The Public Mark House main entrance is blocked off while they install an elevator (you can still get in through the temporary entrances on either side). This part of the ongoing construction project to expand the market to the second floor which will be home to a number of small shops and cafes. They hope to have construction completed by mid-July.
Author: PFM
Cactus Club's Appeal
The Portland Daily Sun has an update on the status of the Cactus Club. Four months ago the City Council revoked the bar’s liquor license but it’s still operating during the appeals process.
Portland Police, who recommended in February that the council not reissue the bar’s liquor license, said 64 disturbances took place inside or in the immediate vicinity of Cactus Club in 2008, including 19 fights, a shooting, and a bizarre incident where a sport-utility vehicle drove into the side of the building. In addition, the bar was found guilty of two liquor license violations.
Standard Baking in Bon Apetit
Scones from Standard Baking are the subject of a review in the July issue of Bon Apetit. (via the weekly round-up in Psst!) For those of you who want to bake your own they’ve also published Standard’s recipe for the Blueberry Oatmeal Scones.
The scone was lightly crunchy on the outside, and the inside was moist and densely woven, freckled with tiny Maine blueberries. I took a bite. The texture was ideal: a bit like an old-fashioned biscuit, but more substantial. The oats were barely discernible, but they gave the crumb a gentle, homey flakiness. I should also tell you that the scone was perfectly sweetened—which is to say, barely sweet at all.
Otto Pizza
Portland in a Snap has published a brief profile of Otto Pizza.
Roma & Bramhall
According to an article in this week’s Portland Phoenix, one of Portland’s oldest restaurants, the Roma Cafe, quietly closed its doors a few months ago and its downstairs neighbor, the Bramhall Pub, has recently closed as well. The Phoenix writes of the Bramhall that “there’s talk it may reopen after renovations“.
Grace Opening in July
Grace has announced that they have “ALL licenses in hand!” and are ready to open the “first week in July, however, we will be closed July 4,5 & 6 on purpose with a reopen date of July 7th”.
Veranda Thai Review
The Maine Switch has published a review of Veranda Thai.
Whether you’re eating in or taking out, the food at Veranda Thai is definitely worth a trip off the peninsula. But just for kicks, grab yourself a table. You’re bound to get a chuckle from the people a couple tables over.
The Salt Exchange
The Maine Switch has published a profile of The Salt Exchange.
Instead she characterizes the food as new New England cuisine. This mean such offerings as Pemaquid oysters under lemon celeriac cream & hazelnut ($7/$12), Wolfe’s Neck Farm steak & tellagio on sourdough with sweet and sour onion & spicy roast tomato mayonnaise ($10), spiced Maine coast cioppino with Casco Bay fish, shellfish & grilled sourdough crostini ($12) and pea risotto with butter poached clams & fresh morel mushrooms ($9).
Maine Foodie Tours
Maine Foodie Tours has been added to the food map. They’re now offering two walking tours daily, the Old Port Culinary Tour and the Just Desserts Tour.
Cold River Vodka
Cold River Vodka made an appearance today in the Washington Post blog All We Can Eat.
Unlike Karlsson’s, Cold River is batch-distilled in a copper pot still. In the glass, it’s got a little sweeter taste than Karlsson’s, but it has an equally clean finish. Tasting Karlsson’s and Cold River side by side, you can understand that the idea of a potato vodka having “terroir” is actually not that far-fetched. In the right hands, a potato grown in northernmost Maine is going to make a different vodka from one grown on the southeastern coast of Sweden.