Portland Food Heads

After discovering The Picnic Basket on my drive to work a while back, I wondered to myself how soon it would be until I was able to stop in and take a gander. Of course, the day before I planned to do so, The Portland Press Herald decided to review the place, just days after it had opened. Murphy's Law tends to hit me at all the right times, and that's just one example of many. I wasn't going to let that deter me from stopping in for a look, however, and was finally able to make it in the other day for a quick cup of coffee and an egg sandwich.


The Picnic Basket is still very much in its beginning stages; it's not so much a deli/specialty store as of yet than a converted home with a meat case and coffee bar. Walking in, there are basically two rooms. To your left, you order you sandwich, cold cuts or whatever brought you in. To your right, a dining area that looks no different than a nice living room - complete with fireplace - with a few tables and chairs added in. It's an interesting concept, and I can't say I've ever been in a more homespun little spot than this; it literally feels as if you're eating in someone's home.


Aside from a cup of coffee (CBD, thankfully), I ordered a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. And while it is certainly way too early to actually review The Picnic Basket, I wouldn't say it's too early to offer up a few initial thoughts. As far as the egg sandwich itself went, I have neutral feelings. Perhaps my thoughts are skewed by the mother of all egg sandwiches, but while I wasn't unimpressed with the sandwich from The Picnic Basket, I can't say it made me fall out of my chair. The lunch menu looked decent, but I can't recall exactly what was on it and won't bother to try.

The Picnic Basket could benefit from a little bit of advice. They're located right next to Pat's Meat Market, so focusing on being a deli may not be the correct route. A stone's throw from both Rosemont Market and Simply Scandinavian means "specialty store" isn't going to create a niche. What the area DOESN'T have (although The Quality Shop sure does try...) is a place that sells exquisite sandwiches. Some may argue this, but I truly feel that if The Picnic Basket is to stick around, they need to focus on making the best sandwich in town and buck the current trend by not charging an arm and a leg for it.

The Picnic Basket is located at 494 Stevens Ave in Portland, ME.

~E~