So, a year or two ago I had a thread about this and figured it would be good to start it again. As an avid chef I like food, a lot. I am also picky about it, which sometimes creates a problem at con of what am I possibly going to eat? I don't mind paying for good food, but I know that most people going to con try to stick to a very strict food budget (which leaves more cash for other goodies). What gets forgotten is eating a rounded diet. I know many people who survive off of ramen the entire weekend. Though cheap, it has functionally no nutritional value except lots of sodium.
Here are some general food ideas as well as restaurants in the area. If anyone has any other suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.
Snacks - It is a good idea to snack throughout the day. Pocky is delicious, but again not even remotely nutritious, as well as being kinda expensive. If you have a small bag, try to carry some snacks and water with you.
Dried Fruit: I've been addicted to mango slices lately. They are kinda pricy depending on the brand you get. Craisins are also tasty, though I find they get boring after a while.
Trail Mix: Its never been my favorite, and all I’ve ever seen is more people picking out all of the M&M, chocolate chips, and cheerios (or sticking the mini chocolate chips into the cheerios).
Granola Bars: Recently my friend got me started on the Nature Valley Oats and Chocolate bars. They are crunchy and chocolately. However, there are numerous flavors to suit just about anyone’s tastes.
Oatmeal: At the Hannaford you can get 10 packets of oatmeal for $2. I tend to get the variety pack. The hotel rooms come with a coffee pot. If you take the water that first comes out (not sits in the pot) it should be hot enough.
Cereal: This works well as a snack during the day or a cheap meal to keep you going. The hotel rooms don’t have a mini fridge that I am aware of (though their website lists something about it being an additional amenity. It did not list anything about additional costs), but you could bring a cooler and just change the ice out each day.
Crackers: These make a nice snack, though are high in calories. Depends on your energy requirements.
Junk Food: I like candy bars as much as the next person, just don’t solely rely on these as your own food source. I usually make muddie buddies and bag them up in quart bags as a snack to carry around with me. This year my friends also want me to make mini cupcakes and other confections. For the less cooking inclined, you could buy some muffins or croissants to take with you and have as something ready for the morning or a midday snack.
Sandwiches: I have never liked PB&J, but I know lots of people that do. When you are really hungry, it is nice to remember that you brought a sandwich with you.
Restaurants - The hotel is located right by the mall and has lots of restaurant options within walking distance.
Hotel: You can eat at the hotel. There is a restaurant there, as well as room service. It is just really expensive.
Mall: The mall is right across the street. Their food court has various places to dine, though I am not sure of how cost effective that is.
Fast food: Just down the road is pretty much every fast food place you could want, from McDonald’s to Tim Horton’s. When you drive in just go down Maine Mall Road and scout out some of the places.
Sit Down Restaurants: There are numerous places to eat from sushi to Mexican. These again are not the cheapest, but during the late afternoon it can be nice to have a good meal. I usually hit IHOP for one breakfast. These again are right within walking distance. I searched yellowpages.com for South Portland restaurants. This is not even remotely a complete list. Most of the places are right down Maine Mall Road or Gorham Road.
1 Olive Garden
4 Pizza Hut
5 Longhorn Steakhouse
7 Chili’s Grill and Bar
8 Romano’s Macaroni Grill
9 Vinny T’s of Boston
10 Uno Chicago Grill
11 Chicago Dogs
12 Eggspectation Restaurant
13 Outback Steakhouse
15 China Chinese Restaurant
17 Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse
19 Old Country Buffet
23 Pom’s Thai Restaurant
Not Shown on Map:
Weathervane
Cracker Barrel
Ruby Tuesday’s
On The Border Mexican Grill
Nara Sushi
Sarku Japan
Shogun Japanese Steakhouse is just over the bridge into Scarborough (go past Chili’s).
My recommendation is to think ahead and decide where you are going to eat. This lets you scout out what is available, and decide what suits your tastes. The nice thing about a plan is you have something to fall back on, but you don’t have to follow it.
Stay Hydrated – The convention runs usually during some of the hottest weather. Make sure to bring plenty of water. Soda is nice, but should not be completely relied upon. It actually will make you more dehydrated.
