A-LIST-March 2011
By Joe Ricchio
Photography Kari Herer

01 Home Kitchen Cafe  Breakfast
When I wake up on a Sunday, I would like to sit here quietly with an amazing sticky bun and a cup of black coffee before interacting with anyone. Once I’m finished, I will give you the opportunity to tell me all of the things I shouldn’t have said last night, and try to make everything better by paying for your breakfast.
650 Main St. | Rockland | 207.596.2449

02 Chase’s Daily  Brunch
During a recent visit, I had such good eggs and home fries that I did not once question the absence of meat from their menu. That’s how I know it’s a great restaurant: when everything is so spot-on that I forget all about what I usually love most. Another rarity among brunch spots is the well-considered wine list, which you can peruse while waiting for a table.
96 Main St. | Belfast | 207.338.0555

03 Thanh Thanh II  Lunch
Whenever I see a line out the door at one of the popular “American-style” brunch spots it makes me wonder why no one thinks to go to Thanh Thanh II. What’s more satisfying for a hangover than a bowl of pho? Plus, they’ve got Vietnamese-style coffee with sweetened condensed milk to help you wake up, because, after all, there’s drinking to be done.
782 Forest Ave. | Portland | 207.828.1114

04 Tu Casa  Anytime
Any properly executed Sunday requires afternoon snacks to ensure that you’re in a reasonable mood come dinnertime. An order of cheese pupusas, topped with house-made pickled cabbage and fried plantains, makes a fine segue. An added bonus: Sunday is the only day they serve menudo, a Mexican-style tripe stew, which goes quite well with Bohemia, a Mexican-style beer.
70 Washington Ave. | Portland | 207.828.4971

05 Tulsi  Dinner
Serving some of the best Indian cuisine I’ve ever had the pleasure to eat, Tulsi is truly everything a Sunday-night restaurant should be. Shrimp balchow, lamb nilgree, and Peshawari naan are standouts, perfectly complemented by oceans of cold French rosé to help you put off thinking about how brutally painful tomorrow will probably be.
2 Government St. | Kittery | 207.451.9511

06 Billy’s Tavern  Drinks
Sunday can be a bit of a tightrope walk for me. If I’m not careful it can quickly become another Saturday night. For example, when I go to Billy’s, I’m usually in the mood for a neat Talisker scotch. Then, I figure I may as well have a Dalwhinnie too, just to “explore the extensive list.” After that, I realize that leaving without a little bit of Lagavulin would just make the entire day a waste. You get the idea?
1 Starr St. | Thomaston | 207.354.1177