The Absolute Best Dishes We Ate at New Restaurants This Year

Sept. 13, 2023 / Bon Appétit

Twelve, Portland, ME

It's hard not to set high expectations the minute you walk through the doors of Twelve. The sleek minimalist fixtures, the tables made out of reclaimed wood, the team of chefs who seem to never break a sweat in the open kitchen—this restaurant seems to have considered every detail. Still, Twelve exceeded my expectations. The most stunning moment of my meal wasn’t the baked halibut with a Ritz cracker crust and bone marrow jus (delicious!), or a buckwheat porridge accompanied by slices of roasted mushroom speared on a rosemary sprig (just as good). It was the bread. More specifically, milk bread with sweet potato and brown butter. To call this bread soft would be an understatement. The small loaf arrived warm, in a cast iron pan, accompanied by a nutty, smokey brown butter. It was a convincing reminder to always order the bread. —Sam Stone, staff writer

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