Appetite Portland and The Blueberry Files have coordinated a pair of articles with recommendation for Fall dishes and Fall drinks.
As the temps drop my focus shifts to comfort food. The stewed and brothy. The ample and starchy. The earthy and rich. I scan menus for things I’d never consider in warmer weather. Cheesy noodles. Heavy sauces.
The Press Herald has published a review of Taco Escobarr.
I would go back to Taco Escobarr in a heartbeat because the food here is, overall, very good. It’s a great new addition to downtown Portland, and a perfect alternative to fast food for those late-night munchies.
Chubby Werewolf has posted a detailed and critical commentary on Anthony Bourdain and the No Reservations episode filmed in Maine.
…What I do have a problem with is people who say shitty things about others under the veil of criticism and then can’t even be bothered to qualify their remarks. Take, for instance, the monkfish dish that Mr. Bourdain “didn’t love so much.” What did he dislike about it? Was it not fresh? Was it the taste of one of the components? Was it the pairing of the leeks and red pepper with the monkfish liver? A little bit of information would go a long way here. Ditto on the comment about Mr. Street’s “watery-looking sauce.” Did you taste it, Anthony? Or did you just decide that because you saw something that looked “watery” that it was bad?…
Joe Ricchio has posted a report on the Maine magazine blog about the Greek wine dinner he helped organize at Bresca last month.
The second course, a wonderful combination of fresh Peekytoe crab with roasted grapes, crushed almonds, and verjus sorbet, finds a life partner in the Domain Spiropoulos Mantinia. Similar to the Ode Panos in that it is made from moschofilero, but different in that it is not sparkling, it has crisp, briny notes that play up the sweet grapes and almonds nicely, in addition to a delicate floral nature that jives with the sorbet.
The 5th episode of the Maine Culinary Podcast is now out. Host Dan Bodoff leads a discussion with folks from David’s and Rising Tide Brewing.
David Turin and Beverage Director Patrick Morang from David’s Restaurant, as well as Nathan Sanborn, owner of Rising Tide Brewery, joined us to discuss the origins and purpose behind Maine Beer Week, as well as some of their menu items and pairings.
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an interview with Tony Bourdain about his upcoming appearance with Eric Ripert at Merrill and lingering ill will generated by the Maine episode of his TV show No Reservations,
If comments on social media are any indication, Mainers sure know how to hold a grudge. While some loved Bourdain’s view of Maine through the eyes of his cameraman Zach Zamboni (who grew up in Milo), many others are still wondering more than a year after the show aired: Why wasn’t Portland more prominent in the show, given its growing reputation as a food town? Why didn’t Bourdain go to (fill in the blank) restaurant in Portland? And why was he so mean to restaurateur Dana Street when they were having dinner at his Portland restaurant, Street and Co.?
And for an article in today’s paper food reporter Meredith Goad lands interviews with owners of Gorgeous Gelato and Gelato Fiasco. Gelato Fiasco is in the process of opening a shop at 425 Fore Street almost directly across the street from their local competition.
“It’s not a very clever move in business strategy,” [Gorgeous Gelato co-owner Donato Giovine] said. “If I were them, I’d go to Boston. The only thing I think is, they want to kill us as a business.”
[Gelato Fiasco co-owner Josh] Davis denies that. He says he and [business partner] Tropeano have looked at 80 different locations in the Portland area during the past two years, “and have just not found the place we thought would make it work.”
When the Fore Street spot became available, Davis said, they both thought it was perfect for their business. It has “great foot traffic,” he said, as well as outdoor seating.
For additional commentary on the Gorgeous Fiasco issue see the Portland Examiner.
The Golden Dish has published a review of Schulte & Herr.
I daresay goulash, schnitzel and dumplings? Homemade rye bread and liptauer cheese with cornichons and capers? Spaetzle and caramelized onions under melted Emmentaler or the bratwurst platter with all the fixings?
According to a report from the Press Herald, Taylor Griffin has died in a fatal car crash in California. Griffin is President of The Rogers Collection, a specialty food importer located in Portland.
Taylor Griffin, 40, whose talents and tastes were well-known in the restaurant world, died after he lost control of the rented Chevrolet Corvette he was driving Sunday night on Highway 20 in Upper Lake, Calif. He was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car.
Mainebiz has published an article about Bull Jagger, Portland’s newest brewery.
A new beer will soon join Portland’s growing batch of homegrown brews, but this one is a bit different.
Tom Bull and Alan Jagger have launched Bull Jagger Brewing Co. in a 1,500-square-foot facility in Portland’s Riverside Industrial Park to make lagers, which they say is rare among microbrews.
“Tom and I love lagers,” Jagger says. “And we saw a void. Most of the microbrews are making ales, and we thought Maine could use a new lager.”
For additional reporting see the Press Herald.
The Blueberry Files and Delicious Musings were at El Rayo yesterday for an appearance by the Cabin Cove Oysters shuck truck and have both posted some photos from the event.
Oysters were briny, served with a salt-cutting red wine migonette. Sold out fast, but the Shuck Truck will be back. And hopefully we’ll be seeing all manner of food trucks all over Portland soon anyway.
Edible Obsessions has published an editorial in favor of food trucks.
Now, because of the combined efforts of Creative Portland Corporation, along with the input from those in the community who support or wish to operate a food truck in the city, we are no longer asking if food trucks will finally come to Portland but, rather, when.
Across the board, the recommendations from CPC are more than agreeable and address everything from location to sanitation…
Who I Met published an interview with Sarah Sutton, co-owner of the food truck Bite into Maine which is located in Cape Elizabeth.
Sarah and her husband have become “the reference point” for a local issue that is gaining attention. A town that closely guards local food and business, food carts are denied business permits in the metro Portland area- mostly for fear of competition. Despite that, their cart, “Bite Into Maine” is thriving- it even placed highly in the Food Network’s “America’s Favorite Food Truck” contest after being open for only three months.
Portland Daily Sun columnist Bob Higgins recalls some recent exceptions to the current prohibition.
Just about six years back, I worked down at Tartan Textiles down in West Bayside. Every day, a food truck arrived to dispense wares of hot coffee, pre-made wrapped sandwiches, fruits, donuts, and all other manner of tasty snackery.