BenReuben’s Knishery

| Posted in Under Construction

Graeme and Caitlin Miller have leased space at 145 Ocean Street in South Portland where they plan to open BenReuben’s Knishery (website, instagram), a counter service knishery.

Knishes are a Jewish hand pie that use dough or pastry with a sweet or savory filling. At BenReuben’s the Millers plan to sell a the classic knish combinations as well explore creative ways to make use of the traditional form of this Eastern European snack food.

Open Sunday through Friday, at BenReuben’s the Millers plan to offer 5 – 7 varieties of knishes a day along with seasonally inspired side dishes, and all your favorite deli sides (sauerkraut, half sours and smears). The Millers also plan to offer Friday night dinner pick-ups. For drinks there will be coffee and tea plus “ice cold sodas in glass”.

It’s been the longtime dream of Graeme to open a knishery where he can share and celebrate his own  family’s and culture’s food traditions. The business name is an homage to Graeme’s father. The Millers have both been a part of the Big Tree Hospitality organization where Graeme worked previously as a chef and Caitlin works as the Director of Human Resources.

The Millers hope to open BenReuben’s sometime in April.

They’re also now taking pre-orders for a special knish delivery service on March 21st. Three different options are available:

  • Cinnamon Knish – cinnamon sugar and citrus icing (vegan upon request)
  • Everything Knish – cream cheese, scallion, potato
  • Hot Pastrami Knish with mustard and onions

The minimum order is a half dozen, and you can get two of each for a mixed sampler. Place your order by March 15th at 5 pm via direct message with BenReuben’s on instagram or by emailing BenReuben’s at hello@benreubensknishery.com for delivery to Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Falmouth and Westbrook on March 21st. Payment is being processed by Venmo or cash upon delivery.

Luna and Salt Yard @ Canopy

| Posted in Under Construction

Canopy Portland Waterfront (website, facebook, instagram), the 135-room hotel under construction at the corner of Commercial and Center Streets, is expected to open in May. When it does, Portland’s newest hotel will be home to a rooftop bar and ground floor all-day cafe and restaurant.


Located on the sixth floor overlooking Commercial Street, the 88-seat Luna (instagram) will feature both an indoor and outdoor seating areas with excellent views looking out over the Portland harbor and along Commercial Street (photo below, left) serving a mix of classic and contemporary craft cocktails.

The 53-seat street level restaurant and espresso bar Salt Yard (instagram) will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel is looking to put together a menu that has equal appeal for overnight guests and for locals and folks who work in the Old Port. Salt Yard will be serving coffee from Rwanda Bean. The name of the restaurant is a reference to salt-glazed earthenware that was made in E. Swasey Pottery building next door during the 19th Century.

Chef Matt Duley—formerly executive sous chef for Union at The Press Hotel—will be leading the kitchen staff at Canopy.

“We’re looking forward to creating menus that are fresh, fun and reflective of the culinary scene in Portland. At Luna, guests can expect some sophisticated and playful dishes that are meant to be shared when you’re having a good time with friends and family. Salt Yard will have something that speaks to everyone; I’m especially excited about the coffee program and breakfast. Lunch and dinner will be twists on favorites that everyone loves, and our open fired oven will play a big role in some signature dishes.”

Canopy is being developed by Fathom Companies which launched The Press Hotel in 2015. Might & Main is working Fathom on the branding for Luna and Salt Yard, and Ealain Studios is designing both restaurants.

 

My Kitchen Their Table: Ilma Lopez

| Posted in People, My Kitchen Their Table

Welcome to the March edition of My Kitchen, Their Table, an interview series with the chefs and culinary professionals who work hard to satisfy our small city’s big appetite. This month we’re featuring an interview with Ilma Lopez, co-owner and pastry chef of Chaval. Photos and videos will continue to expand on the story throughout the rest of the month on instagram, so stay tuned.

Ilma Lopez had been attending medical school for two years when she decided she wanted to go to culinary school instead. Her mother made her a deal. She could drop out, but only if she kept her grades up for another year while also working at a restaurant. Sure enough, Lopez excelled both in the classroom and the kitchen, winning her mother’s approval to trade stethoscopes and lab coats for whisks and aprons.

In 2004, Lopez graduated from the pastry program at Stratford University in Virginia. Her next stop was New York City where she met her future husband and business partner, Damian Sansonetti, while working as the pastry cook at DB Bistro. At first, they didn’t get along. “I thought he was a total jerk. He was so bossy. Plus, he played rock music while we prepped,” she recalls. Needless to say, it wasn’t love at first sight, but one trip to Long Island Beach with mutual friends would forever change their relationship. “We started talking and I realized he wasn’t so bad. Fourteen years later, here we are,” she jokes.

