Maine Craft Distilling launched their new brunch service today. The bottom two photos are of MCD’s coolship and their private dining/barrel ageing room.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Reviews: Esidore’s Bistro, Lazzari, Nonesuch River Brewing
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Esidore’s Bistro,
His eclectic, world-aware style of cooking borrows elements from several disparate cuisines – Mexican, Vietnamese, Japanese, just to name a few – while keeping everything he prepares gluten-free.
The Bollard has reviewed Lazzari, and
For a few hours each weekend, this new Congress Street eatery offers a short menu of outstanding wood-fired pies whose carefully chosen toppings bring “breakfast” and “pizza” together in sweet harmony.
the Press Herald has reviewed Nonesuch River Brewing.
I loved my burger, which was deceivingly simple. The bacon was charred to a crisp, as I like it, and the burger was cooked medium, as I requested. But what made it stand out was the sear that the chef achieved. The outer skin of the burger was slightly hard and charred, but the burger itself was pink and juicy. Those juices were full of smoky flavors, and they mingled with all the other elements to create a variety of flavors in each bite. The bun was grilled (or toasted) ever so slightly.
Under Construction: The Proper Cup
A new coffee shop called The Proper Cup (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction at 500 Forest Ave in the space formerly occupied by Express Nail Supply. Proper Cup is located on Forest in between Rose Foods and Little Woodfords on the corner of Noyes Street.
Owners Rachel Kreie and Zachary Figoli are planning to open their “Quirky, professional and industrial themed cafe that sells high quality espresso drinks, drip coffee and tasty pastries from local vendors” in late January or early February.
Kreie and Figoli have both worked as baristas. They have a combined passion for creating a community oriented coffee shop for the people living and working the neighborhood.
Update: The Proper Cup will be serving coffee from Flight Coffee Company.
New Owner of European Bakery
After 28 years in business founder Helen Budri has sold the European Bakery in Falmouth.
“It was a hard decision because our customers are our family and we love our work,” Budri said this week. But she decided to sell, she said, because “after 28 years we wanted more time with family. It was (just) time.”
Under Construction: Maine Beer Co.
Maine Beer Company has leased a 30,000 sq ft space at 15 Sanders Way in Westbrook for a “storage and distribution site” to enable MBC to expand production capacity, reports Mainebiz.
Under Construction: Definitive Brewing Co.
A new brewery called the Best Meals of 2017
Maine Sunday Telegram restaurant critic Andrew Ross has assembled his list of the best meals he had last year.
Looking back, I count myself extraordinarily lucky to have lived in Maine over the past 12 months – fork (and occasionally chopsticks) in hand to fend off the world outside.
Bubba’s Sulky Lounge
Down East has published a feature about Bubba’s Sulky Lounge.
The “mayor of Portland Street,” as Bubba has been called, is a retired Marine, former high-school basketball star, and proud owner of 14 race horses (hence the bar’s name — a “sulky” being a two-wheeled, jockey-toting cart used in harness racing). Bubba’s tall and soft-spoken, a lifelong Portlander who doesn’t like talking about his age but is somewhere in the neighborhood of 80. He opened Bubba’s in 1961, rebuilt it after a fire in 1981, and put in the light-up dance floor sometime thereafter (no one quite remembers). He stops in daily, often adding this or that to the decor.
MCD Brunch
Maine Craft Distilling will begin serving brunch this Sunday, 10 – 3.
10 Years Ago in January
As a kid my favorite part of reading Scientific American was the 50 and 100 Years Ago section. Being able to look back and see what the hot topics in science with a century earlier was fascinating.
While I don’t (yet) have an accurate take on the food scene in Portland a century ago, Portland Food Map reached its 10-year anniversary last year. Daily chronicling the food scene has produced a lot of information to work with and this month I’m going to start a new monthly column looking back at what the key stories were a decade ago.
Here’s a look at the top stories from January 2008:
- StarEast opened in Woodfords Corner.
- News of Novare Res became public—this brought the Under Construction List up to a total of 12(!) businesses under development.
- Nancy English was the Maine Sunday Telegram restaurant critic, and blogs Type A Diversions and Portland Psst were very active in reviewing and reporting on what was going on.
- Otto Pizza co-owner Mike Keon changed the name of his Commercial Street restaurant from Crab Louie to One Eyed Jacks Pizza.
- Three years prior to the launch of Instagram, Portland food blogger From Way Away registered the word ‘Pastarazzi‘ into the Urban Dictionary. It was defined, “Foodie bloggers who insist on taking pictures of their meal at nice restaurants.”
- Rabelais and Slow Food Portland collaborated to hold the Slow Food Writers Night at SPACE Gallery.
- Both Bleachers and Wild Oats closed.