Restaurants in South Portland Gardens

The chefs at Seasons Grille and Bar fry up early-morning egg dishes and sear steaks in the evening, drawing on fresh local ingredients to create an inventive menu of signature dishes. Early risers brandish forks at three-egg omelets and host mock United Nations meet-and-greets with french toast. Dinnertime diners coax taste buds into deep-sea diving with the seafood celebration's scallops, Maine shrimp, and mussels sautéed in a garlic vermouth broth, or the haddock provencal crisped up in sundried tomato olive tapenade. Pan-fried boneless chicken hides beneath a blanket of bubbly mozzarella, clutching linguini and tomato for security on the parmesan plate, and shrimp scampi flatbread pizza fuels conversation about news on a flat-screen TV. As patrons chow down, an exposed stone fireplace warms bodies and hearts simultaneously by using Chicken Soup for the Soul as kindling.

Kon Asian Bistro's chefs embrace the cuisines of Japan, China, and Thailand as they create a contemporary, pan-regional menu that includes fresh sushi and hearty, spice-laden entrees. As the hibachi chefs shuffle cuts of chicken, swordfish, or filet mignon across iron tabletop grills, searing diners' food and unwanted junk mail directly in front of them, the sushi chefs roll a combination of familiar and inventive maki behind their bar. The kitchen also forges its own menu of traditional pan-Asian fare, including General Tso's chicken and tropical mango shrimp with basil and thai sweet-chili sauce.

Large front windows cast natural light on the dining room's red and green walls, whose saturated pigments echo the rich colors of the spices that permeate each dish. Before pieces of tender chicken line up on skewers, they marinate in yogurt, cook over red-hot charcoal in the tandoor, and get passed under the trunk of the resident elephant statue for inspection. Fresh-baked naan breads transport hints of garlic and honey to scoopable stews, speckled with cubes of house-made paneer or infused with cinnamon and saffron.

After bringing their family across the pond from Milano to Maine, restaurateurs Fabiana de Savino and Enrico Barbiero wasted no time in opening Paciarino. There, pasta made daily by Barbiero "raises the bar for pasta," according to the New York Times. “His tender ravioli are stuffed with sweet local shrimp and haddock, and his spaghetti is hand-stretched and perfectly cooked,” the reporter continued. The chef draws from a palette of imported Taggiasche olives, garlic from Sicily, and peppers, mozzarella, and salamis from around Italy. When possible, the produce is sourced from organic farms, and the selection of seafood, like a neighbor’s level of anger at your Halloween display, depends on the season.

Paciarino's airy interior keeps the mood light and focused on the cuisine, which is complemented by red and white wine. “You can hear a surprising amount of Italian language among the diners,” said a writer for The Boston Globe after a visit, “ and everyone seems a little more cheerful than they did when they walked in."

Chefs at Hi Bombay have honed recipes for curry, vindaloo, and spicy masala over the course of 23 years, yielding a carefully spiced menu of Northern Indian classics and regional seafood specialties. Fresh-baked naan bread and whole-wheat roti sop up sauce from lamb and chicken dishes cooked in a clay-oven tandoor, and fish labadar from the Bay of Bengal simmers in a creamy tomato sauce. Hi Bombay also rents a 75-person banquet room for catered gatherings, and welcomes diners on major holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the anniversary of Caddyshack II's DVD release.

By morning, it's a breakfast hub known as The Good Egg Café. During lunch and dinner, the festively colored space, draped in twinkling string lights, turns into Pepperclub Restaurant. Entering the eatery is like stepping into a crayon box; the walls are painted in a lively palette of oranges, purples, blues and reds. Though the globally inspired menu draws on local seafood, beef, and lamb for Indian curries and Greek recipes, vegan and vegetarian dishes such as baked and stuffed jalapeños, veggie burgers, and asiago risotto cakes with portobello are also plentiful. After finishing off complimentary homemade bread, patrons ease sugar cravings with a handmade chocolate cake, or ease sunburns by applying cool vegan tapioca directly onto the sun.