A Home for Quanto Basta

| Posted in Under Construction

Quanto Basta (website, instagram) owner Betsy English has leased the original LB Kitchen location where she plans establish a permanent home for her Neapolitan pizzeria.

If you had told me two years ago that the world’s tiniest little food truck would become an actual pizza place, I’d say you were out of your mind. And perhaps I am..a little..but you kind of have to be to do this, right?! This was always the dream, but it really came down to finding the perfect space, & I couldn’t be happier to have landed in #lowermunjoy with Lee & Bryna of LB Kitchen as my neighbors. They have welcomed me with open arms, and I’m so excited for the opportunity to grow next to them in their new space.

English plans to serve a menu inspired by regional Italian cooking with a rotating selection of sourdough pizza along with natural wines from Southern Italy, beer and spritzes, plus some additional small plate “snackies”.  After some renovations (construction starts in February) she hopes to have the new brick and mortar QB open in June. The Quanto Basta food truck will be taking a vacation in 2023 while English puts her energy into launching the restaurant.

Quanto Basta launched as a food truck in August 2021, and has built a strong following for their mobile pizza operation. LB Kitchen is in the final stage of building out a larger restaurant for themselves at the corner of Smith and Congress Streets – just two doors down from their current location. LB Kitchen expect to open their new spot in January.

Dobra Tea To Move

| Posted in General News

The owners of Dobra Tea have announced plans to close their Exchange Street shop while looking for a new smaller location. They will continue to sell teas online while their business is in transition.

…We signed the lease to our 1st space on Middle Street in Portland – 12 years ago almost to the day. We’ve had a good long run with so many fond and lovely memories, but change is a constant. We are sad to leave this space we created, this community of tea drinkers, but find it necessary to change our business and will move to online sales on our website www.dobrateame.com as we look for a smaller space. We will wind down on Exchange Street in the next week, will be closed for the holidays Dec 25-Jan 2, and will have a clearance sale in early January.. stay tuned…We leave this space, grateful we’ve been able to inspire this community in tea, and move into the longer days of the solstice with hope, heartfelt love and deep gratitude for all your support over the past years.

Dobra originally opened on Middle Street in April 2011 and relocated to Exchange in 2014.

Solo Pane e Pasticceria in Bath

| Posted in General News

Mainebiz has published an article about Solo Pane e Pasticceria, the Italian bakery launched in Bath by the owners of Solo Italiano.

Panettone made with candied orange and raisins from Agrimontana, Sicily, served with or dipped in espresso or vin Santo.

Torrone, ricotta and prosciutto crudo on olive bread, speck and stracchino cheese on focaccia.

Those are some of the Italian-inspired breads and pastries being served up by Solo Pane e Pasticceria in downtown Bath.

Thompson’s Point Rosemont Closing

| Posted in Closings

Rosemont Market has announced plans to close their Thopmson’s Point location in January.

Come January, our Market and Wine Bar on Thompson’s Point will close its doors permanently, allowing us to allocate our resources from this location toward our seven other neighborhood markets. We have enjoyed our 1.5 years on Thompson’s Point spent sharing space with winemakers, distributors, visitors, and friends. Working with the team at Thompson’s Point, as well as the exemplary businesses on campus, has been a wonderful experience that has fostered growth, creativity, and partnership. We look forward to continuing to work in collaboration with them all. So, we’re moving out, but we’re not going anywhere!

Rosemont opened the Thompson’s Point winebar and market on August 18, 2021.

Room for Improvement

| Posted in Under Construction

Owners Arvid Brown and Nick Coffin have applied for a liquor license for their new bar Room for Improvement (instagram) providing a first look at the draft menu and cocktail list, and floor plan (see below).

The cocktail menu (see first 3 pages below) is broken up into six categories: From the Freezer, Classics, Wildcards, Escapism, Large Format, and Shots. Additionally, the bar will serve beer and wine.

As previously reported, the concept for Room for Improvement is a 36-seat modern dive bar and will be located at 41 Wharf Street. Coffin and Brown hope to open in March.

 

Upcoming Events: Big Kids, Sacred Profane, Xmas List, NYE List

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Crispy Gai will be hosting Chicago sandwich shop Big Kids (website, instagram) for a pop-up dinner, and Sacred Profane will be holding a Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner.

