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Interview with Damian Sansonetti

February 13, 2025 | Posted in People

The latest episode of Restaurant Unstoppable is an interview with Damian Sansonetti from Chaval and Ugly Duckling.

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10 Essential Bars of Portland

About Portland Food Map

Portland Food Map launched in 2007 as a simple directory of the local food community. Other features have been added over the years including food event listings, the Under Construction page, guides to Maine apples and cider producers, the restaurant real estate listings, Year in Review reports, the My Kitchen Their Table chef interview series, the Maine Food Map guide, Maine news reporting, and the annual Maine Thanksgiving List.


The 2024 editions of the Portland and Midcoast Pocket Guides are now out. Pick-up a copy Portland and Midcoast guides at local businesses, and if you need a bunch for an event you’re organizing or for your business you can buy them in packs of 25 on our online store.

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PhoEver Maine (@phoevermaine) has purchased the fo PhoEver Maine (@phoevermaine) has purchased the former Ananaia’s building on Congress Street. The Huynh family plans to renovate the 4,000 sq ft building and move their Vietnamese restaurant to there from its current space on Larrabee Road in Westbrook. They hope to open the new restaurant by summer. The Huynhs launched the PhoEver in 2013. The menu includes banh mi sandwiches, appetizers like spring rolls, beef skewers and shrimp toast, rice and noodle dishes, salads and, of course, several versions of pho. Several of the menu items reference names of famous Mainers like a pair of Margaret Chase Smith Soups (wonton soup and crab egg drop soup) or the George Mitchell rice plates. The new location will serve a similar menu along with some additional new items. The lease, space and equipment for the restaurant in Westbrook is for sale for $125,000. Anyone interested can contact Jen Hunynh at (207) 807-6178 for more information or for a tour of the property. Anania’s owners Ed and Barbara Anania shared their plans to retire and sell the building late last year. The Anania family had operated markets in Portland since 1963. #phoevermaine #portlandmaine #mainefood #comingsoon2025
RAFFLE COMPLETED Welcome to the February edition RAFFLE COMPLETED Welcome to the February edition of the Portland Food Map raffle sponsored by Evergreen Credit Union (@evergreen_credit_union). The winner will receive a $150 Visa gift card for use at The Abbey in Brunswick and either two tickets to the Maine Mariners OR two tickets to the Portland Museum of Art. Simply comment on this Instagram image and tag a friend (or, two, or three...), and you’re entered to win. To whet your appetite for a visit here’s a look at some drinks and dishes from The Abbey: A breakfast sandwich made with Portuguese bolo levedo muffin, the Whoopsie Daisy NA cocktail and a latte, duck wing with pomegranates over farro and squash, Menemen (eggs in a Turkish tomato and pepper sauce with melted cheddar) from the Sunday brunch menu, blueberry/lavender/thyme ice cream, braised pulled pork sandwich with carrots and saffron aioli and ginger slaw on a baguette. #mainefood #evergreeneverywhere #menemen #mocktail #cacoilasandwich #lavendericecream #bololevedo #brunswickmaine NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. 1 winner will be chosen at random and will receive either 2 tickets to a Maine Mariners home game OR 2 guest Admission Tickets to the Portland Museum of Art. Date of Maine Mariners game to be determined with the winner. Meal for two at The Abbey is good for up to $150 in the form of a VISA gift card; any additional costs will be the responsibility of the winner. The winner will be chosen on February 11th, and will be notified via Instagram direct message by Portland Food Map. The winner will connect with Evergreen Credit Union to receive their prize package. Per Instagram rules, this promotion is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm that they are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use. This contest is in no way sponsored or administered by the Maine Mariners, Portland Museum of Art, or The Abbey. By entering, entrants confirm that they release the Maine Mariners and Portland Museum of Art, and The Abbey of responsibility.
Jessica and Brandon Tenney, the owners of Truckin Jessica and Brandon Tenney, the owners of Truckin Pizza (@truckinpizza), are taking over the former Slab Sicilian Street Food spot on Preble Street where they plan to open a new restaurant called Za (@zaportlandmaine). The restaurant will serve pizza by the slice and as whole pies as well as sandwiches, salads, sides, appetizers and desserts. Their What the Dill Pizza is topped with house-made ranch and sour pickles, fresh dill, potato chips, red onion and mozzarella. A popular item from their salad list is a Roasted Beet Salad made with blueberries, goat cheese, pomegranate molasses, vinaigrette, basil, watercress and pickled onions. The bar menu will offer wine, local draft beers, cocktails on tap from local distilleries, signature cocktails and spirits from Wild Bevy Distilling in Wells. The Za bar menu will also feature house-made non-alcoholic cocktails, local sodas, and sparkling water. The Tenneys both hail from Maine. Brandon Tenney is a Culinary Institute of America graduate and