“We’ve been full every night since we opened,” Turin says and admits that the constant capacity crowd means he’s had to turn a lot of people away.
Called David’s 388, the eatery is a spin-off of the Monument Square restaurant, in a much more intimate space. It offers seats for 24 people at 6 tables, with limited bar seating and a small space where performers, such as Mark Cheleme & The SoPo Trio (who perform Wednesday nights), can set up.
Turin says with fewer guests to serve each night “it creates the possibility of doing things you can’t do in a busier restaurant. As a chef it’s really exciting.”
The menu changes weekly, depending on what seafood, produce and meat is abundant and available locally. Each week’s offerings are divided into Starters, priced at $8, and Seconds and Mains, priced at $14. Last week, the exceptions to this pricing scheme were the winter point oysters on the half shell, which sold for $2 each, and the sirloin steak with fries for $26.
Seafood was well represented on the menu, with dishes like grilled cumin and chili dusted salmon with black bean blue cheese cake and golden pineapple salsa, and vegetarians could enjoy porcini mushroom papparadella with wilted arugula, oven-dried tomato, mushrooms, goat cheese, Reggiano parmesan and white truffle oil. The wine list includes 48 vintages by the bottle ($21-$83) or glass ($5.50-$8.75).
“The menu is completely different (from the Portland restaurant),” Turin says. “It’s a menu we’ve created with the idea of eating more without eating too much.”
And, yes, reservations are recommended.
David’s 388, is located at 388 Cottage Road, South Portland and open from 5 p.m. to close Tuesday through Saturday. FMI: 347-7388.