Fresh Maine Scallops

| Posted in Fisheries

The Food & Wine section in today’s Press Herald includes an article about Maine dayboat scallops.

Sea scallops are so delicious, Brawn and other scallop experts say, that fishermen always claim they are best eaten raw, right on the boat.

“When you have a really, really fresh scallop, it has an ocean flavor,” Brawn said. “When it’s raw, it has a really good texture, and it doesn’t have a fishy flavor at all. Scallops in general, relative to other seafood, are mild, but Maine scallops particularly are very mild. It’s almost a shame to cook them because they’re so good raw.”

Golden’s Lunch: Walter’s, Duckfat, Olive Cafe

| Posted in Reviews

The Golden Dish has published the second of a 3 part series on lunch options in Portland.

What Portland restaurants lack on their lunch menus is the serious fare that one would otherwise find at big city restaurants in Boston, New York and LA. Whether Portland’s dining world could support serious dining at midday as it does for dinner could be a vital notion for restaurateurs to consider.

This Week’s Events: Holy Donut on TV, Sparkling Wine Primer, New Year’s Eve List

| Posted in Events

Monday — The Holy Donut will be featured on Anderson Cooper Live.

Tuesday — it’s Christmas.

Wednesday — Wine Wise is holding their 3rd Annual Sparkling Wine Primer.

Thursday — there will a sparkling wine tasting at the Public Market House.

Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

New Year’s Eve
Here’s a list of restaurants that will be open on New Year’s Eve. Many are planning special prix fixe dinners and a few will be open with their standard menu. If you know of any other options, post a comment with the details and I’ll add them to the list.

Everyone and their cousin wants to go out on New Year’s Eve so reservations are essential. I’d recommend you call soon before all the good spots get booked up.

  • Back Bay Grill, $88 4-course dinner
  • Bar Lola, $55 5-course dinner
  • Bibo’s Madd Apple Cafe, $50 4-course dinner
  • Bresca, $85 5-course Venetian-inspired meal with optional wine pairings for $35
  • Carmen at the Danforth will offer 2 seatings. The early seating is $80 for a 4-course dinner, the later seating is $125 for a 5-course dinner with live music.
  • East Ender, $58 for a 4-course dinner
  • Five Fifty-Five, 1920s prohibition theme $75 3-course dinner in the bar, $100 5-course dinner in the restaurant
  • Grace will be serving their regular dinner menu. A cover charge of $10 will get you into the late night party which comes with complementary champagne toast at midnight.
  • Hugo’s, $80 7-course dinner
  • Local Sprouts will be open until midnight serving their standard menu
  • Maria’s, $45, 3-course dinner
  • Nosh Kitchen Bar, tickets are $20
  • Old Port Tavern is serving a special New Year’s Eve menu
  • Pai Men Miyake will be offering a special New Year’s Eve menu and cocktail list
  • Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea, $75 4-course menu, $100 with wine pairings
  • Sebago Brewing is serving dinner with a special New Year’s Eve menu
  • Petite Jacqueline, $60 4-course dinner
  • The Good Table, will be serving a special New Year’s Eve menu
  • The Frog and Turtle, $45 for a 3-courses early seating, $65 for 5-course plus extras later seating
  • The Salt Exchange is serving a special menu for New Year’s Eve
  • Vignola will be serving a speecial NYE menu, details are still TBD
  • Walter’s is serving their full menu and a pair of specials
  • Zackery’s, has a New Year’s Eve menu
  • Zapoteca, $55 5-course dinner.

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.

New Food Blog: The Root

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald has launched a new food blog called The Root.It’s written by Sharon Kitchens, a columnist for the Huffington Post, author of Delicious Musings and self-described neo-homesteader.

In The Root Sharon plans to write “profiles farm families, reports on farm-based education and internships, conducts Q&A’s with master beekeepers, offers tips on picking a CSA, and much more.”

So far she’s published a pair of posts about the Maine Poultry Coop Contest and about giving CSA shares for Christmas.

Review of The Back Bay Grill

| Posted in Reviews

Eat Maine has published a review of The Back Bay Grill.

There is a level of service in place at Back Bay Grill that sets the standard for all other restaurants in the state to aspire to. Needs are met a split second before you recognize that you have them by a professional waitstaff, without any pretentiousness. Many would question how a restaurant maintains these standards over such a long period of time.

It’s all in the details.

Phoenix 2012 Wrap-up

| Posted in General News

We’ve reached that point in the year when it feels natural to look back and see the big picture of what’s happened over the last 12 months.

The first of the 2012 crop of  year-in-food wrap-up articles comes courtesy of Brian Duff and the Portland Phoenix.

For four years those Maine restaurants that flourished have done so against a relentless tug of economic gloom, and some good ones perished because of it. But in 2012, we could feel the forces shifting. Those restaurants that established themselves this year might be fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to benefit from an improved economy and mood for food.

Reviews of India Palace and Local 188

| Posted in Reviews

The Press Herald has published a review of India Palace,

…for lunch, the place is not only affordable, but the incredible attentiveness of the wait staff is comforting too. My water glass was refilled almost as soon as I took a sip.

My order was taken quickly, my soup came within 60 seconds, and my check was brought as soon as my plate was empty.

For a workday lunch, knowing you can get in and out quickly is a comfort as well.

and a bar review of Local 188.

The drinks and food may be high end and high quality for its customers, but Local 188 keeps it relaxed and friendly.

Stavros Elias Shamos, 91

| Posted in People

Stavros Elias Shamos, the longtime owner of Quality Shop on Stevens Ave, passed away earlier this week at the age of 91.

Steve owned and operated The Quality Shop on Stevens Avenue in Portland for his whole working career, expanding the business to include his son, who owns it to this day. A local icon in Deering Center, many people knew Steve as a hard worker who ran his business as a perfectionist and a gentleman.

Down East: A Better Brew

| Posted in General News

The January issue of Down East magazine includes an article on the specialty coffee industry in Maine, a directory of 19 Maine roasters, advice on brewing at home, and tasting notes on coffees from Tandem, Bard, Speckled Ax and 44 North.

Bob Garver talks nonstop about coffee. At first you attribute it to the enormous intake of caffeine the man must absorb as the proprietor of wholesale coffee roaster Wicked Joe, the co-owner of Portland’s Bard Coffee and a certified head judge at the World Barista Championships. But no, he just loves the stuff that much.

Breakfast at Exchange Street Cafe

| Posted in General News

According to an article in Tuesday’s Portland Daily Sun, the Exchange Street Cafe plans to start serving breakfast.

Manager Cynthia Tubbs-Maier, 56, is a proven fixture on the Portland food scene having started Black Tie Catering in 1987 with then business partner, Chris Webber. Selling her ownership in 1995, and parting amicably. Tubbs-Maier went on to the Whip ‘N Spoon as the General Manager and Directer of the cooking school, a concept just ahead of its time. Moving on to other ventures such as being the general manager of The Portland Club and overseeing things at The Danforth Inn, Tubbs-Maier has brought her skill set to spearhead breakfast at Exchange Street Cafe. Located at 7 Exchange, Tubbs-Maier has also brought along Patrice Keating, her right hand from past ventures.