Luna Rossa

| Posted in Under Construction

An article in today’s Press Herald reports that Luna Rossa “should open by early summer” and when it does the kitchen will be run by Antonio Bruno “who has worked in New York City and grew up on Capri”. Luna Rossa is under construction at 188 Middle Street at the old location of The Pavilion nightclub.

The space is being converted into an Italian restaurant, a banquet facility and a retail mall. The indoor galleria concept is modeled after the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The restaurant will offer entertainment by Dueling Piano Services, which provides talent to the New York New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The performances are a “high-energy blend of singalong and comedy,” according to the company’s Web site.

Vivian's Review

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of a trio of burger joints including Vivian’s Drive-In on Forest Ave.

The double cheeseburger was remarkably similar to the Ray’s version. There is a bit more chew to the meat, and lots of diced grilled onion to complement the mustard and relish. The white cheese contributes more fatty texture than actual flavor. It comes with a bag of chips instead of fries or rings.

Vivian’s Review

| Posted in Reviews

The Portland Phoenix has published a review of a trio of burger joints including Vivian’s Drive-In on Forest Ave.

The double cheeseburger was remarkably similar to the Ray’s version. There is a bit more chew to the meat, and lots of diced grilled onion to complement the mustard and relish. The white cheese contributes more fatty texture than actual flavor. It comes with a bag of chips instead of fries or rings.

Hayward and Evans on Portland

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald interviewed chefs Sam Hayward and Rob Evans about winning Best Chef: Northeast, Hayward in 2004 and Evans in 2009, and what it means for the city’s reputation as a foodie destination.

Hugo’s, the Middle Street restaurant owned by the 45-year-old Evans and his wife and business partner Nancy Pugh, probably will be tough to get into in the coming weeks, at least on the weekends. Calls for reservations are running four to five times higher than normal for this time of year, and foodies from New York and Connecticut are booking tables well into summer and fall.

the article also reports that Evans is planning on launching a third restaurant.

Evans himself is planning more restaurants, including a new Duckfat gastropub in the heart of the Old Port (think Wharf Street or Commercial Street) sometime within the next year, as soon as he and Pugh can find the right property to purchase. The original Duckfat will remain open.

They’re also looking for a place to open a Duckfat in Burlington, Vt., hoping to cash in on the college-town vibe where french fries and beer are considered staples.

Coffee Guru Bob Garver

| Posted in People

The Maine Mouth has published a profile of Bob Garver. In addition to running Wicked Joe Coffee and being an co-owner of Bard Coffee, Garver is also a World Barista Championship sensory judge and was recently in Atlanta for the 2009 competition that saw Michael Phillips from the US place third behind competitors from the UK and Canada.

“What we’re primarily concerned about is the taste of the coffee,” says Garver. “What notes are in the coffee? Does the barista understand the coffee? How do they present it? Professionalism, passion, dedication…their overall attention to detail. All of those things are part of what we’re evaluating, but what matters most are taste scores.”

Street Meat

| Posted in General News

The new issue of The Maine Switch takes a look at the food cart options in the city.

Street meat isn’t gourmet. It isn’t meant to be vegan, vegetarian or gluten-free. It isn’t even healthy — not in a Whole Foods kind of way. But you don’t have to sit to eat it, you only need a few bucks for a dog and a Coke and it sure tastes good. That’s why when the weather’s good in Portland you’ll find everyone from high school students in flip flops to businessmen in suits and ties sitting on a bench in Tommy’s Park and wiping ketchup from their chins.

Coffee Press Herald

| Posted in General News

Coffee shops are front and center on the front page of today’s Press Herald. Bard, Coffee by Design, Arabica, Maine Roasters Coffee and Mornings in Paris are all part of the article.

Jeremy Pelkey raised a few eyebrows when he opened a new specialty coffee shop in the Old Port last month.

Starting a business in the depths of an economic recession may appear to be an unwise financial move. Opening a coffee shop in the Old Port, where coffee sellers are already plentiful, might seem even riskier.

But five weeks after Bard Coffee opened across the street from a Starbucks, business is going well, Pelkey said.

“We have a ton of regulars,” he said. “We haven’t moved backward yet.”

Maine Beer Trail

| Posted in Beer

A Blog About Beer has a report about the new Maine Beer Trail and some suggestions (be more complete, give participants a fun incentive to make the rounds) on how to improve it.

While I think the Maine Beer Trail is a great idea (I’ve been calling for its creation forever), and a tourist-driven, Maine-brewing-community-collaborative is exactly what the state needs, the initial version of the Trail the Guild has rolled out leaves a little something to be desired.

Wasabi?

| Posted in Under Construction

wasabi
The signs in the window at 7 Exchange Street that until recently stated that Wasabi was “coming soon” have been replaced by these For Lease signs from Cardente Real Estate. It’s looking doubtful that Wasabi is still in the works.