worked in NYC before moving back to Maine. Jessica Tenney has worked in restaurants and in wedding and event planning. They each have 25 years of experience in the restaurant and event industries. The couple shared, “This is a dream come true for Brandon and I. This opportunity came and we just knew we couldn’t pass it up. It feels like a full circle moment for us after spending over two decades each working in the restaurant and event space in and around Portland. We are so grateful for all the love and support we have received with Truckin’ Pizza. Everyone kept asking if we had a brick and mortar and where they could find more of our food in Portland that it just seemed like the natural next step.” The Tenneys launched Truckin Pizza in 2022. In addition to providing catering for weddings and other events, Truckin Pizza also operates a food truck at Wild Bevy (@wildbevydistilling) where they serve dishes like poutine, Tuscan artichoke salad and mac and cheese. They hope to open Za for business this spring, and plan to use the large outdoor space to host live music and other events during the warmer months. #mainefood #mainepizza #portlandmaine #comingsoon2025
A new Sicilian-inspired restaurant called Pomelia A new Sicilian-inspired restaurant called Pomelia (@pomelia.restaurant) opened for business in Brunswick on Tuesday. Owners Tony and Chelsea Bickford are serving a menu (photos 8 and 9) of appetizers and salads, house made pastas, sandwiches, focaccia-style pizza, and a variety of chicken and shrimp-based dishes. The beverage menu includes cocktails and spritzes, wines from Italy, draft beer and a set of nonalcoholic drinks like the St Agrestis Phony Negroni and an espresso tonic made with spiced orange simple syrup. Shown here are the Lacinato Kale Salad 2nd photo), Charred Cauliflower (with fennel, almonds, capers, golden raisins, pickled onions, Calabrian chili aioli; 3rd photo), Spicy Ragu de Salsiccia with orecchiette pasta (5th photo), Marsala Porcini with Busiata pasta (4th photo), and a Cannoli topped with pistachio and chocolate (6th photo). Dessert cocktails, digestifs and coffee from Swift River in Raymond are offered with dessert. Pomelia is located at 18 Station Ave, and will be open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 am – 2 pm, 4 – 9 pm. #pomelia #mainefood #sicilianfood #lacinatokale #charredcauliflower #ragudisalsiccia #marsalaporcini #chocolatecannoli
Here’s a look at the Rooted Heart (@rootedheartc Here’s a look at the Rooted Heart (@rootedheartcafe) a cafe and apothecary located in Buxton that opened earlier this month. They serve breakfast and lunch (see 2nd photo for blackboard menu) Wednesday through Sunday. Shown here are the mushroom and kale quiche with kale salad (3rd photo) and a cranberry and orange muffin (5th photo). Rooted Heart has teas and lattes made with their own farm-grown herbs as well as bone broth and delicious house herbal broth made with nettle, parsley, cilantro, calendula, turmeric, ginger, anise, oyster & shiitake mushrooms, and Maine seaweed. Their coffee is from Carpe Diem (@carpedm_coffee) in North Berwick. The food menu includes plant-based and gluten-free dishes as well as gf baked goods. Rooted Heart is open Wednesday through Friday, 7am – 2pm, and weekends 8am – 3pm. They’re located at 259 Naragansett Trail/Route 202. #mainefood #buxtonmaine #rootedheartcafe #mushroomquiche #glutenfreefood #maineglutenfree #herbaltea #apothecary
Matt Ginn (@chefmattginn) has joined the team rel Matt Ginn (@chefmattginn) has joined the team relaunching the Dry Dock (@drydockportland) as the restaurant’s general manager. In a statement released today Ginn shared, “I’ve worked in kitchens my entire career and for the last decade, opened, ran and helped several restaurants in Portland and Greater Portland reach their award-winning potential. The move to a more all-encompassing restaurant role for one establishment, and overseeing menu creation and kitchen staff hires for the re-opening of a restaurant that I grew up coming to, is the personal and professional change that I’ve been looking for.” Ginn continued, “I’ve known the Holden family for a long time and have a deep respect for what they do not only as the best Maine seafood company and B Corp, but as an employer and what they do to give back to our community. With Dry Dock, I’m excited to restore a legendary Portland restaurant and bring new life to it with this terrific team.” The Dry Dock had been a fixture on the Portland waterfront since it launched in 1983. Luke Holden, Ben Conniff, Bryan Holden—co-owners of Luke’s Lobster— leased 84 Commercial Street in October with plans to relaunch the Dry Dock as a seafood tavern with a full bar program. The Dry Dock is being thoroughly refurbished including a new kitchen and the construction of two large bars. When it re-opens this summer it will have an expanded deck, and is expected to seat up to 300 people. Ginn is a Maine native and an experienced chef and leader. He comes to his position after 10 years with the Prentice Hospitality Group (Evo, Chebeague Island Inn, The Good Table, Twelve) where he was the groups executive chef. Ginn was the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year in 2015. Earlier in his career he worked at L’Espalier in Boston and was the chef de cuisine at Five Fifty-Five. #mainefood #drydockportland #portlandmaine #waterfrontseafood #chefmattginn
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