Mitten Machen has published a review of Bangkok Thai.
There is an ample vegetarian section, and many dishes can be made vegan by omitting egg or fish sauce. On the chickpea scale of vegan-friendliness, I give Bangkok Thai a very respectable three chickpeas. It’s a safe bet if you’re looking for a quick, economical vegan meal.
Martha and Charlie Bryon, the owners of The Salt Exchange, sent along this photo of their work site on Commercial street. The Bryons write that the kitchen will lead by Jacob Jascinski, who’s resume includes the White Barn Inn. They hope to open their “small plates endeavor” in late May with “regional ‘New American’ cuisine designed for sampling and sharing”.
As you might be able to discern from the blueprint (Commercial street is shown on the right) the plan calls for a bar, seating for 50+ and tables on the sidewalk.
Eve’s at the Garden has hired an Executive Chef , Earl Anthony Morse, to fill the gap left by Jeff Landry’s departure. According to the press release, Morse’s job history includes time spent at Le Cirque in Las Vegas, Van Dender in Belgium, Four Seasons in Boston, and Agaria and PS7’s in Washington, DC. Morse’s last position was as the Chef de Cuisine at the White Barn Inn.
Benny’s is a seasonal clamshack located on West Commercial near the Veterans Memorial Bridge. As the sign says, they plan on re-opening “on or about [April] 29th weather permitting”.
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Barava, the new Somali restaurant that opened on Congress street early last month.
The entrées, while perfectly fine, could not live up to the opening. The kabaab, “broiled with complementing addition in the tandoor” as the menu said, was a bit drier as an entrée then it seemed in the basket. But is came with a creamy, spicy, lemony hummus, and a spectacular thick African flatbread called muufo baravani.
According to today’s Press Herald, Greg Williams and Brett Richardson have won the 2009 USM Student Business Plan Competition for their Organic Alchemy Composting proposal. Their business plan proposes turning food waste collected from local restaurants into organic compost.
Also, the Food and Health section has a report on the Food+Farm program taking place in early May.
More information has made it online about Sunday’s Deathmatch. Zack Bowen has published 300+ photos of the event, the Rabelais Books blog reports that the “marathon of mastication was a good one”, and Accidental Vegetables has a brief report but promises that she’ll have “a full report in Deathmatch Last Meal” soon. JohnnyD has continued to add to his thread about the event on the eGullet forum.
The latest edition of Maine Food & Lifestyle is now out. The new issue includes a survey of eateries is Westbrook.
To fully appreciate Portland’s longtime country cousin, drive west to this little town’s historic district where the parking is…free. I know, I know, it seems too good to be true, but it is.
The latest edition of Maine Food & Lifestyle is now out. The new issue includes a survey of eateries is Westbrook.
To fully appreciate Portland’s longtime country cousin, drive west to this little town’s historic district where the parking is…free. I know, I know, it seems too good to be true, but it is.
Professor Ardis Cameron, a professor of American and New England Studies at USM, is teaching a class this summer entitled “Project Chef: Documenting Portland’s Food Industry“. As part of the class, students will interiview local chefs, wait staff or others involved in the local food economy. Required reading for the course includes Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. According to the syllabus, “The project’s goal is to produce a narrative for public presentation and distribution.” I look forward to hearing what they put together.