Zagat has published their list (and the above video) of the 10 Hottest Restaurants in Portland.
On the list: Blue Rooster, Central Provisions, Duckfat, Eventide, Fore Street, Hunt & Alpine, Lolita, Piccolo, Slab, Timber, Vinland
Under Construction: Dutch’s
A new restaurant called Dutch’s (facebook, instagram, twitter) is now under construction at 28 Preble Street in the space formerly occupied by Down Home Cookin’. Owner Ian Dutch plans to “using the best ingredients to Create Food You Crave“.
The menu will include sandwich items like the Dutch Crunch (red wine braised beef, mashed potatos, crispy onions) and the Crispy Chicken (chicken, red pepper jelly, bacon, cheddar, romaine). Dutch’s will be open for breakfast and lunch.
See the PFM Under Construction page for a complete list of Portland food businesses in development.
Under Construction: Makara’s Market
Makara’s Market (facebook)—formerly Mittapheap Market on Washington Ave—has launched a crowdfunding campaign. Owner Makara Meng is in the final stages of launching her new market on Brighton Ave. She plans on using the $6,500 raise in Kickstarter-clone Indiegogo for the initial cost of inventory, a to-go kitchen and initial marketing expenses.
For more information or to contribute to the campaign visit Indiegogo.
BA Best New Lists: Central Provisions & Hunt & Alpine
Bon Appetit recognized a pair of Portland hot spots as two of the best new venues in the country.
- Central Provisions clocked in at #6 in BA’s list of the Best New Restaurants of 2014.
- Hunt & Alpine was one of only five destinations on BA’s list of the Best New Cocktail Bars in America.
Under Construction: Ricchio/Beauchamp Bar
According to a report from Eater Maine, well known local food personalities Joe Ricchio and Joel Beauchamp are working together to launch a bar. The duo don’t yet have a name or a location but promise it will be “eclectic”.
Joel and Joe have worked together before when they hosting the Food Coma video series.
Dobra Tea Moving
Dobra Tea (website, facebook, twitter, instagram) has announced plans to move to 89 Exchange Street. They’ll be closing their current Middle Street location on August 24 and expect to open on Exchange Street in late September or early October.
For the past several years 89 Exchange Street has been the home of the Aucocisco Gallery.
Fall MECA Culinary Arts Program
MECA has posted details for the fall semester Culinary Arts continuing education program:
- Food Photography taught by photographer Ted Axelrod
- Cold Sweets taught by pastry chef and Piccolo co-owner Ilma Lopez
- Holiday Baking taught by Tara Smith from Standard Baking
- The Whole Pig taught by Rosemont’s butcher Evan Mills
- French Home Cooking taught by Petite Jacqueline chef Frederic Elliot
- Wine and Food Pairing taught by Press Herald wine writer Joe Appel
- Mixology taught by bartender and cocktail historian John Myers
So many great classes, so little time…
Under Construction: O’Maine Media Kitchen
O’Maine Studios (website, facebook, twitter, instagram) at 54 Danforth Street is constructing a media kitchen in the space adjacent to their main studio. The 1,700 commercial kitchen had formerly served as the bakery for Cranberry Island Kitchen. It includes a demonstration space that will seat 20.
O’Maine Media Kitchen was created to meet and feed the growth of foodie content and innovate the next generation of food and beverage programming. Our fall launch will include new programming and celebration events such as a chef series, The Signature Series, focused on the Chef’s story of their signature dish, and a new beverage event/media series focused the art of mixology and blending local products called Forage & Mix.
Owner Rory Strunk has a number of ideas for how O’Maine Media Kitchen could be used:
- Commercial demonstration kitchen
- Culinary content production
- Chef hosted demonstrations
- Cooking courses
- Food photography classes
- Food styling classes
- mixology, beer and wine courses
Strunk plans to open the O’Maine Media Kitchen this Fall.
This Week’s Events: Canning, Farm Dinners, Hunt & Alpine, Bartender’s Brunch, Labor of Love
Tuesday — Kate McCarty will be teaching a canning workshop, and the Local Foods Networking Breakfast will take place at Local Sprouts.
Wednesday — Black Tie will be serving a Graze Farm dinner in New Gloucester, and the Monument Square Farmers Market are taking place.
Thursday — canning expert Marisa McClellan will give a demonstration of urban canning and preserving techniques.
Saturday — the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.
Sunday — Chefs Andrew Taylor and Mike Wiley will be preparing an Outstanding in the Field dinner., and Gather will preparing a Frontier Family Farm Feast at Wolfe’s Neck Farm.
Hunt & Alpine 1st Anniversary — the Hunt & Alpine Club is throwing a party to celebrate their 1-year anniversary which will feature “special all-you-can-drink/eat menu, prohibition-era tunes by Club Hot du Monde and a few surprises”. The part is taking place September 5, 4-8pm. Tickets are $50 and are now on sale at Brown Paper Tickets.
Bartender’s Brunch — a collaboration by Coffee By Design, Maine Beer Company, Novare Res Bier Cafe, In’finiti, Maine Pie Line and Holy Donut. to celebrate Maine Beer Company’s 5th Anniversar. MBC will release 2014, a maple imperial stout with cold pressed Ethiopian coffee, at the brunch. September 7th, 1-3pm. Tickets are $25 and are now on sale at Brown Paper Tickets.
Labor of Love Tasting Dinner — A “culinary journey of nineteen different items, consisting of eight savory courses, eight savory snacks, and three small desserts. All will, of course, be crafted from 100% local ingredients, grown organically or sustainably foraged from the wild.” August 30th. Tickets are $90 per person and are now on sale at Brown Paper Tickets.
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.
Review of The King’s Head
Peter Peter Portland Eater has review The King’s Head.
After drinking my Rob Roy, I smeared some after shave on my face, donned my vintage fedora, built a massive bonfire, and started a fight. Then I asked for the bill. It came to just under 70 bucks after tip. What a great place The King’s Head is. I actually really loved it. The food was very good, the drinks were great, and the atmosphere had me fired up. As masculine as I felt The King’s Head was, there were plenty of women there who seemed to be enjoying themselves. This is a place for everyone. Get down there now and down some whiskey and a beer so you too can experience The King’s Head.