Rock Row Food Hall

| Posted in Under Construction

Plans for Rock Row, the new development in the former gravel pit off Brighton Ave, is slated to feature a 25,000 sq ft “food hall” with space for 15 food vendors, 7 beverage tasting rooms and seating for more than 500 people.

Inspired by the great public markets of the past and the future of Greater Portland’s deeply authentic food culture, Rock Row’s Beer and Food Hall will be an unparalleled dining, tasting, beer and wine experience. Curated by Colicchio Consulting, purveyors will offer a wide selection of local ingredients, artisanal goods, and onsite brews, while chef driven cuisine will mix with live music to bring together a vibrant mix of locals and visitors.

They’re now accepting vendor applications from “purveyors [that] will offer a wide selection of local ingredients, artisanal goods, and onsite brews…[and]…chef driven cuisine”. They’re now accepting vendor applications.

Under Construction: Candy’s

| Posted in Under Construction

A new project called Candy’s (website, instagram) is under development with plans to open in West Bayside next year. Billed as a queer community hub, Candy’s will include a cafe/coffee shop and bar:

grab a coffee and hang in the queer library in the morning. shoot some pool. teach a workshop. attend a workshop. come to a show. host a show. listen to our podcast. bring the fam, whatever that may mean to you. drink a drink. eat some snacks. talk to pals. be kind to one another.

There’s more details on the project and future programming on the Tell Me About It, What’s Happening, and FAQ pages of their website.

Candy’s will be holding an information session on the project and kick-off for their community fundraising efforts on November 9th, 6-8:30pm at LB Kitchen.

This Week’s Events: Stadler/Lopez, Business Succession, Oyster Jam

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Cara Stadler and Ilma Lopez will be speaking at One Longfellow Square, and there will be a 6-course beer/wine pairing dinner at CellarDoor.

Wednesday – the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday – There will be a workshop on Business Succession in Maine’s Food-Based Economy at USM.

Friday – Jules Dressner from wine importer Louis Dressner will be at Maine & Loire for a wine tasting, 5-7pm.

Saturday – 10 local oyster farms and companies will be competing in the Jumbo Oyster Jam at Oxbow, and  the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Apprenticeship Program

| Posted in Openings

SMCC and HospitalityMaine are launching a kitchen apprenticeship program.

Apprentices would be required to work 2,000 hours in the industry and earn between 24 and 28 college credits toward an associate or bachelor’s degree. The program is designed so students can take online and classroom courses in late fall and winter and work full time in the summer, the busiest season for restaurants and hotels in southern Maine. While employed, workers concentrate on learning skills needed for careers in the industry.

Reviews: East Ender, Roots Cafe, Dunstan Tap & Table

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Dunstan Tap & Table,

Offerings at this stylish, modern restaurant echo familiar tropes – burgers, tacos, a few dozen beers and ciders by the can, bottle and on tap – but DT&T, as the Brenermans have nicknamed it, is different from its Scarborough peers. In no small part, that’s because Tenney prepares components for his eclectic menu largely from scratch, from fiery habanero sauce to pastrami. Worth a try are his take on pub classics like hand-cut fries, vibrantly herbal chicken tacos and Asian-esque Brussels sprouts

thePress Herald has reviewed Roots Cafe, and

I ate an excellent vegetable quiche – the filling was delicate, the homemade crust tender – and a pretty, seasonally apt salad with roasted butternut squash, apples, almonds, quinoa, dried cranberries and crumbled feta, all arranged atop a bed of baby spinach. My quiche, salad and complimentary cheese puffs, served on stylish white china, came to just $10.25, which felt like a deal. And the portions were so generous, I lacked the stomach space for the chocolate ganache and banana crepe I’d been coveting as I watched the staff make sweet and savory crepes to order.

Portland Magazine magazine has reviewed East Ender.

We order the pâté-like Chicken Leg Rillette ($7), served on lightly toasted Pain de Mie (a French pullman bread loaf featuring very little crust). The rich meat, graced with savory seasonings and a light-handed touch of house mustard with a very good pickle (neither sweet nor sour), enhances our bread. Not a crumb remains on our plates.