Portland Press Herald from Portland, Maine • F4

F4 Maine Sunday Telegram Sunday, January 15, 2023 FOOD DINING The caramelized honey soft serve at The Honey Paw. The dessert has been on the menu since day one. Brianna Photographer Duck Fesenjoon at Jin Yan. Derek Photographer Chris Wilcox plates roasted pork loin at Judy Gibson restaurant. Shawn Patrick Photographer HIGHROLLER LOBSTER CO.

At this double-wide storefront space kitted out in lurid red, white and black, find some of the most creative seafood dishes. Lobster and crab rolls are the main focus, but given a new, offbeat sensibility with accompanying sauces that range from lobster ghee to charred pineapple mayo. 104 Exchange St. Portland 207-536-1623 highrollerlobster.com THE HONEY PAW Technically a with mostly walk-in seating, The Honey best dishes often involve no pasta at all: charred cabbage with fer- mented soy, rare beef salad with smoked oyster mayonnaise, and super crunchy wings. And did I mention the seasonal homemade soft-serve? 78 Middle St.

Portland 207-774-8538 thehoneypaw.com HOT SUPPA Southern comfort food everything from buttery grits to gumbo teeming with seafood and andouille sausage is what continues to attract scores of brunch customers every day. Yes, you read that correctly. Hot Suppa now serves its comforting break- fast and lunch dishes from morning to mid-afternoon, seven days a week. 703 Congress St. Portland 207-871-5005 hotsuppa.com IL LEONE You can get there from here, but need to take a ferry to Peaks Island, where for a few warm months each year, this fully outdoor Neapoli- tan-style pizza restaurant becomes one of the finest pizzerias.

Naturally leavened dough, high quality toppings and a team commit- ted to learning and improving during the offseason make Il Leone a seasonal must-visit. 2 Garden Place Peaks Island (Portland) 207-370-1471 illeone.me NOTE: Il Leone is seasonal and plans to be open May through October 2023. While the Tam Cam a banh mi in cloth- ing gets all the attention at this cute, cozy South Port- land sandwich shop, other sandwiches deserve your consideration especially the traditional Cubano and the warming Kai Kata, a spicy, Asian-inspired breakfast sandwich. Japanese curry bowls are also a real draw here. Order ahead to avoid the lines.

744 Main St. South Portland 207-747-4082 indyssandwich.com ISA Charming might be the best way to describe Isa, from its classic French bistro interior to the sparkles of Central-and-South American flavor that effervesce across its menu. miss the grilled pork chop, roasted vegetable salad with spicy pepitas and (if you visit on a Monday) the transcendent rabbit burrito. Isa is a gem. 79 Portland St.

Portland 207-808-8533 isaportlandme.com A grilled pork chop, served with Cannellini beans, mustard greens and dijon, at Isa Bistro. Carl D. Photographer IZAKAYA MINATO Although Minato seats just 37 diners at a time, the space seems like a much larger restau- rant, thanks to a split-space design that feels a little like what you might get if you opened an izakaya in a rabbit warren. It can be tremendous fun to eat a meal here, especially the chef choice omakase meal that almost always finishes with a bowl of savory egg-fried rice. 54 Washington Ave.

Portland 207-613-9939 izakayaminato.com Derek Photographer Minato Age Dofu at Izakaya Minato. JEWEL BOX Equal parts Victorian parlor and Weimar boudoir, bar is a funky, elegant setting in which to sip frequently ingenious cocktails. Drinks on the constantly chang- ing menu lean toward strong spirits and herbal, bittersweet concoctions, with half-sized drinks available if you feel like getting (even more) tipsy. 644 Congress St. Portland 207-747-5384 jewelboxportlandmaine.com JING YAN With an eclectic menu, this neighborhood restaurant on Munjoy Hill interrogates the idea of what it means to be Chef Bijan brilliantly conceived plates emphasize cross-connections across cultures and ethnicities: funky, fiery Korean noodles based on Tokyo-style abura ramen; yakitori skewers with Afghani ingredients; and a fesenjoon that whispers, king duck, but make it Chef Eslami is leaving at the end of January, and we hope Jing Yan is as lucky with its next back-of-house hire.

90 Congress St. Portland 207-835-0010 jingyanrestaurant.com JUDY GIBSON Quietly and with little fuss, chef Chris Wilcox has turned this tiny South Portland restaurant into one of New most creative culinary destinations. You might never guess from the concise, neigh- borhood-y menu, but Wilcox leans into ingenious texture-and-flavor matchups aged gouda and mushroom conserva with beef tartare, whipped tahini with pickled mackerel alongside a terse beverage list that both supports and enhances his vision. 171A Ocean St. South Portland 207-808-8649 judygibsonrestaurant.com LAZZARI Start with meatballs and a serving of whatever wood-grilled vege- tables (delicata, Brussels sprouts) are on the menu, then grab a blis- tered, oniony Amatriciana pizza, slipped from the glinting copper Le Panyol oven at the rear of the restaurant.

Cocktails are also excel- lent here, which is why the space fills up late at night on weekends. 618 Congress St. Portland 207-536-0368 lazzariportland.com.