Author: PFM

So.ME.Vegan on Falafel Toasties

| Posted in Reviews

So.ME.Vegans has started a series looking at Maine vegan food producers and in their first post they include a mini-review of Falafel Toasties which are produced here in Portland by Papou’s Kitchen.

Honestly we hadn’t heard of them yet, despite the product originally being conceived of in 1986. We were truly missing out. This has got to be some of the most finely crafted falafel we’ve tried. Djgray1200 thought the seasoning was just right. A number of falafels we’ve tried have been bland, but then again in frozen food you always run the risk of getting something that’s obnoxiously salty. This product walks that line masterfully.

Under Construction: WhaddaPita

| Posted in Under Construction

Back last September word got out of two new restaurants in the works, Sonny’s and Your Grandma’s. Sonny’s opened in early January but Your Grandma’s (slated for the old Chef et al. space) has yet to launch.
Now there’s a sign up at 408 Forest Ave promoting a new venture to be called WhaddaPita – Taste it, Love It. According to Trademarkia, a Constantine Casvikes from Saco owns the trademarks for both Your Grandma’s and WhaddaPita so it seems like it’s more a re-alignment of concept than a completely new venture.

Review of Jewel of India

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of Jewel of India in South Portland.

Generally it is the entrées where Jewel of India shows its real strengths. The bengan bharta — with a sauce based on roasted eggplant, was a symphony of sharp notes. It opened with a burst of aroma that made me anticipate more heat than the dish actually contained. Instead, the fresh ingredients — eggplant, tomato, onion, garlic, green pepper, each of which offers some bite without spicy heat — take turns gently pricking your palate.

Ocean Approved

| Posted in General News

Working Waterfront has published a report on Ocean Approved. The Maine seaweed aquaculture venture that received a “$95,000 NOAA Small Business Innovation Research Program Phase I Grant and an experimental lease to raise seaweed near Little Chebeague Island”.

The NOAA grant will make it possible for the company to generate their own seed and raise young seedlings (or sporelings) to put on aquaculture lease sites for growout, a move which Olsen says is necessary if they want to increase productivity. “We have been hand picking seaweed from the wild,” he explains, “always respecting the biomass and making sure we are tending the beds. But kelp can be overharvested, so to expand into larger scale production, we have to begin growing plants from our own seed.” He adds that this move also has the advantages of making possible selective breeding and choosing the ideal environment to put down their seedlings for optimum growth.

Check Splitting, Local Wine? and More Farmers Markets

| Posted in General News

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes check splitting guidance,

Your friend Joe has just spent the last couple of hours downing expensive single-malt Scotch and a lovely filet mignon, side dishes priced separately.

You, on the other hand, had a light appetizer and have been picking at a salad. You’re drinking iced tea – and not the Long Island kind. (There’s a recession on, you know.)

Here comes the bill.

a report on a new set of farmers markets set-up by Cultivating Community with the goal of making organic food more affordable,

Starting last week, the organization that works to supply low-income Mainers with access to locally grown food began opening a series of farmers markets throughout Portland.

Not only do these markets sell organic vegetables and fruits grown in Maine, they offer a double-coupon program for people receiving the federal nutrition benefits SNAP, often called food stamps, and WIC, including the program’s farmers market vouchers and fruit and vegetable vouchers.

and Joe Appel’s wine column where he explains there just aren’t yet any good local wines that are made from native grapes (e.g. Concord),

In response to my column last week on American wines, a reader wrote that he was “bothered” that all the wines I described, while made in this country, used European varietals. “Surely,” he wrote, “there are good Niagara or Concord wines that exist and are worthy of consideration as truly American wines?” No, there aren’t.

Boston Globe: Two Fat Cats

| Posted in Profiles

The Boston Globe has published a profile of Two Fat Cats bakery on India Street.

The demand for traditional American confections was there, and [Dana] Street was anxious to back the project. He needed a partner to run the place. That’s where [Kristen] DuShane came in, with her two portly feline pets, Jacq and Lily, who could often be found snoozing in the building’s upstairs apartment, where DuShane lived until recently. “There was nowhere that just made a good, from-scratch cake,’’ she says.

