Today’s Press Herald has a brief mention of Dana Street’s new seafood restaurant in an article about waterfront development in Portland.
He said Dana Street, the restaurateur who owns Fore Street and Street & Co., plans to open a seafood restaurant on the pier, which also houses Fog’s Boat Works, Bangs Island Mussels, Morrison’s Maine Course and Upstream Trucking.
Street could not be reached to discuss his plans, but Goodrich said the restaurant could open as soon as next March.
The Press Herald has reviewed Bogusha’s.
Overall, the food was interesting, but not exciting – there’s only so much you can do with cabbage and smoked meats. It did feel like the kind of lunch your grandmother or favorite aunt would prepare for you, especially on a cold winter’s day.
Bogusha’s is worth checking out, but only if you’re the kind of person who likes quirkiness and can forgive a place for not being a hipster hangout…
The Forecaster interviewed the owners of Tandem Coffee about the launch of their upcoming West End bakery/coffee shop.
The owners of Tandem Coffee Roasters, which opened two years ago, are preparing a new bakery and cafe at 742 Congress St. It is expected to open this month.
The Knack Factory has posted a short video on last week’s Sierra Nevada Beer Camp.
The August issue of Maine includes a profile of Jay Villani,
Villani’s decision to return to the kitchen at Local 188 comes after an extended absence, a time he spent opening and maintaining the operations of his other two successful Portland outposts, Sonny’s and Salvage BBQ. Though nearing 50 (which, as he tells me, is like “300 in chef years”) he has grown as a cook, learning new methods and old tricks, and discovering a new appreciation for the art of plating dishes. He has also grown wiser, learning one of the most important lessons in the restaurant world: how to delegate responsibility when necessary.
Barbecue Rankings was recently in town and paid a visit to Salvage.
I greatly enjoyed my visit. These guys are doing things right and Salvage BBQ comes with my stamp of approval.
Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Slab,
With our food finished, we talked about how great it was. I was shocked. I thought Slab would be a run-of-the-mill pizza place with nothing to offer me. It turns out that the original Sicilian slab is insanely popular for a very good reason – it’s made by the Italian God of pizza. The band was fun, the outdoor area was nice, and the indoor area is great too. Without a doubt, this place will be a go-to year round for a lot of people.
and Chubby Werewolf has reviewed the Joe Ricchio designed hot dog at Blue Rooster.
Although the Happy Ending dog’s pedigree is distinctly Asian, biting into this hearty and satisfying sandwich with its grilled ingredients brought to mind the experience of eating a stadium sausage topped with peppers and onions, the type you’d find outside Fenway Park or Wrigley Field.
A new information service called Beer This Week (website, twitter) launched last Wednesday. The weekly email newsletter includes details on beer events, bottle releases, tap takeovers, and a complete list of beers on tap at local breweries.
If the first issue is anything to go by this is something local hop heads will definitely want to sign-up for.
Monday — the crew from Salvage BBQ will be serving a meal at Flanagan’s Table.
Wednesday — Black Tie is holding a farm dinner in New Gloucester, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.
Thursday — Chebeague Island Inn will be holding a 5-course caviar dinner with special guest Robert Gardner, from the American Caviar Company.
Friday — BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe is serving a tapas dinner.
Saturday — it’s the 6th Annual Backyard Locavore Day, 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.
The Bollard has published a review comparing the slabs at Slab and Micucci’s.
Which brings us to the slab itself. Brushed with sauce and topped with a scattering of shredded provolone and mozzarella, its simplicity is its beauty. The hand slab at Slab ($6) is a thick pillow of dough that weighs a full pound. Compared to the slabs at Micucci’s these days, Slab’s dough is ever so slightly tangier and lighter, with the bouncy chew that makes this crust such a delight. It also spends a little longer in the oven, emerging with a perfectly crisp crust and bubblier, deliciously browned cheese.
That said, Micucci’s continues to pull off an accomplished rendition of Lanzalotta’s classic. The slab here ($4.50) is a little heavier on the sauce, which also tastes a tad sweeter than the sauce at Slab…
Liquor license approval for two new venues are on the agenda for Monday’s meeting of the City Council:
Fraser tells me they are making good progress on the renovations (see floor plan). According to paperwork filed with the city, they hope to open Bramhall in September. Bramhall, along with Tandem West and the opening of Salvage BBQ and Tawakal Halal last year are starting to develop the post-Longfellow Congress Street commercial life.
