Cong Tu Bot on Restaurant Prices

| Posted in General News

Vien Dobui, chef and co-owner of Công Tử Bột, is one of the restaurateurs interviewed by Eater for an article on “Why Restaurants Are So Expensive Now.” Dobui’s commentary reads in part,

“I’m going to be completely transparent; we filed for bankruptcy in December 2023. We might break even this year. Most of our costs go to labor; our restaurant is actually unionized, so our labor percentage is almost unsustainably high, around 50 percent. And that’s by design. When I am pricing our food, I generally take the highest-cost ingredients, and multiply that by a factor of three and a half to four and a half, and that usually captures my labor costs.

Maine Food & Dining News: Limerick, Pittsfield, Westbrook, Scarborough, Bangor

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

  • Matt Haskell, the owner of Blaze Brewing Company, has bought and relaunched Doles Orchard (website, facebook, instagram) in Limerick. Visitors to the orchard can pick their own apples and grab lunch from the Blaze mobile wood-fired kitchen The menu includes pizza, wings, barbecue sandwiches. Shown above is the smoked brisket sandwich. See the Doles Orchard instagram account for details on which apple varieties are ready to pick.
  • The results from the 3rd Annual Maine Cheese Competition are out. Thirteen Maine cheesemakers took home awards across all nine categories. The program took place last week at the Maine Cheese Guild’s annual festival in Pittsfield.
  • Casa Novello is in the process of building an addition to their Westbrook restaurant. The new room is set to house an additional dining room that can seat 30.
  • The relaunch of Anjon’s Ristorante in Scarborough is scheduled for next week. The restaurant had been in business for more than 60 years when it closed in 2019.
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that the Legacy Sandwich Shop will be closing at the end of this month after 14 years in business.
  • See our Maine Heirloom Apple Guide and Guide to Maine Cider to research you weekend road-trips this fall.

For a guide to eating and drinking across our state see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Looking Back at September 2009, 2014, and 2019

| Posted in History

The Portland Food Map archive  provides a chronicle of the past 17 years of the Portland restaurant scene. While a lot of the reporting here is about what’s happening now and coming next, we thought it would be fun to take a look back each month at what the hot topics were from 5, 10 and 15 years ago.

Here’s are highlights from September 2009, 2014 and 2019:

  • Geo’s Patisserie on Forest Ave closed in 2009, as did Barava on Congress St.
  • Julia Moskin penned an article for the New York Times about the Portland food scene, “In the last decade, Portland has undergone a controlled fermentation for culinary ideas combining young chefs in a hard climate with few rules, no European tradition to answer to, and relatively low economic pressure and has become one of the best places to eat in the Northeast.”
  • A company called Ocean Approved received a lease to farm kelp in Casco Bay.
  • As a result of the NYT article Rabelais started getting calls for reservations from people who had mistaken the bookstore for a restaurant.
  • Gourmet magazine included Fore Street in a national list of 125 restaurants “you can trust to provide exceptional food and a memorable experience every single time”.
  • Peace Food Market opened for business.
  • The popular Congress Street bar The White Heart closed in 2014. The space eventually would become the home of Nosh.
  • Arcadia opened for business at their original location on Preble Street, Dean’s Sweets on Fore Street and Golden Lotus opened, Sur Lie opened on Free Street, and so did Huong’s Vietnamese Restaurant on Saint John Street. The email newsletter Eat Drink Lucky launched in 2014.
  • The owners of Piccolo celebrated the first anniversary of the restaurant with a 20-course feast.
  • The Pepperclub closed in September 2014 and Sangillo’s filed an appeal of in the denial of their liquor license renewal.
  • Nathaniel Meiklejohn opened his Arts District cocktail bar The Jewel Box.
  • Sticky Sweet opened their plant-based ice cream shop on Cumberland Ave in 2019.
  • Word broke that Maria’s Ristorante was planning move into the Espo’s space at 1335 Congress Street.
  • Mast Landing expanded into a 20,000 square foot space in Westbrook.
  • Word broke that Randy and Ally Forrester were moving to Portland to open what would become Radici.
  • JP’s Bistro owner John Paul Gagnon made the decision to move his restaurant from Woodford Street in Portland to Falmouth.

