In Her Presence’s Portland City Guide
For visitors of the Forest City, you may be expecting to have some delicious lobster and oysters (yum!), but we’re here to tell you that the best food in town is made by immigrants. There are plenty of these places to check out, but we’ve put together a small list of where to get started. Here is our Portland City Guide:
Burundi Star Coffee
Burundi Star Coffee is a relative newcomer in Portland, but they’ve launched with a bang. This coffee shop is owned by Jocelyne and Andre, who came to Maine as asylum seekers in 2008. They import their sustainable and fair-trade coffee from farmers in Jocelyne’s hometown in the Ngozi province of Burundi. We love their coffee, but the real star here is the avocado toast. When you order, expect to wait about 10 minutes - perfection takes time - but when it’s ready, you’ll be treated to the best avocado toast we’ve ever had. Jocelyne has used her business to provide empowerment and education to the women and children back home in Burundi.
Miyake & Pai Men Miyake
Miyake was founded by Masa Miyake who was born in Aomori, a small prefecture in Japan. After living in Tokyo and New York City, he took a trip to Maine and fell in love with the climate and landscape, which was very similar to his hometown of Aomori. He moved his family to Portland in 2005 and opened his first restaurant, Miyake. Miyake specializes in traditional Japanese food, using the fresh seafood of Maine. Four years later he opened Pai Men Miyake, a more casual option for delicious ramen. Miyake is closed due to the pandemic, but you can still pick up a steaming bowl of ramen at Pai Men Miyake in Longfellow Square.
Boda "very Thai" Kitchen
Boda “very Thai” Kitchen was opened in 2010 by Danai Sriprasert and Nattasak Wongsaichua, who immigrated to Maine from Northern Thailand after a short stint in Seattle. They wanted to open Boda to showcase a very authentic type of Thai food that was separated from any American influence. They serve skewers and small platters, with traditional Thai cocktails. Their instincts were right, they were both nominated for a James Beard award in 2012. Their menu changes with the seasons, and we promise it’s worth checking out.
Asmara Restaurant
Last but not least, is Asmara Restaurant. Asmara was opened in 2004 by Asmeret Teklu, an immigrant from Eritrea who has been in Maine since the late 1980s. Asmara serves traditional Eritrean food, which is served communally on a large flat piece of unleavened bread called Injera. They serve a variety of options, but their vegan sampler platter is one of the standouts. It features steamed greens, lentils, chickpeas, okra, and potatoes and can serve a family of four for only $49.95. This sounds like the perfect dish to survive the cold Maine winter and is available for takeout.