Category: Under Construction

I got a chance to take a look inside Woodford Food & Beverage(facebook, twitter, instagram) yesterday afternoon. As you can see they’re making good progress on framing out the space but there’s still a lot of work to do. Owner Birch Shambaugh is aiming to have the 85-seat neighborhood restaurant and bar open by the end of the year.

Shambaugh recently took a big step forward toward opening day with the hire of chef Courtney Loreg(linkedin, instagram) to lead the kitchen staff. Courtney was the sous chef at Fore Street (2001 – 2005) and at Bresca (2009 – 2011). She’s spent the last three years as part of the culinary team at Wente Vineyards in California. She has a wealth of experience and I’m looking to see how she translates that into the menu for Woodford.

The restaurant is located at 660 Forest Ave, the address of the original Valle’s Steakhouse.

A report in today’s Press Herald indicates that upper floors of the Marguerita’s building on Brown Street are being converted to condos, but the first floor will still be a restaurant space,

Jack Soley said they’ve already had interest in the first floor from more than 30 business owners, but they are waiting for the right fit. Considering that people will be living upstairs, he said, that’s probably going to be “more casual fine dining than a bar situation.”

Linda Kate Lobster(facebook) has a new facility under development at 1035 Ocean Ave in the former Etheridge Foundary building. Owner plans to open a retail space selling live lobsters on the property this spring.

Maine & Loire is taking the next step in the evolution of their business. Owners Orenda and Peter Hale plan to build out a wine bar and small kitchen in the front portion of their retail shop on Washington Ave. The back part of their space will continue to be a retail wine shop.

The natural wine bar will have seating for about 20 including a small 8-seat bar. They aiming to craft a space that be both a “convivial hangout with the energy we feel when we drink at our favorite places” and a place where people can have direct experience with the natural wines they specialize in.

They hope to launch this new phase of Maine & Loire this winter.

Update: M & L has decided to name the wine bar the Drifter’s Wife.

A new bar called Alchemy is under development. Owner Josh Soley and manager Josh Miranda are planning a 5,000 square foot “classical 1890s themed bar” in the basement space below 1 Exhange Street. A draft menu (pages 47-49) was supplied along with the Alchemy liquor license application.

Jason Loring has announced details of his latest project, Rhum, “a refined take on Tiki with a distinctly Portland, Maine flavor”.

Rhum will serve an “Elegant, modern translations of classic Tiki dishes…bolstered with an impressive raw bar featuring local seafood.” The bar program will include classic and contemporary Tiki drinks and the intriguing promise of a “large format program for team tippling.”

The kitchen and bar will be led by the talented team of Frank Warren Anderson and Rebecca Ambrosi. You’ll recall Frank and Rebecca moved to Maine last year and launched The Hunter’s Bend, an underground supper club and catering company. They met when working at Animal and Son of a Gun in Los Angeles, where Frank was the chef de cuisine. Rebecca has worked in the kitchens of both Thomas Keller and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Rhum is located on Cross Street on the ground floor facing Spring Street of the JB Brown-owned building that also contains Arabica Coffee and Pinecone+Chickadee. Construction began in early August.

Rhum is a Fifth Food Group project. The Group is a collaboration between “Jason Loring, owner of Nosh and Slab; Mike Fraser, owner of Bramhall Pub; Nat Towl, builder and designer.” They hope to open Rhum this winter.

Loring describes Rhum as “a subterranean escape that welcomes guests, encourages them to revel in groups, and presents a series of elegant surprises throughout each visit.” It sounds like a lot of fun and I look forward to the experience.

Update: the Press Herald’s Meredith Goad caught up with Loring on Friday and has published some additional details on Rhum.

A new brewpub called Second Pint Brewing Company (website, facebook, twitter) is now under development in Portland. Second Pint bills itself as “Maine’s first ‘Eco-Brewpub’ “.

Second Pint Brewing Company aims to be Portland, Maine’s first “Eco-Brewpub”. We will offer handcrafted organic beers and fresh, local ingredients, all served in a sustainably-built and operated building with a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.

We will make extreme use of technology and sustainability in an effort to protect “our” future with a thoughtful alternative. Second Pint Brewing Company will be 100% renewably powered and carbon neutral. We also plan to attempt to become a near zero waste tacitly by utilizing on site composting, repurposing used brewing material, and only selling products in reusable packaging.

Second Pint has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Fundable with the goal of raising $15,000.

The founder of Second Pint is Jesse Hardie who describes himself as “an avid home brewer and a 15 year veteran of the food and beverage industry” who “has been the acting General Manager of restaurants that exceed $2M in annual sales”.

Hardie plan to construct a “15-barrel brew system capable of producing 1500 barrels a year when operating at total capacity. This will allow us to provide locally and organically produced craft beer to the surrounding community as well as provide a large line-up that will continually rotate in our on premise pub.”

It’s facebook about page lists three beers in their product section, “Aperitif Ale, Grey Bird IPA, Fresh Pressed Imperial Coffee Stout”. There’s also a draft menu for the brewpub online.

Eater Maine spotted this Facebook post by Little Jamaica on a new food truck they have in development.

Little Jamaica is also adding a second food cart to their fleet which will be located in Old Orchard Beach. In addition to presumably serving food, the owner plans to use the truck as the “mother ship on the move keeping carts supplied”.

A new Chinese restaurant named Pia Shang Sichuan Kitchen is now under construction in the former Anna’s Used Furniture & Collectibles at 612 Congress Street opposite the State Theater. Owners Qi Shen and Qiong Fang Tan have applied for a full liquor license.  Pia Shang will occupy 2 floors of the building with the kitchen and a second dining room on the 2nd floor.

The draft menu (page 51) supplied with the liquor license application includes items such as Pork in Lychee Sauce with Crispy Rice, and Boiled Fish Slices in Fiery Sauce.

The owners hope to open the restaurant this Fall.

See the PFM Under Construction page for list of other restaurants currently under development.