Ohno Cafe Closing

| Posted in Closings

The owners of Ohno have announced plans to close their West End cafe “just before Thanksgiving.”

As many of you know, this year is Ohno’s 20th anniversary. Today we must announce it will be the last. Years of caring for ill and aging parents while trying to cobble together a staff in the post-pandemic world have left us tapped out. For our own well-being and our family’s, we plan to close just before Thanksgiving.

They’re seeking someone who might want to take the business over: “If any of you love the Ohno as much as we do and think you’d like to take it on, we are open to proposals.”

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – It’s the opening day of Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History at the Maine Historical Society museum. The exhibit is curated by Avery Yale Kamila the Vegan Kitchen columnist for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and vegetarian history researcher John Babin. Old Port Wine Merchants will be holding a Bartlett Wine tasting.

Friday – Edible Communities is holding their Waves of Change event in Portland.

Saturday – Maine PoutineFest is taking place on Thompson’s Point.

Sunday – Maine Apple Sunday is taking place at orchards across the state.

September 17 – Le Mu Eats in Bethel is hosting a Mexican food pop-up with chef Alan Arciga.

September 19 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.

September 20 – the first day of a week long 3-course menu at Union that features honey from the rooftop hives at the Press Hotel.

September 20-22 – The Common Ground Fair will be taking place.

September 22-29 – Maine Lobster Week is taking place.

September 26 – The Calamity Jayne neighborhood cookout is taking place at Ocotillo.

September 28 – The Maine Needham Festival is taking place in Wiscasset. The African Festival is taking place.

October 3 – Wayside Food Programs is holding their annual fundraising event Inside Wayside.

October 10 – Apres is holding their annual Apple Tasting.

October 13 – The 16th Annual Open Creamery Day is taking place.

October 24 – Great Maine Apple Day is taking place in Unity.

October 23 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.

October 24-26 – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.

Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.
25-packs of the Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now available on our online store.

Carey Brothers and Review of Linden+Front

| Posted in Reviews, People

Today’s paper includes a feature about Ryan and Richard Carey, the twin brothers who operate two of the city’s barbecue restaurants,

If you learned that the owner of one of Portland’s most acclaimed barbecue joints has a fraternal twin brother who is the general manager at another highly respected barbecue restaurant in the city, you might assume their relationship would be a little fraught with competitive tension.

The paper also includes a review of Linden + Front, a new restaurant that opened in Bath in February.

Bath’s newest neighborhood restaurant, Linden + Front, bills itself as “a modern table,” a slogan that signals its eclecticism. But really, this new venture by restaurateurs Khristine and Zac Leeman is a bistro through and through, with a menu that seems to revel in classics that are only slightly updated. And that’s not a bad thing.

Maine Food & Dining News: Damariscotta, South Portland, Belfast, Saco

| Posted in Maine

New food and dining developments are taking place all across Maine. Here are some recent updates to keep you in the know:

  • A fire has destroyed Schooner Landing in Damariscotta. The fire started overnight on September 1st. Fire crews from Bremen, Nobleboro, Waldoboro, and South Bristol aided in putting out the blaze. See reports from The Lincoln County News, the Bangor Daily News and the Times Record for additional information. The owners plan to rebuild the restaurant, and a benefit for the restaurant employees is planned for September 22nd.
  • Food & Wine has highlighted the Knightville neighborhood in South Portland as “Maine’s Next Big Dining Destination.”
  • The Bangor Daily News reports that Chocolate Drop Candy Shop in Belfast will be closing down at the end of September. The owner’s announcement on facebook reads in part, “Downtown Belfast is thriving, in fact our store has had one of our best years ever. While there are several reasons we are closing, lack of business is not one of them. The truth is running a busy candy store for 15 years takes a ton of time and effort. We look forward to the next chapter in our lives.”
  • Finestkind (website, instagram) opened in Saco on Thursday.

For a statewide guide to eating and drinking see the Maine Food Map—a growing list of coffee shops, bars, restaurants, bakeries, cafes, and other food and dining businesses in all of Maine’s 16 counties.

