The Portland Daily Sun has published the 2nd installment in a series take-out tipping.
Central Provisions Now Open
The highly anticipated Central Provisions (website, facebook, twitter) opened tonight at 414 Fore Street. The restaurant featueres a diverse menu of small plates and cocktails and also features a strong wine program. The bottom floor facing Wharf Street is a bar and one flight up on Fore Street is the main dining room and open kitchen.
Central Provisions is owned by Chris and Paige Gould. Gould is a Maine native. Most recently he who worked at the Ken Orringer restaurants Coppa and Uni before the couple moved to Portland.
Patrick McDonald has joined the staff as bar manager and Chris Peterman has been hired to head up the wine program. Macdonald has been working at Gingko Blue and Peterman is running the American Sommelier training program in Portland.
For more images from opening night see Maine a la Carte and Active Beer Geek as well as Instagram photos from Blueberry Files, Sean Wilkinson.
Miyake Farms
The Portland Phoenix has published an article about Miyake Farms.
The pigs make a racket, squealing and grunting, anticipating another meal, as we gingerly approach on paths of melting snow and ice. I’m in Freeport, where chef Masa Miyake has turned his Freeport backyard into a full-fledged hog farm; farm manager Emily Phillips built paddocks for the pigs and moved them closer to the house for the winter.
Alcohol % Prohibition
The Press Herald has published an update on the recent enforcement by regulators of a 1937 law which bans bars from displaying the alcohol percentage of the beer they serve.
“(The law is) absolutely asinine,” said Greg Norton, whose store on Forest Avenue in Portland, the Bier Cellar, specializes in small-batch beer and wine. “It’s an important piece of knowledge for a customer, to plan how many beers they’re going to have that night.”
It’s unclear why the restriction was added to state law, which included rules for Maine’s post-Prohibition liquor industry with arcane terms such as “high test,” “high proof” and “pre-war strength.” Legislative documents from the time suggest it was aimed at advertisements that sold beer based solely on its strength.
Under Construction: Sweetgrass, Chez Biso, Indian Bazaar, Blue Lobster
Here are a few under construction updates:
- The Blue Lobster Urban Winery project that originally surfaced a couple years ago is back on track albeit at a different location. Details at this point are slim but the owners hope to launch later this year. Check the BLUW website for updates.
- Sweetgrass Farm Winery & Distillery (facebook, twitter, website) is opening a tasting room at 324 Fore Street later this month, according to a report from Urban Eye.
- Indian Bazaar is under construction at 1700 Forest Ave, specializing in take-out.
- Chez Biso Na Biso (photo) is the new name of the African restaurant and lounge under development at 52 Washington Ave, the former home of Chiang Mai.
This Week’s Events: Port Tasting, Absinthe Spoon Show, Bitters Workshop, Chili and Chowder Challenge
Tuesday — Rosemont is holding a Port Tasting at their Commercial Street location.
Wednesday — Outliers is holding a French wine dinner.
Thursday — Wendy & Eric Brown, authors of Browsing Nature’s Aisles will be at Longfellow Books for a talk and book signing, and The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Funky Bow.
Friday — the Bar of Chocolate Cafe is hosting a “absinthe spoon show” called Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Founder for First Friday Art Walk.
Saturday — Vena’s Fizz House is teaching a bitters workshop, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street.
Sunday — the 20th Annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge is taking place at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.
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.
Black Dinah Moving to Portland
Black Dinah Chocolatiers (facebook, website, twitter) are planning to move to the Portland area, according to a report from the Bangor Daily News.
After a Christmas season of rough weather and doubling sales, the owners of Black Dinah Chocolatiers on Isle au Haut are charting a course for Portland.
“Resources are difficult and limited here,” said Steve Shaffer, who has run the high-end chocolate business with his wife Kate Shaffer on the Penobscot Bay island for eight years. “We have to bring everything out here, take everything off the boat. Our utilities and insurance are three times as much as the mainland.”
For more detail on new restaurants and food producers under development in Portland see the PFM Under Construction list.
Review of East Ender
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed the East Ender.
The quintessential gastro-pub, with a lusty, varied menu of creatively prepared fare. Must-haves include the deviled eggs (with various fillings), the lobster poutine, trout fritters, the East Ender burger and a very good lobster salad sandwich. For starters and main courses, standouts include the mussels in green curry coconut milk, nachos with lobster, smoked hen, Montreal smoked brisket and hanger steak with bacon-bourbon butter…
Today’s Telegram also includes an article about Maine’s mushroom farming industry.
Review of Andy’s
Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed Andy’s Old Port Pub.
The atmosphere at Andy’s is cozy and laid back. It’s a place where everyone seems to know everyone. Many were taking the chance, while waiting for the ferry, to have a snack, a drink, and enjoy friends company. The place rung with laughter. They also feature live music throughout the week and on weekends from local musicians.
Our verdict is that Andy’s is a great spot to meet up with friends over some good brews. You also might make some new friends!
ABV Prohibition (Updated)
Maine Today has a report on the Maine law which prohibits bars from posting the alcohol percentage of the beers they serve.
Maine Law prohibits bars from posting the ABVs. (But wait, bars all over the state post the ABVs on tap menus and chalkboards all time. Yeah. But technically, they’re not supposed to.) It’s an archaic law that’s getting a lot of attention on Three Tide’s Facebook page. When David Carlson, an owner of Three Tides, got a call from his liquor inspector saying it’s not OK to list the beers’ alcohol-by-volume numbers, he posted to the company’s page so that customers would know.
Update: See this article in the Bangor Daily News for additional reporting on the law and the efforts to change it.
So far his plea has reached the ears of several lawmakers, including Rep. Louie Luchini, D-Ellsworth, the co-chair of the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee, which deals with matters of alcohol sales. He said Friday that earlier that day he had submitted a bill request in an effort to quickly resolve the legal problem.