Month: July 2011

First Review of Cobblestones

| Posted in Reviews

Cobblestones received 3½ stars from the Eat & Run review in today’s Press Herald.

…I decided to try the El Cubano ($7.99), which was a grilled ciabatta filled with lime spiced, slow-roasted pork loin, ham, Swiss cheese, hand-tossed pickles, red pepper relish and whole grain Dijonaise. The pork loin was tender, and the seasonings weren’t overdone. This sandwich was both satisfying to the taste buds and very filling — you could probably eat half and save the other half for later.

This takes the number of restaurants on the Unreviewed List down to 44.

Mug Clubs

| Posted in Beer

The What Ales You column in today’s Press Herald writes about the mug clubs at several Portland area bars.

The idea behind mug clubs is that members pay a fee upfront, and for the rest of the year get a number of benefits, which vary from club to club. Members get a mug — larger than the typical pint glass — to hang on the wall, and they use that when they come to the pub. Often members get T-shirts and food discounts on certain nights, as well.

Review of The Well

| Posted in Reviews

The Golden Dish has published a review of The Well, a small farm-to-table restaurant located at Jordan’s Farm in Cape Elizabeth.

My main course was grilled chicken breast (Serendipity Farms) that was cooked sous vide first and then finished off over wood on the grill. It was served with a perfect puree of local potatoes and crisp grilled local asparagus. The chicken was melt-in-your-mouth tender and juicy.

Review of Pizza Time

| Posted in Reviews

From Away has published a review of Pizza Time.

The entire experience was a throwback to an era in Maine pizza-making that I thought had ended long ago, when pizza was almost exclusively the domain of gas stations and convenience stores, when pounds of poor-quality toppings were pulled from giant, garbage-bag-sized plastic containers, piled on thick dough cushions, and cooked in anemic, lukewarm ovens.

Hella Good Tacos

| Posted in People, Profiles

Today Portland Daily Sun includes a profile of Hella Good Tacos,

Vendor of “Hella Good Tacos,” Bankhead said he moved to Portland last summer to take a teaching job while his wife filled a position at the city’s new Trader Joe’s grocery store, which opened at 87 Marginal Way last fall.

“I couldn’t find a good taco, at least one that met what I was used to having back home,” Bankhead said.

 

Island Micro Farm, Farmers Market Delivery Options and Way Way

| Posted in General News, Farming

The Food & Dining in today’s Press Herald includes a profile of the Island Micro Farm on Peaks Island,

Located on the back side of Peaks Island down a winding gravel road, the farm is a new enterprise created by resident Mark Shain. But unlike traditional farms where straight rows of tilled soil define the landscape, Shain’s farm follows a permaculture model.

an article about three Farmers Market add-on services that either cook meals for you or deliver groceries to you door,

The concept of eating local foods is already wildly popular here in Maine, but for some people it can still be a challenge. It’s hard to make it to a farmers market on Saturday morning if your kids have a soccer game on the same day. Other people like the idea of eating locally, but they aren’t sure what to do with the food that comes in a CSA share.

Now a couple of local businesses are trying to remove any remaining barriers by making local, seasonal foods even more accessible to the public.

and a report the recently revived Way Way penny candy store in Saco.

Review of The Lobster Shack

| Posted in Reviews

From Away has published a review of The Lobster Shack.

What more could you ask for? What else can I say? It all all that I hoped it would be. Go today, go right this second, if you can. Leave your home or office, flee swift to your car, and don’t look back. Roll down the windows, let your left hand skim the wind and sing out loud to radio songs as you drive East, toward the Atlantic.

This Week’s Events: Theater Tasting, SmuttFest, etc

| Posted in Events

Monday — 4th of July, hot dogs and hamburgers will be on the grill in backyards across the city all day. The Portland Symphony will be performing on the Eastern Promenade 7:30-9:30 followed by the annual fireworks display.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — the Great Lost Bear is showcasing Smuttynose Brewing.

Friday — Lucid Stage is holding a Theater Tasting, short theatrical presentations will be paired with wine and appetizers.

Saturday — Wine Wise is offering one of their wine tasting classes aboard the Casablanca, Novare Res will have more than 23 Smuttynose beers on tap “showcasing rare, vintage nad flagship beers including 2 custom casks”, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Later in July — this summer’s Cultivating Community Twilight Dinners start on the 14th, the Yarmouth Clam Festival starts on the 15th, Open Farm Day is on the 24th, and the Festival of Nations on the 30th.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.