This Week’s Events

| Posted in Events

Monday — Bar Lola, BiBo’s Madd Apple Cafe and Cinque Terre are all holding wine dinners tonight and Ri-Ra is hosting a wine event featuring “25 different wineries, taste over 100 different wines” to benefit the Cancer Community Center; Stephen Lanzalotta is teaching a Piatto per Tutti cooking class.

Tuesday — Congregation Shaarey Tphiloh is opening their “unique and explanatory” Seder dinner to the public as part of the National Jewish Outreach Program.

Wednesday — a “bourbon guru” will be at The Salt Exchange for a Jim Beam tasting.

Friday — the West End Deli is holding a wine tasting, also First Friday Art Walk is taking place and the restaurants will be busy so make your reservations soon.

Saturday — the indoor Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place, Leroux Kitchen 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.

Review of Novare Res

| Posted in Reviews

Green Man Review has published a review of Novare Res.

Great bars, like barbells, work when patrons put as much into them as they expect to get out. Over time, places that spoon feed themes and gimmicks to entertain their customers grow stale. Façades crack and age, and regulars grow dissatisfied with the passive entertainment they’ve contributed nothing too.

In Portland, Maine, a hero now challenges this unsustainable pattern. They don’t serve much food — some soups and a selection of meat and cheese plates. They don’t serve martinis or cosmos, but they do have a couple of whiskeys. Their focus is good beer and they stick to it myopically.

Magazine Eats

| Posted in Profiles

Check out this month’s edition of Portland magazine for a profile of Yordprom Coffee, the new coffee shop that recently opened on Congress Street in the West End. Yordprom serves Doi Chaang, an organic fair trade coffee from Thailand.
Also, pick up a copy of the latest issue of Maine magazine for some tips on where to eat (and shop and be entertained) in South Portland.
Neither article is online but both magazines are now out on newsstands.

Review of Boda

| Posted in Reviews

Portland Eats has published a “first bites” review of Boda.

According to its website, the restaurant features “street vendor specialties” and “home-style” cooking.  It also emphasizes that Boda features “authentic” Thai food as opposed to the “Americanized” Thai food at most other area restaurants.  Having never been to Thailand, I cannot vouch for the food’s authenticity.  What I can say is, based on my first visit, the food is different and mostly all delicious.

Toast Review of Arabica

| Posted in Reviews

Down East has published a mini-review of the fine toast on tap at Arabica.

There are few pleasures in this world greater than a good slice of toast. And we’re ready to claim that Arabica Coffee…has the best in the state. The homemade bread is baked by South Portland’s own Doug’s House of Toast bakery. From plain white to cinnamon-raisin swirl to cheddar cheese and chive, this toast is no ordinary slab of bread. It’s thick, and lightly toasted, and, well, just plain perfect.

Rosemont Wine Sale and Tasting Friday

| Posted in Events

Rosemont Market on Munjoy Hill is running a “buy any six bottles and take 15% off the price” wine sale all day today, and this afternoon they’re having a wine tasting at the store with the folks from SoPo Wines. Included in the tasting is Oyster River Villager from Warren, Maine which Rosemont describes it as “Wild but exceptionally well made white from Germanic varietals”.

Under Construction: GF, Public Market, Siano's, etc

| Posted in Under Construction

Here’s a collection of recent Under Construction updates:

  • Andrew Pettingill is back working on his project from last year to start-up a gluten-free specialty store/cafe.
  • The Portland Farmer’s Market is mulling “some changes at the Deering Oaks market to accommodate the addition of new vendors in an effort to expand the Portland Farmers’ Market in the future.” They are asking for public comment on a proposal that would shift some parking across the street.
  • Siano’s is planning on opening their new pizzeria on Fore Street on April 1. They’ve posted some photos of the construction at the new site online.
  • Construction is underway at the site of the former Roma restaurant in the West End. There’s no word yet on what business will be moving into the building.
  • According to this week’s edition of The Forecaster, the Kosher Meals on Wheels program is expanding its service area (Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, Portland) to include Falmouth.

Under Construction: GF, Public Market, Siano’s, etc

| Posted in Under Construction

Here’s a collection of recent Under Construction updates:

  • Andrew Pettingill is back working on his project from last year to start-up a gluten-free specialty store/cafe.
  • The Portland Farmer’s Market is mulling “some changes at the Deering Oaks market to accommodate the addition of new vendors in an effort to expand the Portland Farmers’ Market in the future.” They are asking for public comment on a proposal that would shift some parking across the street.
  • Siano’s is planning on opening their new pizzeria on Fore Street on April 1. They’ve posted some photos of the construction at the new site online.
  • Construction is underway at the site of the former Roma restaurant in the West End. There’s no word yet on what business will be moving into the building.
  • According to this week’s edition of The Forecaster, the Kosher Meals on Wheels program is expanding its service area (Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, Portland) to include Falmouth.