Otto Pizza is running a pizza box design contest. The student who provides the winning entry will see there design on Otto’s boxes throughout New England and their school will receive $1,000 donation to support art education.
Author: PFM
Under Construction: King’s Head & Casa Fiesta
Another pair of new restaurants have submitted liquor license applications to the City Council:
- Casa Fiesta is “Mexican Bar and Grill” under construction at 865 Forest Ave (formerly Venue Music Bar, The Loft and many others). The application indicates that Casa Fiesta is “modeled like a current successfully operating business in Bideford Crossing“. They hope to open in October. A draft menu (pages 49-50) was provided as part of the materials supplied to the City Council.
- King’s Head is under construction on Merrill’s Wharf in the Pierce Atwood building. The application states that King’s Head aims to provide a “high quality dining experience” which features “fresh ingredients highlighting local/regional/sustainable cuisine”. The interior design will draw on “maritime and historical themes” using “vintage and or antique” fixtures. They also hope to open in October. The draft menu (pages 27) was provided as part of the materials supplied to the City Council.
Piccolo Now Open
Piccolo (website, twitter) opened tonight at 111 Middle Street, the former home of Bresca. Piccolo is the creation of chef/owners Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez.
I went for dinner with some friends tonight and had a fine evening. If you stop by for dinner try out the melanzane or sarde appetizers, and the porcellino and pasta fatta entrees. You can see the current menu online on Piccolo’s website.
First Reviews of Empire Chinese Kitchen
Both The Blueberry Files and The Golden Dish have published reviews of Empire Chinese Cuisine based on their opening day first impressions.
Even so, there were a few small things that Empire could work on, but I trust that they will improve. Overall, my impression of the food was very positive and combined with the location, the atmosphere, and the great bar (and bartender, obvi), I’m sure Empire will make many people very happy.[TBF]
The menu is very concise but full of enough options. Parlaying its stance as a dining establishment serving Chinese soul food — comforting and delicious — what has emerged is a new neighborhood haunt that Portlanders have long wanted and can now embrace without hesitation. [TGD]
Maine Brew Bus & Dave Geary Interview
This week’s edition of The Forecaster includes a double article about the Maine Brew Bus,
The tour visits three of Maine’s leading breweries: Allagash Brewing Co. off Riverside Street, where the visit begins with a tour and ends with a tasting; then to Maine Beer Co. in Freeport for a beer sampler and snack, and finally to Rising Tide Brewing Co. in East Bayside, for a final tasting.
and containing an interview with Dave Geary.
Geary, who lives in Cape Elizabeth, said the brewing scene has changed dramatically in the years since he began building his brewery in 1984.
“There we no real road maps, how-to guides,” he said. “All of our equipment is custom made. These days you can buy it off the shelf, turn-key operation, if you’ve got enough money.
Apples/John Bunker/Apple CSA
The Portland Phoenix has published an article about this year’s apple season, the apple CSA and John Bunker,
For five years now, Bunker and his wife, Cammy, and crew have run an “Out on a Limb” heritage apple CSA, with two drop-off locations in Portland. I just joined and can’t wait for this week’s first pickup of the 10 to 12 pounds of apples. Last year, the CSA distributed dozens of rare and beloved Maine varieties, including deep purple (plum-like) Black Oxfords and dense Blue Pearmains, aromatic Garden Royals and Idareds, Cox’s Orange Pippins and Northern Spys. Willow Pond Farm in Sabattus is known for these late season Northern Spys, crisp yet juicy, and equally good eaten fresh or baked into pie.
For more on the apple CSA see this post from The Blueberry Files about the first week’s distribution.
Empire Chinese Kitchen Now Open
Empire Chinese Kitchen (website, facebook) has now opened at 575 Congress Street. The venue has been completely recast by owners Theresa Chan and Todd Bernard as a Chinese dim sum restaurant—harkening back to the building’s early 20th century past as a Chinese restaurant. Despite the rain, the restaurant was packed when The Blueberry Files and I stopped by for dinner.
According to the Press Herald,
The menu, a press release sent out today says, will feature “truly authentic Chinese cuisine and Dim Sum. The menu of traditional and modern ‘Chinese soul food’ will feature local meats, seafoods, and seasonal produce. The kitchen will be headed by a Dim Sum Master Chef with 40 years’ experience creating specialty dumplings in world class kitchens around the world.”
For more details see today’s article about Empire from the Bangor Daily News.
Historical tidbit: Maine’s first Chinese restaurant was opened on Custom House Wharf by Ar Tee Lam in 1880.
Changes to Portland’s Food Truck Regulations
The Portland Daily Sun has published an article about proposed changes to Portland’s food truck regulations.
The amendments to the ordinances related to food trucks — which were passed unanimously — will allow trucks to be parked with 65 feet of each other but not an open restaurant; restructure the permitting process and fee; increase the size limits on trucks; and ease the time restrictions for trucks to set up in metered parking spaces, giving them an extra two hours.
The changes are moving forward for a vote by the City Council.
Portland Brunch Spots
MaineToday has published an article highlighting 28 of the brunch destinations in Portland.
Brunch: It’s what we do in Portland on weekends. Whether we jump up ready to start the day with exercise, or drag our sorry selves out of bed — possibly regretting (ahem) beverage choices made the night before — chances are we’ll be sitting down to a plate of eggs or pancakes sometime before noon…
Bunker & the Apple CSA
It’s apple season, yesterday marked the start of the Out on a Limb apple CSA and so it’s perfect timing for The Root to post an article about Maine apple expert John Bunker.
Super Chilly Farm in Palermo, Maine is the home of John Bunker and Cammy Watts, and the base of operations for the “Out on a Limb” CSA program. A self-taught preservation pomologist, John has been tracking down heirloom apples and pears, particularly those originating in Maine, for decades. His 2007 publication Not Far From the Tree: A Brief History of the Apples and the Orchards of Palermo, Maine chronicles his fruit exploring adventures.