Nathaniel Meiklejohn aka Nan’l aka The Bearded Lady will be running a pop-up bar at SPACE Gallery this Friday, 5:30-9. The pop-up bar is the first of an ongoing monthly series.
Meiklejohn was part of the team that produced the Pocket Brunch series in 2012 and 2013.
Top Gun is an intensive 5-month training program that teaches small business owners the skills they need to grow and be successful. The Maine Center for Entrepreneurial runs the program and it’s a point of distinction just to be invited to participate.
Nine out the 21 organizations people in the Spring 2014 class are Maine food/agricultural businesses. From the Portland area are Nonesuch Oysters, Apiara (beekeeping technology), and Finest Kind Tea. Participants from further afield in Maine include Bixby Bar (a 2014 Good Food Award finalist), a distillery, a malt house and more.
You can learn more about Top Gun on the MCED website.
Allagash Brewing will be releasing Tiarna this Friday (4 bottles per person limit) at the brewery store on Industrial Way.
Tiarna is a “a blend of two beers, one aged in oak and fermented with 100% brettanomyces and the other fermented in stainless with a blend of two Belgian yeast strains.”
Drink Up and Get Happy has reviewed David’s.
Head to David’s to enjoy what Portland has to offer, hang out with friends and family, or warm up after shopping in all the great stores downtown. The fantastic specials on drinks and food paired with a great selection and atmosphere make it a happy hour to top most lists.
Thillist has named the Portland Hunt & Alpine Club to their list of the Best New Bars in America.
…the Scandinavian après-ski spot from Andrew and Briana Volk does the honorable thing, and cuts right to the booze — serving up crafted cocktails (Volk has been a bartender at choice spots across the country) — selected out of a large leather bound list that seems to have cherry picked Volk’s favorites from across the country (shout out to Tommy’s Margarita in SF!), alongside Nordic small plates served on wood planks.
The 
Fishin’ Ships (facebook, twitter) food truck has launched a Kickstarter campaign. Owners Sam Gorelick and Arvid Brown are raising $12,000 to help pay for a food truck. They’ve already made good progress and have received more than $5,000 of pledges towards their goal.
So how did we decide on our goal? Some newer trucks, with lower mileage, are priced as high as $20,000, whereas some heavily used trucks we’ve looked at are as low as $5,000. We hope to find a happy medium between the two and that is why we are asking for $12,000. This will allow us the purchasing freedom to buy a nicer vehicle, without having to pinch pennies further down the road. If we find a truck for less than our goal, the remaining Kickstarter money will be directed towards retrofitting costs such as kitchen equipment, electrical, plumbing, labor and licensing.
Monday — Rosemont and Tandem are collaborating on a tasting event featuring wine from Roussillon.
Tuesday — the monthly local foods networking breakfast is taking place at Local Sprouts.
Thursday — a wine and cheese tasting is taking place at the Public Market House.
Friday — Maine Craft Distilling is hosting a tasting party, and Allagash will be releasing their latest beer, Tiarna.
Saturday — Piccolo and Dandelion Spring Farms are collaborating on a Farm to City craft fair; Piccolo will be serving pastries and hot chocolate. There will be a wine tasting at Rosemont on Brighton, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place at the Urban Farm Fermenntory on Anderson Street.
New Year’s Eve List
Restaurants are beginning to announce their plans for New Year’s Eve. Here’s a list of ones I have details for so far. I’ll be expanding the list as more information becomes public. (Restaurant owners: please send details to anestes@portlandfoodmap.com or post a comment below.)
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.
Tandem Coffee Roasters has launched a new monthly coffee delivery program. The Coffee Subscribers Alliance gives participants the choice of drip or espresso blends. For $20 you’ll get a pair of coffees each month delivered to your home.
The Golden Dish has reviewed Local 188.
It’s always true that when the boss is in the restaurant it runs better and everyone is happier for it. In this case, with Villani back at the stove you’re apt to get a very good meal.
I’m glad to reacquaint myself with Local 188. With so many new restaurants springing up in Portland all the time, it’s nice to go back to an old favorite, especially when it’s fresh and good.
Today’s shaping up to be a great day for Portland food truck news.
Gloria Pearse is raising $4,000 on Kickstarter for Anapurna’s Thali, a vegetarian/vegan Indian food, according to a report from Eater Maine.
The menu will be all vegetarian and vegan, with gluten free options. There will be two choices for the Thali: choose from 2 vegetables plus rice and chapati (flat bread,) or an Unlimited Thali where you can mix and match and keep going! Also, there will be traditional snacks such as Samosas, and Bhelpuri a puffed rice cereal snack with fresh onion, tomato, and chili.