The Friendly Toast

| Posted in Under Construction

As reported on Monday, The Friendly Toast (website, facebook, instagram) is opening a location in Portland. A friendly tip from a Portland Food Map reader helped uncover that their new restaurant will be located at 211 Fore Street in the space that had been the location of Sebago Brewing. The Friendly Toast serves an all-day menu of brunch food and drink.

Sebago Brewing opened their Fore Street location in 2011 and announced earlier this year that they were selling to an “unnamed restaurant group and use the proceeds to revamp its brewpubs in Gorham and Scarborough and expand canning in Gorham.”

Thrilled & Infatuated

| Posted in Under Construction

The Infatuation has included The Danforth in their list of the Most Exciting Restaurants Opening in America this spring, summer, and fall. The Danforth is the name of the new cocktail bar and restaurant being launched in the former Little Giant building in the West End by the parent company of Death & Co.

Thrillist has included Central Provisions in their list of the Best Brunch Spots in America.

This is the kind of place whose brunch menu beautifully straddles the line between “br” and “unch,” with an explosive breakfast burger topped with miso mayo, egg, and bacon holding court next to fontina-craped bone-marrow toast, and a cornbread skillet served like a sizzling, open-faced bacon, egg, and cheese.

More on Eastern Prom Food Trucks

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald has published a report on proposed changes to managing food trucks on the Eastern Prom.

The proposed pilot program would create a designated area for food trucks between Turner and Congress streets on the Eastern Promenade and would eliminate parking on the non-park side of the street in that area. The plan also includes installing new in-ground trash receptacles and putting protections around tree root zones.

Eastern Prom Food Trucks

| Posted in General News

This week’s Portland Phoenix reports on potential changes to the City rules regarding food trucks on the Eastern Prom.

After complaints from nearby residents, Portland may slash the number of food trucks allowed on the Eastern Promenade or prohibit them entirely from the scenic Munjoy Hill street.

The city may also end up with a lottery to award business permits to the truck operators, meaning licenses would be up for grabs.

Maine Wild Wine Fest

| Posted in Events

The inaugural edition of the Maine Wild Wine Fest (website, facebook, instagram) will be taking place May 21st at the Wolfe’s Neck Center Mallet Barn in Freeport.

The one-day festival will feature two attendance windows (10:30 – 1:30 and 1:30 – 4). Attendees will be able to taste the natural wines and talk with representatives from natural wine producers and importers.

The concept of natural wine aligns with the mission of understanding where our food and beverage comes from, and how to produce products in more responsible ways. This is a unique opportunity to meet and talk with the people who have shaped that movement in America, learning from them first hand, while tasting delicious and very special wines!

MWWF is being organized by Ned Swain and Margot Mazur. Tickets are now on sale at www.mainewildwinefest.com.

Tomaso’s, WingIt, MK Buffet, Bay Bowls, Friendly Toast, 555 North, The Proper Cup

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings

Spring has arrived and with it news about new restaurants and food trucks is flowing quickly. Here’s the latest:

A new food truck called WingIt (instagram) was on the Eastern Promenade last Friday. As the name suggests wings are at the center of their menu but it also includes burgers, fries, mac and cheese and more.

Bay Bowls (website, instagram) is under construction on Washington Ave in the space formerly occupied by Onggi. The original Bay Bowls is located in Brunswick, and this will be their second location. They are expecting to open April 8th.

Details are still scarce but it’s confirmed that The Friendly Toast (instagram) will be opening a new location in Portland. The original Friendly Toast opened in Portsmouth and there are now eight locations in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont.

Tomaso’s (instagram) has bought the former Halstead’s food truck and plan to launch their own mobile food business this summer. The menu is still under development but expect it to offer a variety of tacos. Update: The truck will be called Disco Jalisco (instagram).

MK Buffet Restaurant (facebook) has opened in the space formerly occupied by the Shawarma and Kebab House at 683 Forest Ave in Woodfords Corner.

