Ghee & Cinnamon Girl

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings

The Portland food truck fleet continues to expand:

The Cinnamon Girl (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) food truck launched in mid-October. Owner Melissa Cott serves cinnamon buns and sticky pecan buns. As Cott explains on the Cinnamon Girl website,  her “mission is to provide recognition of and financial support to local Maine non-profit companies and organizations”.

Radhika Shah Patel and Sam Patel launched their fusion Indian street food pop-up Ghee (instagram) earlier this month. They’re regularly in operation at Apres in East Bayside on Fridays and Saturdays. The Patels are now working on a food truck which they hope to launch this spring.

Upcoming Events: last Outdoor Farmers’ Market, Thanksgiving, December Events

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – the last day of the regular season of the Portland Farmers’ Market.

Thursday/Thanksgiving – 56 restaurants and other food producers have announced their Thanksgiving offerings:

  • Ada’s – charcuterie and cheese boards, baked pasta and desserts; order by the 20th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Bam Bam Bakery – has a range of gluten-free baked good; order deadline November 19th for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • BenReuben’s Knishery –  roast chicken, sides, dessert for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Big Tree – Thanksgiving online ordering goes live November 11th and closes on the 19th for pick-up on the 24th in Portland, Biddeford, or shipped out on Casco Bay Ferry.
  • Black Betty Bistro – is offering a roast half turkey with green beans, mashed potato, corn bread, cranberry sauce, gravy to serve six people for $175. Order deadline in November 17th for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • BlueFin – 4-course dinner for $75 per person.
  • Bread and Friends – will begin taking Thanksgiving pre-orders on November 10th for pick-up on the 25th.
  • Butter + Kale – sides and pies with vegetarian and vegan versions available; pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Cakes for All Seasons – order by 21st for pickup in Biddeford on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Central Provisions/Tipo – appetizers, sides, desserts and drinks for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Chaval – apple tarte tatin, pumpkin, cranberry and maple pecan pie, or chocolate pie with peanut butter and sea salt crunch; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Crispy Gai – will be offering up free meals on Thanksgiving to those in need.
  • Dandelion Catering – turkeys, sides and desserts; deadline on the 17th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Daybreak Alliance/CarHop – the CarHop delivery service and Daybreak Growers Alliance are teaming up to offer Daybreak’s farm and butcher boxes to the Greater Portland area in time for Thanksgiving on the 23rd and 24th. Ordering via the CarHop site starts on November 9th and the ordering deadline for Thanksgiving is November 21st.
  • Dizzy Bird – family meals, individual meals and apps, sides and desserts; pick-up on the 24th in Biddeford.
  • Friends & Family – appetizer kits; deadline on the 21st for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Gather – takeout dinner for 4 people for $149; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Isa – Thanksgiving take out order available by pre-order.
  • Italian Heritage Center – is offering family style options for turkeys, sides and pies; order deadline on the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • Lake & Co. – dinner for two, sides, and desserts; order deadline November 15th for pick-up on November 24th and 25th.
  • LB Kitchen – has some sides, breads and desserts; order by the 22nd for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Maria’s – takeout roast turkey dinner for $22 per person; order by the 23rd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Milk Bottle/Port Box – a pair of drink and charcuterie offerings that are a collaboration from 2 Fork Food Lab vendors; order by the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Monte’s – is taking orders for turkeys; deadline on the 10th for pick-up on 22nd – 24th.
  • Nonesuch River Brewing – is offering whole roast turkeys, sides, and individual full Thanksgiving dinners; order deadline on the 21st for pick-up on the 23rd, 24th or 25th.
  • North 43 Bistro – a ready to roast turkey along with sides and pie, feeds 6, $235.
  • Onggi – a Thanksgiving cookie box, 20 cookies consisting of 5 different flavors; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Other Side – is taking pre-orders for turkeys, sides and dessert.
  • Pepperell Provisions – mains, sides and desserts for pick-up in Biddeford on the 24th.
  • Petite Jacqueline – 3-course onsite dinner for $75 per person. PJ’s is also offering a takeout dinner for pick-up on the 23rd, 24th or 25th.
  • Portland Co-op – is starting to take turkey pre-orders on November 1st.
  • Prairie Baking Co. – has a cake and coffee cake available for pre-order.
  • Purple Whisk – baked goods for pick-up on the 24th at Omi’s Coffee in South Portland.
  • Rosemont Market – is taking pre-orders for turkeys, sides and baked goods for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Rosie’s – is serving a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for $19.95 per person with a $5 optional dessert add-on.
  • Rover Bagel – pre-ordering for bagel goes live on the 18th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Ruby’s West End – turkeys, sides, desserts and wine.
  • S + P – a plant-based Thanksgiving; order by the 15th for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Salt Yard – dinner for 2, $120; for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Scratch Baking – baked goods for pre-order for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Siblings Bakery – pumpkin maple pie, carrot cake and cranberry pudding cake, order by the 21st for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • Solo Cucina Market – on November 23rd or 24th is a pick-up location for turkey orders from Farmers’ Gate.
  • Standard Baking – a wide range of baked goods for pre-order by the 21st for pick-up on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Sur Lie – turkey, sides, and/or wine for four; ordering deadline November 18th, for pick-up on November 24th.
  • Sweeet Cream Dairy – is taking pre-orders for pints and a special Carrot Cheesecake Ice Cream Tart; deadline on the 19th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Sweet Woodruff Provisions – ordering starts on the 7th for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Tandem Coffee – order deadline 19th, pick-up on 23rd or 24th.
  • The Cheese Shop – sides, apps and cheese platters; order by the 19th for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • The Harraseeket Inn – is offering their Thanksgiving Grand Buffet; $115 per person, $49 per child (6-12) and free for kids 5 and under….plus tax and tip.
  • Three Dollar Deweys – a full turkey turkey dinner with sides (desserts sold separately) with vegan and gluten-free alternatives available;  $25 per person.
  • Tin Pan Bakery – is offering a selection of pies, cookies and other baked goods for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Two Fat Cats – has a wide array of baked goods available for pre-order with pick-up on November 23-25th.
  • Verbena – 3-course takeout menu for $36 per person; deadline on the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Wayside Food Programs – Wayside Food Programs uses “food to reduce waste, fight hunger and strengthen community through volunteer-driven programming and a collaborative, cross-industry network of partners in Southern Maine”. They have already surpassed our capacity of 400 takeout meals for pick-up on the 24th. However they still have available Thanksgiving Baskets which include groceries and a turkey to make a meal at home. Call their office (207) 775-4939 to sign up. If you’re able and want to support Wayside Food Programs make a donation on their website.
  • Wayside Tavern – will be serving a prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu for $85 per person, 1-5 pm. Call or go on Resy to make a reservation.
  • Westin – offering a 2-person ‘take and bake’ meal for $80 for pick-up on the 24th, and a 3-course dinner on Thanksgiving day at the Westin for $85 per person (reservations open on October 27th).
  • Wine Wise – dinner for 2-4 people with wine that’s a collaboration with 8 local restaurants and food producers (Central Provisions, Chaval, Helm, Other Side Deli, Nigh Moves Bread, Solo Italiano, Sur Lie, Tipo) plus turkey and stuffing prepared by Wine Wise chef Jef Wright and wine selected by Wine Wise sommelier Erica Archer. Order deadline November 17th. Wine Wise is also offering a 6-bottle Thanksgiving sett of wine.
  • Yardie Ting – Thanksgiving meals for families of 4-, 6- and 12 and sides; for pickup on the 25th.

