Portland Press Herald, Maine, Eat and Run column.(Column)

Aug. 04--Ruski's Tavern in Portland's West End is nothing less than an institution, and yet I had never bothered to give it a try. For years, I had heard that the place served food that was reported to be quite good. Still, I had it in my head that it was a dingy old neighborhood bar that maybe offered one or two decent things to eat.

I was dead wrong. Yes, Ruski's Tavern is a true neighborhood joint, but it's not at all dingy, and there's plenty to choose from on the surprisingly big menu. I liked it so much, I went twice over the span of about three weeks. Here's what I found out: First off, Ruski's is adorned with vintage beer-related paraphernalia, giving it a …