An emergency order from the Governor:
Under authority granted to her in a civil state of emergency, Governor Janet Mills today issued an Executive Order mandating that all restaurants and bars statewide close to dine-in customers effective today, March 18, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. for a period of 14 days until midnight, March 31, 2020. Take-out, delivery, and drive-through options can continue.
Woodford F&B is participating in the Feeding the Frontline project.
We’re fielding mounting questions from near & far about how best for people to help. We think #FeedingtheFrontline is a good answer. Starting tomorrow, we’ll be making daily deliveries of our delicious cheese burger to local folks on the front line of this situation. We plan to do this in increments of 5 burgers, and we’ll do as many as we can. The initial list of recipients we’re targeting includes local hospitals & nearby assisted living facilities, but we’ll work to grow the list quickly & welcome recommendations.
To support their effort call them to purchase any increments of 5 burgers to be delivered to a local organization. (207) 200-8503.
Solo Italiano has joined Woodford in this initiative. Every $100 purchase will provide 5 lasagne to those assisting the elderly, sick and needy with weekly deliveries on Thursdays. Solo will be directing proceeds will go to “the staff we are retaining as well as to an in-house relief fund to the rest of our staff that has been laid off.”
Luke’s has joined in too. They’re “donating 50 lobster rolls in our DIY Lobster Roll Kits to the incredible workers on the front lines in Maine, donating to a different hospital each day.”
Yesterday and overnight chefs from Portland restaurant have been assembling thousands of meals for Portland school children. See pictures of them hard at work: at Chaval, Tipo, and Little Giant.
This initiatives is being funded by Full Plates Full Potential. You can donate to the emergency fund online.
The City has made an announcement to institute a partial curfew over the next few days,
Portland City Manager Jon Jennings announced today he is instituting a mandated curfew for establishments where groups gather from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM on Tuesday, March 17-18 and then daily from 8:00 PM until 2:00 AM on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (March 18 – 22) in light of the need to practice social distancing in order to lessen the community spread and flatten the curve of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The all day curfew on Tuesday is intended to curb St. Patrick’s Day events and festivities, but take-out and delivery of food is still permitted.
As part of that announcement the City has also
strongly recommending all restaurants close to dine-in customers, or dramatically limit the number of customers, and provide takeout or delivery options only for the foreseeable future. While this is the preferable option, the City understands that some restaurants may not be set up to do so. Additionally, the City recommends that all gyms and fitness studios close.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Anoche,
If a visit to Basque Country, with its tradition of locally pressed ciders and small-plates-centric snacking appeals to you, Anoche should be on your Portland dining itinerary. Owner/GM Erika Colby’s dimly lit, slightly retro-feeling pintxos restaurant evokes a casual, Iberian bar/restaurant while showcasing more than a dozen New England draft ciders. Ranging from funky and tannic to shimmering with tart fruit, the ciders are (appropriately) the star of the show at Anoche, supported by a line-up of complex, herbal gin-and-tonic cocktails, all of which are made with homemade tonic water.
the Press Herald has reviewed Ada’s, and
I had eaten about half of it when the Funghi Salsiccia was ready. Besides the crimini mushrooms and large, browned pieces of savory pork sausage, it had mozzarella, provolone cheese, parsley, extra virgin olive oil and garlic. There was no red sauce and the crust was thinner and a little crisper than the Margherita. Both were delicious.
the Press Herald has reviewed Three of Strong.
Great place to bring your rum-loving friends. But beware, they don’t sell any spirits other than rum, although they do have mocktails and soda.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has taken a look at how the restaurant community is responding to the corona virus and people’s need to engage in social distancing.
As concern over coronavirus grows, Maine’s restaurants are taking preventive measures to ensure customers and employees feel safe shopping and dining. They’ve gotten aggressive about hand washing and sanitizing surfaces, and are reminding employees to stay home if they’re sick. Restaurants are reconsidering buffets, and flirting with offering takeout. Dining rooms are getting new footprints as tables and chairs are re-arranged or removed to give customers more “social distance.”
Restaurants, bars and other hospitality businesses in Portland are responding to Covid-19 in a variety of ways focused on enabling social distancing and supporting the health of their customers and staff. Here is an incomplete and growing list:
Check your favorite spot’s social media accounts for more details about what they’re individually doing to address the situations.
Please post a comment and let me know if you see additional approaches emerging that should be highlighted in this list.
A new coffee shop called Burundi Star Coffee (facebook) is under construction at 261 Saint John Street in the space formerly occupied by Huong’s Ice Cream. As the name suggests, Burundi Star will feature coffee from Burundi.
Jake and Raquel Stevens will be opening their new restaurant Leeward (website, instagram) today at 5 pm. The 54-seat restaurant and bar is located in a newly built out space at 85 Free Street.
The Italian-inspired menu has a strong focus on house-made pasta such as Taglierini Nero with Rhode Island squid, pork brodo, chili, breadcrumbs, or the Bucatini with cured pork belly, tomato, chili, pecorino. Appetizers range from Braised Leeks with smoked burrata and Night Moves bread to Bangs Island mussels prepared with saffron cream, fennel and herbsaint. Desserts are the creation of pastry chef Kate Fisher Hamm.
Before moving to Portland in 2018 the Stevens lived and worked in restaurants on the West Coast where Jake Stevens was the former Chef de Cuisine at Beast in Portland, Oregon.
A & C Grocery is opening a second location today at 81 Clark Street. Their hours on opening day will be noon to 4 pm or sellout, which ever comes first.
The West End Location will launch serving their Famous Original “Real” Italian, pastrami on rye and “a few items exclusive to the the West End location”. The primary focus of the West End A & C will be “deli style sandwiches and regional favorites” and they eventually plan to open earlier in the morning, serving coffee and breakfast sandwiches.
Fournier shared that “Our mission, always, is to serve the community we’re in. So A&C West will evolve and adapt to the needs of the neighborhood just like we have done on Munjoy Hill.”
The opening of the West End location will not be resulting in any changes at the Washington Ave A & C. The kitchen on Washington Ave will be producing the cured and smoked meats as well as pickles and homemade sauces for both locations.
A&C West initially be open 11 am to 4 pm, Monday thru Saturday.