Caiola's Restaurant, located at 58 Pine Street, Portland, ME (West End), is currently one of my favorite restaurants in Portland.  Caiola's is all about well prepared food, made with fresh local ingredients, a simple yet exciting menu, reasonable wine selection, and a friendly and busy atmosphere.  It is the kind of restaurant where I can celebrate the end of a busy week, or a special occasion, a dinner with friends, or a place where I can impress my clients. 

I like restaurants that are busy and lively; from the times the doors open to way after they close I want to see a place filled with vigor, smiles, and trays filled with food.  Caoila's intimate atmosphere is created by a relatively small dining room, tasteful decor, and friendly staff. The restaurant is busy enough on the weekends where sitting without reservations is unlikely, yet accessible enough so that I can make my reservations just a few days in advance.

The food is high-end American with a rich menu showcasing various ingredients and cooking styles.   On more than one occasion we've sat around ordering their small plates from their Appetizer menu. In fact, a few appetizers and a shared Paella are a terrific meal.  Paella is a great segway here: I did a paella week several months ago, looking for Portland's best.  It was that dish that brought me to Caiola's and won hands down (worst being at Local 188 which I will write about later).   Aside from that, a few favorites are the Polenta Fries and Cheese Board.  For Entrees I've tasted the Paella, Cannelloni, Grilled Duarde (might be my favorite whole-fish dish in the Old Port), Sword fish, pork chop, and that's all I can remember, but all, were fantastic.

As far as specific dishes, the Grilled Duarde deserves a mention.  Having whole fish in a restaurant can be fun but in many places the chefs over-indulge on fats/oils and make lose sight of the wonderful flavors of the fish itself.  Caoila's whole fish is more refined and delicate than any I would make at home, and certainly more flavorful than any bass I have had the pleasure of eating in Portland.  Most important, at Caiola's I know that I can use my fingers to extract some of the succulent meat without looking out of place (or getting really messy in the process).

The restaurant is generally busy, but fortunately they have a parking lot.  Make a reservation a few days in advance, show up, and enjoy a delicious dinner.