Miyake (#54) and Hugo’s (#60) are included on the Opinionated About Dining 2012 list of the top 100 restaurants in the United States.
This Week’s Events: PSO Wine Dinner, Bourbon Dinner, Stout Bout, St. Patrick’s Day
Monday — Dobra is holding Japanese Tea tasting.
Tuesday — Vin et Grub is hosting a dinner club.
Wednesday — The annual PSO Wine Dinner & Auction is taking place, Bunker Brewing is holding a launch party for their newest beer, and Wine Wise is leading an French Whites wine walk.
Thursday — The Salt Exchange is hosting an Ides of March bourbon dinner and The Great Lost Bear is holding their annual Stout Bout.
Saturday — Brian Boru is opening at 6 am for an Saint Patrick’s Day breakfast, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center.
Sunday — the Urban Farm Fermentory will beaching a shitake mushroom growing workshop.
All Month — Starting on Thursday and running throughout the month of March, Grace, Miyake, Pai Men Miyake and the Foreside Tavern in Falmouth will make a donation to fight hunger in Maine for every 3- or 7-course meal you order. “The idea that there are children in our state the are hungry is simply unacceptable to us. When we learned that each dollar raised connects a child with ten meals we knew we could make an impact right here in our own community.” said Anne Verrill, owner of Grace & The Foreside Tavern.
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.
Under Construction: Y-Limes & Maine Squeeze
Three new updates for the Under Construction list:
- Y-Limes Gourmet opened their new shop in the Public Market House this weekend. They’re located on the first floor adjacent to K. Horton’s cheese shop.
- The restaurant under construction on Fore Street will be called Sebastian’s at Boothby Square
- Maine Squeeze Juice Cafe has announced that they’ll be opening a second location on the 2nd floor of the Public Market House.
Coffee Fest NYC: Shana Natelson
In her first year in competition Bard Coffee barista Shana Natelson made it to Round 4 of this year’s Coffee Fest Latte Art Championships in New York City this weekend before loosing to competitor from Hong Kong.
Ruth G. Leadbetter, 92
Ruth Leadbetter passed away on Friday at the age of 92. Mrs. Leadbetter and her husband founded The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in 1969.
Ruth and Jim opened The Lobster Shack at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth in 1969. In the early 1970’s they opened The Candle Shack, a gift shop next door to the restaurant. These two businesses became a destination point for visitors and locals alike each summer. In 2009 the family was honored to receive the Maine Family-Owned Business of the Year Award. Ruth and Jim continued to run The Candle Shack until his death in 2010.
For more information on the Leadbetters and The Lobster Shack read the article in Monday’s Press Herald.
Breakfast Cook-off
Today’s Press Herald and Portland Daily Sun contain reports on this year’s Incredible Breakfast Cook-off.
The Good Table competed to successfully defend its title, having taken people’s choice the past two years with its Crème Brulee French Toast. First and second runners-up were Sea Dog and Bintliff’s Restaurant, Oqunquit.
Reviews: Commercial St Pub, Sebago’s, David’s, Asylum, Binga’s
The Bollard has published a review of the Commercial Street Pub,
“I’m making real food,” said Allex. “I think about it 24/7.” In addition to the meat dishes, Allex makes breads and desserts, though these aren’t on the pub’s menu. He can butcher with the best of ’em. Given a pig, he’ll make use of “everything but the oink.” Depending on the season or Allex’s inspiration, house-made schnitzels and sausages and seafood dishes show up on the chalkboard.
There’s only one way to find out what he’s cooking from day to day: stop in, take a seat and prepare to be amazed.
and a bar review of Sebago Brewing Company.
You could meet up with a large group of friends at Sebago and be assured that everyone would find something to their liking. It’s the type of safe restaurant you might take your parents to, or a blind date. But with so many other choices on the peninsula — establishments with distinctive atmospheres, refined cocktails and meals you’ll remember long afterward — Sebago is not a destination for a memorable evening.
And the team from Burger Meister Meister has published reviews of the Burgers at David’s, Asylum and Binga’s Stadium.
Reviews of Hot Suppa and White Cap Grille
The Press Herald has published a review of Hot Suppa,
There’s a lot of reasons people in Portland love going to Hot Suppa.
Here’s one of them: My breakfast arrived on a big blue platter in what seemed like two minutes flat, and didn’t taste like it had been sitting under a heat lamp for hours. It was fresh, hot and delicious.
and a bar review of the White Cap Grille.
I appreciated that, despite the late hour and the number of customers he had to tend to, the bartender was very attentive to each and every customer he had. He checked in a couple of times as we sipped our drinks and ate our meals.
While I’m a fan of Sebago’s food and drinks, White Cap Grille is a nice addition to the Old Port bar scene.
Also in today’s paper is the latest installment of the What Ales You column.
Mr. Sandwich and Mrs. Muffin
Today’s Portland Daily Sun includes an update on Mr. Sandwich and Mrs. Muffin in Bramhall Square.
Starting their third year, the restaurant is owned, managed and operated by Susan [Denyer] and her daughters, Brena and Kathleen. “We’ll be introducing an electric grill and new items including French toast since now we’ll be baking our own bread. Oh and ice cream, which is almost impossible to find in the West End. We’ll be serving sundaes and think it’ll go over well.”
First Meeting of Food Truck Taskforce
The Munjoy Hill News has published a report on the first meeting of Portland’s Food Truck Task Force.
Proximity to restaurants and other businesses in the city was the focus of the discussion . . . Experienced food cart operator Ron Gan tried to assure Dick A. Grotton, President & CEO of Maine Restaurant Association and Steve DiMillo, DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant, that they won’t be overun by food trucks. “There is not enough business for all of them out there. It’s too expensive. I understand the concern of the ‘bricks & mortar’ people, but people prefer them. Don’t get too worried that several food trucks will hurt restaurants,” he cautioned them.