Under Construction: Sur Lie

| Posted in Under Construction

surlie

Antonio Alviar and Krista Cole have leased the adjacent empty store fronts at 11 and 13 Free Street (formerly Roost and Compositions) where they plan on opening Sur Lie, a wine and cocktail bar/tapas restaurant.

Alviar and Cole are planning on serving a diverse menu of various sized plates intended for solo dining or sharing amongst a group. They’re putting special focus on putting together excellent wine and cocktail program for Sur Lie.

Sur Lie was recently approved for a loan from the Portland Development Corporation. Renovations to the 3,000 sq ft space will begin soon, and if all goes according to schedule Sur Lie should open in August.

Sangillo’s, Joe’s, Hyatt Lounge, Lobster Away

| Posted in General News

In other recent food news:

Review of Frog & Turtle

| Posted in Reviews

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Frog & Turtle.

Fortunately, good friends have a way of making time fly by, but after nearly a nearly three hour meal, it was time to wrap up. The meal came to about 100 first presidents after tip. I appreciated the desserts FOC as they certainly added to the meal and we enjoyed them greatly. Our drinks were great and our meals were very good except for a bit of underseasoning on one item. In the end, it’s safe to say that The Frog and Turtle is a fun spot in Westbrook for good times with good food. Get there soon in case a meteor shower destroys the planet as we know it and restaurants no longer exist.

Lists: Tacos & Late Night

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has gone on a Tour de Taco,

I recently moved back to Maine after living for a time in Tuscon, and if there’s one thing I miss about that sun-baked city, it’s the tacos. It seems like there’s a taqueria on every block. Maine’s about as far from Mexico as you can get in the continental U.S., but Portland’s robust food scene gave me hope I could assuage my nostalgia as Cinco de Mayo approached.

and Portland Magazine has assembled a list of late night drinking and dining options.

It’s getting late. You’ve just emerged from a paranoid dystopian thriller at the Nickelodeon, or Anna Lombard’s set at One Longfellow Square. You’re hungry.

Under Construction: Riverside Grill, Duckfat, Timber, Foodworks, El Rayo

| Posted in Under Construction, Closings

riversidegrillHere are a few updates on what’s going on around town:

  • Duckfat is temporarily closed while the restaurant under goes some renovation
  • Timber (facebook) is reportedly planning on opening May 15
  • Foodworks is temporarily closed while they move to their new space at 61 India Street. Word on the street is that their old space is already leased.
  • Riverside Grill (facebook, website) manager Steve Quatrucci reports they’re making good progress on construction (see photo) and hopes to open later this month.
  • El Rayo has closed the Cantina. Despite the rumors floating around, the El Rayo Taqueria will remain in business. El Rayo’s also continues to work on launching a 2nd location in Scarborough on Route 1.

This Week’s Events: Ana’s Mobile, Oregon Wine Dinner, Speckled Axe, Portland Kitchen Tour, Bearded Lady, Roberto Damonte

| Posted in Events

Monday — Ana’s Mobile Cafe will be back on the road.

Wednesday — all drinks at Speckled Axe will be just $2 in celebration of their 2nd anniversary, the Blue Spoon will be hosting Rob Stuart for a Oregon Wine dinner, the Bier Cellar is holding a Banded Horn tasting, Black Tie is teaching a cooking class,  and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a UFF Kombucha tasting at the Brighton Rosemont, and a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — it’s the first day of the Portland Kitchen Tour.

Saturday — The Bearded Lady’s Jewel Box will be holding a cocktail party at Space, winemaker Roberto Damonte is leading a tasting event at Rosemont on Commercial, it’s the second day of the Portland Kitchen Tour, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Black Birch is the featured restaurant for a dinner at Flanagan’s Table.

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.

Immigrant Kitchens: Pakistani Chicken and Rice

| Posted in Cooking

In the latest entry from Immigrant Kitchens, Lindsay Sterling learns how to make jalfrezi from Savita Nooreen (read the story, get the recipe and see the photos).

As we cooked, we talked. “Someone on the school bus asked me if we have houses or we live in caves,” she said in disbelief. “It [Pakistan] is the same as here,” she asserted. “It is a developing country,” she clarified, “Fifty to sixty years ago there was no connection with the rest of the world. The northern part had no schools. But now it’s just like Freeport [Maine]. We have schools, colleges, universities…”