Stanley and I headed to Maine yesterday with our friends Arthur and Al.   On the way to Cundy’s Harbor for the weekend, we stopped in Portland for lunch.  We had hoped to get into Eventide Oyster Co., where we had a wonderful lunch three years ago, but it is so popular that the wait for a table or bar seating can easily run to an hour.  A friend had recommended Honey Paw, which is next door and under the same ownership, as an alternative.  We were able to get seated without a wait, though it did fill up while we were there.  The food here is a mix of seafood, meat and some vegetarian options, with Asian influences, all beautifully plated and delicious.  It’s mainly small plates, running $15 on average.  Two plates made for a very filling lunch.

I particularly liked the glass noodle salad with seafood, whose flavors reminded me very much of the Malaysian style cooking of Zak Pelaccio, which we loved at the now defunct Fatty Crab in Manhattan, and more recently at Back Bar in Hudson.  The fried spare ribs were well-spiced and meaty.  They also have a great selection of beers on tap and in bottles.  We had a Founder’s Stout that was superb.

http://www.thehoneypaw.com/