Lopez honed her pastry skills at some of the most acclaimed restaurants in New York City and beyond. She perfected French technique at Le Bernadin, embraced new disciplines while staging at El Bulli in Spain, and experimented with exotic ingredients gathered from the ports of Greece, India, and China while working at sea on a luxury cruise ship.

After her world travels, Lopez and Sansonetti were ready to leave the Big Apple in pursuit of a place with restaurant potential, direct access to farmers, and somewhere their future children would always want to come home to. That place, they decided, was Portland, Maine.

Their first restaurant, Piccolo, was an instant hit. The intimate Italian restaurant earned Lopez a StarChefs Rising Star award in 2014 and two James Beard Award nominations for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2017 and 2018. Sadly, after seven celebrated years, Piccolo joined the pandemic casualty list this past July.

Lopez and Sansonetti’s second restaurant, Chaval, continues to thrive and evolve under these challenging times. The West End brasserie was named Best New Restaurant in 2017 by Portland Press Herald and has been featured in several other publications including Bon Appetit and Down East.

Check out the full interview with Chef Ilma Lopez to learn where she goes in Portland for takeout and great cocktails, how she became a leader behind the grassroots organization, Cooking for Community, and what it was like cooking beside one of the world’s greatest chefs, Ferran Adriá!

THE INTERVIEW

AA: How have your parents been crucial to your success as a chef and restaurant owner?
IL: I owe it to my mom. She’s always pushed me to be the best at whatever I choose to do. When I moved away from home, twenty years ago, my mom would call me every day, even when I was in Europe and Asia. She moved to Maine three years ago. She made the curtains at Chaval and my grandmother made the pillows. My dad is also fantastic. They’ve both supported me everywhere I go and in everything that I do.

AA: What was it like staging at El Bulli for the renowned chef, Ferran Adriá?
IL: It was awesome. I’ve never seen a kitchen run that way before. When I was in New York I would show up for my shift at 4 or 5 in the morning even though I was scheduled for 7 am — because being your best meant showing up early and working harder than anyone else. So, on my first day at El Bulli, I showed up two hours early and Chef Ferran asked me what I was doing. He didn’t allow anyone to start early. At first, it blew my mind because there I was working for free trying to give him even more of my time. Then, I understood; everyone started at the same time so that everyone had the same opportunities. We were all equal.

AA: How did you become one of the founding restaurants behind Cooking for Community?
IL: Lesley Oster, the general manager of Aurora Provisions, and Ellie Linen Low were looking for chef partners. They contacted me because they knew I was a big advocate for Full Plates Full Potential and Ian Malin, owner of Little Giant. Chaval was doing 500 meals per week at the beginning of the pandemic. As more restaurants have joined the cause, we are doing closer to 100 meals per week.

AA: What is your favorite dessert that you’ve ever made?
IL: Hands down, it’s my raspberry sorbet with caviar. It was on Chaval’s menu in the summer of 2019. I love caviar! You can use it in anything. I made the sorbet with seawater and fromage blanc with goat cheese from Sunset Acres. His cheese is delicious, but what really sold me was that he brings the baby goats with him on deliveries.

AA: What are some of your favorite restaurants in Portland?
IL: We tend to go to places where we adore the people, like Chris and Paige at Tipo and Central Provisions. If I want crudo, I go to Central Provisions and every Fall, I have to go to Tipo for the local pear and ricotta crostini. It’s sourdough bread with ricotta, sliced pear, olive oil, sea salt, and dried chile. It’s so simple but so good.

AA: Where else do you go for a consistently delicious meal?
IL: Sur Lie has great service and solid food and Krista and Tony are such good people. The pimento cheese and fried chicken is really tasty. I also really like Schulte and Herr. I love how non-pretentious and hospitable Steffi and Brian are. It’s one of those places you go because you feel welcome. Their zwiebelkuchen is the best onion tart I’ve ever had. Just perfect.

AA: Where do you go for a great cocktail?
IL: I love Cocktail Mary. In the fall, Isaac MacDougal makes a frozen cocktail inspired by a pumpkin spice latte. It’s made with Allen’s Coffee Flavored Brandy. You don’t usually see that liquor on menus because it’s not high-end, but I like it and that drink is fantastic!

AA: What are some of your go-to takeout spots?
IL: We love the eggplant parmesan at Isa Bistro and the crab cakes at Woodford F&B. Oh, and the banana pudding at Figgy’s! I have a weakness for custard.

AA: Is there anywhere around here with food that reminds you of home?
IL: The pan de bono at Maiz is just like I had it growing up in Venezuela. My family is Columbian, so that’s the kind of food we ate. Pan de bono is cheese bread, but gluten-free because it’s made with yucca flour. They sell it freshly-baked or frozen. I like to get it frozen, so I can bake it at home antid have it with hot chocolate — just like my grandmother used to make.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

A few notes on the restaurants mentioned in this article: Central Provisions has temporarily transformed into Central Sandwich and Provisions, Tipo’s patio is open for outdoor seating, Takeout is available from Isa, Sur Lie and Schulte and Herr. Cocktail Mary expects to restart their cocktails to go program in April, Woodford F&B has takeout and (weather permitting) outdoor seating. Figgy’s re-opened for takeout on March 9th.

