City: Portland, ME

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (207) 774-8080

Address: 43 Middle Street

Description: The cheeky name says it all. Duckfat is known for its duck confit and Belgian fries that are cooked in, well, duck fat. This small, casual restaurant sells Portland’s own version of European street food, which can be taken away or eaten at one of the bistro-style tables inside. The restaurant is owned by the same people who own Hugo’s, a fine dining restaurant just down the street, and the chef in charge of the kitchen is the former sous chef at Hugo’s. This is high-end takeout made from scratch. The ever-changing menu consists of an eclectic assortment of paninis, soups, salads, and homemade sodas (ginger brew, cherry-lime, cream soda) on tap. The crisp fries, a customer favorite, come in a paper cone with your choice of creative dipping sauces, including truffle ketchup, horseradish mayo, curry mayo, and duck gravy.In the mood for something sweet? Try the beignets with cinnamon sugar or chocolate sauce, or the Sweet Panini, with your choice of jam and mascarpone, grilled on brioche and dusted with powdered sugar. The ultra-thick Five Dollar Milk Shake actually costs $4 (the name is a reference to a scene in the movie Pulp Fiction) and comes in flavors such as real Tahitian vanilla bean, coffee, mocha, and Belgian dark chocolate. On Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m., Duckfat posts blackboard dinner specials. The restaurant is open seven days a week and serves beer and wine. You can walk in, or call in an order for takeout, but Duckfat does not take reservations.