Michelle and Steve Corry are launching 555 North (website, instagram) a revival of their longtime Portland restaurant Five Fifty-Five. 555 North will be located The Federal hotel in Brunswick, and is expected to open this spring.

The Proper Cup (instagram) is closing down for the month as of April 2nd and will use the time to build out a new kitchen for the coffee house. When they reopen The Proper Cup menu will expand to include sandwiches, toasts and salads.

Upcoming Events: Choptails, Codex, LBT Pop-Up, Hungarian, Rose Series

| Posted in Events

Tuesday – the Choptails Cocktail Competition is taking place at Batson River. Chef Cody Finch will be holding the next dinner in his Codex series at Petite Jacqueline (5 courses @ $85/person).

Wednesday – Tandem Bakery will be re-opening for indoor seating for the first time since 2020, and Ramona’s will be opening for indoor seating for the first time ever. Liu Bian Tan will be holding a takeout pop-up at Sichuan Kitchen (2 – 4 pm). The New England Ocean Cluster will be holding a talk on Maine Oyster Aquaculture.

Thursday – the cafe at the Washington Baths will be holding a pop-up featuring Hungarian food in collaboration with chef Andrew Barton of Secret Restaurant Portland (Oregon).

Friday – it’s the start of the Rose Foods guest chef series.

Saturday – it’s the Grand Opening of the Rosemont/Harbor Fish market in Scarborough.

April 5 – Timber is slated to re-open as the Timber Bourbon Bar & Lounge.

April 6 – Lucky Pigeon will be hosting a Gluten-Free Chacuterie Workshop and Beer Tasting organized by Mrs. Gee Free Living.

April 8 – Bay Bowls is scheduled to open on Washington Ave.

April 9 – the Beer With(out) Beards festival will be taking place.

April 16 – Novare Res is holding Gasharoo, their annual celebration of beers from Allagash Brewing Company.

April 20 – Oxbow Brewing is hosting a Fermentation Fair organized by The Resilience Hub & Portland Maine Permaculture.

April 22 – May 1 – 4th Maine Seaweed Week will be taking place.

June 13 – The 2022 Beard Foundation Awards gala is taking place in Chicago. Five Maine chefs and restaurants are contenders for this year’s awards.

June 13 – 19 – the 5th Annual Portland Wine Week will be taking place.

July 21 – Magnus on Water chef Ben Jackson will participating in the Outstanding in the Field series with a dinner at Glidden Point Oyster Farm in Edgecomb.

July 23 – Chaval chefs Ilma Lopez and Damian Sansonetti will participating in the Outstanding in the Field series with a dinner at Dandelion Spring Farm in Bowdoinham.

September 3 – Tender Table is holding their 2nd Annual Food & Art Fair in Congress Square Park.

3 Restaurant’s Path Through the Pandemic

| Posted in General News

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram takes a look at three restaurants and their path through the pandemic: Broken Arrow, Maine Street Steak & Oyster and Old Port Sea Grill.

“At this point, we realize we are going to have to live with the scenario for a while,” said Kim Lully, who owns Maine Street Steak & Oyster with her husband, Sunny Chung. “Back in 2020, every couple of months, we were thinking, ‘It’s almost over! It’s almost over! It’s almost over!’ We are finally realizing it isn’t going to end abruptly one day. We are going to live with it, and hopefully make the best of it.”

Over three months this winter, we periodically checked in with Broken Arrow, Old Port Sea Grill and Maine Street Steak & Oyster. These are their stories.

Timber Bourbon Bar & Lounge

| Posted in Under Construction

Timber Steakhouse has announced they’ll be changing the name and concept of their business to Timber Bourbon Bar & Lounge.

The entire dining room will be redesigned into a cozy and comfy lounge with cushy chairs, couches, rugs and cocktail tables. A more intimate look and feel. We will of course still be featuring the same great cocktails, sprits, wines and tap beer. Our new menu will feature a selection of delicious appetizers, meat and cheese boards, pate and caviar!

The steakhouse will shut down on March 26th, and the bourbon bar will be opening in its place on April 5th.