Broadway Bowl is Now Open

| Posted in Openings

Broadway Bowl (instagram) opened Tuesday. The pub and bowling alley is located at 725 Broadway in South Portland and is an outpost of Bayside Bowl in Portland.

The 220-seat facility includes a 10-lane bowling alley, a bar serving beer, wine and house cocktails, a private dining area and a heated and semi-enclosed outdoor seating area (lower left photo) with a view over the water of Portland. Broadway Bowl will be open 3 – 10 Monday through Thursday, 11 – 11 on Friday/Saturday and 11 – 9 on Sunday.

The kitchen is open nightly until 9 pm serving (see menu below) pizza, soup, salads, sandwiches, hot dogs, wings and other pub standards. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options are available.

Two Biddeford Closings

| Posted in Closings

Two businesses in Biddeford are closing:

Sublime Taco announced that Saturday is their last day on Washington Street but added that they are taking the business “in a different direction”. They’re keeping a tight lid on what that means so stay tuned for more information.

Part & Parcel has announced that after more than five years in business they’ll be closing down their Alfred Road market and cafe on December 23rd. However, owners Danielle O’Neill and Ali Preble go on to say that they’ve “been working hard to find the perfect folks to replace P&P, and we’re happy to say that we think we’ve done just that! While it may look and feel different, the mission is the same – to provide great food and a welcoming atmosphere for the local community. Stay tuned over the coming weeks for the details!”

Thistle & Grouse Opens Friday

| Posted in Openings

Thistle & Grouse (website, facebook, instagram) will open Friday at 4 pm. The restaurant is located at 10 Cotton Street. The newly renovated space features a 2-story dining room with a bar on the first floor.

The menu (see below) includes raw bar options, cheese and charcuterie boards as well as small plates like a Maplebrook Farm Burrata plated with apple, celery and walnuts and entrees like the Seafood Cassoulet and Sunday Roast Prime Rib.

Thistle & Grouse serves custom cocktails and mocktails, wines by the glass, beers, and ciders (Norumbega and Freedom’s Edge). The bar is stocked with a wide selection of spirits including 14 bourbons, 10 ryes, 19 Scotches as well as whiskeys from Ireland and Japan.

The restaurant is being launched by Kimberly Kraus and chef Bobby Will. Will has worked at restaurants run by well known chefs like Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Ken Oringer, and Jamie Bissonette. He was the executive chef at Saltaire Oyster Bar in Port Chester when the New York Times gave it a rating of Excellent in 2015. Also on the team are general manager Julia Mcinnis and bar manager Corey Schallek. All four worked together at Kraus’ and Will’s former restaurant Salt and Steel in Bar Harbor.

Thistle & Grouse will be open Tuesday through Saturday starting at 4 pm with late night hours on the weekends and happy hour each day they’re open, 4 – 5 pm. Reservations are available on Resy.com.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Bayside Bowl’s South Portland outpost Broadway Bowl is scheduled to open. Thistle & Grouse is scheduled to open on Cotton Street. The Falmouth Memorial Library is hosting a talk entitled The Indian Kitchen: A Crossroads of Many Cultures.

Wednesday – Joshua Miranda will be giving a presentation about “the challenges of opening and maintaining restaurants” organized by the Portland Regional Chamber of Business

Thursday – deadline for the public and industry professionals to submit recommendations to the James Beard Foundation to consideration for the 2024 Awards program.

Friday – Chocolate Passion is opening their new location at 175 Spring Street (the former Mercy Hospital building). Cabana is holding a Noche Buena 4-course dinner. Good Wine Bar is opening for business in Saco at 4 pm.

Saturday – Porttown Public House is holding their grand opening. The first indoor winter farmers’ market of the season is taking place (631 Stevens Ave, 9 am – 1 pm). It’s the last day of business for Sublime Taco restaurant in Biddeford.

