Plans for the new building currently under construction at 409 Cumberland Avenue include a rooftop greenhouse for growing vegetables and a teaching kitchen where residents can learn about turning produce into healthy meals. The greenhouse and kitchen are part of a collaboration between Avesta and Cultivating Community.
Sur Lie (facebook) is in the process of holding a some friends and family services prior to opening to the public “early next week”. I was fortunate enough to get invited to the dinner last night.
The main part of chef Emil Rivera’s small plate menu (here’s a photo of the one from last night) is divided into three categories: Crisp, Pleasant and Bold along with some cheeses, charcuterie and other smaller starters. Rivera moved to Maine from DC where he worked for several years as part of the ThinkFoodGroup—a family of 15 restaurants founded by chef/restaurateur Jose Andres.
My menu recommendation: when you go be sure not to miss the Creamed Corn with Pork Belly.
Sur Lie is located at 11 Free Street.
Urban Eye has posted an update on Bao Bao Dumpling House.
The delay of Bao Bao Dumpling House on Spring Street has perplexed more than fans of Portland’s revolving food scene. Owner Cecile Stadler, touring her new building, formerly West End Deli, on Wednesday, was miffed that the process has taken so long.
There’s an article on the new Portland Co-op in the Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald.
Here’s the latest: All of the refrigeration, heating and cooling systems are in place. Floors have been polished. Soon interior painting will begin. Within the next two weeks, shelving, fixtures and checkout counters will begin arriving and workers will start building out the interior of the store at 290 Congress St. in Portland.
But Gadsby declines to reveal a target opening date, sticking to the script that it will be sometime in “mid-fall.”
Urban Eye has posted an update on Bramhall, the casual food and drink destination now under construction in the old Bramhall Pub in the West End.
“New places are super food-focused and the food scene is awesome,” he said, but amid all the James Beard nods, something was amiss.
“It can be a challenge to grab a meal for two, even lunch, for less than $80 in Portland,” said Fraser. “I want people to be able to come in and have a few drinks and have a good time.”…Meals at the new Bramhall gastropub will be priced from $8 to $10. In the kitchen is Chris [Beaulieu], former sou chef at Duck Fat and chef at Sebago Brewery in Portland.
Owner Mike Fraser hopes to open Bramhall next month.
Two new restaurants have submitted their liquor license applications with the city:
For information on all the restaurants under development see the Portland Food Map under construction list.
Eater Maine stopped by the future home of Ebb & Flow (facebook, twitter) on Commercial Street and has posted some new details on the restaurant. Chef and co-owner William D’Auvray hopes to have Ebb & Flow open by the end of October.
The C Salt Gourmet Market (facebook) is slated to open soon in the center of Cape Elizabeth. According to a Forecaster article published earlier this year, Co-owner Mike Concannon “compared the concept to Clayton’s Cafe in Yarmouth and Aurora Provisions in Portland’s West End.”
C Salt plans to sell “Coffee, muffins, cookies and bakery items, gourmet sandwiches and grab and go meals.” The newly constructed building is located at 349 Ocean House Rd.
The Jewel Box has posted an update on Kickstarter with a series of photos illustrating the last few months of construction at 644 Congress Street. The center piece of the new space is the curved bar made of white oak. If all goes according to plan the bar will hopefully open by the end of the month.
A new Chinese restaurant called Shangri-la is under construction on upper Exchange Street. Shangri-la is taking over the space at 90 Exchange Street that for the last 8 months has been occupied by Thai 9.
Shangri-la is being launched by Yarmouth resident Qi Shen. Shen plans on serving a menu of Sichuan style Chinese food. A draft menu (page 42) was supplied as part of the restaurant’s liquor license application. Here’s an excerpt,
