Veebie has Launched

| Posted in Openings

A new food service has launched in the Old Port. Veebie (website, facebook, instagram) partners with local restaurants to handle online ordering and distribution of a set menu each day. Think of it like a modern day automat.

To use the service, customers order and pay for their meal on veebie.me (menus go live at 9am) and then pick up one of the premade dishes out of the “cubbies” assigned to them at the time of purchase. The kiosk is located in front of the Nickelodeon Theater.

The current version of Veebie is a prototype without locking compartments so an attendant is in place to help out. Future versions of Veebie will have digitally controlled locks and the option for both hot and cold meals.

The current list of restaurants working with Veebie are: Daily Greens, Union Kitchen, Sisters Gourmet Deli, B Good, and Foodworks.

This Week’s Events: Harvest on the Harbor, Wine and Beer Dinners, Brand Events, Fighting Hunger

| Posted in Events

Monday – the Maine Gleaning Network is holding an event at the Public Library, and Sur Lie is hosting an Allagash beer dinner.

Tuesday – It’s the first day of Harvest on the Harbor, the USBG is holding a Diplimatico Rum lunch and learn at Sonny’s and later in the day there will be a Diplimatico happy hour at Rhum with US brand ambassador for Diplimatico, Manny Pena.

Wednesday – the Maine Food Means Business conference is taking place in Freeport, there will be a lecture and training on Closing Maine’s Hunger Gap, winemaker Danilo Marcucci from Della Staffa will be at Maine & Loire for a tasting, Piccolo is serving a 5-course Umbrian wine dinner, the US brand ambassador will be at Hunt & Alpine for a Brennivin US Brand Ambassador happy hour, there will be a wine tasting at Old Port Wine Merchants, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday – Vinland is serving a 4-course wine dinner with special guest winemaker Andrej Razumovsky.

Friday – Rosemont is holding a wine tasting on Munjoy Hill.

Saturday – Oxbow’s Goods from the Woods is taking place in Newcastle, Maine Craft Distilling is holding a Farm to Flask celebration, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – the 2nd Annual Feast of the Flying Pig is taking place and Lincolns is hosting a Symphony & Spirits event for the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

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, please provide details as a comment to this post.

Reviews: Liquid Riot, Smiling Hill, Little Tap House

| Posted in Reviews

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Liquid Riot,

But thanks in large part to new Executive Chef Joshua Doria, who took over the kitchen in July, Liquid Riot’s food deserves its own top billing. On the menu are fresh-tasting dishes like a tarragon-and-mint farro salad with goat cheese and an almond-and-hard-cider vinaigrette, and a sensational (and practically carb-free) brothy seafood bowl flavored with kimchi, lemongrass and cilantro – not your typical bar food. But Doria is also skilled at more traditional snacks that pair well with booze, like “Chinese” chicken wings that prickle with peppery heat, and Maine potato french fries that are, quite simply, exceptional.

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Little Tap House, and

I thought the burger, soup, and taters were all well done. Nothing was particularly unique or over the top, but they were solid standards. Next time, I’ll get a little more adventurous though. Little Tap House has a strong menu with lots of enticing options and I like what they’re doing there. Head there when you want a solid meal, a great selection of Maine beers, or a combination of both.

the Portland Press Herald has reviewed Smiling Hill Farm.

Since then, I’ve paid two visits, and I’ll cut right to the chase, neither meal was life-changing. But I’m still going to send you there because sometimes good enough is just that: good enough. The menu is fairly simple, sandwiches like a BLT ($5.25), tuna melt ($6.75), PB&J ($3.50) and other standard-issue varieties. This place is not trying to reinvent the wheel, although some of the wheels of cheese I saw in the dairy cases looked amazing.

Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter Campaign

| Posted in Under Construction

It’s the final day and a half of Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter campaign and pastry chef Brant Dadaleares still has a little way to go to reach his $35k goal. Funds raised by the campaign will be used to pay for the build-out of the restaurant and for refrigeration equipment.

Gross Confection Bar will be a dessert-focused restaurant and bar to be located in the heart of the Old Port district in Portland, Maine. Gross will provide a unique and consistent restaurant experience featuring an ever changing selection of high-quality artfully-plated desserts, cocktails, dessert wines, digestifs, and exceptional service. Gross will also provide a consistent selection of enrobed ganaches, fruit pates, bon-bon, entremets, late night savory snacks and desserts to go.

I’ve been seeking out and happily consuming Dadaleares’ desserts for many years at Fore Street, Eventide/Honey/Paw, Central Provisions/Tipo and at his dessert pop-ups.

Portland Food Map is a contributor to the Gross Confection Bar Kickstarter campaign.

Harvest on the Harbor

| Posted in Events

The 10th Harvest on the Harbor kicks off next week with a full schedule of events that runs Tuesday through Sunday:

Sustainable Suppers – a set of dinners held at Five Fifty-Five, Inn by the Sea, Little Giant, Union, and Woodford F&B on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Flavors of Maine – a tasting event featuring a dozen main chefs along with beer, wine and cocktail samples

Maine Lobster Chef of the Year – a competition among 10 Maine chefs for the title of Lobster Chef of the Year.

Harvest Happy Hour – 15 Maine craft distillers will be serving samples and cocktails made with their spirits

Market on the Harbor – a tasting event featuring food from Maine shops and food producers

Harvest Crawl – self-guided tasting tour of food and drink spots in Portland

Drifters Wife/Maine & Loire to Expand

| Posted in Under Construction

Orenda and Peter Hale have leased the former Roustabout space at 59 Washington Ave where they plan to launch expanded versions of their two businesses, Drifters Wife and Maine & Loire, in late Winter. Their natural wine store and restaurant are located right next door and will continue to operate out of their current space through the end of 2017.

The Hales shared that, “As always, natural wine and Ben’s soulful cooking will be the focus,” and that the new space will provide chef Ben Jackson with use of a full kitchen and that the restaurant will feature a full bar.

Drifters Wife was a semi-finalist for a James Beard award for Best New Restaurant and recognized by Bon Appétit as one of the 50 best new restaurants in America.