2 Reviews of Abilene

| Posted in Reviews

Tha Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed Abilene,

Start off with a shrub cocktail, such as the strawberry basil rum shrub, made with their own homemade fruit vinegar. Next, try the surprisingly decadent crispy kale and the tender sweet potato and asparagus tacos with a luxurious cilantro cream. Skip the dry risotto and head right for any dish that comes with Colgan’s specialty: homemade pasta. The rich, sweet and saucy chicken marsala, served over tagliatelle is an excellent example. As you wrap up your meal in the quiet, homey dining room, don’t be tempted to leave before tasting the strawberry chocolate truffle cake. And if you feel like a nightcap, Abilene has its own homemade limoncello to put you over the edge…or straight into bed.

and so has Drink Up and Get Happy.

While the setting may be relaxed they don’t slouch one the food or drink offerings. The day we visited the $5 appetizers included BBQ pork sliders, veggie nachos, poutine and sweet potato and asparagus tacos. Portions are generous so a great way to experience a few of these is to share with friends. Everything was exemplary!

Fork Food Lab Kickstarter

| Posted in General News

Fork Food Lab (website, facebook, instagram) has launched a $30,000 Kickstarter campaign. The funds will be used to pay for the Lab’s tasting room.

Education is at our core where we’ll develop a variety of programming from tastings to lectures to cooking classes. Our dream is to become a real destination within Portland, Maine. With the Tasting Room, we can support small farmers, drive awareness to our members’ businesses, and celebrate the local food movement.

The Chef and the Dishwasher

| Posted in People

Today’s Press Herald Food & Dining section includes an article on the 2 decade relationship between Back Bay Grill chef/owner Larry Matthews and the restaurant’s dishwasher William “Franco” Tucker.

Larry Matthews Jr., chef and owner of the elegant Back Bay Grill in Portland, and William “Franco” Tucker, dishwasher at the same, have worked together for about two decades. Longer than many marriages last. Longer, by decades, than dishwashers typically stay at restaurants. Longer than either ever expected, and longer than Matthews has worked with anyone else at his reliably first-rate restaurant.

Under Construction: Fork Food Lab

| Posted in Under Construction

Mainebiz reports that Fork Food Lab will be launching a $30k Kickstarter campaign Thusrday to fund their tasting room.

“This is part of the Food Lab that will be open to everyone,” Holstein, who is chief operating officer, told Mainebiz. Contributors will get different goods depending on the amount they give. For example, $100 gets them a holiday gift basket, while $25 gets access to a tasting session.

The company also plans to hold an event at Portland’s Bayside Bowl on June 15 to promote the crowdfunding campaign.

Best Food Truck: Urban Sugar

| Posted in Reviews

The Daily Meal has named Urban Sugar Maine’s best food truck in their annual survey of mobile food options across the country.

The traditional flavors are cinnamon sugar and classic sugar sprinkles, and the mini dips inlude glazed, chocolate, maple, and lemon — but you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t opt for one of the signature bites. Whether it’s “The Lucy” (chocolate cream, chocolate sauce, and chocolate graham crumble), the “Southern Sugar” (with maple bourbon and candied pecans), or whatever the weekly special happens to be, you’ll walk away with a smile on your face — and probably some sugar and frosting too.