Sunday – A George and Leons x Great Wave Sushi collaboration pop-up dinner is taking place.

December 6 – Chaval will be serving a vegan wine dinner. The 5-course (4 savory courses and 1 dessert course) will feature wines from Chateau Cosme & Chateau Rouanne in the southern Rhone Valley; $88 plus tax and gratuity. Email reservations@chavalmaine.com or call (207) 772-1110 for reservations.

December 7 – Secret Supper is holding a (sold out) holiday dinner in the Portland area.

December 17 – Helm is holding a Prime Rib dinner.

January 20 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Adrian Arvizu from Big Tree Catering.

January 27 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Christian Hayes from The Garrison.

February 10 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Krista Kern Desjarlais from Bresca and The Purple House.

February 18 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chefs Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti from Chaval and Devin Finigan from Aragosta.

March 28 – Ballast will be hosting a murder mystery dinner.

June 10-16 – Portland Wine Week is taking place.

June 26 – Secret Supper (instagram) is holding a dinner in the Portland area.

June 29 – The 3rd Annual Mast Landing Wavy Days Festival is taking place.

August 30 – September 1 – Maine Apple Camp is taking place.

Dos Gatos Gastropub in Belfast

| Posted in Under Construction, Maine

Adam Roberson and Jesse Soto have leased the former Perennial Cider Bar space at 84 Main Street in Belfast where they plan to open Dos Gatos Gastropub (instagram).

Dos Gatos will serve a taco-centric menu prepared with house-made tortillas. They plan to offer traditional standards as well as some taco combos of their own design (e.g. duck confit, crab, etc).  The bar program will include classic cocktails and specialize in margarita variations with an extended selection of mezcals and tequilas.

Soto and Roberson have been thoroughly renovating and redesigning the space with the aim of creating a venue that “combines vintage charm with a mischievously playful approach.” Overall Dos Gatos will seat 30 with a pair of lounge areas, a 14-seat bar and table seating.

The Dos Gatos experience will be informed by Roberson’s and Soto’s global travel and experience with and within the restaurant industry. Their aim is to create an “overall ambiance that captures the essence of a memorable dining journey”.

Dos Gatos is slated to open in December. Stay tuned to their instagram account for updates and an announcement on an opening day.

Chef Marilou Ranta, Maine Street Bistro, Brickyard Hollow

| Posted in Reviews, Beer, People, Profiles

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a feature article about Marilou Ranta who is the chef and owner of The Quarry in Monson. The Restaurant won the James Beard award for Outstanding Hospitality in 2023.

In the dining room, there are unforced smiles all around. Regulars get big bear hugs. Newcomers get hugs, too. “She’s a great hugger,” said Martha Lerman, a hug recipient who was dining at The Quarry for her first time on a Thursday evening in mid-September. Ranta was especially delighted to meet a Filipino couple who had driven from Massachusetts to check out The Quarry. Word about the 5-year-old restaurant “in the boonies,” as Ranta puts it, is getting around.

The Sunday Telegram also includes a 3½ star review of Maine Street Bistro in Brunswick,

Lean into Maine Street Bistro’s French menu and you’ll be rewarded. Co-owners and co-chefs John Holm and Brandon Franklin built their impressive skillsets of classic French techniques separately, but together in Brunswick, they’ve come up with a largely traditional menu that holds promise.

and an article about the rapid expansion of Brickyard Hollow Brewing which has added five locations in the last 12 months.

As Moll and his partner were first launching Brickyard Hollow in 2018, they realized the significance of the winter carnival photo. “We were trying to create a craft brewery that was a gathering place for this little community, and that picture really helped present that,” Moll said.