November 29 – Departing Press Herald food reporter Meredith Goad will be participating in a Newsroom Live session to discuss her 17 years covering the Portland food scene.

December 2 – MOFGA is teaching a Kitchen Licensing workshop.

December 4 – The Winter Farmer’ Market will start on Saturday December 4th and will be located once again at 631 Stevens Ave, 9 am to 1 pm.

December 6 – Bissell Brothers is holding a (sold out) 5-course beer dinner.

December 8 – Duckfat and Maine & Loire are collaborating on a 6-course natural wine dinner.

December 11 – Dirty Dove is scheduled to open.

December 12 – Sean Turley (aka The Righteous Russet) will be appearing on this Sunday’s episode of Plate the State (instagram). The weekly Maine food show airs at 11 am on News Center Maine (channels 2 and 6).

December 16 – Congress Square Park plans to kick-off their S’mores Night, which will take place weekly 4-6 pm.

December 19 – Fred Eliot from Scales and Michael Stokes from Fore Street will be the guest chefs at the East Ender.

January 14 – The Good Food Foundation will be announcing the winners of the 2022 awards program; 10 Maine food producers are finalists this year.

Wayside Food Programs

| Posted in General News

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram reports on work by the Wayside Food Programs to better understand the food ways of the immigrant communities they help.

Last spring, Wayside held seven focus groups to begin that process. According to Wayside, they included 33 leaders speaking for the area’s Somali, Arab, Central African, Angolan, Asian, Hispanic/Latino and Serb/Croatian/Russian/Albanian people.

