The Portland Daily Sun has published a follow-up of the last week’s collection of observations by a Portland server.
“I like you a lot, but I don’t want to pool my tips with you because you’re lazy and not a very good server. Sorry if this hurts your feelings or your ego because I know you think you’re attentive. I’ve tried to tell you nicely. December 16, 2008”
Mainebiz has published a report on Miyake’s planned move to Fore Street.
The restaurant, owned by chef Masa Miyake and his business partner William Garfield, will leave 129 Spring St. and open at 468 Fore St. in May. The new dining room will be able to seat between 42 diners, up from 31 now, and fit 14 people at its sushi bar, according to General Manager Karl Deuben.
The Blueberry Files has published some photos and commentary on her recent tour of the Maine Mead Works.
And maybe you’ve heard of and love Maine Mead Works too, since their popularity is on the rise. Maybe you’ve sampled their product at a Greendrinks or eyed up a bottle at the Portland Public Market’s Maine Beer & Beverage Co. But have you ever toured their production facility or sipped their mead while chatting with the staff? If not, get thee to Washington Avenue.
Tuesday — Bar Lola is holding a wine dinner and the Maine Restaurant Association’s annual awards banquet is taking place.
Wednesday — the Maine Restaurant and Lodging Expo is taking place, the Portland Symphony is holding their annual wine dinner and auction, Black Tie is teaching a cooking class and Havana South is hosting their monthly wine club.
Thursday — it’s Saint Patrick’s Day, Brian Boru and Bull Feeney’s will be serving an Irish Breakfast starting at 6 am.
Friday — a Russian cooking demonstration and dinner is taking place at Saint Pius Church.
Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Irish Heritage Center, and there will be a wine tasting at Rosemont Market on Brighton.
Sunday — Sebago Brewing is holding their Full Moon Cask Beer Night.
WSET Wine Class — The Wine & Spirit Education Trust, will be offering their Intermediate Level 2 certificate class in Portland March 26-27. The class is being taught by Adam Chase from Grape Experience. The program is aimed at anyone “who works in wine, wants a career in the wine industry or has a serious interest in the subject”. See the WSET website for a more detailed explanation of what the course covers. For more information contact Adam Chase at adam@grapeexperience.com or Marc Doiron the bar manager at Street & Co.
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.
A collection of food news and links for your Saturday morning:
From Away has published a MRW review of Vignola.
Malcolm chose the almond tort topped with a delicate scoop of gelato, which was also simply good. None of what we had was particularly innovative or arresting or explosive, but we savored every bite. Vignola makes the food your grandmother would make, if she wasn’t so busy watching Dancing with the Stars and reading biographies of Katharine Hepburn. I really like it there, for reasons I have yet to understand. And we will go back again soon.
Yordprom Coffee Company received 4½ stars from the Eat & Run review in the Thursday edition of the Press Herald.
The Thai coconut broth was light and lemony, and had just a touch of heat — enough to give you a little kick after you’ve swallowed a spoonful. The sliced chicken in the soup was a tad overcooked, but the onions and scallions were perfect.
I also tried the Spicy Chicken Curry ($7.95), which arrived beautifully presented in a large white bowl. “This is very hot,” the server warned me, and I’m not sure if he was talking about the temperature (like the soup, it was steaming) or the spiciness, or both.
Chubby Werewolf has published a review of East Ender.
So where does the East Ender “Eastburger” stand in the pantheon of great burgers? Well, it wasn’t a home run. At least, not for me. But it was certainly a good burger and one which I’m inclined to try again sometime soon. I do think the bacon is likely to be better the next time around, and I’d love to see the bun get a little smaller (and the caraway seeds nixed altogether).
In the latest entry on Immigrant Kitchens Lindsey Sterling learns how to make “A Traditional Japanese Family Meal” from Chieko Miyake (read the recipe and see the photos).
Chieko Miyake and I met in our daughters’ elementary school. I noticed she had an accent. I asked where she was from. And then, I asked if she would teach me how to cook her favorite dish. She was more surprised than others have been at the question (if that’s possible) because usually it’s her husband that everybody wants to cook with. He’s a famous chef. She joked, “But the kids like my food better.”
Petite Jacqueline is now open for business in Longfellow Square. The French bistro is the creation of Steve and Michelle Corry, the owners of Five Fifty-Five. Petite Jacqueline is reportedly named for Michelle Corry’s French grandmother.
On opening night they’re serving a limited 3-course Maine Restaurant Week menu with a handful of options for appetizers, entrees and desserts. (Note: a sample menu is now on the restaurant’s website)
For additional reporting see the Maine Travel Maven and The Golden Dish.
On the heels of the survey of Chinese buffets published last week in The Bollard comes a broad-based look at 8 Chinese restaurants in the Greater Portland area by From Away. From Away has published an omnibus review of Jan Mee, Lang’s Express, Oriental Table, Panda Garden,and Valley Chinese Cuisine in Portland as well as Chia Sen in Scarborough, and both Super Great Wall Buffet and Imperial China in South Portland.
Here’s what it’s taken me eight restaurants and a little over 5,500 words to figure out: The overall Chinese food situation in Portland is not good. After testing all the restaurants that lead in popular opinion, we couldn’t find one to recommend across-the-board. Some restaurants did one or two things well, while severely botching others, and some restaurants couldn’t seem to get anything right. Our suggestions for where to go for Chinese depend entirely on what you like, and if were forced to pick favorites, among a huge batch of very, very similar food, they would go as follows…