Category: Under Construction

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.

A new African restaurant called Chez Okapi is under construction at 249 Saint John Street in the space formerly occupied by Taqueria Tequila. Owner Raphael Kabata has applied for a full liquor license.

You can see a copy of the draft menu on pages 65-66 of the City Council meeting materials.

Kabata hopes to open Chez Okapi later this Fall.

The Veranda Group has applied for a liquor license for the new restaurant they have under construction on Commercial Street. The Veranda Noodle House will be located in the former Salt Exchange space. Owner Hai Pham plans to serve a mixed menu off Thai and Vietnamese dishes. You can see a draft menu on pages 29-33 of the City Council materials for Wednesday’s meeting.

The longtime Dogfish Cafe space at the corner of Congress and Saint John Streets is now under development as a new restaurant called 953 Congress Street.

Dogfish Cafe had been sold to a couple of employees sometime in 2014 and in early 2015 they renamed the restaurant “Union Station Publyk House”. It’s not clear whether this is  a new venture entirely or just a redesign and rebranding.

Today’s Press Herald has a report on plans for a five-story building planned for the corner of High and York Streets—the current location of El Rayo.

The one-level structure that currently houses El Rayo, a traditional Mexican cantina, and the adjacent building that once housed the El Rayo Cantina will be torn down to make way for the new development, according to Veroneau.

“We don’t know at this point but certainly if El Rayo wants to be part of the project we’d love to have them,” Veroneau said.

El Rayo’s owners did not respond to several attempts to reach them Monday.

According to Facebook post on Sunday by Eat Maine, El Rayo is “closing for good at the end of September“.

Update: El Rayo has put out a press release confirming that they’ll be closing their York Street location at the end of September and will be holding a “Farewell Fiesta” on September 26th and 27th.

2nd Update: the Bangor Daily News has published an article about the transition of this space as well.

The Press Herald reports that the owners of Veranda Thai have leased the former Salt Exchange space on Commercial Street.

It’s unclear whether the owners of Veranda Thai and Veranda Noodle Bar, located across the street from each other on Portland’s Veranda Street, are opening a third restaurant also named Veranda Thai, or just moving the Veranda Thai at 9 Veranda St. to a new location.