If, like me, you haven't been into the Portland Public Market House for a while due to the pandemic, here's an update on the businesses there.
I went a few weeks ago to check out Frying Dutchman, one of the newer business there, for one of its pop-up dinners. But before we get into that, here's a rundown of the other businesses in the building:
On the first floor, Mr. Tuna and Roll Call are the sole vendors. Mr. Tuna serves sushi and other Japanese food and has plenty of bar seating along the counter. I frequently pop in to pick up my takeout after ordering online, which I find a really easy experience.
Roll Call, which opens today, began as a food cart serving roast beef sandwiches. It's run by the same people that own Wayside Tavern, which has great food. But it's so much more than roast beef—there's an amazing grilled cheese, kale salad, and caramelized onion dip. Plus a fantastic sounding pot de creme that I haven't tried yet. So I am very excited to experience Roll Call in its new home.
Upstairs, Kamasouptra (soup), Daily Greens (salad), and Pho Huong (Vietnamese) are joined by relative newcomer Dila's Kitchen, which serves Turkish food like kabobs and bulgar bowls.
There's also Yardie Ting, which is always tempting me on Instagram with its tantalizing Jamaican curries and chicken.
But this time, it was Frying Dutchman that drew me in. When it first opened, it served Dutch-style cones of French fries with toppings. But the owners took a break from fries for a while—for some R&D, I believe—and began offering other fried treats like a Korean cheese dog and a fried chicken sandwich.
So I made the very adult decision to try both for my dinner. The fried cheese dog was a real delight, simple some breaded, fried cheese with a wasabi aioli and smoky bonito flakes. The sandwich was super crunchy with a Thai red curry mayo.
Its Instagram now says it serves "global street tapas," so stay tuned to see what other international delights they come up with.
Hopefully you're inspired to check out a new Public Market House business! Each business has different hours, so be sure to check its website or social media for the latest.