Duckfat in Portland, Maine

Duckfat is a small, buzzy sandwich shop and cafe where duck fat isn't just a gimmick, it's the backbone of what makes the fries sing. They sling Belgian-style sandwiches, poutine loaded with duck and other proteins, and milkshakes that guests line up for. It's casual, a little loud, and the staff knows their menu cold.

• Belgian frites cooked in duck fat, crispy and addictive.
• Milkshakes that justify a return visit alone.
• Panini and sandwiches with real flavor and care.
• Warm, attentive staff who engage and listen.

Start with the Belgian frites and the flight of five sauces. The Duckfat Caesar salad is vibrant and packed with punch. The Oaxacan-style smoked brisket sandwich with avocado offers a unique flavor mix worth trying. The pork belly panini is tender and rich. If you're hungry, pair a sandwich with the poutine. Finish with a mocha or cookies and cream milkshake, and ask the staff for the cookies and cream shake crumbles to stir in.

Snug and lively, with counter seating and a few tables. The room hums with conversation and kitchen clatter. It's not quiet, but it's the good kind of busy.

The Belgian frites with duck fat are the star, crispy, salty, and worth the hype if you order them with the flight of sauces (Thai chili mayo and garlic aioli are standouts). The sandwiches run ambitious: Oaxacan-style smoked brisket with avocado, pork belly panini that melts on your tongue, duck egg poutine. Milkshakes span vanilla, mocha, cookies and cream, salted caramel, blueberry buttermilk. Prices are steep, and portion sizes on some sandwiches don't match the bill. Still, most guests come back.

Regulars rave about the duck and the poutine's flavor depth. One recent visitor called the pork belly "so soft and tender it melted in my mouth." Service is consistently warm and attentive, even when the place is packed. Some guests note the price-to-portion ratio on sandwiches feels off, but most still return to chase the fries and shakes.