  Of course it’s not, but no better words come to mind at the moment.  The sauce was buttery, savory, and flavorful.  The peppers gave off the right amount of spiciness the overall dish needed.  I didn’t expect the dish to be so huge, but thank you for giving me more food, because I may or may not have had to… Wait.

The last dish that was ordered was the Lobster Diavolo.  It consisted of one whole Lobster that’s split and stuffed with spices, clams, mussels, squid, and sauces.  Underneath all of that concoction was the perfect al-dente pasta you’ll ever taste.  This dish was made for two people, and I can honestly say, if you have a table of three, you all can share it.  This dish was one of the best overall seafood pasta dishes I’ve had in my life and I’m glad I waited outside for it.  The lobster was buttery and the dish was packed with so much flavor that I literally sighed with each bite.  This is a dish that you’ll have to get for yourself to understand how great it is.

Overall, this restaurant is a book a flight wherever you are and go.  If you’re unable to get a reservation, make sure you show up an hour and a half early to wait in line.  You’ll be one of the first one’s seated, or you can simply put your name down for a later reservation for that day.  I don’t have many favorite restaurants, but damn, this place may change my mind.

OVERALL RATING : FIRST CLASS EXPERIENCE