Category: Under Construction

Under Construction: King’s Head & Casa Fiesta

| Posted in Under Construction

Another pair of new restaurants have submitted liquor license applications to the City Council:

  • Casa Fiesta is “Mexican Bar and Grill” under construction at 865 Forest Ave (formerly Venue Music Bar, The Loft and many others). The application indicates that Casa Fiesta is “modeled like a current successfully operating business in Bideford Crossing“. They hope to open in October. A draft menu (pages 49-50) was provided as part of the materials supplied to the City Council.
  • King’s Head is under construction on Merrill’s Wharf in the Pierce Atwood building. The application states that King’s Head aims to provide a “high quality dining experience” which features “fresh ingredients highlighting local/regional/sustainable cuisine”. The interior design will draw on “maritime and historical themes” using “vintage and or antique” fixtures. They also hope to open in October. The draft menu (pages 27) was provided as part of the materials supplied to the City Council.

Closing & Construction—Sweet Marguerites & Figa Replacement

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

A pair of updates on Portland’s ever changing food landscape:

  • I was very sad to hear this week that Sweet Marguerites has gone out of business. I will be in mourning over the loss of their Fleur de Sel Caramels. Best of luck to Meg and Anna in whatever they do next.
  • Lee Farrington, chef/owner of Figa, has announced that she’s “[a]cquired a new business partner” and will be launching a new venture at 249 Congress Street in Spring/Summer 2014.

Piccolo Opening on Friday

| Posted in Under Construction

Piccolo (twitter) is scheduled to open this Friday. the new Italian restaurant is located at 111 Middle Street in the former home of Bresca.

Piccolo is the creation of chefs Damian Sansonetti and Ilma Lopez. Sansonetti is also one of the founders of Blue Rooster and until earlier this year Lopez was the pastry chef at Grace.

The menu at Piccolo is inspired by the cuisine central and southern Italy and features an all-Italian wine list. The restaurant will be open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner; they’ll begin taking reservations early this week (207) 747-5307.

Under Construction: Empire

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report on Maine a la Carte, Empire plans to open next week on September 12.

The menu, a press release sent out today says, will feature “truly authentic Chinese cuisine and Dim Sum. The menu of traditional and modern ‘Chinese soul food’ will feature local meats, seafoods, and seasonal produce. The kitchen will be headed by a Dim Sum Master Chef with 40 years’ experience creating specialty dumplings in world class kitchens around the world.”

Harbor Fish’s Past & Portland Co-op’s Future

| Posted in Under Construction, Profiles

Today’s Press Herald includes an article about the nearly 50-year old Harbor Fish Market,

Nick Alfiero, one of the three brothers who own Portland’s Harbor Fish Market, says that whenever anybody talks about their 47-year-old family business these days, they always throw out the word “iconic.”

How does that make him feel? Good, right?

“Old,” he said with a wry smile. “Old, to tell you the truth.”

and an article about the Portland Co-op’s plans to open a grocery store.

By early 2015, the Portland Food Co-op intends to open a grocery store in downtown Portland, a district dominated by Whole Foods, Hannaford and Trader Joe’s. The business plan calls for a much smaller store than the ones operated by the large chains, but with a full offering of organic and natural groceries, including beer, wine and prepared foods. The store will emphasize locally grown and produced food.

Under Construction: Coffee by Design in East Bayside

| Posted in Under Construction

Sprudge has published a set of photos as well as a Q&A with Coffee by Design about their new roastery and cafe in East Bayside.

The triangular shape of the coffee bar is designed to highlight different coffee brewing method…A blending station will also be part of the coffee bar mix so customers have the opportunity to create their own blends from that roaster’s choice of origin coffees each week.

CBD expects to open the new cafe “sometime during the holidays”.

Under Construction: Photos of Salvage BBQ

| Posted in Under Construction

Portland Daily Photo has published a very nice set of images taken at Salvage BBQ (facebook, twitter, website), the new barbeque spot on Congress Street that’s set to open in the next week or so. Salvage is the creation of Jay Villani and his team at Local 188/Sonny’s.

Villani and crew are also building out Ideal Bakery just up the street across from the old Roma restaurant.