Month: January 2015

Maine & Loire Opening January 13

| Posted in Under Construction

maineloire

Orenda and Peter Hale have announced that they plan to open the new wine shop on Tuesday January 13. Located at 63 Washington Ave, Maine & Loire (website, instagram, facebook) will focus on organic and biodynamic natural wines.

[T]he store will offer a laid-back, unhurried feel for shoppers. “I always loved going to record stores and talking to the folks working there” says Peter. “You could chat, every time you went in — about what you were into — and get turned on to new stuff that, somehow, complemented what you had been listening to already… it was an ongoing conversation.” This kind of energy is what Maine & Loire (Wine Shop) hopes to encourage. Adds Orenda: “the store is as much about learning new things as it is about selling or buying wine… for our regulars and us to learn about each other, and for everyone to get into cool, undiscovered wines.” These wines come from recognizable areas like Burgundy, Napa and Tuscany and many other places less well-known, but equally compelling. Places like the Ardeche, the Jura, and Swabia will be well-represented.

The shop is named for the Maine-et-Loire region of France. It will be open Tuesday -Saturday 12 -8, and on Sunday 12 – 6.

Photo courtesy of Maine & Loire.

This Week’s Events: 7th Annual Stout Fest, Whole Grain Class, Winter Market, Black Tie

| Posted in Events

Wednesday — Black Tie is teaching a cooking class.

Saturday — Novare Res is holding the 7th Annual Stout Fest, Rosemont and Piccolo are working together to teach a whole grain cooking class, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory.

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.

Review of Sur Lie

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Sur Lie.

Sur Lie is far from a typical tapas bar. The kitchen specializes in inventive riffs on local favorites including poached haddock with parsnip puree, hanger steak with caramelized onions and fried oysters with garlic. If you’re hungry, try three or four of the shareable plates per person – and don’t miss pork cheeks with Yukon gold foam. What this kitchen does to plain potatoes will knock your socks off.

Under Construction: The Treehouse, Trouble, Vena’s

| Posted in Under Construction

Chef Gregory Gillman is planning to re-open the former Cafe at Pats space on Stevens Ave as the The Treehouse with a menu much along the same lines as he served at the Cafe.

Josh Soley is redeveloping the old Movies at Exchange space as Trouble, an “old fashioned theater-bar with classical movie showings in the afternoon and a similar atmosphere that will continue after the movie is over.” Soley plans to “target an older, professional audience” and will be serving “old-fashioned beverages including movie-themed Casablanca Cocktails, Godfather Whiskeys, and James Bond Martinis.”

Steven and Johanna Corman, owners of Vena’s Fizz House, have applied for a liquor license. They will continue serving solely temperance cocktails during the day, but from 7-11 pm plan to start serving alcoholic cocktails as well. You can read more about Vena’s and their plans to get a liquor license in today’s Press Herald article by Randy Billings.

Bar Review of Congress Squared

| Posted in Reviews

Drink Up and Get Happy has posted a happy hour review of the Congress Squared.

Hotel restaurants are usually not known for stellar specials that can get the locals talking, but Congress Squared has turned that on it’s head. Their happy hour runs daily from 4-7pm. Already that puts them ahead, great hours and a reliable spot for weekend happy hour observing. They then pair that with $4 specials on Maine beers, a $5 wine of the day, a $7 sage brush cocktail, and 1/2 off the bar food menu. That’s some decent savings!

Opinionated’s Top 25 Dishes: Hugo’s, Tao

| Posted in Reviews

Opinionated About Dining publisher Steve Plotniki has included Hugo’s and Tao in his list of his Favorite Dishes of 2014.

What happens when you give Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley a pasta extruder? They make thickly cut, exceptional tasting wide noodles. Cook them al dente. Then add a series if ingredients that turn it into what might be the best American pasta dish ever made.

Alton Brown: Eventide, Duckfat, Vena’s (Updated)

| Posted in Reviews

Alton Brown included Duckfat and Eventide in his list of the Top Savory AB Road Eats of 2014.

I was in Portland for less than 24 hours and I visited Eventide twice. And there wasn’t just one good thing on the menu. There were multiple, including the best varieties of oyster I’ve ever had (all from Maine waters). If you twisted my arm and made me choose one thing, I would probably have to go with the Fried Oyster Bun or perhaps the Brown Butter Lobster Roll. Who am I kidding, I’d go with both and so should you. Oh, and the dirty martini is ridiculous.

Earlier in December Brown also highlighted his visit to Vena’s Fizz House.

Vena’s Fizz House (Portland, ME): I’ve never seen anything like Vena’s before. When you walk in you’re greeted with countless bitters, some I’ve never heard of. After you’re done browsing the shop, head up the stairs to a bar serving some of the best mocktails around. I suggest ordering a Lumberjack Love if you’re in the area.

Missy Corey

| Posted in People

Now working in Chicago at Publican Quality Meats, Missy Corey was recently interviewed by Chicago Reader about her years working at Fore Street and Duckfat and competing on Chopped.

The chef, Sam Hayward, he’s a Beard Award winner. I had the pleasure of working with him for about two years. And after working with all that great product, since I never went to culinary school, I really wanted to learn more refined technique. Duckfat’s Rob Evans, another great Portland chef, took me on. He had worked for [Thomas] Keller, so he was very technique- and product-driven.