Tuesday – Great Wave Sushi is holding pop-up at Amigo’s.

Christmas Eve

  • Judy Gibson – 3-course dinner served family style w/Parker House rolls;  $55 per person with optional $30 wine pairing.
  • Twelve – is serving a Christmas Eve prime rib dinner.
  • Via Vecchia – is serving a Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Christmas – here’s the start of our Christmas list. We’ll be adding entries as businesses announce their plans. Drop us a line if you know of a Christmas offering not yet on the list.

  • Dandelion Catering – has a variety of apps, mains, sides and desserts available for pre-order with pick-up on the 23rd.
  • Greeks of Peaks – has holiday cookie boxes available for preorder and pick-up on the 23rd and 24th.
  • Lake & Co. – has holiday meals available for pre-order.
  • Mami – has “Roasts, ramen, dumplings, bread and cookies” for preorder and pick-up on the 24th.
  • Maria’s – has a variety of family-sized mains, apps and salads; preorder by the 22nd for pick-up on the 23rd or 24th.
  • Night Moves – has stollen available for pick-up and shipment.
  • Other Side Deli – has a preorder menu of mains, apps and sides.
  • Part & Parcel – has sweet and savory pies, breakfast items and a Christmas cookie box available for preorder for pick-up on the 22nd and 23rd.
  • Salty Air Bakes – has a holiday cookie box for pre-order with pick-up on the 23rd; $45 for 30 cookies with 50% of the proceeds going to the Saco Food Pantry.
  • Scratch Baking – has a variety of baked goods available for pre-order and pick-up on the 24th.
  • Sea Glass – 3-course dinner; $85 per person, $42 for children 4 – 12.
  • Sichuan Kitchen – is offering a special takeout-only menu.
  • Standard Baking – has a variety of baked goods available for pre-order and pick-up on the 24th.
  • Union – has a dinner for two available for preorder and pick-up on the 23rd; $135. They also will be serving a 3-coursedinner; $89 per person with optional wine pairings. Call (207) 808-8700 for reservations.
  • Verbena – has a 4-course menu available for pre-order with a vegan option.
  • The Good Shepherd Food Bank plays an integral role in distributing food to food insecure people all year round in Maine. See their website for information where to find food through their partner agencies in Maine or to make a donation.

December 26 – Oxbow and Eaux are collaborating on an Oxbeaux Brunch taking place at Cafe Louis in South Portland.

December 27 – Liu Bian Tan will be holding a Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup pop-up at Cong Tu Bot.

December 28 – Browne Trading is holding a champagne and caviar tasting.

New Year’s Eve – here is the start of our NYE list. We’ll be adding entries as businesses announce their plans. Drop us a line if you know of a New Year’s Eve offering not yet on the list.

  • Bao Bao – 6-course for $68 per person.
  • Batson River (Biddeford) – is holding a cocktail party and a offering a dinner and cocktail party combo.
  • Batson River (Portland) – is holding a New Year’s Eve party; $75 per person.
  • Blue Spoon – is serving their full menu with a set of NYE specials.
  • Broken Arrow – 5-course dinner with pairings for $150 per person.
  • Central Provisions – 5-course dinner for two for $300.
  • Crispy Gai – will be serving chicken nuggets, caviar, and champagne in addition to their regular menu.
  • Elda – tasting menu for $160 per person.
  • Evo – 6-course tasting menu with optional pairings for $150 per person.
  • Full Turn – open for dinner and will have options for “large format take-out.”
  • Helm – 4-course dinner for $80 with optional wine pairings for $45.
  • Isa – 4-course dinner with optional wine pairings; $95 per person.
  • Jessica Labonte – has a variety of baked goods available for preorder.
  • Judy Gibson – 6-course dinner; $100 per person with optional $45 beverage pairing.
  • Knotted Apron – 6-course tasting menu with champagne toast for $120 per person.
  • Luna – Complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot with raw bar, caviar, cheese/charcuterie, hors d’oeuvres, midnight toast; $150 per person.
  • Maine Oyster Co. – 4-course prix fixe; $90 per person.
  • Mr. Tuna –  has a selection of sushi party platters.
  • Regards – $95 per person.
  • The Danforth – is holding a dance party; $50 per person.
  • Twelve – 5-course dinner featuring truffles, caviar, foie gras and a glass of champagne; $175 per person.
  • Wine Wise – a virtual wine dinner for two for $275.

