A decadent local menu & creative drinks to boot: 50 Local, Portland

Fresh off a 3rd place finish at the 2nd Annual Cold River Vodka Bartenders Bash, 50 Local is drawing attention from all over Southern Maine, not only for their decadent local menu, but also for their creative offering of original drinks and local beers.

When married owners David Ross and Merrilee Paul were looking for a place to settle down with their family and open a restaurant, they were living and working in Boston. 50 Main Street was once a bakery with pink and grey vinyl flooring, but the couple saw potential in the space. They transformed the space into a modern bistro with a black and white color scheme. Accenting the space, you will find splashes of bright yellow, from vases to artwork to their signature canary cocktail napkins.

The two best places to have a drink, if you are not planning to eat dinner as well, are the bar or the lounge. In the lounge, you can have a quiet conversation while sitting on the plush wall benches, reminiscent of a day bed with cushions and pillows. If benches are not your thing, pull one of the leather ottoman seats to the low tables, perfect for placing a few martini or pint glasses. The white metal bar offers about a dozen seats and a view to the kitchen through a window cut into the wall. Additionally, you can sit mesmerized by the antique metal sign above the bar, spelling out "Local" in small white bulbs.

The bar menu at 50 Local is always updating and changing, depending on the season and new discoveries. While they do not offer any beers on draft, they do offer a selection of individual beers ($3-$6) including St. Pauli Girl Non-Ale, Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter and the Allagash Dubbel Ale. At Merrilee's suggestion, I tried the Baxter Pamola XTRA Ale ($4), brewed locally in Lewiston and distributed in cans.

Their wine menu has an even representation of whites and red ($6-$13/glass). Their most popular selection tends to be chardonnay, for which they currently serve a 2007 Clos LaChance Chardonnay from Monterrey ($8). "Chardonnay is a great wine that pairs well with many of our dishes, but we hope to expand our patrons experience by sometimes suggesting something different to try," explains Merrilee, a former front of house manager in Boston. "We are constantly educating our bar tenders and wait staff about the wines and drinks we offer, so that they can have informed conversations and people can leave with an appreciation for something new if they want."

At 50 Local, the drink menu is always changing. Since they use many local resources, their drinks are often dictated by the seasonality of flavors and the outside climate. In the summer people like light and fun drinks, such as the Local Greyhound (Cold River Vodka, roasted grapefruit and clementine with a sugared rim) which they featured in the 2011 Cold River Bartenders Bash. In the winter, they prefer heavy and heartier drinks like The Remedy ($9, Bourbon, lemon juice, ginger and cayenne simple syrup). For those pure drinkers, try the Oban 14 Year Single Malt Scotch ($14).

Watching all the delicious food go past you to the people who are dining by the plate glass windows, you are susceptible to a need to get something to put in your belly. Though their menu changes daily, a few appetizers are featured frequently. If you are looking for something that you know, try either the Spring Rolls ($9, chicken confit, sesame and orange aioli) or the Mussel Frites ($10, mussels with garlic, white wine and mustard). If you are looking to try something a little more daring, Merrilee suggests the Parfait ($12, layers of veal liver, crostini and pickles), because everybody loves parfait.

If you are looking to try some original cocktails or class up a night out on the town, then 50 Local is certainly worth the drive.