MRW Breakfast Competition

| Posted in Events

The Food & Wine section in today’s Press Herald features an article about Maine Restaurant Week’s Incredible Breakfast Cook-off. The event is taking place Friday morning in South Portland. Tickets are available online.

Last year’s cook-off sold out, and some folks drove from a couple of hours away just to sample dishes such as the Creme Brulee French Toast from The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth. The “bring you to your knees delicious” French toast, smothered in fruit, took top honors and will be back this year to defend its title.

Restaurant Health Inspections

| Posted in General News

The Forecaster has published a report on the current state of restaurant health inspections in Portland and across Maine.

In Portland, where the city is delegated inspection authority by the state, some restaurants haven’t been inspected since 2007. And there is scant evidence the city has conducted required follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with food codes by restaurants that have been cited for violations.

$1M Allagash Expansion Plans

| Posted in Beer

Mainebiz reports that Allagash Brewing is “investing about $1 million to expand its production facility by 50% and is planning to hire two or three new beer makers by the end of the year.”

“We’re growing significantly. We’re planning to be up 40% this over last year,” Dee Dee Germain, the company’s spokeswoman, says. “The new facility should get us a couple more years at 40% growth.”

Review of Sonny’s

| Posted in Reviews

The Blueberry Files has published a review of Sonny’s.

I love Sonny’s interior- the redesign really shows off the spectacular building with remaining elements of an old bank- and their cocktail list. And I struggle to put my finger on what is missing from their culinary offerings. But after this meal, there was nothing that stuck in my head. No, ‘how do they do that,’ no ‘I can’t stop thinking about…’ So while Sonny’s offers a great libations and is a fancy hang-out spot, I will be saving my appetite for Local 188.

Last Night’s Winners

| Posted in General News

The Bartenders Bash and the MRW Signature Event took place last night.

Old Port Sea Grill took first place at the Bartenders Bash, Hugo’s took 2nd place and Fifty Local took 3rd. Vignola won the judge’s choice.

At The Signature Event, Walter’s won the people’s choice award for the best dessert (my favorite taste of the evening too) and Academe Brasserie won the people’s choice award for the best cocktail. The dessert judges awarded their first place to The Salt Exchange.

Lists: Texaco Mex and Best Coffee Cities

| Posted in General News

Travel+Leisure has rated Portland #11 on their list of America’s Best Coffee Cities (via Maine magazine on Facebook)

Granted, when Starbucks and other chains reign in so many shopping centers and office-building lobbies, it may be hard to imagine how one city’s coffee scene is much better or different than any other anymore. But when we looked at the survey’s top 20 results, we found several towns with great historic districts that still offer a unique café culture.

El Rayo was included in an article by the Wall Street Journal about taquerias that operate in former gas stations.(via Meredith Goad on Twitter)

El Rayo didn’t retain any gas station elements in the conversion, but the restaurant, open since 2009, pays indirect homage to the motor vehicle by recycling all of its fry oil into biofuel. A liquor license means there’s tequila to help wash down that BBQ pulled pork or veggie taco.

CSA Fairs & PA Whoopie Pie Perspective

| Posted in General News

Today’s Press Herald includes a report on the CSA fairs that took place across the state this weekend,

Lee said Sunday’s Portland CSA fair was double the size of a year ago. Among the farms offering CSA programs for the first time were Emma’s Family Farm of Windsor (meat only), Frith Farm of Scarborough (first year in operation) and Green Spark Farm of Cape Elizabeth (second year in operation).

and an Associated Press article about the Pennsylvanian perspective on the Maine’s efforts to denote the whoopie pie Maine’s State Treat,

“We’ve had this thing going with the whoopie pie here for years and years and decades,” John Smucker, CEO of the family-run company that owns the Bird-in-Hand Bakery, said as kitchen workers put together a batch of red velvet whoopie pies. “And all of a sudden they try to enter into the picture. … It’s just a bunch of nonsense.”

Talk about a food fight.