The Maine Bean Cafe opened for business this past week. The new business is in the space formerly occupied by Portland Coffee Roasters.
Changes at Siam Grille
There’s a sign in the window at Siam Grille that indicates they’re taking a “much deservered vacation and time off”, and asks that people “check out and support the new coming restaurant.” It seems to suggest a significant change up in the restaurant once they’re back from vacation. Does anyone have any additional info or know more about what the “new coming restaurant” will be?
Taste & Tell Review of El Rayo
El Rayo received 3½ stars in this week’s Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram.
BOTTOM LINE: Most items at this vibrant Mexican taco place, or Taqueria, cost $6 or less, and better, are great to eat – and the more expensive, delicious drinks, spiked with good liquor, reveal the owners’ roots in fine dining.
In addition to reviewing the restaurant, the article provides details on the owners plans for the old Popeye’s location “a long-term plan to demolish the old Popeye’s building up the street and build a Mexican dinner restaurant” and a mobile home now parked at El Rayo. “An Air Stream trailer is undergoing renovation and was intended to serve as a bar area for the outdoor seats, but it could be incorporated into a new addition” .
Taste & Tell has moved back to the Sunday paper after a few weeks in the new Wednesday Food & Dining section in response to requests from MST readers.
Street Fairs
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reports on yesterday’s African street festival,
For an afternoon, Brown Street was transformed into a setting resembling an African market, with food and other vendors lining the street.
and the St Peter’s Italian Bazaar that started yesterday and continues on today.
The Italian bazaar began in 1926 and is the longest continuously running street festival in Portland, co-chair Ken Giaquinto said.
Siano’s Review & Expansion
Siano’s Pizzeria received 4 stars from the Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald. “Siano’s is a neighborhood restaurant that rises a notch above.”
The article also mentions that “Siano’s has done so well in this part of Portland that the owners, Joseph Pompeo and Chris Grant, are opening a second restaurant, double the size, in Freeport in September.”
Jenner's Mind on Caiola's and The Porthole
The blogger at Where is Jenner’s Mind has published her take on two restaurants that are “guarenteed good meal[s]”. The Porthole and Caiola’s.
there are two places that seth and i go to on a regular basis and we know we will always get a good meal. and i have never written about either of them! in the portland food blog-o-sphere, both restaurants have gotten their fair shares of reviews, but let me tell you why i love caiola’s and the port hole.
Twenty Milk Outdoor Dining Review
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed the outdoor dining experience to be had at Twenty Milk Street.
The string lights in the trees, and the bamboo fence fronted by a sea-rose hedge, give it the feel of the sort of leafy garden dining found all over Vietnam. Old-fashioned lanterns hang over many tables. Watching the waiters complete the long traverse from the 19th-century building in formal attire adds to the colonial feel. Customers seem to embrace the mood — dining in a desultory fashion, laughing rambunctiously, and talking themselves into extra rounds of drinks.
Spicelines on Rabelais
Spicelines has posted a write-up on her recent visit to Rabelais Books.
Rabelais is a different sort of “clean, well-lighted” place: a tranquil but cheerful gathering spot for food-obsessed souls in a food-obsessed town. And what a location: It’s in Portland’s burgeoning East End, next door to Hugo’s (chef Rob Evans won the 2009 James Beard award for Best Chef Northeast) and within walking distance of half a dozen great restaurants, including Bresca, Duckfat and Fore Street. There’s something irresistible about a destination cookbook shop just a couple of blocks from the world’s best Belgian frites and Tahitian vanilla milkshakes.
Review of Kon Asian Bistro
Chris2fer has reviewed Kon Asian Bistro.
I highly recommend Kon to get your Asian fix on. It’s not pricey and I love a good themed restaurant. I think it has become my new favorite (sorry, Panda Garden!).
Also – KHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!
Restaurants on Twitter
The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes a feature story on Maine restaurants use of Twitter.
Arsenault was still new to Twitter, so when she organized a “tweet-up” at the inn for the folks who had been following her posts online, she hoped that maybe 15 people would show up.
“And then people just started piling in,” she said.
To Arsenault’s surprise, 37 diners drove to Scarborough to take advantage of the inn’s tweet-up specials – $5 mussel appetizers, $2 beers and $5 glasses of wine. Many were new to the inn, and some of them stayed on for dinner.