Review of Nosh

Portland Magazine has published a review of Nosh Kitchen Bar.

The tantalizing plate also whetted our appetites with Piedmont-style salami, rich roast Porchetta, and a most robust pork lardo garnished with just the right herbs, extra virgin olive oil, pickled beets and onions, delicious apricot mustarda, and moderately hot red and green peppers. Superb, and only $10.

Farmers Market History

The Portland Farmers Market has published an overview of its 242 year history.

In 1768, the town, voted to establish a public market in the lower part of the Town Hall. A town ordinance provided that all fresh meat could be offered for sale only at this market. The market served 136 families on the peninsula.

Provisions were carried into town in large leather saddlebags or paniers on horses backs and it was not until about 1815 that horse wagons were generally used.

I’ve added the Farmers Market, B&M, Schlotterbeck-Foss, Mister Bagel, Zeitman’s Grocery, and George’s Delicatessen to the Portland Food Timeline.

This Week's Events

Tuesday Barl Lola is hosting an Italian wine dinner and the new food and drink trivia competition series continues at Grace.
Wednesday — The PSO Wine Dinner & Auction is taking place at the Haraseeket in Freeport. This year the wine is from Argentina and chefs Jonathan Cartwright, Sam Hayward, Theda Lyden, Earl Morse and Lee Skawinski have designed the menu and will be preparing the meal.
Thursday Browne Trading is holding a wine tasting.
Saturday — the first Deering Oaks Farmers Market of the season is taking place and Leroux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting.
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.

This Week’s Events

Tuesday Barl Lola is hosting an Italian wine dinner and the new food and drink trivia competition series continues at Grace.

Wednesday — The PSO Wine Dinner & Auction is taking place at the Haraseeket in Freeport. This year the wine is from Argentina and chefs Jonathan Cartwright, Sam Hayward, Theda Lyden, Earl Morse and Lee Skawinski have designed the menu and will be preparing the meal.

Thursday Browne Trading is holding a wine tasting.

Saturday — the first Deering Oaks Farmers Market of the season is taking place and Leroux Kitchen is holding a wine tasting.

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.

Vegetarian Dining

The Bowdoin Orient has taken a look at the “meat-free, taste-full food” at Silly’s and Green Elephant.

For vegetarians, having a wide array of culinary options is key. While Bowdoin provides its herbivores their fair share of delicious meat-free choices, when in need of dining out, Portland offers some exciting vegetarian hot spots.

Two restaurants in particular have garnered attention for their vegetarian-friendly menus: Silly’s in Portland’s East End and The Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro downtown.

Maine Farmers Planting Early

The Maine Sunday Telegram interviewed several farmers about how the early warm weather is impacting when they plant.

Spring arrived three weeks early this year, and it is driving some farmers a little bit crazy. Bamford and some other adventurous growers are throwing out all the tried and true farming maxims and betting one of the earliest, warmest springs in memory will continue.

They are hoping that they will be able to deliver strawberries, swiss chard and even corn to markets a little bit earlier than the competition.

Under Construction: Soju & Havana South

Some fresh under construction news:

  • A new restaurant called Soju is planned for the old Thai Chef Buffet space on Congress Street. They plan on serving Japanese and Korean cuisine. You can see a draft of their sushi menu (page 86) in the supporting materials they supplied to the city as part of their liquor license application.
  • Havana South has also applied for a liquor license (see partial draft menu, page 106). One of the more interesting things to note on Havana’s floor plan (below) is an area right along Union Street marked Butcher Shop.
  • In related news, Chiang Mai which moved out of the the butcher shop space on Union Street looks like they’re getting close to reopening at their new location on Washington Ave.

Under Construction: Soju & Havana South

Some fresh under construction news:

  • A new restaurant called Soju is planned for the old Thai Chef Buffet space on Congress Street. They plan on serving Japanese and Korean cuisine. You can see a draft of their sushi menu (page 86) in the supporting materials they supplied to the city as part of their liquor license application.
  • Havana South has also applied for a liquor license (see partial draft menu, page 106). One of the more interesting things to note on Havana’s floor plan (below) is an area right along Union Street marked Butcher Shop.
  • In related news, Chiang Mai which moved out of the the butcher shop space on Union Street looks like they’re getting close to reopening at their new location on Washington Ave.