Here’s a little look inside the construction site of the new Tandem Coffee in the West End. There’s a long counter for displaying baked goods and coffee pick-up. There’s also a separate seating area with a big communal table. Click on the photo to see in an enlarged view.
Month: June 2014
Interview with Bite into Maine
The Press Herald has published an interview with Sarah and Karl Sutton, owners of the Bite into Maine lobster roll food truck.
Q. Is there a lot of heated competition among food trucks and between food trucks and restaurants?
A. It’s not as adversarial as the media makes it out to be between food trucks and restaurants. Food trucks are a good way for a restaurant to expand, like if they want to do more catering. And a lot of food truck owners end up opening brick-and-mortar restaurants. We want to be at Fort Williams forever, but we eventually want to have our own brick-and-mortar takeout place. And food trucks work together well. I don’t think of other food trucks as my competition…
Portland Pancake Day
Space Gallery is holding Portland Pancake Day this Sunday, 9 – noon.
Pancakes: they’re flat, they’re round, they’re soft, they’re delicious… and they’re bringing the people of this town together for one morning-long breakfast celebration in Congress Square Park.
I double dare you to not smile as you read the following two words: FREE PANCAKES. Free pancakes!
Review of DiMillo’s
Haddockquest has reviewed the fish sandwich at DiMillo’s.
There’s no getting around the heavy level of kitsch associated with DiMillo’s, but you don’t show up rolling your eyes. Instead, you walk through the power-operated doors into the ship’s gaudy lobby and finally its dimly-lit bar, put on a small buzz (scotch seems appropriate) and revel in the sheer joy shared by those old ladies picking through their lobster rolls. Then, you bite into a haddock sandwich and smile — even if you’re just a little bit confused as to why.
HuffPo: The Hop Yard
The Huffington Post has published an article about The Hop Yard in Gorham.
Enter three young men in their thirties with farming in their blood and a passion for great beer — hop farmers Ryan Houghton, Geoff Keating, and Peter Busque. The founders of The Hop Yard, these guys grew up in Maine and are committed to seeing the state become a major producer of high quality hops.
Rowan Jacobsen: Apples of Uncommon Character
Renowned food writer Rowan Jacobsen will be in Portland this September 22, 6pm for a talk, apple tasting and book signing at Space Gallery for his new work, Apples of Uncommon Character.
Here’s some info on the book (due out in September),
Packed with photographs as delightful as their subjects, Apples of Uncommon Character shows us the fruit in all its glory. Rowan Jacobsen collected specimens both common and rare from all over North America, selecting 123 to feature, including the best varieties for eating, baking, and hard-cider making. By capturing the nature of each apple, including its flavor, origins, and sometimes surprising ties to American history, Apples of Uncommon Character celebrates our romance of the rural landscape. It’s a must-have for every foodie.
Jacobsen is the author of several books including A Geography of Oysters, American Terroir, and The Living Shore. His book Fruitless Fall is responsible for inspiring me and countless other people to take up beekeeping.
Review of Slab
The Blueberry Files has published a first look review of Slab.
The salumi comes with slices of Sicilian summer sausage, an herbed soft cheese spread, muffuletta relish (spicy olives, cauliflower, peppers, and carrots), and addictive crispy slices of Luna bread. Other starters include an orange sage hummus, served with Luna bread wedges and Focaccia with olives and oil.
Miyake Partners Splitting (Updated)
The Miyake organization sent out a press release this morning. In it they announced that longtime partners Masa Miyake and Will Garfield are ending their business relationship. The practical impact on the Portland dining scene is that Miyake Diner will be closing and Garfield will be using the space to launch a new venture.
The split is an amicable one, here are their thoughts on the 8-year relationship,
Of the company’s recent changes, Masa Miyake said, “ This is a very positive change for both of us. Will was my first employee when I opened Food Factory Miyake in 2007, and was only eighteen years old at the time. Since then, we have worked together to establish the Miyake name as a pillar in the ever-competitive Portland dining scene. It will be an adjustment for our staff and patrons, but I know that it is time for Will to move on to a project that is his own.”
William Garfield reiterated the same sentiment by stating that, “ Masa has been an amazing mentor throughout the past eight years, but we both agree that it’s time for me to move on to different projects outside of the Miyake name. I am glad that we have been able to bring new and inspiring culinary concepts into Portland over the past few years, and I wish the best to Masa and the Miyake staff moving forward.”
Update: for additional information see this article in the Press Herald.
Family Feast at The Well
Family Feast will be serving an Indonesian prix fixe dinner at The Well on Monday June 30.
They’re still planning the details but so far this what the menu looks like:
- Crab and head cheese bao with hackelback caviar
- Chilled cucumber nasturtium soup with coconut and smoked mussels, black lime vinaigrette
- Large format beef tongue salad “Garggouillou” with farm veg, pickled, raw, fermented, shoots and flowers with a cumin lime honey vin, rhubarb mustard, peanuts, beef tongue, black sesame miso puree, sesame bagel croutons, yogurt, farm greens
- Whole duck egg ravioli over a ragu of duck hearts and gizzards, liver, peas, chocolate mint, tofu
- Baba guling, balinese pork presenation
-smoked shoulder in a yellow curry with squid and clams, eggpant, zuchini
-charred blood and pork sausage wheel with chili glaze over seared bitter greens
-rolled stuffed roasted belly with aromatic rice and wok fried broccoli raab in oyster sauce and garlic
-fried bits, ears, skin, intestine with herbs and shallots in nuoc chom - Dessert will be stone fruit buckle with whipped farm cream, and then small corn cookie and ice cream sandwiches with jackfruit and tamarind
Tickets are $100 per person. Sign-up online at Eventbrite.
Review of Thurston’s
Chubby Werewolf has reviewed Thurston’s Wicked Good Burgers.
As I was finishing my meal, I was pleased to see that Thurston’s was doing fairly brisk business, with plenty of folks coming in to eat for the first time, and many others inquiring about take-away menus. By the time I departed, the small’ish parking lot was filled to capacity. Provided that the meal and level-of-service I enjoyed is representative of the Thurston’s experience over the long-term, I don’t think they will have any trouble surviving and thriving in this little corner of the universe.