Flying Fox Juice Bar Closing

| Posted in Closings

Flying Fox, a juice bar located at 98 Washington Ave, has announced their last day in operation will be October 19th.

It has been our greatest pleasure to provide healthy and nourishing food to this amazing community and support many hardworking Maine farmers over the past 4 years. It has been an absolute dream, from building out this colorful space to meeting countless new friends that have walked through the door in search of fresh plant-based food. That being said, the time has come for the Fox to hibernate for a while as we pursue other exciting ventures. Although we will certainly miss seeing all of you on a regular basis, it is with full hearts that we announce that Saturday, October 19th will be the last day of Flying Fox service at 98 Washington Avenue.

The 625 sq ft space is now available to lease for $1,600/month.

Salmon Lawsuit

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald reports that the owners of the Hunt and Alpine Club have brought a lawsuit alleging price fixing in the market for Atlantic Salmon.

The lawsuit by Portland Hunt + Alpine Club alleges that salmon prices have risen over the last four years when they should have been falling. According to the filing in federal court in Maine, the costs associated with raising Atlantic salmon have been mostly stable since 2015, production has increased and the market has shrunk because Russia banned salmon imports in retaliation for the U.S. and some European countries imposing economic sanctions following Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Crimea.

Jefe Juan’s on Wharf Street

| Posted in Under Construction

Portland Mash Tun owner Ricky Binet has leased 1160 sq ft of space at 47 Wharf Street where he plans to open a 24-seat Mexican restaurant called Jefe Juan’s. The restaurant is named after Portland Mash Tun chef Juan Cordero and will serve a menu of “a few of Juan’s favorite recipes”.

As part of the liquor license application Binet has provided a draft menu (page 104) that includes burritos (pork, beef or chicken), a cheese plate, chips and salsa, salads, a lobster roll, and a “Mexican Lobster Cocktail”.

Italian Restaurants in Flux

| Posted in Under Construction

This seems to be the year when the landscape of Italian restaurants seem to be in flux. For those of you trying to keep track, here’s what’s happened so far:

There are still 3 months left in the year so who knows what other news may emerge.

JP’s Bistro Moving to Falmouth

| Posted in Under Construction

The Press Herald reports that JP’s Bistro is moving to Falmouth.

Chef/owner John Paul Gagnon says he’ll be closing his namesake Portland restaurant on Oct. 12 and hopes to re-open the first week of November at 204 U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth. That’s the former location of Hugs Italian Restaurant. (The Hugs restaurant at Sugarloaf remains open.) Gagnon says the new space will have more room, more and better equipment, and — he hopes — more customers. 

Kitchen to Cannabis

| Posted in People

The Bangor Daily News reports that some Maine restaurant workers are making the transition to working in the new cannabis industry lured by better pay and hours.

As it turns out, he’s not. As restaurant owners in Portland and beyond struggle with a back-of-house labor shortage that they say threatens their business model, Bishop and a wave of other cooks responsible for elevating the Maine food scene over the last decade are finding better wages, less stressful work environments and greater opportunities for advancement in cannabis. Equipped with years of training, cooks are becoming caregivers, bartenders are now “budtenders” and pastry chefs make better livings as specialized cannabis chocolatiers and candymakers.