The participants shared information about general habits – how many meals they eat per day, for example, and where they shop for food. They also talked about foods typically available at pantries – which ones they would not use and which foods they wished were available.

Bread & Friends on Fore

| Posted in Under Construction

The founders of Bread & Friends (website, instagram) have leased nearly 3,000 sq ft of space at 505 Fore Street where they plan to open their bakery and daytime cafe. They’ll be working with Bolt Coffee out of Providence on a coffee program, and had this to share about plans for the cafe menu,

We’re really excited to focus on elevating the traditional bakery/cafe experience for our breakfast and lunch menus. We’ll focus on smaller plates for sharing in addition to some classic breakfast/cafe fare like sandwiches and crossover with our bread program (fresh from the oven baguettes with butter and jam) There will be a big emphasis on seasonal cooking and local ingredients, fresh and simple food. Think more snacks, appetizers, bites than big plates and platters.

Bread & Friends will be milling their own grain and baking in a Llopis wood-fired brick oven. They have hired Carrie Dessertine from Mey & Co. to redesign the former Pizzarino space and hope to open Bread & Friends late this coming summer.

The business is the creation of two couples: Maggie and Tanner Rubin and Jessica Rattey and Jeremy Broucek, who all moved to Portland from California where they worked in the bakeries and restaurants of the Bay Area including Tartine, State Bird Provisions and The Progress. Tanner Rubin will be the head baker for Bread and Friends. He has spent a number of years in the Bay Area baking for Josey Baker Bread, Midwife and the Baker, and Tartine, and prior to moving West got his start at Publican Quality Bread in Chicago. Rattey, Broucek, and Maggie Rubin met when all three worked at the Michelin-starred State Bird Provisions and at its sister restaurant The Progress. Rubin was part of the admin and operations staff, Rattey worked front of house, and Broucek was the chef de cuisine at The Progress.

Dirty Dove

| Posted in Under Construction

A&C Grocery owner Joe Fournier is partnering with Owl & Whale owner and bartender Michael Gatlin to open a new cocktail-focused venue called Dirty Dove (instagram).

Dirty Dove will be located in the space at 229 Congress Street where Fournier had originally been planning to reopen A&C Grocery. Fournier is continuing the search for a new location for A&C Grocery while launching this new venture.

Here’s a look at the near final cocktail menu (click on images to enlarge). Dirty Dove will also offer a food menu “brought to you by the letters A and C”.

The partners hope to launch Dirty Dove on December 1st 11th when they’ll be open Thursday through Monday, noon to 10 pm.

Lenora Taco Bar Coming to the Old Port

| Posted in Under Construction

A new restaurant called Lenora (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction at 2 Portland Square in the space formerly occupied by Walter’s. Lenora will be a taco bar focusing on Mexican-inspired street food.

Rian and Jen Wyllie will be working with former partners Aaron Sanders and Max Toste from Lone Star Taco Bar and Deep Ellum in Boston. The Wyllie’s have been part of the Portland restaurant community since they moved to Maine in 2017. Rian Wylie is currently the chef at Maine Beer Company in Freeport, and was formerly the chef/partner of Lone Star and Deep Ellum.

The team anticipates opening Lenora this coming summer. You can keep track of progress for Lenora by following the restaurant’s instagram account.

Upcoming Events: Beaujolais, GF Brunch, Farmers’ Market, Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – Evo is holding a Rhone wine dinner, and Cheese Louise and Belleflower are holding a 4-course beer dinner.

Thursday – Rosemont is holding a Beaujolais Day Celebration at their location on Thompson’s Point, and Maine & Loire are holding a Croatian and Slovenian wine tasting.

Saturday – it’s the last day of service at A&C Grocery on Washington Ave.

Sunday – Lorne Wine is holding a Fete du Beaujolais at Broadturn Farm, and Rwanda Bean, Sinful Kitchen and Mrs Gluten Free Living are collaborating on a gluten free brunch.

November 24 – the last day of the regular season of the Portland Farmers’ Market. The Winter Market will start on Saturday December 4th and will be located once again at 631 Stevens Ave.