Maine Food & Dining News

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know on what’s going on:

  • The King Ro Market in Round Pond is under new ownership and expected to reopen before the end of the year. The new owner Steve Brackett also plans to eventually install a bar in the dining area for a pub and open a pub within the market.
  • Mason’s Brewing is laying the groundwork to open a distillery in Bangor. The Bangor Daily News reports that Mason’s is “likely start with gin and ready-to-drink gin-based canned beverages, then branch into vodka and moonshine by the end of 2024.”
  • Gail Ciampa from The Providence Journal recently visited Warren for the Absolem Cider dinner at Black Goat Test Kitchen  (website, facebook, instagram). In her report Ciampa praises chef Ronspieres for the way he “he layers his dishes with a variety of flavors and textures that all combine to create the happiest party on your palate” and provides a play-by-play of the 5-course dinner.
  • The Blair Hill Inn in Greenville has hired chef Max Snyder to helm the kitchen at their in-house restaurant Slate. Snyder is moving to Maine from his hometown of Austin, Texas where he had launched Pitchfork Pretty in 2017. Prior to Austin, Snyder spent a “decade in New York and San Francisco working under chefs Daniel Patterson at Coi, Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park, and Joshua Skenes at Saison.” Slate will be reopening on December 7th, Thursday through Sunday from 4 – 8 pm.

Upcoming Events & Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Bar Futo will be hosting chefs from Texas and Utah for a Taco & Friendsgiving pop-up dinner.

Wednesday – The last outdoor farmers’ market of the season is taking place (Deering Oaks Park, 8 am – 1 pm).

2023 Thanksgiving Resource List – options for dining out, getting takeout and ordering sides and pies for your home meal.

