Author: PFM

AP Winter Recommendations

| Posted in Reviews

Appetite Portland has posted a list of hearty winter recommendations from Little Seoul, Kamasouptra, Bard, Havana South, Flatbread and The Front Room. Here’s a taste,

The Seafood Udon Soup at Little Seoul. Out-of-this-world kelp broth steams my pores as I plunge the depths of a great big bowl for hearty chucks of salmon, scallops, Maine shrimp, fresh veggies and thick, meaty noodles. This newish Korean restaurant is doing MANY things right (I’ll publish a full review soon), but this stellar Udon deserves a separate spotlight.

Review of Pamola Xtra Pale Ale

| Posted in Beer

Brews and Books has published a review of Pamola Xtra Pale Ale, a new beer from Maine’s newest brewery, Baxter Brewing in Lewiston.

If you’re looking for a hop bomb or a malty mouthful of a beer to impress your beer geek friends, Pamola ain’t it. Even in Maine’s landscape of mild English-influenced ales, it’s a notably subtle brew. Coming into the beer looking for big APA, you might very well be disappointed. If you’re looking for a fridge staple, however, or the fabled “gateway beer” to get non-drinkers in the craft beer camp, you’re in luck. The Pamola Xtra is crisp, light, dangerously quaffable, and tastes wicked good.

Closing of Terroni’s, Burger Chains in the Old Port

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

Today’s Press Herald includes a pair of front page stories on “food-service transitions”. The first article is on the closing of Terroni’s Market on Park Ave—today is its last day. Terroni’s was opened by Florence Terroni in 1949.

And as regulars dropped in for lunch and said their goodbyes, it was an emotional time.

“Don’t get me crying again,” [44-year employee Sheila] Cunningham said while reminiscing about her years at Terroni’s.

The second article is on the increased interest of chain restaurants in Portland and the plans two burger chains that have plans to open in the Old Port.

“They are looking for niche markets that they wouldn’t have touched a few years ago, (when) they had bigger fish to fry,” said Dick Grotton, president and CEO of the Maine Restaurant Association.

This spring, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a nationwide chain based in Lorton, Va., will open in the Old Port, in a 2,900-square-foot space at 425 Fore St.

Another Virginia-based burger chain, Arlington’s Elevation Burger, plans to open three Maine locations, including one in the Portland area this year, said spokesman James Stewart.

Review of Bayside Bowl

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Bayside Bowl.

Where this plan founders is that bowling alleys rarely serve good food. That is why the pub at the Bayside Bowl is such an exciting development. It is the rare alley that takes its menu as seriously as it does lane wax. You know you are in a different sort of bowling alley dining room when you inquire about a mushroom and the chef swings by with a box of his favorites for show and tell. He gets them from Maine’s Tibbetts Mushroom Company, and the current crop features some great enokitake, among others.

2011 Phoenix Best of Portland Readership Poll

| Posted in General News

The Portland Phoenix has kicked-off their 2011 Best of Portland readership poll. The Phoenix has a a 2 step process:

  • Step 1, nominate candidates you think are an especially good fit in any or all of the categories
  • Step 2, based on the nominations, the Phoenix will publish a ballot next month summarizing the top nominees from each category for us to vote on.
  • The final results are usually published in April.

There are a plethora of food and drink categories (Bagels, Bars, Barbecue, Beer Selection, Brewpubs, Brunch, etc) there’s even one for food blogs. A list of the 2010 winners is available online as a reference.

Community Kitchens TV

| Posted in General News

Yesterday’s Locavore column in the Portland Daily Sun was about the Community Kitchens local access cable TV show. Each episode the show visits and interviews cooks in their own kitchen. January’s episode of Community Kitchens was an interview with the creator’s of Otto Pizza. The article isn’t available online but you can watch full episodes of the show at the Community Television Network website.

PPH: Dueling Cocktails & Processed Food Protest

| Posted in General News

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a detailed look at the dueling cocktail events happening on February 28: The Signature Event and the 2nd Annual Bartender’s Bash,

The confusion even trickles down to the bartenders themselves. Both events have John Myers.

John Myers from Fish Bones American Grill in Lewiston will be at the Cold River Bartenders Bash.

Another John Myers, a popular bartender at the Grill Room who lost last year’s top prize by just a whisker, will be at the Signature Event. (Did he jump ship this year since he won’t be at the Bartenders Bash? Or did he stay loyal by sticking with the Maine Restaurant Week event? It’s like a Zen koan, isn’t it?)

and the story of one woman’s efforts to make consumers aware of partially-hydrogenated oils in packaged foods.

The story told how a woman was going to her local grocery store and turning around products that contained trans fat so the nutrition label, rather than the product logo, was showing. [Erin] Judge was struck by the simplicity of the action, and began doing it in Maine.

Reviews: Figa and District

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Bar Guide has published a review of District,

If you are looking for a sophisticated place to take a date or meet up with business associates and friends with delicious hand-cured meat dishes and an abundant choice of beers, wines and drinks then make sure to add District to your favorite spots in Portland.

and Dine in Portland has published a review of Figa.

Overall, Figa Restaurant has a bright future. The staff appears to have been hand-picked, as are the ingredients, and the hard work of the chef (clearly visible in the open kitchen) will keep me coming back.