Thanksgiving – 54 restaurants and other food producers have announced their Thanksgiving offerings and more are being added to the list almost every day:

  • Ada’s – charcuterie and cheese boards, baked pasta and desserts; order by the 20th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Bam Bam Bakery – has a range of gluten-free baked good; order deadline November 19th for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • BenReuben’s Knishery –  roast chicken, sides, dessert for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Big Tree – Thanksgiving online ordering goes live November 11th and closes on the 19th for pick-up on the 24th in Portland, Biddeford, or shipped out on Casco Bay Ferry.
  • Black Betty Bistro – is offering a roast half turkey with green beans, mashed potato, corn bread, cranberry sauce, gravy to serve six people for $175. Order deadline in November 17th for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • BlueFin – 4-course dinner for $75 per person.
  • Bread and Friends – will begin taking Thanksgiving pre-orders on November 10th for pick-up on the 25th.
  • Butter + Kale – sides and pies with vegetarian and vegan versions available; pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Cakes for All Seasons – order by 21st for pickup in Biddeford on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Central Provisions/Tipo – appetizers, sides, desserts and drinks for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Chaval – apple tarte tatin, pumpkin, cranberry and maple pecan pie, or chocolate pie with peanut butter and sea salt crunch; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Dandelion Catering – turkeys, sides and desserts; deadline on the 17th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Daybreak Alliance/CarHop – the CarHop delivery service and Daybreak Growers Alliance are teaming up to offer Daybreak’s farm and butcher boxes to the Greater Portland area in time for Thanksgiving on the 23rd and 24th. Ordering via the CarHop site starts on November 9th and the ordering deadline for Thanksgiving is November 21st.
  • Dizzy Bird – family meals, individual meals and apps, sides and desserts; pick-up on the 24th in Biddeford.
  • Friends & Family – appetizer kits; deadline on the 21st for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Gather – takeout dinner for 4 people for $149; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Isa – Thanksgiving take out order available by pre-order.
  • Italian Heritage Center – is offering family style options for turkeys, sides and pies; order deadline on the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • Lake & Co. – dinner for two, sides, and desserts; order deadline November 15th for pick-up on November 24th and 25th.
  • LB Kitchen – has some sides, breads and desserts; order by the 22nd for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Maria’s – takeout roast turkey dinner for $22 per person; order by the 23rd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Milk Bottle/Port Box – a pair of drink and charcuterie offering that are a collaboration from 2 Fork Food Lab vendors; order by the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Monte’s – is taking orders for turkeys; deadline on the 10th for pick-up on 22nd – 24th.
  • Nonesuch River Brewing – is offering whole roast turkeys, sides, and individual full Thanksgiving dinners; order deadline on the 21st for pick-up on the 23rd, 24th or 25th.
  • North 43 Bistro – a ready to roast turkey along with sides and pie, feeds 6, $235.
  • Onggi – a Thanksgiving cookie box, 20 cookies consisting of 5 different flavors; pick-up on the 24th.
  • Other Side – is taking pre-orders for turkeys, sides and dessert.
  • Pepperell Provisions – mains, sides and desserts for pick-up in Biddeford on the 24th.
  • Petite Jacqueline – 3-course onsite dinner for $75 per person. PJ’s is also offering a takeout dinner for pick-up on the 23rd, 24th or 25th.
  • Portland Co-op – is starting to take turkey pre-orders on November 1st.
  • Prairie Baking Co. – has a cake and coffee cake available for pre-order.
  • Purple Whisk – baked goods for pick-up on the 24th at Omi’s Coffee in South Portland.
  • Rosemont Market – is taking pre-orders for turkeys, sides and baked goods for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Rover Bagel – pre-ordering for bagel goes live on the 18th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Ruby’s West End – turkeys, sides, desserts and wine.
  • S + P – a plant-based Thanksgiving; order by the 15th for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Salt Yard – dinner for 2, $120; for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Scratch Baking – baked goods for pre-order for pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Siblings Bakery – pumpkin maple pie, carrot cake and cranberry pudding cake, order by the 21st for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • Solo Cucina Market – on November 23rd or 24th is a pick-up location for turkey orders from Farmers’ Gate.
  • Standard Baking – a wide range of baked goods for pre-order by the 21st for pick-up on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Sur Lie – turkey, sides, and/or wine for four; ordering deadline November 18th, for pick-up on November 24th.
  • Sweeet Cream Dairy – is taking pre-orders for pints and a special Carrot Cheesecake Ice Cream Tart; deadline on the 19th for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Sweet Woodruff Provisions – ordering starts on the 7th for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Tandem Coffee – order deadline 19th, pick-up on 23rd or 24th.
  • The Cheese Shop – sides, apps and cheese platters; order by the 19th for pick-up on the 24th or 25th.
  • The Harraseeket Inn – is offering their Thanksgiving Grand Buffet; $115 per person, $49 per child (6-12) and free for kids 5 and under….plus tax and tip.
  • Three Dollar Deweys – a full turkey turkey dinner with sides (desserts sold separately) with vegan and gluten-free alternatives available;  $25 per person.
  • Tin Pan Bakery – is offering a selection of pies, cookies and other baked goods for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Two Fat Cats – has a wide array of baked goods available for pre-order with pick-up on November 23-25th.
  • Verbena – 3-course takeout menu for $36 per person; deadline on the 22nd for pick-up on the 24th.
  • Wayside Food Programs – Wayside Food Programs uses “food to reduce waste, fight hunger and strengthen community through volunteer-driven programming and a collaborative, cross-industry network of partners in Southern Maine”. They have already surpassed our capacity of 400 takeout meals for pick-up on the 24th. However they still have available Thanksgiving Baskets which include groceries and a turkey to make a meal at home. Call their office (207) 775-4939 to sign up. If you’re able and want to support Wayside Food Programs make a donation on their website.
  • Wayside Tavern – will be serving a prix-fixe Thanksgiving menu for $85 per person, 1-5 pm. Call or go on Resy to make a reservation.
  • Westin – offering a 2-person ‘take and bake’ meal for $80 for pick-up on the 24th, and a 3-course dinner on Thanksgiving day at the Westin for $85 per person (reservations open on October 27th).
  • Wine Wise – dinner for 2-4 people with wine that’s a collaboration with 8 local restaurants and food producers (Central Provisions, Chaval, Helm, Other Side Deli, Nigh Moves Bread, Solo Italiano, Sur Lie, Tipo) plus turkey and stuffing prepared by Wine Wise chef Jef Wright and wine selected by Wine Wise sommelier Erica Archer. Order deadline November 17th. Wine Wise is also offering a 6-bottle Thanksgiving sett of wine.
  • Yardie Ting – Thanksgiving meals for families of 4-, 6- and 12 and sides; for pickup on the 25th.

