Under Construction: Tempo Dulu

| Posted in Under Construction

A new Asian restaurant called Tempo Dulu(facebook) is under construction according to a brief report in today’s Press Herald,

The new owners of the Danforth Inn, 163 Danforth St., plan to open a Southeast Asian fine dining restaurant called Tempo Dulu in early 2015. It will be the first restaurant at the inn since Carmen at the Danforth, a Latin restaurant, closed in early 2013.

Here’s an explanation of the name from the restaurant’s facebook page,

Many ask us what does Tempo Dulu (or Doeloe) mean? It is Indonesian for the Olden Days..Tempo + Dulu means time of old. A time when Indonesian was part of the Netherlands East Indies and more specifically the time between 1870 and the beginning of the First World War. A time when life was good, the paste was slow and a where an ‘Indies’ lifestyle was created, blending Indonesian and European elements. The rijsttafel (rice table), a meal of rice with spicy side dishes, is one of the best-known aspects of this mixed Indonesian European culture.

See the PFM Under Construction list for information on other projects under development.

Review of Ruski’s

| Posted in Reviews

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Ruski’s.

Ruski’s prices are very reasonable, their pours are strong, and their atmosphere is definitively dive. This place is fun for any time of day, week, or year and since they are open both early AND late, you can test that for yourself. I envision this as a go-to hangout in the event my wife isn’t around for a weekend, though I couldn’t see myself spending more than eight or ten hours at a time there. That would be overboard.

North Spore Mushroom CSA

| Posted in Farming

northsporePortland now has a mushroom CSA.

North Spore is run by ” three friends and graduates of College of the Atlantic with an admiration for all things related to the mycological world,” Jon Carver, Eliah Thanhauser and Matt McInnis.

One of our primary goals at North Spore is to engage with the Greater Portland community and help to supply that community with local, sustainably produced mushrooms. What better way to do that then with a mushroom CSA? By becoming a member of our CSA you help to support your local mushroom farmers as well as the larger local food community. As part of this CSA you not only will receive the freshest gourmet mushrooms possible but you will also become part of our mycological network. We will be including education material with our CSA shares and will also be hosting tours and workshops that all CSA members are encouraged to attend.

The CSA will run for 18 weeks, from December 1st through March 30th. Participants receive a pound of culinary mushrooms per week for $250. Half shares are an option. Medicinal mushrooms are available for a $50 premium. Full details are available at northspore.com/mushroom-csa

 

The Hunter’s Bend

| Posted in People

thehuntersbend A new supper club and catering operation called The Hunter’s Bend (website, twitter, instagram) is now in operation in Portland.

Founders Frank Anderson and Rebecca Ambrosi originally hail from northern Maine and Chicago respectively. Frank has spent the last 15 years cooking restaurants across the country including as the chef de cuisine at Son of a Gun in Los Angeles. Rebecca is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute and has worked for both Thomas Keller and Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

The supper club is described as a “closed-door restaurant offering an intimate, dinner party style experience at unique locations around Portland.”

The hunter’s bend club is a closed-door restaurant offering an intimate, dinner party style experience at unique locations around Portland. The evening includes a guided food tour of the one of a kind menu, where Frank and Rebecca explain every course, it’s ingredients and why they chose it. Their favorite parts of the dinners so far include bringing people together, strangers who are seated next to each exchanging their information by the end of the night and answering guest’s questions about technique, ingredients and anything else they might be curious about.

The upcoming dinner they have planned is a 6-course meal featuring Ora King king salmon from New Zealand.

The Hunter’s Bend is a reference to a type of knot credited to Dr. Edward Hunter.

Review of Schulte & Herr

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Schulte & Herr.

Most fundamentally it is nice that they manage to preserve what is comforting in German cuisine while giving it unexpected brightness. So a salad of smoked trout and potato does not chase flavor with an aggressive dressing or by over-smoking the fish, but instead uses peppery arugula, spicy shards of radish, and tart-sweet pickled beets to enliven things. Even potato pancakes are almost light—under the thin layer of gorgeous brown crunch is a whipped up fluff. The dish is best ordered with salmon, cured in house with notes of citrus and pepper suffusing its creamy texture.

Dutch’s Opening Soon (Updated)

| Posted in Under Construction

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Dutch’s (facebook, instagram, twitter) is making good progress and co-owners plan to open on Tuesday November 11th.

They’ll be serving breakfast and lunch from their new store at 28 Preble, right next to Arcadia and across the street from Slab. Here’s a look at the sandwich section of the menu.

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Co-owners Lucy and Ian Dutch have have spent the early part of their career working in fine dining and as a private chefs. According to a recent article from Urban Eye,

Together the 30-year-olds have two decades of culinary experience and kitchen star credentials. Ian has worked for top chefs like Todd English and the couple helped open Market for global chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the W Hotel in Boston.

And here’s a few of the wonderful set of photos that Zack Bowen from Knack Factory shot Monday at Dutch’s.

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Mainebiz: Business is Brewing

| Posted in Beer

Mainebiz has published a feature article on Maine’s rapidly expanding brewing industry.

A study released earlier this year by the Maine Brewers’ Guild, the state’s trade group, found that at 2013’s 35 breweries, production was expected to increase by 36% this year and double by 2018, figures that sound a little conservative now, considering this year’s boom.

“Now we’re making up for lost time,” says the Maine Brew Bus tour guide on that fall afternoon, referring to Maine’s Prohibition era, led by “Father of Prohibition” Neal Dow, who must surely be spinning in his grave now.

This Week’s Events: Blind IPA Tasting, Terry Theise, Champagne Tasting, Pocket Brunch Game Dinner

| Posted in Events

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Monday — Allagash is releasing Farm to Face, a pale ale fermented in stainless with pediococcus and lactobacillus added along with 3lbs of peaches per gallon, and Portland Beer Week continues until Friday.

Tuesday — The Thirsty Pig is holding a Blind IPA Tasting; correctly name all 10 and win a $500 prize.

Wednesday — Bill Murray themed beers will be on tap at bars across the city, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — award-winning wine expert Terry Theise will be the special guest at Hugo’s for a 5-course wine dinner, and there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — Terry Theise and Rosemont are collaborating on a champagne tasting featuring “special, rare, and never-before-available-in-Maine grower-produced Champagnes”, and Bite into Maine will be featured in an episode of Eat Street at 8pm on the Cooking Channel.

Saturday — Pocket Brunch and Family Feast are working together on a Game Dinner (tickets), 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.