Truckster

| Posted in Under Construction

Another new food truck tracking service, Truckster (website, apple, android, facebook, instagram) plans to launch in Portland later this year.

Truckster got its start in Denver and has since expanded to serve four cities in Colorado as well as works with food trucks in the other Portland and Austin, Texas. Truckster was co-founded by Molly and Connor Hollowell. Connor Hallowell grew up in Falmouth, and that’s part their motivation for bringing their service to Maine.

Connor Hollowell owned a food truck in Denver with his brother. It’s that insider perspective that the Hallowells feels gives them an edge in developing a platform that addresses the needs of food truck owners. The Truckster Vendor app lets food truck owners “control their profile, schedule, view marketing dashboard analytics, and are able to interact with their fans.” It also provides “catering leads and [has] an integrated mobile and online ordering system.”

Truckster is currently making connections with Maine food trucks and hope to launch the service for consumers this fall. The service for consumers will be available on the web and as native apps for both Apple and Android.

A year ago there weren’t any food truck tracking services in Portland. Three services launched in Portland earlier this year, and two of them—Food Trux and Maine Food Truck Tracker—merged in July. I’m aware at least one more service currently under development.

Shaved Ice is Hot

| Posted in General News

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes an article on options for shaved ice treats available this summer.

When the temperature rises in Maine, Mainers typically turn to ice cream for a little cold comfort. This unusually sweaty summer, though, when so many people are working from home without air conditioning, calls for bigger ammunition to fight the heat and humidity – icy treats such as shave ice, snoballs, and boozy ice pops.

Featured in the article are: Belfast Shaved Ice, Brrrr! Harbor, Haole Ice, Hawaiian Jim’s, Little Easy Snoballs, Snowology 207, and Vena’s.

Kuno at 166 Cumberland Ave

| Posted in Under Construction

Nick Yee, the owner of the Kuno (instagram) food truck, has leased 166 Cumberland Ave where he plans to open a brick and mortar restaurant of the same name. Kuno will be serving an expanded menu of Southeast Asian dishes and his family recipes with a full bar.

Yee hopes to open the restaurant in September, and in the meantime will be offering takeout using the food truck kitchen and delivery through services like 2DineIn.

Yee launched the Kuno food truck in February of 2019.

Little Easy Snoballs Launched

| Posted in Openings

A new food truck called Little Easy Snoballs (website, instagram, facebook) launched yesterday at Back Cove.

Owner Lauren Gauthier offers up 30+ flavors of snoballs (classic snoball flavors and some house specials) you can also get yours topped with marshmallow fluff, condensed milk or “stuffed” with ice cream. I got a peach flavored snoball with ice cream.

Gauthier plans to locate Little Easy on Back Cove on weekdays and on the Eastern Prom on weekends.

NFC Now Open

| Posted in Openings

NewYork Fried Chicken is now open. NFC is located at the corner of Cumberland and Washington in the former Bob’s Clam Hut space. The signage indicates they’ll be selling a menu of fried chicken, kebabs, gyro, seafood, subs and ice cream.

There are restaurants by the same name according to Wikipedia they are not a chain or a franchise despite operating a very similar concept.

Changing Nature of the Restaurant Industry

| Posted in General News

The Food & Dining section today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes articles on:

Restaurants Act

| Posted in General News

Leigh Habegger, executive director of Seafood Harvesters of America, and Andrew Taylor, Arlin Smith and Mike Wiley, the co-owners of Eventide, Hugo’s and The Honey Paw have co-written an article for the Press Herald advocating for passage of the Restaurants Act and funds to support the seafood industry.

The connection couldn’t be clearer: Without restaurants, many fishermen have nowhere to sell their catch. Without fishermen, many restaurants have nothing to offer. We’re proud to harvest and serve the best-managed, most sustainable seafood in the world, especially when it comes on a steamed bun or slurped down with a squeeze of lemon. By passing the RESTAURANTS Act and providing additional assistance to the commercial fishing industry, Congress would make sure fresh oysters, lobster tails and haddock filets continue to make it to consumers, returning hundreds of billions of dollars and millions of jobs in the process.

For more information on the challenges faced by restaurant during the pandemic visit the Independent Restaurant Coalition website.

Magnus in the Park

| Posted in Under Construction

Magnus on Water reopened last week for service on their patio. As they scale up the menu for that aspect of their business, the team is also working on a new project.

Magnus hopes to open a food truck across Water Street in Mechanics Park overlooking the Saco River. Serving out of a converted Airstream, Magnus will be offering a more casual scaled down menu that customers can enjoy in the park.