December 1 – Dirty Dove is scheduled to open.

December 12 – Sean Turley (aka The Righteous Russet) will be appearing on this Sunday’s episode of Plate the State (instagram). The weekly Maine food show airs at 11 am on News Center Maine (channels 2 and 6).

December 16 – Congress Square Park plans to kick-off their S’mores Night, which will take place weekly 4-6 pm.

An Update on Danforth Street

| Posted in Under Construction

Gin & Luck has applied for a liquor license for the new establishment they have under development at 211 Danforth Street in the building formerly occupied by Little Giant. Details on the name and concept are still forthcoming but the draft menu (click on images below) supplied with the application provides some directional insight into what they’re planning.

Light renovations of the space and furnishings—a large bar, booths and warm tones are part of the plan—are expected to begin late this year with the hopes of opening by March.

Gin & Luck has started recruiting for the Portland restaurant.

Meredith Goad Retiring from Press Herald

| Posted in People

Food and dining reporter Meredith Goad has announced plans to retire from the Portland Press Herald bringing to close a 33-year career with the newspaper.

Goad made the decision to leave the paper and return to her home state of Tennessee to spend time with family and especially to help take care of her elderly mother. While she’ll be missing friends and life in Maine, she’s looking forward to a life without deadlines and the chance to read a book or two.

Her last articles will appear in the paper in December including a farewell piece from her to the Maine community. An online Newsroom Live event is also being planned so Meredith can say goodbye and answer questions.

Goad has played a central role in reporting on the Portland and Maine food scene. She began covering the restaurant ‘beat’ at an auspicious time—just when Sam Hayward won his James Beard Award in 2004—and has been a witness and reporter on the city’s growing reputation ever since. She’s broken stories, added perspective and contributed greatly to keeping us all informed about the wonderful food and dining scene we all get to enjoy. One of my favorite Meredith articles was one she co-authored with Mary Pols that delved into the origins of farm to table movement in Maine. Written seven years ago, it still is a great introduction to anyone asking why Portland has become a dining destination.

The Press Herald has opened a search to find a new food and dining reporter for the paper. The paper “seeks an outstanding journalist to cover the world-class food and restaurant scene” in Maine. Here’s a little more of the official job posting on journalismjobs.com,

This is not a job for a rookie. Successful candidates will have several years of daily news experience and be able to submit clips that demonstrate experience not just in writing about food but in reporting business stories and working with public records requests. We care as much about health inspections as we do recipes, as much about how pandemic relief money is spent as we do about what ingredients our chefs are using. We need a reporter who is aggressive but not arrogant, who is confident but works collaboratively with editors and colleagues. And this is not a desk job – you’ll spend time on local farms and in our famed Old Port, getting to know restaurateurs, making connections with servers and diners.