Author: PFM

This Week’s Events: Bon Appétit List, Twilight Dinner, Wine Wise Sail

| Posted in Events

Wednesday — Bon Appétit plans to announce the Top 10 best new restaurants of 2013 plus their choice for the overall best new restaurant of the year, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — Leslie Oster from Aurora Provisions will be the guest chef at this week’s Twilight Dinner at Turkey Hill Farm, there will be a summer beer tasting at the Bier Cellar and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Captain Dick’s Brewery in Wells.

Friday — Wine Wise will set sail on the Frances for a tasting of Tuscan red wines.

Saturday — there will be a wine tasting at Browne Trading, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

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 Outliers

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Outliers.

Outliers Eatery is as good as Portland’s dining scene gets. The atmosphere balances modern austerity with welcoming charm; the location is neighborhood-y with a harbor view. Parking is easy, the staff is professional and charming, and the food is thoughtfully prepared with a balance of freestyle and control. The menu winks at diners with literary sensibilities, but never dips into obnoxiousness.

A Visit to Bartlett’s

| Posted in People, Profiles

Sharon Kitchens, author of The Root, and bartender Andrew Volk finished off their 3-part series on Maine distilleries with a visit to Bartlett’s Spirits of Maine.

When Bob Bartlett and his wife Kathe arrived in Maine in 1975 they brought with them a passion and knowledge of wine-making. In 1983 they opened Bartlett Maine Estate Winery in Gouldsboro and became the first winemakers in the state. In 2007, the couple added a distillery to produce pear eau de vie and apple brandy (the apples are sourced from Maine producers). Two months ago they introduced Rusticator Rum made with organic molasses sourced from South America.

In parts 1 and 2 of the series Kitchens and Volk visited New England Distilling and Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery.

Re-Reviews of Zapoteca and In’finiti

| Posted in Reviews

Peter Peter Portland Eater has published a review of Zapoteca,

Overall, the meal – really a pre-dinner warm-up – was a huge redemption for Zapoteca. The so-so meal I remembered from there became a distant memory and I had a renewed sense of what Zapoteca was all about. The service was very good, the food was much improved, and the atmosphere was fun and inviting.

and The Golden Dish has published a review of In’finiti.

By 8:30 the placed started filling up.  It was unclear if people were coming in for drinks or dinner.  Either way, In’Finiti is hitting all the right notes ringing in excellent food served in a dramatic space that should be eagerly filled with an adventurous dining public.

DiPietro’s Closing after 69 Years

| Posted in Closings

According to a report in today’s Press Herald, DiPietro’s sandwich shop on Cumberland Ave will be closing their doors as of August 18. The shop was founded by Warren and Grace DiPietro in 1944.

A banner hanging outside says, “Thanks for your loyalty. We will be closing to enjoy retirement. Come in and savor one of our famous Italians because, as Joey used to say, you’ve eaten the rest, now try the best.”

Joey is the late Joseph DiPietro, who took over the store from his parents in 1966. He died in 2003.

Boone’s Opening Today

| Posted in Openings

boones_mapHarding Lee Smith’s new restaurant, Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room, is set to open today. It’s located on Custom House Wharf making it one of the few restaurants in the city actually on the water. For more than a century the space was the home of Boone’s Restaurant, which was founded in 1898 by Alexander Boone.

This is Smith’s fourth restaurant. He also owns The Front Room, The Grill Room and The Corner Room.

A menu is available on the Boone’s website.