Under Construction: SoPo’s Restaurant Expansion

| Posted in Under Construction

The Current has written about the recent growth in the number of South Portland restaurants.

Since mid-March, eight new restaurants have opened in South Portland, and licenses have been issued for another six, all slated to open by mid-August. According to City Manager Jim Gailey, South Portland has seen boomlets like that before, but it’s always been in the area of the Maine Mall and inevitably followed by rapid turnover.

“What’s really odd, and really kind of nice, is that a lot of this is going on right here, downtown, with small, owner-operated places,” said Gailey.

The article mentions a new venture called the Elsmere BBQ and seems to indicate that the South Portland Tony’s Donuts is still under development.

Wine Wise BBQ Friendly Reds Tour

| Posted in Reviews

The Blueberry Files has written up her experience on the Barbecue Friendly Reds tour by Wine Wise. For this event, she and the other participants visited Bonobo, Hot Suppa, Local 188 and Outliers.

Did I mention that this Wine Wise tour was only $40? I had such a good time learning from Erica, as she is so incredibly knowledgeable and approachable. The atmosphere of the tours is casual, so you can take as much or as little as you want from it. 

Hugo’s Reopening Tonight (Updated)

| Posted in Openings

Hugo’s has announced that they’re reopening for dinner as of this evening. From the release,

In renovating, our aim was to strip the space down to its roots, exposing the building’s early 19th century original tin ceiling and brick and mortar walls.  We’ve entirely changed the floor plan with an open kitchen, plush booth seating, and a sprawling, wooden bar that offers diners a close up view of the inner workings of the Hugo’s kitchen.

While our kitchen remains committed to the creativity and attention to detail that has garnered Hugo’s it’s national acclaim, we are making some exciting changes: an intensified focus on local meats, seafood and foraged goods, a revamped menu format, single origin coffee’s from local roasters Tandem, and look out for large format shared meal specials.

Bourbon Portland Beer Politics has posted a set of photos taken by Zach Bowen of the newly renovated space.

Update: for details on the new menu and more pictures see this report on Maine a la Carte.

Dallas and Boston Eat in Portland

| Posted in Uncategorized

Culture Map advises the residents of Dallas to “Escape the Texas Heat with a Weekend Trip to Maine“. While here they visited Fore Street, Bard Coffee, Duckfat, Two Fat Cats, Eve’s at the Garden, Street & Co and Beal’s Ice Cream.

The Boston Globe has published a travel article that calls Portland “hardworking [and] unpretenious“. While in our city they paid a visit to Local 188, Petite Jacqueline, Mount Desert Ice Cream, Two Fat Cats, Duckfat, Gritty McDuff’s and went on a Maine Foodie Tour as well as a cruise aboard Lucky Catch.

This Week’s Events: 4th of July Fireworks and Concert, Mainely Treats, Farmers Markets

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place.

Thursday — nearly everyone in Portland will be on the Eastern Promenade for fireworks and a Independence Day concert by the Portland Symphony. The Mainely Treats food truck will be launching that evening at the Eastern Prom.

Friday — there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli. First Friday Art Walk is taking place and restaurants will be busy so be sure to make reservations at your favorite spot in advance.

Saturday — there will be wine tastings at LeRoux Kitchen and Browne Trading, 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.

Pocket Picnic

| Posted in Events

pocketpicnic

The June edition of Pocket Brunch took place today at Bresca and the Honey Bee in New Gloucester. Krista Kern Desjarlais and Erik Desjarlais were guest chefs for the picnic themed meal.

  • Premeal – financier with plum and goat ricotta, and bacon-wrapped Deuben-dog in a blanket of deviled eggs accompanied by cucumber, dry gin and Aperol cooler
  • Snack Board – Hahn’s End Blue, York Hill Capriano, Fermin Salchichon Iberico, Wild Boar cacciatorini, Fermin Chorizo Iberico accompanied by UFF’s Buchanan Hard Cider
  • Lunch Basket – buttermilk fried chicken, fennel slaw, black Sabbathday potato salad, pickled watermellon accompanied by Oxbow Farmhouse Pale Ale
  • Sweet Basket – blueberry crumb pie with lemon buttermilk sherbert, and strawberry shortcake with basil ice cream accompanied by Twin Vines Vinho Verde

Tandem Coffee was also on-hand with pour overs and their wonderful malt ice coffee.

pocketpicnic2

Under Construction: Omi’s Coffee Shop (Updated)

| Posted in Under Construction

A new neighborhood coffee shop called Omi’s (facebook) is under construction at 28 Brackett Street just across the street by Outliers. Co-owners Naomi Hall and Katie Bruzgo plan on sourcing their coffee from Maine roaster Seacoast Coffee.

Checkout the renovation photos on their Facebook page. Their plan is to have a colorful and comfy space.

The shop was briefly mentioned last week in a Portland Daily Sun article about the Harbor View Park neighborhood.