The former Maple’s Organics gelato shop on Middle Street and the tattoo studio that had been adjacent to it are being renovated. The combined space is slated as the future home of Dobra Tea. The company started out in Burlington, VT and they now tea houses in Madison, WI and Ashville, NC.
They plan on opening for business on March 31st. If you a tea drinker and looking for a job be sure to check out the job posting.
The Portland foodie blogosphere is awash with Valentine’s Day recommendations today. Part of that is intentional as the O-rama blogging crew takes a slight detour from burgers to coordinate on the topic of V-Day first date recommendations. Vrai-lean-uh and Stephen Cooks also exercised a fine tuned sense of editorial timing and posted their own Valentine’s Day thoughts today so I’ve included them in the summary below.
Appetite Portland – a set of recommendations compiled by AP and her husband for a night out with 6 celebrity dates.
James Franco – to Novare Res Bier Cafe, then Sonny’s
With roles as diverse as Sean Penn’s lover in Milk, the partier in Pineapple Express, and the outdoor adventurer/survivalist in 127 Hours, sexy Franco can’t be pigeon-holed. And, as a PhD candidate, he attends poetry classes at Yale. What’s hotter than that? I’d get him a little tipsy with a few 10% beers at Novare, then spice up the evening with Sonny’s Latin-inspired entrees. We’d keep the night sizzling by sipping pepper-infused tequila at Sonny’s bar .… read the full article
Chris2fer – Chris and his partner went to The Salt Exchange for an early Valentine’s Day dinner.
I started with Crab Cakes (spicy!), moved on to Sweet Potato Soup (the highlight of the meal), had Poached Pear Salad for the first time (goat cheesy!) and finished with the Stuffed Chicken (a leg (boo)). George had Potato Croquettes (eh), Brocoli and Scallop soup (awesome!) and the “Local And Sustainable Daily Fish Preparation” (fine).…read the full article
Edible Obsessions –a retelling of how she first met “the missus” and a strong recommendation for Miyake as a Valentine’s Day destination.
My brain kept going back to Miyake. I could actually picture us having our first date there. I could see us sitting at the bar, because you MUST sit at the bar, sharing a bottle of sake and enjoying ourselves immensely. There is a nice intimacy to being at that bar, sitting next to–instead of across from–the person you’re on a date with. You have the honor of watching Chef Miyake behind the bar, hands and blade moving so effortlessly and delicately, as he prepares your meal. It’s conversation. It’s beautiful.…read the full article
From Away – Jillian shares how she and Malcolm first met, and recommends Caiola’s for a first date night.
The first night we went, there was a carousing group of fifty-something couples drinking copious amounts of red wine and getting boisterous. Immediately, we felt at ease. It’s like a gathering of family or a sprawling dinner party, where you can be private at a table for two, but not feel alone or stranded in a sea of stuffy white tablecloths and unpronounceable wine. I would arrive early for a first date and order a martini, and try and appear mysterious. This illusion would instantly be shattered the moment I stumbled over my high heels en route to the bathroom, but at first glad glance I might be alluring. In this familial atmosphere, one would feel at ease with the attractive person you met over a bottle of Tide at the neighborhood laundromat (is it pathetic or adorable that my imagination in this realm is as developed as a Hollywood romcom’s hackneyed meet-cute?)…read the full article
Stephen Cooks – tips for planning a romantic dinner for two at home complete with a set of 9 recipes to choose from.
I like to do a meal that’s thoughtfully planned, lovingly prepared and served on a picture-perfect table. For me this this is so much more personal and meaningful a celebration than a restaurant meal, especially since so many of us have good restaurant meals on a fairly frequent basis.…read the full article
The Blueberry Files – recommends Local 188 for a first date on Valentine’s Day for the casual atmosphere, good food and reasonable price point.
And that one little word, “first,” changed everything. I would NOT recommend taking your first date to an expensive, romantic restaurant! First dates should be more casual. Plus, on a first date, you’ll be nervous. And when I’m nervous, I tend to drink really fast. So, don’t risk becoming “that guy” by being all drunk and loud in a tiny restaurant!…read the full article
Vrai-lean-uh – recommends going to Pai Men Miyake and saving the “real Miyake” for a second date.
I think the new Miyake would be a good option, with the following caveat: think really carefully about whether you want to order a noodle soup on a first date. Slurping noodles together could be a bonding experience: hey, we both splattered broth on our shirts! It could also be incredibly uncomfortable. If you think the noodle slurping will be uncomfortable, or that you might not be able to pull it off with the required aplomb or good humor, by all means, suggest that the two of you share a bunch of the small plates, which I think are better than the ramen anyway.…read the full article
Where is Jenner’s Mind – recommends Benkay as the spot that she and Seth head to when they want a romantic dinner for two.
the thing that really makes this a romantic dinner for two is the price. all this for $70! and for those of you out there who do go out to dinner for valentine’s day, you can get it all for $60! go to benkay’s website and print out the coupon and get $10 off from february 8th to 14th. normally benkay is one of those great restaurants that always has a table open, but for valentine’s day you will likely need reservations. other spots we find to be romantical are salt exchange and bar of chocolate. …read the full article
My own Valentine’s Day first date advice would be to do a multi-destination meal. Eating your way across several restaurants let’s you assemble a really varied and outstanding dining experience, tapping into the very best that each spot has to offer. The walks between one restaurant and the next would give you and your date a chance to talk and get to know each other better. I’d start off with the Winter Point oysters at Old Port Sea Grill, head on over to Fore Street for the mussels, then up Munjoy Hill for a couple small plates at Bar Lola and finish up the night at Bresca for the 3-course dessert options they have planned for Valentine’s day.