  • Cheese Louise – will be serving free meals (turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and cranberry bread). See their instagram post for details.
  • Crispy Gai – Crispy Gai along with Regards, Smalls, Bread and Friends and Car Hop are running a free Thanksgiving meal delivery service. See this post for details on how to request a meal.
  • The Good Shepherd Food Bank plays an integral role in distributing food during Thanksgiving and all year round in Maine. See their website for information where to find food through their partner agencies in Maine or to make a donation.
  • Taj – is once again running a free holiday meal service on Thanksgiving. See this post for information on how to request a meal for pick-up on Thanksgiving day.
  • Wayside Food Programs is producing 400 Thanksgiving meals to go, and 50 boxes that contain the ingredients to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner at home (frozen turkey, a pie, squash, potatoes, butter, green beans, cream of mushroom soup, cranberry sauce, stuffing & gravy). Anyone interested in one of the meals or Thanksgiving dinner boxes can call (207) 775-4939 to register for one by November 13th. The meals will be delivered to three different locations and the boxes will be distributed on November 21st. Call Wayside at (207) 775-4939 for all the details.
  • Annette’s Country Skillet Diner (Naples) – will be serving a Thanksgiving Dinner for $18.99 per person.
  • Aubrey Coffee House (South Berwick) – is taking preorders (text 603-534-2004) for their Thanksgiving line-up of desserts.
  • Baked Maine/Pottery Cafe – is taking preorders in-person for pies and other baked goods. They’ll have pick-up in Portland and Wells.
  • Banh Appetit – has a Thanksgiving menu of appetizers, main courses and dessert.
  • Big Tree Grocery – the team behind Eventide and Honey Paw has a variety of starters, turkeys, sides and baked goods available for preorder to make your home meal prep a little easier. They have 5 pick-up locations in the Portland area.
  • Bistro + Terrace – the restaurant at the Portland Harbor Hotel is serving a Thanksgiving dinner; $85 per person with optional $40 wine pairings.
  • Bistro Leluco (South Portland) – is taking preorders by phone (207-536-1690) or in person for whole and half roasted turkeys as well as a range of appetizers, sides and desserts for pick-up on the 22nd and 23rd.
  • Chaval – is taking preorders for pumpkin and maple pecan pie, Thanksgiving ricotta pie, bourbon cake, and apple and vanilla bean cheesecake for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • Dandelion Catering (Yarmouth) – is taking preorders for turkeys, sides, breads, desserts for pick-up on the 22nd.
  • Dock Fore –will be serving turkey dinner pizza and turkey sandwiches, 11 am to 3 pm.
  • Eighteen 95 – the restaurant at The Regency hotel is serving a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner for $70 per person.
  • Five Fifty-Five North (Brunswick) – is serving a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner (menu) for $85 per person; online reservations.
  • Harraseeket Inn (Freeport) – will have three seatings for their Thanksgiving Day grand buffet (menu); $165 per person, $65 per for kids 6 to 12, call for reservations (207) 865-9377.
  • Kelsey Mari – is taking preorders for Thanksgiving pies for pick-up on the 22nd and 23rd.
  • MK Kitchen (Gorham) – will be serving a 3-course Thanksgiving Dinner (menu); reservations can be made on OpenTable.
  • Natalie’s (Camden) – will be serving a 5-course Thanksgiving dinner for $147 per person with optional wine pairings for $93.
  • Nina June (Rockport) – is taking preorders for their Everything but the Bird takeout menu of appetizers, sides, salads, desserts and drinks for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • The Norumbega (Camden) – is serving a 4-course Thanksgiving dinner with seatings at 2 and 5 pm for $95 per person. Call (207) 236-4646.
  • Orchard Ridge Farm (Gorham) – is taking preorders for turkeys, ducks and ham.
  • Ore Nell’s (Biddeford) – is offering a full Thanksgiving Meal that feeds 6-8 for $165.99 plus tax. SOLD OUT.
  • Other Side Diner – is taking pre-orders in-person or by phone (207-772-0002) for mezze platters, breads and sides. They’re located at 500 Washington Ave.
  • Pat’s Meat Market – has a selection of meats available including turkeys, prime rib, duck, pork crown roast.
  • Pepperell Provisions (Biddeford) – has a full spectrum of turkeys, sides, appetizers and desserts available for preorder. Place your order by November 20 for pick-up on the 22nd.
  • Rosie’s – will be serving a Thanksgiving dinner (11 am until they sell out).
  • Salt Yard – at the Canopy Hotel will be serving a Thanksgiving buffet, $59 per adult and $36 per child. Reservations can be made on Resy.com.
  • Salt and Pepper (Damariscotta) – is taking preorders for plant-based Thanksgiving dinners and other dishes. Pick-up in Portland on the day before Thanksgiving is available.
  • Saltwater Grille (South Portland) – will be serving a Thanksgiving buffet with seatings at 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30; $75/ per adult, $35 per kids 6-12, free of children 5 and under.
  • Sea Glass (Cape Elizabeth) – the restaurant at the Inn by the Sea is serving a Thanksgiving dinner ($85/adult, $32/children 4-12yo).
  • Sticky Sweet – is taking preorders for a pair of Thanksgiving vegan and gluten-free pies for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • Three Dollar Deweys – is serving a Thanksgiving dinner for $35 per person.
  • Twelve – is taking preorders for pies to pick-up on the 21st and 22nd.
  • Two Fat Cats – has pies, cakes and other baked goods available to preorder for Thanksgiving; orders must be in 48 hours before pick-up. Available from both their Portland and South Portland locations.
  • Ugly Duckling – is taking preorders for pumpkin and maple pecan pie, Thanksgiving ricotta pie, bourbon cake, and apple and vanilla bean cheesecake for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • Verbena’s (South Portland) – is taking preorders for a 3-course Thanksgiving differ with vegan/gluten-free options for each course. Order by the 20th for pick-up on the 22nd. $58 per person.
  • Vy Banh Mi – is taking preorder for a variety of dishes and a full Vietnamese meal serving 5-7; Pick-up in on November 23rd. Call/text 207-206-9662, DM them on instagram or email vybanhmi.maine@gmail.com to place your order.
  • Wayside Tavern – is serving a 4-course family-style Thanksgiving Feast for $90/person with optional wine pairings for $55; ticketed reservations available online.
  • Wine Wise – has put together a selection of 6 wines recommended by six local wine distributors. Place your order for box of wines for home delivery.
  • Yardie Ting – is taking preorder for Thanksgiving meals and sides; order by the 20th for pick-up on Thanksgiving Day.
  • Other Vegan Vendors – see this article from Avery Yale Kamila for a list of where to source vegan dishes for your Thanksgiving table.
  • Other Dining Out Options – see this article for additional ideas on where to eat on Thanksgiving.

