Category: Under Construction

Chef Damian Sansonetti has joined up with a group of 3 partners that are launching a new cafe at 5 Dana Street in the old home of Big Mama’s Diner.

Sansonetti tells me they hope to fill a niche for the weekday lunch crowd and catering for nearby office workers. Just a stones throw from both Commercial and Wharf Streets they would seem to be well positioned to tap into late night weekend Wharf Street crowd as well as serve hungry tourists in the Summer. The menu is still under development but will be sandwich-centric with some interesting twists.

They hope to open the new, and as yet unnamed business, in February.

While working on the Dana Street project, Sansonetti is continuing to search for digs in Portland to open his own restaurant, Sonnet.

Maine Craft Distilling is a new distillery that’s under construction at 101 Fox Street in East Bayside. The company was founded by Luke Davidson and three IDEXX alumni Fred Farber, TJ Dupree and John Rogers. This weekend I had the chance to meet up with Luke to learn more about the operation and get a tour of the facility.

Maine Craft Distilling describes themselves as a farm-to-flask operation and listening to Luke it sounds like they have a strong experimental streak that could lead to some very interesting products. The company is developing relationships with Maine farmers to source grains and other ingredients. They’ve received their federal license to distill and are on track to get their state licenses as well.  They plan to produce a carrot-based gin called Chesuncook, as well as a rum “Ration”, a single malt whiskey “Fifty Stone” and a vermouth. They hope to start production and sales in the coming year.

A year ago there wasn’t a single distiller in Portland. The launch of New England Distilling in 2012 and upcoming developments from Maine Craft Distilling and In’finiti (from Novare Res) are rapidly changing that. If the trend continues, we may soon have as many options for local spirits as we already do for local craft beer.

Photos: wall mural that runs along the Maine Craft Distilling malting floor (above),  malting floor, stills and other equipments (below), tasting room and office, MCD exterior sign, hybrid bicycle that’s been retrofitted to run on methanol.

 

Deux Cochon, the short lived (April 11-August 3, 2011) but very popular shop in the Public Market House, has announced that they’re making a comeback.

Starting early next year Adam Alfter and friends will be serving their brand of “Southern Food Hooliganism” from the back of a Portland food truck.

In celebration of Portland, ME finally allowing food trucks to grace the city’s streets, I’m picking up a sweet old truck next week in Brooklyn, so that a couple friends and I can play along. Chicken & waffles, poutine, biscuit waffles & gravy and various breakfast-like creations will be our focus, but blackboard randomness will also be offered to all ye late-night Old Port revelers. Will be rolling out in about a month, but will start posting photos in the meantime soon.

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a feature story on 3 new restaurants under construction in Portland: Salvage BBQ & Smokehouse being developed by Jay Villani of Local 188, the re-imagined Food Factory Miyake and Harding Lee Smith’s as yet unnamed fourth Room restaurant on Custom House Wharf.

Villani says he gets his kicks these days being the “executive producer” of a restaurant. A former sculptor, he likes trying to create energy and flow in a space. “I’m really into this part — building them out, the flow — the whole project from beginning to end,” he said. “At this point in my life, that really excites me.”

Villani and the other restaurateurs planning new businesses say that today it’s essential to have a niche to fill in the city. Villani thinks there’s room here for more barbecue, and his new place will be just a block and a half from the ballpark at Hadlock Field.

For a complete list of all new restaurants under development in Portland see the PFM Under Construction List.

According to the Forecaster, a new Mexican restaurant called Bueno Loco Mexican Restaurante is under construction in Falmouth.

Bueno Loco will serve Mexican with a Mayan twist, which Starks said is different from the traditional Tex-Mex many restaurants serve. She says it will be a “healthier Mexican,” and Opalnyk will use a lot of local ingredients.

A restaurant called Taqueria Tequila Mexican Food is under construction at 249 Saint John St, the former home of Sabor Latino and Viet Bangkok Cuisine. You can take a look at a draft menu on page 32 of the City Council agenda.

Owner Fernando Saldana owns Pancho Villa in Brunswick.

Miyake is planning to revive their original spot on Spring Street to (re)launch Food Factory Miyake next year, as a BYOB casual restaurant serving Japanese comfort food. Food Factory Miyake was the original name for Miyake when it first opened at 129 Spring Street in 2007.

Ever since 2011 when Miyake moved to Fore Street, the old space has been used for offices and as a base of operations for catering.

Local 188 has announced that they’ll be naming the new restaurant they have under construction at 915 Congress Street, Salvage BBQ & Smokehouse. The restaurant is located at the former home of Portland Architectural Salvage. They’re planning on opening in Spring 2013.

Monday’s City Council meeting will review and vote on liquor licenses applications from several new restaurants under construction:

• The North Point—a “small, rustic, upscale wine, cheese and spirits bar& restaurant” located at 35 Silver Street across the street from The Regency. The draft menu (pages 99, 102-103) includes a selection of cheeses and charcuterie, sandwiches, soups and chocolate truffles . According to the application owner Noah Talmatch has 30 years experience in the hospitality industry, the past 18 years in NYC.
• Dancing Elephant II—Iqubal Hossain, owner of the Dancing Elephant in Westbrook, is expanding into Portland through the purchase Passage to India on Wharf Street. A draft menu (pages 63-64) was included in their application.
• Three Buoys—as previously reported by the Munjoy Hill News, Three Buoy’s Seafood Shanty & Grille is in the process of renovating the former Wings-N-Things on Cumberland Ave. Three Buoys is expanding into the Portland market from their original restaurant in York. Their goal is to open in December.  A draft menu (pages 47-48) was included in their application.
• Buck’s Naked BBQ—as previously reported by The Forecaster, Buck’s is taking over the space on Wharf Street formerly occupied by Havana South. According to the application their goal is to open in November. You can see a photo of the new interior on Buck’s Facebook page.