Post a comment and tell us your Valentine’s Day first date recommendations.
Wednesday — RSVP is holding a wine tasting.
Thursday — Sweet Marguerites will be at Whole Foods for a chocolate tasting, and in honor off Valentine’s Day Red Ales will be the focus of the weekly beer showcase at The Great Lost Bear.
Friday — Maria’s Ristorante is having a 4-course wine dinner as a benefit for the Cathedral School.
Saturday — the Winter Farmers Market is taking place, the Public Market House is the subject of a joycott, there will be a wine and chocolate open house at Good Eats Boutique. Bresca, Capt Perry’s Cafe on Long Island and the Sea Glass restaurant are all offering early Valentine’s Day dinners, Wine Wise is teaching a class on French Reds, and Novare Res is teaming up with Sweet Marguerites to offer a set of chocolate and beer pairings.
Saturday — Caitlin Hunter from Appleton Creamery will be teaching a cheese making class at the Public Market House, the beer and chocolate pairings are available for a second day at Novare Res, and the 17th Annual Great Chili and Chowder Challenge is taking place at the Holiday Inn by the Bay.
Valentine’s Day — February 14 is just around the corner. If you’re planning on taking your significant other out for dinner on Valentine’s Day now is the time to call your favorite restaurant for reservations. Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday this year but many restaurants that would usually be closed that night are staying open and several have announced special menus:
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.
The Bollard has published a breakfast review of the Bar of Chocolate Cafe.
Bite for bite, our meal easily earned the Bar of Chocolate a place in the top tier of Portland brunch spots. It’s just a matter of time before word of mouth attracts crowds, so I suggest you come early, and often. I, for one, will be back soon to try those huevos rancheros. I feel a frijoles jones coming on.
NECN has broadcast a review of Grace.
From exacting prep to artful precision plating, the cuisine at Grace reflects a reverence for the pointed arches, stained glass and huge wooden oak pillars—all bathed in candlelight. Wines and various libations match the superiority of the food and service and dining here is, well, divine. It easily earns the Platinum Plate.
Immigrant Kitchens writes about learning to make Azerbaijani Meat with Chestnuts and Sour Plums from Tarlan and Zemfira Ahmadov (read the recipe and see the photos).
Tarlan and Zemfira spent the morning before I arrived peeling chestnuts together. This strikes me as extremely romantic and charming. If people propose in restaurants, can I ask my spouse on a Valentine’s date through the newspaper? “Wanna peel chestnuts together hon?”
Immigrant Kitchens blogger Lindsay Sterling will be teaching cooking class this Friday in Freeport. Sudanese Okra, Meat, and Potatoes is on the menu.
Portland Trails is holding a recipe contest to “explore the variety of food that can be enjoyed out on the trail”. The deadline for submission is February 22. The first place prize is “a meal for two at one of Portland’s fine restaurants and a guest appearance on CTN5’s ‘Community Kitchens’ television show.”
People are encouraged to submit healthy, delicious recipes for on-the-go food inspired by Portland’s trails and Southern Maine’s farms and gardens. The recipe should be for a meal-worthy snack that can be carried in a backpack and eaten on a trail. Submissions should include:
For more information call (207) 775-2411 and ask for Rachael Weyand or email info@trails.org.
District has received 3½ stars from the Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
More intriguing than either of the above, baked halloumi ($8) was a fried or broiled rectangle of mild, Middle Eastern cheese (not breaded) set in a shallow earthenware dish with cream mixed with Ouzo and roasted garlic, and topped with fried potatoes that were skinny and crunchy. Slices of chewy bread made the base for a piece of hot cheese and perhaps one of the sour little gherkins.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published profiles of Haven’s Candy,
“What I love about Haven’s is that we are 96 years old, and although we have expanded our size and scope, and adopted some technology, we still make candy by hand,” Charles said. “We are sticking to our roots. That’s the soul of the company.”
“I was in my early 40s and thought, if I don’t get busy with this, I’ll wake up in my 70s with regrets,” he said of his decision to purchase the company in 2001. “I had an ‘Aha!’ moment.”
Charles, now 53, said he bought Haven’s because he was impressed with the company’s rich legacy in Portland and reputation for high-quality products.
Down East’s blog The Golden Dish has posted a combined review of The Corner/Grill/Front Room restaurants.
Harding Smith’s restaurant kingdom is an empire built in fits and starts. Each one comes out of the gate magnificently, spirals to a declivitous edge momentarily — like catching one’s breath — only to return to glorious heights, which is where, more or less, his three establishments have remained.