Eighteen Twenty Wines released their first batch of rhubarb wine yesterday. The East Bayside business delivered the first few bottles to Hannigan’s Island Market on Peaks Island.
Opium Cocktail Bar
Urban Eye Has posted a report on Opium, the new cocktail bar at the Danforth which is slated to open tonight.
Suddenly, Cirque du Soleil unfurls under The Danforth Inn big top, bedecked with peonies and poppies. Though catching flack earlier this spring for its name, Opium is more than a marketing gimmick. Opening Friday with complete cocktail service, such as a Chinese box that arrives with drink cards and two hidden aperitifs, the West End bar adjacent to the inn’s Tempo Dulu restaurant takes lounging to new heights.
Under Construction: Juiced
Hallowell-based casual dining spot, Juiced (website), plans to open a second location in Portland at 561 Forest Ave. Juiced plans to serve “healthy alternatives to fast casual dining options” of soups, salads, and sandwiches along with juice, smoothies, komucha, prosecco and rotating selection of local beer. A draft menu (pages 147-150) was supplied with their liquor license application.
Under Construction: Old Port Lobster Shack
After more than two years since the project began, Old Port Lobster Shack on Fore Street has applied for a liquor license. In the application, owner Michael Michalski indicates a target opening date of July 30th. A draft menu (pages 90-91) was supplied with other supporting paperwork.
Update: The owners have changed the name of the business to Maine Lobster Shack.
Under Construction: Skordo
Closed: Zapoteca and Outliers
The Press Herald reports that Zapoteca has gone out of business,
Cookbook author and chef Shannon Bard announced suddenly Wednesday that the Fore Street restaurant Zapoteca she and her husband, Tom, owned in Portland is closed for good.
and confirmed that Outliers has closed.
Fans of Outliers who may have been hoping the popular York Street restaurant was just on its usual spring hiatus will have to move on to other hot eateries; the restaurant is closed for good and owner Peter Verrill Jr. has listed the building with CBRE | The Boulos Co.
North43 Now Open
North43 Bistro has opened. The South Portland restaurant is located at 1 Spring Point Drive in the location formerly occupied by Joe’s Boathouse.
Stephanie Brown is the chef at North43. Bowman was the chef/owner of Sea Grass Bistro in Yarmouth for a number of years before closing the restaurant in 2013.
Mark’s Hot Dogs
The Bangor Daily News has published an article about Mark’s Hot Dogs.
Since long before James Beard Award-winning chefs, culinary tourism, Instagramming hipsters and Food Network scouts turned this city into a culinary capital, Mark Gatti has hawked steamed hot dogs on the streets of Portland.
Fork Food Lab Merges with Brooklyn Peer (Updated)
Fork Food Lab has announced their merger with Foodworks, a Brooklyn-based food business incubator.
“We are very excited to partner with a company that shares in our vision for a more robust local food system where entrepreneurs with creative recipes can strategically grow,” said Spillane, who will stay on as General Manager of Fork Food Lab. “This merger will allow Fork Food Lab companies to expand distribution into the large New York market and leverage supplier discounts that are available to current Foodworks producers.”
Here’s the full text of the press release.
Update: Maine Start-up Insider and the Press Herald have published articles about the merger.
This Week’s Events: Louie’s at Tipo
Wednesday – Old Port Wine Merchants will have a Burgundy tasting, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Thursday – The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Rising Tide.
Friday – there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Commercial Street, and Louie’s from Portsmouth, New Hampshire will be serving a pop-up dinner at Tipo.
Saturday – Foulmouthed Brewing is celebrating their 1-year anniversary, 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.