Finestkind Opens Thursday

| Posted in Openings

Finestkind (website, instagram) is scheduled to open on Thursday. The 26-seat breakfast and lunch cafe is located at 17 Pepperell Square in Saco. It’s being launched by Victoria and Tom Barthelmes along with their business partners Chris and Paige Gould.

Finestkind will serve (see menu below)  a wide range of house-made baked goods like Pumpkin Cake, Mudslide Cookies and the Tiny Debra’s. Breakfast sandwiches, lunch sandwiches, salads and other cafe dishes are available all day. Shown above is the Maine Grains bowl (warm farro over cabbage, charred corn, shishitos, cherry tomatoes, pepita, salsa verde vinaigrette) topped with crispy chicken. Finestkind is serving Tandem Coffee, as well as beer, wine, brunch cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks.

Pastry chef Kim Rodgers has joined the team at Finestkind. Rodgers is a cofounder of Little Spruce Baking Company was previously the executive pastry chef at Big Tree Hospitality. The Goulds are the owners of Central Provisions and Tipo. Victoria Barthelmes was the GM of Tipo and remains the wine director of both restaurants. Tom Barthelmes has transitioned to fully focus on Finestkind from his position as the kitchen manager at Central and Tipo. The Barthelmes met when attending The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and worked together at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. In New York City, Victoria worked in the pastry department at Lincoln Ristorante where she produced pastry for the Metropolitan Opera and wedding cakes for the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Tom worked at Lincoln before moving to Per Se where he worked for Thomas Keller.

Finestkind will be open Thursday through Monday, 7:30 am – 2 pm.

Upcoming Food & Dining Events

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – Yardie Ting (website, facebook, instagram) is opening their restaurant on the first floor of the Public Market House in Monument Square.

Friday-Sunday – The 4th Annual Mycology Outside mushroom retreat is taking place.

Sunday – The Maine Cheese Festival is taking place in Pittsfield.

September 10 – It’s the opening day of Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History at the Maine Historical Society museum. The exhibit is curated by Avery Yale Kamila the Vegan Kitchen columnist for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and vegetarian history researcher John Babin.

September 13 – Edible Communities is holding their Waves of Change event in Portland.

September 14 – Maine PoutineFest is taking place on Thompson’s Point.

September 15 – Maine Apple Sunday is taking place at orchards across the state.

September 16 – The African Festival is taking place.

September 19 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.

September 20-22 – The Common Ground Fair will be taking place.

September 22-29 – Maine Lobster Week is taking place.

September 26 – The Calamity Jayne neighborhood cookout is taking place at Ocotillo.

September 28 – The Maine Needham Festival is taking place in Wiscasset.

October 3 – Wayside Food Programs is holding their annual fundraising event Inside Wayside.

October 10 – Apres is holding their annual Apple Tasting.

October 13 – The 16th Annual Open Creamery Day is taking place.

October 24 – Great Maine Apple Day is taking place in Unity.

October 23 – Mrs. Gee Free Living and Sur Lie are collaborating on a gluten-free dinner.

October 24-26 – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.

Planning a wedding, holding a business event, or hosting visitors from away? Our printed guides are a great resource to help your guests explore the Maine restaurant scene.
25-packs of the Portland and Midcoast pocket guides are now available on our online store.

Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History

| Posted in Events

The Maine Historical Society will launching an exhibit this month that explores the vegetarian history of Maine.

Riots, activist newspapers, corporations, and the back-to-the-land movement are connected to Maine’s vegetarian history. Reaching back 300 years, Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History features stories of Mainers who changed what vegetarians eat and opened access to plant-based foods. Canned and packaged foods, historic manuscripts, books, menus, maps, and photos illustrate vegetarianism’s deep roots in Maine in this first-of-its-kind exhibition that explores this untold story.

The exhibit has been co-curated by Avery Yale Kamila, the Vegan Kitchen columnist for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram and vegetarian history researcher John Babin.

Maine’s Untold Vegetarian History will open to the public on September 10th and be on exhibit through May 17th. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm.