Reviews: Mr. Tuna, Simply Vegan by Silly’s, Anthony’s Italian Kitchen

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed the Simply Vegan by Silly’s,

Simply Vegan is still evolving. Many menu items (especially sandwiches) are hopelessly sloppy and difficult to eat, but there are some real gems among them. You can’t go wrong with the chunky white-bean hummus and greens in the You’ve Got Kale sandwich, and the sweet, nuanced flavors of the BBQ beans are out of this world. But best of all are baker Jeremy Newbert’s baked goods, from homemade multigrain sandwich bread to extraordinary mint-chocolate grasshopper triple-layer cake. They’re so good, you won’t know, nor will you care, that they’re vegan.

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed the Mr. Tuna, and

Those hand rolls are still the stars of the show. Every combination I’ve tasted has been up there with the best vehicles for raw and slightly seared fish I’ve ever tasted, save for a few small, barely mentionable gripes (a heavy hand with powerfully fragrant shiso in the salmon belly temaki, a bit too much acid for my tastes in the tuna tataki). None of this matters once you sink your teeth into a fresh dayboat Maine scallop cone, with just enough smoky char from broiled sudachi mayo to balance what has got to be the sweetest, most texturally pleasing mollusk on the planet. Equally worth ordering is the Maine crab, where a simple dash of yuzu mayo brings out multiverses of salinity and soft, delicate funk.

The Press Herald has reviewed the Anthony’s Italian Kitchen.

The glorious creation was made with Genoa salami, prosciutto, capicola, imported provolone, tomato, onion, roasted red peppers, olive oil and oregano, all served on an 8-inch Piantedosi Italian roll ($8.50).

Under Construction: Lorne Wine

A new wine shop and bar called Lorne Wine (instagram) is under construction in Biddeford.

Lorne co-owners Carson James and Erin Sheehan plan to focus on “low intervention wines” – organic/biodynamic sustainablely-produced wines made with minimal intervention in the wine making process. The shop will also stock beer and the bar will have a 6-tap draft system. The couple plan to highlight domestic wines especially ones from California and are excited by wines being produced in New England by La Garagista in Vermont and Oyster River in Maine.

James and Sheehan are leasing a 1,100 sq ft space at 55 Main Street (near the soon to open Dizzy Bird), where they plan to open the bar this Summer.

2019 Portland Wine Week

The 2019 edition of Portland Wine Week (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) is scheduled to take place June 17 – 23.

Fifteen events are already on the schedule with new ones being added as details are locked in. They include a pasta making and wine pairing class at Solo Italiano, a rosé and tapas dinner at Sur Lie, a Wine Wise sails in Casco Bay featuring brunch by chef Ilma Lopez from Chaval and Piccolo, a curated Women Winemakers wine list at Central Provisions; and Bivalves & Bubbles at The Shop.

In addition to the wine dinners, classes, tasting events, seminars and other sessions that made last year’s PWW  a success the 2019 festival will  include a Women in Wine track which will have “special event programming that highlights dozens of female wine makers, sommeliers, and wine industry leaders.”

Last year 46 local restaurants participated Wine Week which in over 50 events in the seven-day schedule.

2019 Beard Award Semifinalists

The list of semifinal nominees for the 2019 James Beard Foundation awards were released today. There are 9/10 semifinalist nominees from Maine:

  • Best Chef: Northeast – Vien Dobui, Cong Tu Bot; Chad Conley and Greg Mitchell, Palace Diner; Krista Kern Desjarlais, The Purple House; Erin French, The Lost Kitchen; Keiko Suzuki Steinberger, Suzuki’s Sushi Bar.
  • Outstanding Restaurant – Fore Street
  • Outstanding Baker – Alison Pray, Standard Baking
  • Outstanding Wine Beer or Spirits Professional – Rob Tod, Allagash Brewing Co.
  • Outstanding Service – Back Bay Grill

The final list of nominees will be released on March 27th, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 6th in Chicago.

Related information:

Interview with John Naylor

Winsight has published an interview with Rosemont co-owner John Naylor.

WGB: What do you consider to be most special about your company, and what are you most proud of?
JN: Our role in our communities is what I’m most proud of; our tag line is “good food from people you know,” and for 15 years, we’ve kept our commitment to that mission even as we’ve grown.
In 2018, we did about $2.5 million in local produce from about 55 different independent farms. Our customers love that we stay as seasonal and as local as we can, from produce to wine and cheese to having our own butcher shop and working with local fisheries. They get excited when we spread the word via social media about the latest arrivals—they’re very involved!

Under Construction: Ada’s Kitchen

Rockland-based restaurant Ada’s Kitchen (website, instagram) has leased space in Portland where they plan to open second restaurant. The 2,500 sq ft space is located in the Lafayette Apartment Building in between The Jewel Box and Sagamore Hill.

The chef, Siddharta Rumma, and owner Jenn Rockwell are still in the planning stages, so additional details will be forthcoming.

Under Construction: Brewery Extrava

Carla Jean Lauter has published a report on MaineToday.com that a new brewery called Brewery Extrava is slated for Cove Street. in East Bayside.

Brewery Extrava, a new Belgian-inspired brewery will join the so-called Yeast Bayside neighborhood in late spring, offering a contrast in style from the hop-forward portfolio of many of the area’s new breweries. The name is a combination of Latin roots that means “to come from exploration and examination.” Brewery Extrava plans to offer both traditional and innovative variations of Belgian and other international beer styles, including mixed fermentation and barrel-aged beers.

According to the article, Brewery Extrava (website, facebook, instagram) hopes to open in mid-June.