Reviews: Petite Jacqueline and Hot Suppa

| Posted in Reviews

Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Petite Jacqueline.

Whamo! The flavor of the burger was so delicious that it created a level 5 shield of protection from mind-eating zombies around me. It pretty much felt like I was eating another order of onion soup, but this time on a burger. That definitely wasn’t a bad thing. I chomped the pickle on my plate. That was hella good too.

The Blueberry Files has published a Maine Restaurant Week review of Hot Suppa,

Restaurant Week is a promotion that participating restaurants have to pay to participate in, and I’d like to think that restaurants want to show off on their featured menus so as to attract new customers. Hot Suppa must have been taking a different approach by serving these safer menu items, but in doing so, I think they missed an opportunity to shine.

and the Portland Daily Sun has posted some opinions on Maine Restaurant Week.

The temptation to make T-shirts that say, “I survived Restaurant Week 2014” is overridden by my appreciation for the extra jingle in my tips-to-tuition change jar. Knowing I’m not alone in the stress and exhaustion department, I asked restaurant folks and diners alike to send in their thoughts around the event.

Review of Central Provisions

| Posted in Reviews

Central-Provisions-Scallops

Map & Menu has published a review of Central Provisions.

Central Provisions is one of the latest in a stocked season of great openings in Portland. Piccolo, Hunt + Alpine, and Miyake Diner have already deservedly garnered rave reviews and national recognition, but after a couple of meals at Central Provisions, there is no doubt in our minds that they belong near the top of the list of Portland’s best restaurants and bars. Owners Chris and Paige Gould have done an exceptional job with both the space and the menu, and bar manager Patrick McDonald and wine director Chris Peterman have put together an amazing selection of drinks to boot.

Photo Credit: Map & Menu

Hugo’s Sets a new Standard for Restaurant Coffee

| Posted in General News

Sprudge has published an article about the coffee service at Hugo’s and the restaurant’s partnership with Tandem Coffee Roasters.

But what’s most unique here—besides being served an amuse course of a single, roe-topped french fry—is, you guessed it: the coffee. Wish to follow your meal with a seasonally paired coffee brewed for you on Chemex? Or a meticulously made syphon, theatrically prepared at the bar, thermocouple and all? Or simply a cup of delicious French press coffee? In partnership with new-kid-on-the-block Tandem Coffee (our friends and partners here at Sprudge), Hugo’s has transformed the finale of an already transformative dining experience.

Interview with Salt + Sea

| Posted in People

I Love Portland Maine has published an interview with Salt + Sea owner Justine Simon.

I’m a fish lover, and I eat it a few times a week.  What are the major differences between the fish I would see in my supermarket to what you sell?
Justine:  Well there are a few differences.  Fresh fish doesn’t smell like fish, it smells like the ocean.  A lot of people think they don’t like fish, but they’ve never really had fresh fish before.  It’s a whole different thing.  We have a strict policy of not holding fillets.  Our fish is cut the day of delivery, while most fish you see in the supermarket has been sitting around, filleted, for sometimes days at a time.  We also never soak our fish in chemicals like bleach or tripoly…

Police Trying to Shutdown Sangillo’s

| Posted in General News

The Portland police have made a recommendation to the City Council not to renew Sangillo’s liquor license, according to a report from the Press Herald. The Council will consider the recommendation on March 17.

On March 17, the City Council will consider the department’s recommendation to deny a renewed liquor license for Sangillo’s Tavern on Hampshire Street. “We feel public safety is jeopardized by the continuing operation of this establishment,” says the department’s recommendation.

The reporter checked in with owners of Dean’s Sweets and Hugo’s as well as a local resident, none of whom expressed any concern about Sangillo’s.

Carmela Difazio of Hampshire Street has never been inside Sangillo’s but has lived two doors down from the bar her whole life.

“There’s hardly any problems, only every once in a while,” she said. “I don’t see any reason why it should have to close.”

Forbidden Crauxnuts

| Posted in General News

The owners of Little Bigs have recently been contacted by the NYC creators of the trademark Cronuts with a cease and desist order, according to a report from Maine a la Carte.

The NYC baker who created the Cronut had the name trademarked, and according to James and Pamela Plunkett’s Little Bigs Facebook page, he’s sent the bakers a cease-and-desist order. It seems the name crauxnut is, legally speaking, just a smidge too similar to the trademarked name.