Friday/Saturday – Hardshore is hosting a WildHaven Brunch for Dinner pop-up.

November 28 – Bayside Bowl’s South Portland outpost Broadway Bowl is scheduled to open. The Falmouth Memorial Library is hosting a talk entitled The Indian Kitchen: A Crossroads of Many Cultures.

November 30 – deadline for the public and industry professionals to submit recommendations to the James Beard Foundation to consideration for the 2024 Awards program.

December 1 – Chocolate Passion is opening their new location at 175 Spring Street (the former Mercy Hospital building). Cabana is holding a Noche Buena 4-course dinner.

December 2 – Porttown Public House is holding their grand opening. The first indoor winter farmers’ market of the season is taking place (631 Stevens Ave, 9 am – 1 pm).

December 6 – Chaval will be serving a vegan wine dinner. The 5-course (4 savory courses and 1 dessert course) will feature wines from Chateau Cosme & Chateau Rouanne in the southern Rhone Valley; $88 plus tax and gratuity. Email reservations@chavalmaine.com or call (207) 772-1110 for reservations.

December 7 – Secret Supper is holding a (sold out) holiday dinner in the Portland area.

January 20 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Adrian Arvizu from Big Tree Catering.

January 27 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Christian Hayes from The Garrison.

February 10 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chef Krista Kern Desjarlais from Bresca and The Purple House.

February 18 – Flanagan’s Farm in Buxton will be holding a Supper Club dinner featuring chefs Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti from Chaval and Devin Finigan from Aragosta.

June 10-16 – Portland Wine Week is taking place.

June 26 – Secret Supper (instagram) is holding a dinner in the Portland area.

June 29 – The 3rd Annual Mast Landing Wavy Days Festival is taking place.

August 30 – September 1 – Maine Apple Camp is taking place.

Bam Bam Bakery Reopening

| Posted in Under Construction

Tina Cromwell has leased the former Ela Market & Grill building at 125 Bucknam Road in Falmouth where she plans to relaunch her gluten-free business Bam Bam Bakery (website, facebook, intagram).

Cromwell will be selling the baked goods that earned Bam Bam such a strong reputation in the gluten-free community. The cinnamon rolls will be back and she hopes to ramp up the production of cakes and cupcakes. Savory options such as chicken pot pie, pizza and sandwiches are also part of the vision for the new location. In the future she also hopes to add a gluten-free market to the space to enable one-stop shopping for her customers.

Cromwell shared she’s very happy to have found a location to restart Bam Bam in Falmouth where she grew up and where she raised her kids and where she makes her home. She has been hoping to launch before the holidays but a opening date is still TBD.

Sunday Telegram: A Helping Hand, Review of Mainely Noods

| Posted in Reviews, People

The Maine Sunday Telegram includes a feature article about the culture of mutual assistance within Portland food and dining industry.

In a tough, fast-paced business where something often, seemingly inevitably, goes wrong, Maine restaurateurs, bakers and brewers in Portland and beyond have countless tales of coming to each other’s aid, or being the recipient of help. In the month leading up to Thanksgiving, we asked them to share with us instances of giving and getting.

The paper also includes a review of Mainely Noods.

After nearly four years in business, Portland’s Mainely Noods is beginning to show signs of burnout. Its effervescent visual design aesthetic remains firmly in place, but fading photos and untidy workspaces lend the restaurant a neglected vibe. The menu isn’t much of an improvement.