Previous editions of My Kitchen Their Table have featured Courtney Loreg, Chad Conley  Atsuko Fujimoto, Matt Ginn, Jordan Rubin, and Cara Stadler, and Thomas Takashi Cooke.

The My Kitchen Their Table series is brought to life through the talent and hard work of food writer Angela Andre, and the generous sponsorship by Evergreen Credit Union and The Boulos Company.

Ruby’s West End

| Posted in Under Construction

Matt and Corrinna Stum have subleased space from Bravo Maine in the former Aurora Provisions building in the West End where they plan to open a brunch restaurant called Ruby’s West End (website, instagram).

When we think of hospitality, we think of Grandma’s house. Grandma’s house was a place of joy, laughter, meals at the table, and breakfast goodness like Dutch Babies. It was a place of linen covered tables and coffee mugs from travels with accompanying stories. Served with selfless, humble, loving hospitality. It’s where so many of our memories were made.

Ruby’s is expected to launch in April and will operate Wednesday through Sunday 8 am – 4 pm. In addition to on site dining (see draft menu below) Ruby’s will be a pick-up location for the Ruby’s meal services as well as counter service coffee and pastries to go. The Stums will also be offering a Pay It Forward program for the Ruby’s Meals- anyone can donate funds which will be put towards meals for those who continue to face food insecurities.

The Stums moved to Portland from Cincinnati in 2020. Matt Stum is a member of the kitchen staff at Fore Street and Corinna Stum is the assistant general manager at Central Provisions. Matt began his career in Indianapolis where he was the executive chef at Stella. In Cincinnati he cooked for a pair of Beard-nominated chefs: Jonathan Brooks at Beholder and Jose Salazar at Mita’s. In Cincinnati Corinna Stum was part of the Boca Restaurant Group where she helped launch and manage restaurants in Ohio and Indiana, and subsequently joined the Cunningham Restaurant Group in Indianapolis.

Follow Ruby’s West End on instagram to stay in loop as the Stums work towards an opening day in the West End.

This Week’s Events: Pop-ups, Reopenings, MRW, Vy Banh Mi

| Posted in Events

Maine Restaurant Week continues through to Friday March 12.

Monday – Little Giant is hosting Central Provisions for a pop-up (check back on March 15th for a dinner at LG by Minato).

Tuesday – Woodford F&B is taking part in the BBQ collaboration series at Terlinga

Wednesday – Gather is re-opening in Yarmouth with inside and heated outdoor seating.

Thursday – the Vy Banh Mi food truck is launching at Three of Strong, noon to 6pm, and Dizzy Bird is re-opening in Biddeford.

Friday – Lorne Wine in Biddeford is re-opening after a long winter break for “limited indoor seating and bar service”.

Saturday – Ramona’s will be doing a pop-up at A&C Grocery, Mile End will be doing a pop-up at Ramona’s, and the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Sunday – Mitr is kick-off its weekly pop-up series at Mi Sen.

Mitr on Outer Congress

| Posted in Under Construction

The founders of Mitr (facebook, instagram) have closed on the purchase of 1281 Congress Street where they plan to open their new Thai restaurant. Mitr is under development by some of the same team who were involved in Cheevitdee and its sister restaurant Mi Sen.

Ping Yang Thai food “typically means grilled or charbroiled. In Thailand, these techniques are very popular for street food and you can find them just about any corner of the street of every part of Thailand. Sometimes on skewers, sometime it’s a grill meat as a whole. Marinaded and grilled to perfection presenting you with rich aromas. Oftentimes, the meals will be enjoy with various sauces you can choose.”

Starting on March 14th, Mitr will be holding a weekly Sunday pop-up menu from the kitchen of Mi Sen. Visit the Mi Sen website or call (207) 747-4838 on the 14th to place your order.

Restaurant Real Estate: March 2021

| Posted in Real Estate

Welcome to the March 2021 edition of the Portland Food Map restaurant real estate listings sponsored by The Boulos Company. This monthly column gathers in one convenient place the spaces available in Portland that could be potential sites for restaurants and food producers/retailers to locate their next business.

Even in these tough times for the hospitality industry some people are pursuing their dreams and opening new food businesses. Finding the right spot is one of the crucial early challenges in launching a new business and hopefully this new resource will make that step just a little bit easier.

West End

28 Brackett St – the 900 sq ft former Cider House space is for lease for $1,450/month.

101 York St – a 15,000 sq ft sub-dividable space in the new building on the corner of York and High Street is available for $15-20/sq ft (NNN). The space already has a hood vent and grease traps installed.

