CBD on Congress Street Closing

| Posted in Closings

Coffee By Design owner Mary Allen Lindemann has announced she’ll be permanently closing the coffee shop on Congress Street. The Congress Street location was the original CBD that opened in 1994.

It is with deep sadness that I share that we will be permanently closing the Coffee By Design Congress Street coffeehouse. This is a difficult announcement to make. I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for the support this community has always given this special place in Portland.

You can read the full announcement on instagram. It also indicates that the decision is unrelated to the recent steps by the CBD staff to form a union and concludes with,

I am immensely grateful for the support of our customers, our dedicated employees, and our partners throughout the years. To our true believers – you know who you are – you have been patrons and also dear friends. We are honored to have you in our lives. While Coffee By Design Congress Street is closing its doors, the memories we have created together will live on. We hope to see you at Diamond Street, India Street and online.

Upcoming Events & Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Monday – Ore Nell’s North in Biddeford is holding a 5-course beer dinner.

Tuesday – The new Ten Mothers (instagram) food truck is launching. They’ll be stationed on Washington Ave out in front of the new (and newly launched) Oxbow Brewing tasting room.

Halloween – check with your favorite restaurants and bars for details on what Halloween events they may have planned.

Saturday – The 18th Annual Veg Fest is taking place.

Sunday – Chaval is holding a late harvest dinner at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport.

November 9 – Judy Gibson is serving a 4-course wine dinner featuring wines from Lauren Bonnois. Mrs. Gee Free Living and Gather are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner which will benefit the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund.

November 10-12 – The  6th Annual Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival is taking place in Ellsworth.

November 11 – Dandelion Spring Farm in Bowdoin is teaching a Pies & Sides cooking class for people who want to tune up their cooking skills in time for Thanksgiving.

November 15 – A whiskey and chocolate tasting featuring Liquid Riot and Dean’s Sweets is taking place at Ballast.

November 16 – A 4-course Ukrainian dinner is taking place in Lewiston.

November 18 – Roma Cafe is holding a launch party (12:30 at 767 Congress Street) for Roma Sauce, their new line of fresh pasta, sauces, Italian delicacies and pasta kits.

Thanksgiving Resource List – Restaurants, market and other food purveyors are sharing details on the Thanksgiving options. We will be adding them to this list as the information is made public.
Visit THIS LINK for the 2024 edition of the Thanksgiving List.

  • Baked Maine/Pottery Cafe – is taking preorders in-person for pies and other baked goods. They’ll have pick-up in Portland and Wells.
  • Balboosta (Brunswick) – is taking preorders for Thanksgiving cookies and sides; order by November 16th for pick-up on the 22nd.
  • 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.
  • Feast & Fettle – have a number of entree, side and dessert options for delivery; order deadline November 18th for delivery on November 22nd.
  • Fika (Saco) – is taking preorders for pies and other desserts. Order by the 16th for pick-up on the 22nd.
  • Five Fifty-Five North (Brunswick) – is serving a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner (menu) for $85 per person; online reservations.
  • Hanks (Scarborough) – is taking preorders for turkey, sides and desserts; order deadline on November 12th for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • 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.
  • Lake & Co. (Yarmouth) – has a variety of turkeys, sides and desserts as well as a full dinner for two available for preorder. The order deadline is November 14th for pick-up or delivery on November 22nd or 23rd.
  • Maggie Mae’s (Yarmouth) – is taking preorders for sides (deadline November 15th) and pies (deadline November 14th) for Thanksgiving.
  • Magno Terrace (Yarmouth) – will start taking orders this weekend for sides available to pick-up in Yarmouth and South Portland.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Rosemont Market – is taking preorders for turkeys, baked goods, prepared dishes and more; place your order by the 17th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Scratch Baking (South Portland) – is taking preorders for rolls, pies, cakes and quiche for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • Sea Glass (Cape Elizabeth) – the restaurant at the Inn by the Sea is serving a Thanksgiving dinner ($85/adult, $32/children 4-12yo), and also has a Thanksgiving dinner to go sized to serve 6-8 people for $275 plus tax & 18% gratuity (order deadline November 16th).
  • Tandem Coffee + Bakery – is taking preorders for pies, scones, biscuits, cookies and other baked goods; order by November 17th for pick-up on on the 21st or 22nd.
  • 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 musts 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.
  • Union – is taking preorders for a Thanksgiving dinner for two; order deadline on the 18th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • Union Wharf Market – is taking preorders for entire dinners, turkeys, gravy and other dishes for your Thanksgiving meal. ORder by November 17th for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • 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.
  • COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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

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

Other Side Deli Closed

| Posted in Closings

Owners Peter and Jessica Sueltenfuss have announced that they’ve closed the Other Side Deli on Veranda Street. They plan to expand the hours at the Other Side Diner (website, instagram) where they’ll offer more breakfast to go options as well as some of their customer’s favorite sandwiches from Other Side Deli.

Good morning Portland and our East Deering community. We have made the very difficult decision to close the deli (effective immediately)

Our intent was not be be this abrupt, but there are factors that are just out of our control.

It has been a great journey for us and making this decision was extremely difficult. Being a part of the East Deering community for the past 9 years has been an incredible experience and we could never thank you enough for all of the love you have shown us❤️
We have had many struggles this year and in order to continue to put our best foot forward we have decided to channel all of our energy into the Diner.

The Other Side Deli opened in 2015, and the Sueltenfusses opened the Other Side Diner in 2019. They had also had operated a second location of the deli on Vaughan Street in the West End that launched in 2017.

Rebel Crowdfunding

| Posted in Under Construction

Rebel Munchies and Libations (instagram) owner Peter Murphy has launched a $45k crowdfunding campaign to support the launch of his new restaurant on Congress Street. Eighteen people have already contributed $2,600 towards the campaign.

