Foie gras, caviar, truffles, quail, lobster, lamb saddle and copious amounts of butter set the stage for the sheer brilliance of Chef David Turin’s gateway of gastronomy, David’s Opus Ten in Portland.

“It’s called Opus Ten,” David says, “because it’s my 10th restaurant. But it should have been called ‘Opus Last,’” he chuckles.

Last Opus? Not yet.

The cozy corner spot is South Portland’s neighborhood treasure.

Ask David Turin which is his favorite of the four restaurants he owns, and there’s no hesitation before he answers “388.” He speaks about this neighborhood gem lovingly. “I like the feel of it. It’s like having people come into my kitchen. It’s not a bar or a pub with food, but a place with real dining, where the neighbors want to come after work for a bite to eat.” David’s 388 is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month, according to manager Kelly Frederick. Turin himself is a little hazy about dates and years, relying on his staff to know such things. Frederick “came with the building” when Turin purchased it from an ailing Barbara Winthrop, when it was Barbara’s Kitchen. She was very particular about to whom she would sell, and Frederick asked her why Turin got the nod. “Because I like him,” was Winthrop’s plain answer.

The arrival of tables and chairs on Portland’s sidewalks is one of the surest signs that summer is on it’s way

Consider the chef’s arsenal–foie gras, caviar, truffles, quail, lobster, lamb saddle and copious amounts of butter–and what you have is the all-star trappings of Chef David Turin’s ambitious citadel of taste, Opus 10.

David’s in Monument Square continues to evolve and keeps getting better.

Entering into his 20th year of operation in Portland, it is quite refreshing to see chef David Turin still having fun behind the line.

Though his second restaurant, David’s 388 in South Portland, has been quite successful and receiving great press as of late, I am interested to see how the cuisine at the original Monument Square location has developed over the years. I arrange for a tasting menu, and, because a restaurant’s beverage program should also progress with the food, appropriate drink pairings.