According to an article in Sentry, Otto Pizza is planning to open a new location in South Portland at 159 Cottage Road.
The property, currently vacant, that may become the new Otto was previously a Getty gas station. It sits on a busy downtown intersection at Cottage Road and Highland Avenue surrounded by the South Portland Public Library, the Holy Cross School and Red’s Dairy Freeze.
Artemisia Cafe on Pleasant Street has started serving dinner, Wednesday through Saturday. The evening service is run by husband and wife team Guy and Heather. You can see photos of the menu below (click to enlarge).
The restaurant wasn’t very busy when I was there, but based on my meal (Muhummara appetizer, Pappardelle with Braised Chicken for a main course followed by Lemon Vanilla Layer Cake) I can’t imagine that will be the case for very long.
Update: According to a PFM reader comment, Heather and Guy are Maine natives who spent time working at restaurants in and around San Francisco including Chez Panisse.
Mainebiz has published an article about Bissell Brothers Brewing Company, a new brewery under development in Portland.
According to their business plan, the two brothers aim to brew unique, complex, unfiltered ales targeted at the growing market of craft beer in Maine and greater New England. The beers will be packaged in both kegs and silver 16-ounce cans sold in four packs, the latter of which they say is a rapidly growing segment of the craft beer market. They plan to sell, distribute and promote their product in-house, essentially by word-of-mouth and personal connections.
The article also makes passing mention of Banded Horn Brewery.
The Portland Phoenix has published a review Blue Rooster,
The rest of the menu, though, costs no more than the typical Portland sandwich (around $7) and tastes a good deal better. Many of the details are fantastic, like pickling the yellow tomatoes on the porcetta sandwich, which brings out its fruitiness (and its grapefruit color) even as it adds some sour. A sweet-salty pork belly, with a nice crispy edge, was stuffed with a spicy, juicy sausage. All the richness was cut by some sharpness arugula and the sour tomato. Thoughtful!
and The Golden Dish has published a review of Nosh.
One memorable sandwich that I had at lunch a while ago was something called Maine Shrimp Bah-Mi: fried shrimp on a house-made hoagie with foie gras pate, pickled cucumber, hot sauce and cilantro. Only a culinary maverick could dream up this combination to stuff into a hoagie, the aftermath being you adjust your belt notch one less.
The Press Herald interviewed Eric Michaud, owner of In’finiti.
He told me the company just received its state distilling license the day I talked with him, and that he will probably be selling distilled spirits in a month or so after the federal government approves his labels.
The Press Herald has published a review of Olive Cafe,
My lunch date went for the Mediterranean Plate ($9.99), which was a glorious array of hummus, falafel, tahini sauce, seasoned and fried cauliflower, house salad and fresh pita bread. She said it was plentiful and flavorful, and a heck of a bang for one’s buck. Suffice to say, neither one of us can wait to get back there.
and a bar review of Little Tap House.
I ended up ordering a beer not yet listed on the print menu from a new brewery out in Lyman: Funky Bow’s End of the Line Pale Ale on tap. Being in a new bar, I figured I’d try the new brew. The bartender even offered me a small glass with a sip or two to try before I committed to a pint. I was not one bit disappointed.
Lauren Loves to Eat has continued her Portland series with commentary on Standard Baking.
The Blueberry Files recently paid a visit to the deck at The Porthole and Maine Beer Co’s new tasting room in Freeport.
The space is clean and new, with very little clutter, which really shows you that the beer is their main focus. At the bar, you can order small tastes or flights of four or eight beers. A. and I went “all in” with eight 4-5oz. pours for $18.
The Urban Farm Fermentory is offering CSF shares. For $99 or $175 a Community Supported Fermentation share buys you a variety of kombucha and hard cider products as well as tickets to their annual event and more.
Pure Pops will be selling their yogurt and fruit popsicles at the Saturday farmers market starting this weekend. Pure Pops is one of the businesses operating out of the Bay One extension to UFF on Anderson Street.
Carman’s Cafe is under construction at 64 Market Street. Owners Darren Thomas and Abigail Johnston plans are for a business that’s equal parts coffee shop, gluten-free bakery and bookstore. The business is named for Thomas’ grandfather.
Carman’s Cafe is slated to open sometime in late June/early July.
See the Under Construction List for info on other Portland food businesses in development.
Lauren Loves to Eat has published a review of Eventide.
Anyway, the conclusion of this story– Eventide Oyster Co. is a MUST. It doesn’t have the slightly toasted roll or lemon-squeezed lobster meat like at Luke’s Lobster, but I promise you this version is just as life-changing.