Reviews: Frog and Turtle, Vignola, Little Tap House, Solo Italiano

2 Brunch Girls has reviewed Little Tap House,

Rustic, local, farm-to-table freshness in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. LTH also offers outdoor seating. Great option as the weather begins to cool…Sharing dishes was fun – we we’re able to satisfy all our cravings – but certainly not necessary as the portions are filling on their own. We also suggest the homemade corned-beef hash…Judging by our experience though, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.

the Press Herald has published a bar review of The Frog and Turtle,

A quintessential neighborhood pub with a knack for quality and affordability, Frog & Turtle has defined a loyal following over the last 10 years. With nightly specials and weekly entertainment, this is a place to eat and drink well and gather with friends.

Portland Magazine has reviewed Solo Italiano,

Next, we try Vitello Tonnato ($14), braised veal bathed in velvety tomato sauce (made with tuna, though you’d never guess), paired with baby kale, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt. The meat is as tender as it gets. You won’t want to miss out on the fresh house-made pastas or the prize-winning pesto–a recipe made in collaboration with Paolo Laboa, winner of the World Pesto Championship. We pair both of these by ordering the Pansotti alle Noci ($18), meaty tortellini stuffed with ricotta, walnuts, spinach, chard, kale, and borage, and topped with a spell-binding walnut pesto.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Vignola/Cinque Terre.

We enjoyed our food, and though we didn’t get particularly adventurous with our choices, I think it’s safe to say that Vignola has their ducks in a row. Our relatively simple food was prepared well and with a little extra style that made it worthwhile in a city of fantastic food. Though I’m basing it off a memory which hardly exists any longer and despite our orders, it seems that their menu has more exciting choices than they did back in the day and they definitely have superb cheese and charcuterie options.

Beer in the Classroom

Today’s Press Herald reports on an innovative collaboration between USM and Maine breweries.

She began using beer as a testing medium to teach chemistry. Now Benedict is in charge of the school’s new Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Research Laboratory, which started with a $488,514, three-year seed grant from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund. The lab has partnered with the Maine Brewers Guild to provide testing and training for breweries and brewmasters.

Big J’s Chicken Opened Today

Chicken and Waffles

Big J’s Chicken (website, facebook, instagram) opened earlier today on Thompson’s Point. It’s set-up as a BYOB restaurant which means you’ll be able to grab a 4-pack from Bissell or a bottle of rye from Stroudwater next door and bring them into Big J’s for your meal.

Big J’s also expects to do a brisk take-out business. They’re launching mobile apps for both iOS and Android that enables patrons to place an order and pay online so pick-up is streamlined. There’s even a take-out window that connects into Bissell Brothers in case you want have your fried chicken dinner in the tasting room.

Here’s a look at the menu:

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Big J’s will be open 5 days  a week Wednesday  through Sunday, 11-8.

Under Construction: Black Cow

Nicholas Nappi and fellow Local 188 restaurant group colleague Gary Bowcott  are holding a pop-up for Black Cow on September 5th to share their “vision for a return to good old days of the soda fountain”. The menu for the pop-up will include burgers, fries and ice cream floats.

Nappi and Bowcott have been working on their project to launch a “re-imagining of the classic soda fountain” for the last year. Nappi is current a consulting chef for the restaurant group and in the past has been the chef de cuisine at Local 188 and has worked at Eventide and Hugo’s.

Tickets for the Black Cow pop-up are for sale on BrownPaperTickets.com for $20 per person.

Hidden Gems: 158 Pickett St Cafe

Condé Nast Traveller recently called out 158 Pickett Street Cafe as one of their staff secret favorite destinations that they have, until now, kept to themselves. According to Managing Editor Paulie Dibner,

I usually keep this one to myself—it’s a ballsy move, as a New Yorker, to recommend a bagel outside of the city but the food (well, the bagel sandwich) at 158 Pickett Street Café is spectacular, and the coffee is fresh.

It’s totally out of the way, but is right near the water—as well as Bug Light, a charming lighthouse—so you can get sandwiches to go and sit outside or hang out in its backyard. It’s typical of coastal Maine, around South Portland, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough, where there are tons of wonderful food gems that are well worth a quick drive.

This Week’s Events: Summer Luau, Agrarian Acts, Saco River Brewing, Farm to Fork Fondo

Tuesday — Rhum and Sur Lie are collaborating on a Summer Luau.

Wednesday — The Great Lost Bear will be featuring beer from Saco River Brewing, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday — the Maine Farmland Trust is holding Agrarian Acts concert and dinner at the Deering Grange, and there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — Palace Diner will be holding Fried Chicken Friday at Oxbow.

Saturday — Slab is hosting a Hoof Hearted Brewing tap takeover, and the Saturday Farmers’ Market will take place.

Sunday — Wolfe’s Neck Farm will be the site of the Farm to Fork Fondo, a ” farm to table cycling event”.

Highroller Lobster — Highroller Lobster will be serving a pop-up dinner at Bao Bao on Monday, August 29.

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.

Reviews: The Honey Paw, Munjoy Hill Tavern, Rossobianco

The Press Herald has published a bar review of the Munjoy Hill Tavern,

Munjoy Hill Tavern has big shoes to fill, but seems to be off to a decent start with several beer selections on tap, Sutter wine, happy hour specials and a small but growing pub menu including French fries, chicken tenders, pizza and other snacks. There are three TVs that dominate the room, but if you’re looking for a place to watch the Olympics or a game, this is a good option. The bar only takes cash, but there’s an ATM inside.

Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed happy hour at  The Honey Paw,

The tap wines are a Gruner, always a hit with us, and a rose. The special cocktail of the day was a delicious concoction of lime, cucumber, and gin. It was well worth the $7. They also have a great beer list so after the cocktail we ventured off the specials list to enjoy a Rosee de Hibiscus by Brasserie Dieu de Ciel.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Rossobianco.

Rossobianco offers a light, casual atmosphere that will be accessible to all types of eaters. Good for a snack and wine or a hearty meal of pasta or steak and beer, they are giving Italian cuisine a different look than anywhere else in Portland. If my first impressions are correct, Rossobianco is going to get busy and stay that way, because their food is absolutely magnificent. When you go – and go soon – start with a bunch of the risotto balls – everything there is a worthy offering, but one of those definitely won’t be enough.

Botto’s Bakery Going Strong After 67 Years

The Bangor Daily News has published a article about Botto’s Bakery,

Overseeing the process that plays out night after night is Stephen Mathews, the second-generation owner of the family-run bakery founded in 1949. Chances are if you’ve had a lobster roll or hamburger, sandwich or sub in southern Maine, you’ve tried Botto’s. It supplies rolls to 20 clam shacks, but delis and sandwich shops are its bread and butter.