The Press Herald reports that some businesses are taking the opportunity to change their business license in order to offer outdoor dining.
Novare Res, Sagamore Hill Lounge, Tomaso’s Canteen and Rising Tide Brewing, which were all previously licensed as Class A lounges, have been issued restaurant licenses, allowing them to reopen before other bars and brew pubs. Bars, pubs and tasting rooms will be allowed to open as soon as July 1 unless the reopening plan is changed.
Little Woodfords (website, instagram, twitter, facebook) announced that they’ll be moving their coffee shop from Woodfords Corner to 316A Congress Street by the end of the month.
that being said, our lease expires at the end of june and after trying wholeheartedly (and tirelessly) to negotiate with our landlords for months, there is simply no way we can afford the significant increase in rent and other costs they are requiring to occupy this space. please know we tried our very best to make this work, and that if we agreed to the new terms, we wouldn’t have lasted the summer.
now for the good news: over the past couple of weeks, when it seemed like we were going to have to close our doors forever, we found a space where little woodfords can call home. it is not in our current neighborhood, but you have our word we will create an additional coffee shop back in woodfords corner when the opportunity presents itself. we are excited, nervous, caffeinated and optimistic about what tomorrow will bring!
Little Woodfords was founded by Andrew and TJ Zarro in 2017.
A new restaurant called New York Fried Chicken has leased the former Bob’s Clam Hut space on Washington Ave. The signage indicates they’ll be selling a menu of fried chicken, kebabs, gyro, seafood, subs and ice cream. New York Fried Chicken will be a halal restaurant.
There are restaurants by the same name according to Wikipedia they are not a chain or a franchise despite operating a very similar concept.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a profile of Little Lad’s.
In 1995, Little Lad’s opened for business as a cafe and bakery on Route 1 in Woolwich, and it was there that its famous popcorn was developed as an alternative to corn chips. The company began making its Herbal Corn and many other food products by hand in Corinth in 1999, after relocating from its home in Woolwich. Over the years, Little Lad’s evolved — among other changes, the cafes are gone now — but its roots remain in that first Woolwich restaurant and its food.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been set-up for Mé Lon Togo, a West African restaurant with locations in Waterville and Searsport. The money will help owner Jordan Benissan in relocating his Waterville restaurant.
Here’s the project background share on the site:
Jordan Benissan is the proud owner and chef of Mé Lon Togo (translated to I love Togo)—two West African inspired restaurants in Searsport and Waterville, Maine. Unfortunately due to the current challenging economic and social landscape, he was recently forced to close his Waterville location. We’re hoping to help Jordan keep his business going by giving him the chance to re-open his Waterville restaurant and share his Togolese cuisine and his experience once again with the local community. Jordan himself is a long-time community member of Maine, and while food may be his passion, he is also an accomplished musician having taught African drumming professionally for decades at colleges across Maine, including Colby and Bowdoin, as well as across the United States. -from Jake, Eating Through the Seacoast (Instagram: eatingthroughtheseacoast)
For more information on Mé Lon Togo visit their website, follow them on facebook and instagram, or read these articles from the Kennebec Journal and Down East magazine., and watch this video about Benissan and Mé Lon Togo.
Donate to the campaign on gofundme.com.
Update: The Go Fund Me campaign raised $16k and Me Lon Togo is in the process of re-opening the restaurant in Camden.
A new coffee shop called Burundi Star Coffee (facebook) opened earlier this week at 261 Saint John Street. In addition to drip coffee and espresso-based drinks, Burundi Star also sells baked goods from Norimoto Bakery.
As the name suggests, Burundi Star will feature coffee from Burundi. Their first coffee, Burundi Mutambu is a medium roast with tasting notes of “green apple, honey, and toffee”.
Chef Cara Stadler and her business partner/mother Cecile Stadler have announced plans to launch Zao Ze Cafe and Market (instgram) in Brunswick. Zao Ze will be located in the first floor of the Stadler’s aquaponics greenhouse just across the parking lot from Tao Yuan.
Zao Ze will feature “Asian street foods, with a focus on breakfast and lunch”. Their will be an open air seating area, and the Tao Yuan kitchen will be used for Zao Ze while the remaining renovations of the market and cafe space are being completed.
The Stadlers plan to continue serving takeout from Lio and Bao Bao, as well as open the deck at Lio for outdoor seating. Tao Yuan is expected to remain closed until this fall.
An article in the Press Herald highlights some of the ways local businesses including those in the hospitality business are showing their support for the protests. Included in the article’s coverage are Ada’s, Rising Tide and The Honey Paw.
Sid Rumma, a partner at Ada’s pasta restaurant on Congress Street in Portland, couldn’t participate in the Black Lives Matter protests, but he could offer bowls of spaghetti to those protesting.
“I’m just trying to be helpful,” he said as he prepared free midday meals on Wednesday, the second day he and his team at Ada’s have offered to feed and nourish hungry protesters in advance of the afternoon’s public demonstrations.
The Portland Phoenix, Bangor Daily News, and Press Herald have all recently reported on the re-opening of restaurants in Portland for outdoor dining.
The Mash Tun experience was barebones. Colby worked the outdoor tables while owner Curtis Campbell was behind the bar indoors, serving drinks and cooking the restaurant’s menu of elevated pub fare — burgers, tacos, fries and grilled cheese. Campbell and Colby aside, the only time anyone entered Mash Tun would be when a patron darted in to use its single bathroom.
I’ve been getting a number of requests the last couple of days for a list of black-owned restaurants and bars. Here are the ones I know of in the Portland area—please let me know if you know of any that are missing and I’ll add them to the list.
For a list of black-owned businesses in a range of industries across the state of Maine see blackownedmaine.com.