It has rebuilt its Old Port area into a nifty shopping district without destroying all the character of its downtown, thus linking the equivalents of Quincy Market, Newbury Street, and Central Square. Yet nothing seems forced or pretentious. Great stuff must have been plenty cheap in Portland not that long ago, if you had a certain sensibility. Katahdin does not take reservations, but we came late and had only a short wait, which we spent with nicely mixed drinks at the small bar. This is good eating, not classic cuisine, except for the scallops themselves, which are rather difficult to cook this precisely.
Desserts are important, and chocolate is involved.
It's a brownie, a mousse, chocolate sauce, and some whipped cream, and it works because all the components are flavored distinctively. The mousse is laced with cinnamon and quite sweet. The brownie is full of walnuts and thus subtly bitter. The sauce, dark and powerful chocolate, makes the other components sit up and pay attention. Lots of restaurants glop together different chocolate things and give the dish a funny name, but this chocolate mountain is worthy of careful study.