Man vs Food in Portland

| Posted in General News

A film crew from Man vs Food was in Maine this past weekend. According to the Press Herald, the show’s host Adam Richman made a stop at Nosh to try the Apocalypse Now burger.

On Monday Richman visited the Maine State Pier and took a schooner ride. Richman also spent the afternoon and part of the evening at Nosh Kitchen Bar on Congress Street, where Chef Jason Loring made him an “Apocalypse Now” burger – three times.

The burger, which sells for $20, is made with American cheese, seared pork belly, cured bacon, foie gras, mayo, and macerated orange and cherries. Loring said Richman also tried his pork belly reuben.

Sun: Soakology & Shima

| Posted in General News, Profiles

Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes a report on Shima’s new lounge area,

Feel like sweet-roasted red pepper? How about Maine shrimp fritter, sauteed prawns or calamari “a la plancha”? The list goes on, including additional entrees and appetizers, ranging from antipasto to cheese plates, from Japanese roast pork to salmon and haddock.

and a profile of the “foot sanctuary and teahouse” that is Soakology,

I’m brought a black almond tea, steamed with milk and honey and “Four Feet” of chocolate. Footprint-shaped wafers of chocolate from Coastline Confections in Cumberland are melted on slices of baguette and sprinkled with seasalt, the perfect internal reinforcement for the detoxifying that the Belgian cocoa is supposedly doing to my blissed out tootsies.

Sun: Soakology & Shima

| Posted in General News, Profiles

Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun includes a report on Shima’s new lounge area,

Feel like sweet-roasted red pepper? How about Maine shrimp fritter, sauteed prawns or calamari “a la plancha”? The list goes on, including additional entrees and appetizers, ranging from antipasto to cheese plates, from Japanese roast pork to salmon and haddock.

and a profile of the “foot sanctuary and teahouse” that is Soakology,

I’m brought a black almond tea, steamed with milk and honey and “Four Feet” of chocolate. Footprint-shaped wafers of chocolate from Coastline Confections in Cumberland are melted on slices of baguette and sprinkled with seasalt, the perfect internal reinforcement for the detoxifying that the Belgian cocoa is supposedly doing to my blissed out tootsies.

Thai-o-rama: Saeng Thai House

| Posted in Reviews

For the 9th round of this comprehensive survey/review of Thai restaurants in Portland we visited Saeng Thai House which has two locations located just a few blocks from each other. The original location at 921 Congress remained dormant for many years but was refurbished and relaunched a couple of years ago, and the “new” location at 271 Saint John Street.
The Blueberry Files – read the full review

The people at Saeng Thai are very nice- both times I’ve eaten in and gotten take out, I’ve had excellent customer service. But this time my food didn’t live up to my previous experience.

Where is Jenner’s Mind – read the full review

in relation to all the standard thai in this town, i think its up towards top of the list. but as my friend mark said, we may just be hitting it on the right night. its also quite a deal with the pad thai costing like $6 or $7. so at this price point and the two good meals we have had so far, i would visit saneg thai house again.

When I first moved to Portland people would regularly recommend Saeng Thai as a good option for Thai food, but despite living just a few blocks away this was my first visit in 12 years. I visited the restaurant on Saint John Street and was  pleased with my meal, the food was fresh and well executed and the service very friendly. I would definitely eat there again and hope to try out the small original spot on Congress Street the next time I go.
There were also two earlier reviews published in Portland magazine (2003) and the Portland Press Herald (2004). The 4 star review from the Press Herald wrote that, “Saeng Thai House now has fancier digs and a larger, more creative menu than it had on Congress Street. The food is still excellent, and a pretty good bargain at that.”
There are  just 4 Thai restaurants left visit: Chiang Mai, Vientiane, Sengchai Thai, Siam Orchid. Do you have any thoughts on where we should go next?