An “upscale supper club & lounge celebrating the favorites of a classic era” called Crooners & Cocktails(facebook) is under construction at 90 Exchange Street, according to Eater Maine.
Month: February 2015
Review of Hugo’s
Our Man on the Ground has reviewed Hugo’s.
Golden raspberries with a chocolate bark are the main ingredients of the next desert which includes a dollop of raspberry sorbet, tiny floral leaves and a smattering of crumble. Both are displayed on the plate beautifully and tasted as good as they looked.
The imagination that goes into each individual portion of food is truly impressive. I would go to Hugo’s Restaurant again and again.
This Week’s Events: Beer I, Incredible Breakfast Cook-off, Maine Restaurant Week, My Father’s Garden
Wednesday — Maine Beer Company is releasing Beer I.
Thursday — the Public Market House is holding a beer and cheese tasting.
Friday — Maine Restaurant Week is holding the Incredible Breakfast Cook-off.
Saturday — there will be a Marshall Wharf tap takeover at Novare Res, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Sunday — it’s the first day of Maine Restaurant Week; check the MRW website for menus and pricing at all participating restaurants. MRW is holding the Chef-Am Bowling Tournament, and there will be a screening of My Father’s Garden at MECA.
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 Otto Pizza
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Otto.
The vibe is casual and the crust memorable at Otto Pizza on Cottage Road in South Portland. Embrace your inner glutton and order the 16-inch Pulled Pork & Mango: It’s sweet and spicy and ample enough to satisfy two or more. Craving classic comfort food? Try the Meatloaf and Mashed Potato, a filling take on a family favorite – minus the ketchup. Otto does offer cannoli for dessert, but it’s the pies that shine here. Consider skipping the sweets and saving room for an extra 12-inch pizza instead.
Under Construction: Evo (Updated)
Evo(twitter, website, facebook) has applied for a liquor license. They are on the agenda for the City Council’s meeting on Monday.
According to the material supplied with the application, the owners plan to serve a menu of “Eastern Mediterranean Cuisine”. A draft menu (pages 74-75) was supplied with the supporting paperwork. Here’s an excerpt.
The full floor plan (1st floor show below) seems to show a mezzanine area for additional seating. You can find some concept sketches for the space on Evo’s facebook page.
Update: The Golden Dish reports the chef Brandon Hicks will lead the kitchen staff,
Executive chef is Brandon Hicks, who also oversees the kitchen at the Chebeague Island Inn as well has having had a solid background at some of New York’s top-rated Michelin starred restaurants. Executive sous chef is Matt Ginn, formerly executive chef of Five Fifty-Five in Portland as well as L’Espalier in Boston.
Interview with Paige & Chris Gould
Eater Maine has published an interview with the owners of Central Provisions, Chris and Paige Gould.
If you don’t remember opening night that well, do you have a most memorable service in here?
CG: I think the three times we got standing ovations from the whole restaurant.
PG: Yeah, that was pretty intense.
CG: Somebody, like a four top, would stand up and start clapping, and then the whole restaurant would just start clapping about the food and the service and the drinks. Those nights stick out to me a lot because I’ve never seen that happen in a restaurant, and it’s happened three times here.
PG: It’s cute, he blushes.
Review of Congress Squared
The Golden Dish has reviewed Congress Squared.
Service is excellent and prices at dinner huddle around the $25 range for entrees. With restaurant week starting next month, this is prime time to reacquaint yourself with Congress Squared’s new chef and its impressive menu of contemporary American fare. All of which makes C2 eminently qualified as a pivotal member of Portland’s Arts District dining.
Maine Shrimp Sample Harvest
The Press Herald has a report in the ongoing sample harvests of Maine shrimp.
The record price stems from scarcity. Just like last year, the commercial shrimp season remains closed because of low stocks. The shrimp that sold at auction Thursday were caught by one of the three Maine fishermen involved in a sampling project to help state biologists track the timing of egg hatch, size, gender and developmental stages of the shrimp.
Interview with Larry Matthews
As part of its ongoing Deep Dish series, the Portland Phoenix interviewed Larry Matthews, chef/owner of Back Bay Grill about where he likes to eat out.
With kids and a busy schedule (he’s often cooking the food at the Grill himself, as he is now) Matthews doesn’t get out much. When he does, he goes to Five Fifty-Five for mussels. Or for steak. Or for anything, really, that his friends, Five Fifty-Five co-owners Steve and Michelle Corry, and their team whip up.
Under Construction: Evo
A new restaurant called Evo(twitter, website, facebook) is under construction at 443 Fore Street which small space at the corner of Fore and Union that’s part of the Hyatt.
Evo will be a “Greek and Mediterranean and Tapas Bars” and hopes to be open this Spring. It is part of the Prentice Hospitality Group that runs Chebeague Island Inn and other businesses.