January 28 – Sam Hayward is teaching a virtual cooking class to benefit the Oasis Free Clinic in Brunswick.

February 11 – Ali Waks Adams is teaching a virtual cooking class to benefit the Oasis Free Clinic in Brunswick.

February 14 – Broken Arrow will be serving a Valentine’s Day dinner.

March 18 – Chris Toy is teaching a virtual cooking class to benefit the Oasis Free Clinic in Brunswick.

Best of 2022

| Posted in Reviews

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes restaurant critic Andrew Ross’s list of his favorite food experiences from 2022.

But now that I’ve been compiling my own inventories of yearly favorites for the better part of two decades, I’ve started to look forward to paging through my photos and re-reading my notes. The process evokes some of my happiest memories of the previous 12 months. I am lucky to be able to share them with you, and judging by the messages that appear in my inbox after this column comes out every year, I know you appreciate them, too.

Top of the East

| Posted in Profiles

Down East has published an article about the Top of the East which reopened this summer after extensive renovations.

Could it be that my new favorite cocktail bar in Portland is a chain hotel’s lounge? Those sorts of places are supposed to be for weary business travelers too uninspired to venture elsewhere, and yet the question weighed on me as I sipped a very good old-fashioned — subtle sweetness, restrained bittering, judicious dilution — at Top of the East, in Marriott’s downtown Westin. I tried to talk myself out of it: the vests and bowties on the staff were, perhaps, symptomatic of trying too hard at sophistication, and ouch, 20 bucks is awfully steep for an old-fashioned, even in our inflationary age. But Top of the East is the rare exorbitant cocktail joint that’s probably worth the price of admission, especially on account of the stellar views from 15 stories up.

George Parr, 71

| Posted in People

George Parr, the founder of Upstream Trucking, passed away at the age of 71. The Press Herald has published an obituary of Parr,

Parr, 71, the revered fishmonger who supplied seafood to some of the Portland area’s most prestigious restaurants, died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday in Naples, Florida, while visiting his brother-in-law with his wife, Kathleen.

“He was the only fish purveyor for me because he was amazing to work with, and he cared a lot about where and how fish were sourced,” said Cara Stadler, chef-owner of Bao Bao Dumpling House in Portland and Zao Ze Cafe in Brunswick, among others. “He never sugarcoated it when it came to fish. He cared a lot about it, and would tell you what was worth it, what wasn’t and why.

Bar Futo Opens Friday

| Posted in Openings



Bar Futo (website, facebook, instagram) will open for business on Friday—reservations are available via Resy. The Japanese-inspired bar and grill is located at 425 Fore Street in the space formerly occupied by Five Guys. It is being launched by chef Jordan Rubin and Marisa Lewiecki, co-owners of Mr. Tuna and partners in Crispy Gai.

The food menu (see below) offers a mix of yakitori skewers prepared over a binchotan grill and other small plates like the fluke crudo, kohlrabi salad and a koshikari rice bowl topped with duck sugo and pickled squash. For dessert there’s kakigori—Japanese shaved ice (apple pie and bananas foster on the opening night menu) and chocolate cake.

The bar program features an extended sake list (see below) curated by Advanced Sake Professional Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale as well house-designed cocktails (see below), wine, beer, and non-alcoholic drinks and brewed loose-leaf tea options. Sommelier Courtney O’Neil will be Bar Futo’s GM and in charge of the wine program. Ian Driscoll is the head chef and Bryce Summers is the bar manager.

The restaurant seats approximately 60 people with a combination of booths, tables, bar, and kitchen counter seating. In season the patio on Fore Street will provide room for another 40 seats.

Rubin launched Mr. Tuna as a food cart in 2017. The Mr. Tuna sushi counter opened in the Public Market House in 2018. Rubin, Lewiccki Sasha Brouillard, and chef Cyle Reynolds launched Crispy Gai in the summer of 2021.