Category: Under Construction

Ten Ten Pié is planning to open Saturday morning at 8 am. They’ll be serving coffee and pastries. See this post on Eater Maine for more details on the menu.

Ten Ten passed all inspections. Just waiting for processing of license. Hope that happens Friday! We plan to be open Sat morning 8-2 offering coffee and pastries. ¡Vengan a ver!

D.L. Geary Brewing has announced that they’re building a tasting room (photos) at their brewery located on Evergreen Drive.

Not only are beer lovers drinking more craft beer than ever before, they’re also curious about the beer making process. Geary’s has wanted to provide a tasting room for our fans for a while now, and we’re so excited to say it is nearly done.

Deen Haleem and wife Carol Mitchell have leased the 7,000 square foot restaurant space in the new Marriott Courtyard Hotel where they plan on launching a new pan-Mediterranean restaurant named Tiqa on  Commercial Street. In addition to a pair of dining rooms (one more formal than the other), Tiqa will also include a a chef’s counter, a 60 seat lounge and a private dining area.

Breaking with Portland’s current trend of small plate restaurants, the owners are planning a more traditional apps and entrees style menu. The menu will overtime tap into the full range of flavors and culinary traditions from North Africa, the Near East, Greece, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. Both lunch and dinner will be served at Tiqa.

Deen Haleem has had a career in the financial services industry but tells me that several years ago he helped launch a pair of restaurants in southern California and has always wanted to return to the industry to run his own place. While not from the restaurant, Deen assures me is fully aware of the challenges of launching a restaurant in Portland but is excited to make a go of it.

Deen and Carol hope to open Tiqa early next year.

Eater Maine reports that a Japanese noodle bar is under construction on Congress near Washington Ave.

…a man named Corey Suzuki and his father are planning to convert at least one of the ground-level units to a Japanese noodle bar.

The Press Herald reports that chefs Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier, founders of the former Arrows in Ogunquit, will launch a new restaurant in the Press Hotel when it opens next year.

Frasier was cryptic about the menu, saying they are “keeping it a little bit under wraps,” but said it will be “a personal expression of who we are.” While seafood will be well represented, for example, Frasier said he wouldn’t call it a seafood restaurant. And it won’t be Arrows-style fine dining, with white tablecloths and crystal.

“Our favorites are going to feature prominently in the menu – things that we’ve just loved over the years and are really reflective of our backgrounds both in Maine and California,” he said. “And, as you know, we love to travel. There may be a little bit of rivalry – Mark’s favorite and Clark’s favorite – on the menu as well.”

Today’s Press Herald has a brief mention of Dana Street’s new seafood restaurant in an article about waterfront development in Portland.

He said Dana Street, the restaurateur who owns Fore Street and Street & Co., plans to open a seafood restaurant on the pier, which also houses Fog’s Boat Works, Bangs Island Mussels, Morrison’s Maine Course and Upstream Trucking.

Street could not be reached to discuss his plans, but Goodrich said the restaurant could open as soon as next March.

The Forecaster interviewed the owners of Tandem Coffee about the launch of their upcoming West End bakery/coffee shop.

The owners of Tandem Coffee Roasters, which opened two years ago, are preparing a new bakery and cafe at 742 Congress St. It is expected to open this month.

Liquor license approval for two new venues are on the agenda for Monday’s meeting of the City Council:

• Owner Mike Fraser is opening Bramhall, a 46-seat “old school speakeasy with American comfort food” at 769 Congress Street in the old Bramhall Pub space. Guy Streiburger has been hired as a bar manager. Both Fraser and his wife are longtime employees at Fore Street. A the full draft menu was included in the council info packet (page 38) here’s an excerpt:Fraser tells me they are making good progress on the renovations (see floor plan). According to paperwork filed with the city, they hope to open Bramhall in September. Bramhall, along with Tandem West and the opening of Salvage BBQ and Tawakal Halal last year are starting to develop the post-Longfellow Congress Street commercial life.
• Sur Lie is also up for review. Chef Emil Rivera has produced a draft menu (page 55) for the tapas-style restaurant under construction at 11-13 Free Street. Here’s an excerpt,
  According to the cover letter, Sur Lie hopes open in late August. Here’s a floor plan of the space.

The Forecaster has published an update on the 2nd South Portland Otto under construction by the Mall.

Otto Pizza’s second South Portland location at 125 John Roberts Road will open in early August, according to a liquor license application councilors approved Monday.