This Week’s Events: Rwandan Cooking, Winter Farmers Market, Sonny’s

| Posted in Events

Wednesday — Grace’s Wine Revolution will be tasting wines from Optimus Imports with special guest Barney Schneider.

Thursday — The Great Lost Bear will be showcasing beer from Andrews Brewing Company.

Friday — a Rwandan Cooking demonstration is taking place and the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting. It’s also the January First Friday Art Walk and restaurants will be busy so be sure to make reservations now.

Saturday — it’s the opening day of the Winter Farmers Market, Wine Wise is teaching a class on Italian Reds, Sonny’s is celebrating their 1st year anniversary and LeRoux is holding a wine tasting.

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.

Restaurant IPOs?

| Posted in General News

Brian Duff from the Portland Phoenix has put together some recommended business strategies for restaurants in the new year,

Another plan is to take advantage of government stimulus spending while it lasts. Hot Suppa! recently got a Community Development Grant to develop a dinner service that should find its feet in 2011…Other restaurants should pursue this strategy. There are a lot of unemployed college grads around who would probably write a grant application right at your bar for a free drink or two.

Review of The Salt Exchange

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Magazine has published a review of The Salt Exchange.

The small-plate (3 to 5 make a complete dinner) menu choices are sensational, imaginative, and affordably priced. The Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine ($17) has real wow factor, served with cherries, pistachios, and savory black pepper confections–truly a memorable experience. Ditto for the skillfully crafted pork terrine ($5) served with whole-grain mustard and shaved beef tongue ($9) highlighted with a soy-caramel-ginger vinaigrette.

Back and Forward

| Posted in General News, Events, Cooking

Edible Obsessions published her 2010 round-up and wish list (as well as a Christmas turducken post)

My own food wishes for 2011? Well, I hope the Missus gets her never ending wish for a less expensive and fulfilling Middle Eastern place(how about Emilitsa-lite?) and I would, in our great expansion of Asian places around town would love to be able to chow down at a Malaysian restaurant, even if it’s a chain. And tonight, in a perfect way to end the year, we’re revisiting the one local restaurant that completely left us speechless, Bresca.

and Portland Magazine has published a 2011 calendar of food events happening throughout the state.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

| Posted in Under Construction, Reviews

The Virginia-based franchise Five Guys Burgers and Fries is planning on opening a location in Portland. According to an article in the Portland Daily Sun, the burger shop will be located at 425 Fore Street.

Legendary franchise “Five Guys Burgers And Fries” is planning to open its first Maine location at 425 Fore St., site of the former “Moon” nightclub, and is getting a social media reaction similar to when Trader Joe’s announced the opening of a Marginal Way location.

“It’s kind of the Trader Joe’s of burgers,” said one fan.

For more information on the food at Five Guys, read the review published by The Blueberry Files on her recent visit to a Five Guys in Maryland.