Where to Eat Now

| Posted in Reviews

This week’s Press Herald Food & Dining section highlights the restaurants to eat at now—before the tourists show up and tables become scarce.

Bayside/Bintliff’s Boone’s, Cafe, Central Provisions, Duckfat, East Ender, Eventide, Flatbread, Fore Street, Hot Suppa, J’s Oyster Bar, Lolita, M.C. Union, Pai Men Miyake, The Honey Pot were all mentioned in the article.

All too often, the act of simply making it to a restaurant table in Maine during the summer months sucks so much of the joy out of dining that we slink away until the leaves of autumn start to fall and it feels safe to return. So, before the Fourth of July hordes descend upon our fair city, here are our suggestions for places we suggest you visit during the next two months, before it’s too late. Take a deep breath – or two – and actually enjoy yourself.

Also, the paper’s Bite draws attention to the open-faced sunflower butter and lingonberry jam sandwich at Ten Ten Pié.

Upcoming Openings: Lois’ Natural Market, Figgy’s, Bite into Maine

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings

Lois’ Natural Marketplace has announced they’ll be opening their new store in Portland on May 19th.

Figgy’s Takeout is expecting to open their shop on Walker Street by the end of May.

Bite into Maine has announced they’re opening their food truck in Fort Williams Park for season on May 9th.

Growing Local Grain Industry

| Posted in Farming

The Bangor Daily News has published an article about Maine’s growing local grain industry.

In Portland, baker Alison Pray, owner of Standard Baking Co., still has a hard time believing her bakery is using grain from Maine. Pray is offering a half dozen breads, including two German ryes, made with local grain. The dense, seeded breads are growing in popularity.

When she started her bakery two decades ago, she recalls, this opportunity “wasn’t even on the horizon.”

“We are thrilled. We are so excited. This is what inspires all of our innovation and excitement about developing new breads and pastries,” said Pray. “It opens a lot of doors for us.”

A Few Changes: Wing Lee, Tawakal Halal, Arabian Days, Discount Halal (Updated)

| Posted in Openings, Closings

Wing Lee II has opened on Saint John Street in the space formerly occupied by Jan Mae. The original Wing Lee is located in Scarborough.

Tawakal Halal and the Arabian Days coffee shop have cleared out of 3 Deering Ave in Bramhall Square freeing up some retail space in an increasingly popular stretch of Congress Street.

Earlier this month Discount Halal closed their shop on Washington Ave. The space is now for rent.

Taqueria Tequila has gone out of business. The space at 249 Saint John Street is for rent.

This Week’s Events: Wine/Beer Dinners, Belgian Biere Fest, Latte Art, Bourbon Walk, Rum Riot Tickets

| Posted in Events

piercingthepickleTuesday — there will be a wine tasting at Maine & Loire, and an Alsatian wine dinner at Petite Jacqueline.

Wednesday — Sur Lie is serving a 6-course beer dinner in collaboration with Maine Beer Company, GMRI is hold a Seafood Celebration, Black Tie is teaching a cooking class, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday — Sur Lie is serving a 5-course wine dinner featuring Gloria Ferrer Winery, there will be a wine tastings at Aurora Provisions and Rosemont on Commercial, and Tandem Bakery is hosting a Latte Art Competition.

Friday — it’s the first night of the 7th Annual Belgian Biere Fest at Novare Res, and for First Friday The Bearded Lady’s Jewel Box is hosting a gallery showing of contemporary condiment utensils and jewelry.

Saturday — Wine Wise is leading a Bourbon Walk, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday — there will be a screening on In Organic We Trust at USM.

rumriots_logoRum Riots — tickets for this year’s Rum Riot events are now on sale. The four day event runs from May 30 to June 2, and includes a class on bar technique by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, a lecture on the history of cocktail books by Don Lindgren & John Myers and a chartresuse dinner at Piccolo. Visit mainerumriots.com/schedule.html to buy tickets and to see the full schedule.

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.

Mayor Brennan’s Food Initiative

| Posted in General News

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram reports on Mayor Brennan’s Initiative for a Healthy and Sustainable Food System.

Those are some of the more visible projects being worked on by a wide-ranging group of Portlanders who have joined the Mayor’s Initiative for a Healthy and Sustainable Food System. Mayor Michael Brennan formed the initiative in 2012 after participants in a casual community food forum expressed a desire for a council that could work on the city’s food policy and on increasing residents’ access to local foods.

For more info on the Initiative visit the HSFSI website.