We’re growing up, opening a new restaurant, and it turns out that growth is really really hard. Like a teenager desperate to get their braces off we come to you, the community, desperate and riddled with acne. Bills and rent have eaten away at our cash while we dwindled away all summer hoping, waiting, and wishing for a building permit. Now that we finally have the permit, we realize that more bills and costs are heading our way like B.O. after gym class.

Murphy leased the former Dos Naciones space in March. He has been operating his mobile food business Rebel Cheesesteaks for the last four years.

Room’s Cosmo in Punch

| Posted in Distilling & Cocktails

Punch has published an article featuring the Room for Improvement Cosmopolitan created.

The intention was to appeal not only to the customer who orders Cosmos at every bar, but also to “nerdy cocktail friends who might never ordinarily call for a Cosmo,” says [Arvid] Brown. That meant rethinking each ingredient. “We looked at what it is that people like about it: It’s pink, it’s served up, it’s citrusy, it’s refreshing and it’s got a little tartness,” Brown says. “We tried to reengineer those flavors with more craft ingredients.”

Upcoming Events & Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – South Portland restaurants Judy Gibson and Lambs will be collaborating on a Burger Night.

Wednesday-Saturday – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place. See their website for tickets to events that celebrate Maine’s distilleries, cheese makers, chocolate makers and oyster farms and for tickets to the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year event.

Thursday – Bar Futo is hosting Roundtable, an event and dinner that “brings together chefs, organizers and neighbors for actionable discussion about social justice, mutual aid and sustainability.” Hardshore Distilling is holding a launch party for their Shorebird bourbon. Apres in East Bayside is holding an heirloom apple tasting.

Saturday – Chefs Tracy Chang from Pagu, Ilma Lopez from the Ugly Duckling and Matt Ginn from Evo are collaboration on a dinner at the Ugly Ducking–sign-up for a Farmers’ Market Tour with the chefs and return in the evening for the dinner. The 18th Annual Veg Fest is taking place. The Maine Tasting Center in Wiscasset is holding an insect dinner with ants, mealworms and crickets on the menu. Liu Bian Tan is holding a lunch pop-up at Norimoto Baking. Roma Cafe is holding a launch party (12:30 at 767 Congress Street) for Roma Sauce, their new line of fresh pasta, sauces, Italian delicacies and pasta kits.

Sunday – The Cheese Shop is kicking off their cheese classroom series with a Cheese 101 class.

October 30 – Ore Nell’s North in Biddeford is holding a 5-course beer dinner.

Halloween – check with your favorite websites and bars for details on what Halloween events they may have on Halloween or the prior weekend.

November 5 – Chaval is holding a late harvest dinner at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport.

November 9 – Judy Gibson is serving a 4-course wine dinner featuring wines from Lauren Bonnois.

November 15 – A whiskey and chocolate tasting featuring Liquid Riot and Dean’s Sweets is taking place at Ballast.

Thanksgiving – Restaurants, market and other food purveyors are just starting to share details on the Thanksgiving options. We will be adding them to this list as the information is made public. Drop us a line if you know of a Thanksgiving-themed offering not yet on the list.

  • Five Fifty-Five North (Brusnwick) – is serving a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner (menu) for $85 per person; online reservations.
  • Hanks (Scarborough) – is taking preorders for turkey, sides and desserts; order deadline on November 12th for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • 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.
  • Lake & Co. (Yarmouth) – has a variety of turkeys, sides and desserts as well as a full dinner for two available for preorder. The order deadline is November 14th for pick-up on November 22nd or 23rd.
  • MK Kitchen (Gorham) – will be serving a 3-course Thanksgiving Dinner (menu); reservations can be made on OpenTable.
  • 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.
  • Orchard Ridge Farm (Gorham) – is taking preorders for turkeys, ducks and ham.
  • Pat’s Meat Market – has a selection of meats available including turkeys, prime rib, duck, pork crown roast.
  • Rosemont Market – is taking preorders for turkeys, baked goods, prepared dishes and more; place your order by the 17th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • 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), and also has a Thanksgiving dinner to go sized to serve 6-8 people for $275 plus tax & 18% gratuity (order deadline November 16th).
  • Two Fat Cats – has pies, cakes and other baked goods available to preorder for Thanksgiving; orders musts be in 48 hours before pick-up. Available from both their Portland and South Portland locations.
  • Union – is taking preorders for a Thanksgiving dinner for two; order deadline on the 18th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • Wayside Tavern – is serving a 4-course family-style Thanksgiving Feast for $90/person with optional wine pairings for $55; ticketed reservations available online.
  • 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.

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

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

Porttown Now Open

| Posted in Openings

The Porttown Public House & Coffee Bar (facebook, instagram) opened on Friday. The coffee shop and pub is located at 123 Commercial Street next to Olive Cafe. Porttown serves baked goods, breakfast sandwiches and coffee in the morning, and transitions to a bar with pizza and paninis for the rest of the day.

Review of Little Pig & Maine Oysters

| Posted in Reviews, Fisheries

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a four star review of Little Pig.

Outside, on the tree-covered patio, there are café tables to park yourself while you devour superlative Lao sausage and fiery jao sauce, fried hake banh mi sandwiches slathered with choo chee curry, and basil-flecked Thai-style street corn. Once winter hits, you’ll want to consider this stellar newcomer as takeout-only. It shouldn’t matter. Cooking this confident, spicing with such self-assured swagger, is a rarity. Don’t let the lack of a chair put you off.

The paper also includes an article about the Maine oyster industry.

We’re into the “R months,” the stretch from September to April when oysters are at their culinary peak. In Maine, half-shell fans and lovers of local seafood have more cause for excitement each year as oyster farms continue to proliferate along the state’s coast.