Arts District

11 Brown St – the space where BRGR Bar is located on Brown Street is for lease. The 4,321 turnkey restaurant space is available for $19/sq ft (NNN). All furniture, fixtures & equipment included, as are 2 parking spots and 2,000 sq ft of storage space.

555 Congress St – the former Five Fifty-Five is available to lease. The 1,089 – 3,647 sq ft space is listed at $22/sq ft (NNN).

593 Congress St – The former Vinland is available to lease. The 1,720 sq ft space is listed at $19.41/sq ft (MG).

605 Congress St – Two spaces in the State Theater Building is available. They are 543 sq ft and 2,685 sq ft and are listed at $25-35/sq ft (MG).

77 Free Street – the furniture, fixtures and equipment for Binga’s Stadium on Free Street are for sale for $85,000. The 17,000 sq ft of space is for lease at $4/sq ft (NNN).

129 Spring St – Maine Juice Company has relocated and their former space on Spring Street is free. This was the original home of Miyake and for a time was home to the Miyake izakaya.

Bayside

15 Chestnut St – the 14,000 sq ft building that was the former home of Grace is for sale for $3,730,000.

84 Cove St – The 8,969 sq ft former Milk & Honey in Bayside is available for $13/sq ft (NNN).

360 Cumberland Ave – a 1,900 sq ft back building hidden behind 360 Cumberland Ave is available for $20-25/sq ft (NNN).

23 Marginal Way – a 1,300 sq ft space in Century Plaza is available for $28/sq ft (NNN).

34 Portland St – the 4,256 sq ft building that was formerly was occupied by Candy’s is for sale for $695,000.

225 Oxford St – 600-2000 sq ft of build to suit space in a new building for $25/sq ft (NNN).

Old Port

1 Commercial St – the original location of Benkay at the corner of Commercial and India Streets is available. The 2,494 sq ft is for lease at $35/sq ft (NNN).

5 Commercial St – the former Rosemont Market at the corner of Commercial and India Streets is available. The 1,700 sq ft is for lease at $35/sq ft (NNN).

9 Commercial St – the former Commercial Street location of Arabica is available. 3,018/sq ft for $35/sq ft (NNN).

266 Commercial St – 6,689 sq ft of new construction retail space will be available for $20-22/sq ft (NNN).

383 Commercial St – 4 street retail spaces will be available (1,631 – 1,971 sq ft) at $28/sq ft (NNN) in a new building under construction at the corner of Maple and Commercial Streets.

98 Cross St – a 991 sq ft retail space is available for $20/sq ft (MG).

18 Exchange St – 1,800 sq ft of retail space for lease at $6,950/month (MG).

225 Federal St – the former Old Port Po’ Boys & Pickles is available. 1,000 sq ft at $30/sq ft (MG).

345 Fore St – Vena’s is moving and that’s freeing up their current location. 2,310 sq ft for a $3,750/month.

422 Fore St – the former Pearl space is available, 2,400 sq ft at $38/sq ft (MG).

425 Fore St – The former Five Guys is available. $2,900/sq ft and $40/sq ft (MG).

446 Fore St – 1,600 – 3,400 sq ft in the former Pearl space with entrances on Wharf and Fore Streets is available for $30-40/sq ft (MG).

505 Fore St – 2,996 sq ft of existing restaurant space is available for $24/sq ft (NNN).

40 Free St – A new building is under construction on Free Street by JB Brown. The first floor will have 4/5 storefronts ranging in size from 1,358 to 3,067 sq ft. The construction is expected to be completed in early 2021. The rate is $30/sq ft (NNN).

55 Market St – this 3,700 sq ft space on Market Street was formerly occupied by the Big Easy. It’s available for $24/sq ft (NNN).

131 Middle St – this 3,512 sq ft retail spaace is for lease at $14.50/sq ft (NNN).

28 Monument Square – the former Maine Squeeze juice bar in the Public Market House is for lease. Contact leasing@juicery.com for more information. Also, the second floor space formerly occupied by Sichuan Kitchen is available, call (207) 939-0980 for information.

66 Pearl St – the 5,796 space formerly occupied by Bull Moose is available for $15.75/sq ft (MG).

2 Portland Square – the former Walter’s is back on the market. 3,219 sq ft for $28/sq ft (MG).

3 Portland Square – This new building will include 2,500 – 20,000 square feet of retail space for$28.50/sq ft.

3 Spring St – the 2,554 – 3,500 sq ft former Lio space is available at $23/sq ft (NNN).

23 Temple St – this 947 sq ft is located in the same building as the Nickelodeon. It’s for lease at $25/sq ft (MG).

India/Washington Ave

100 Fore St – 2 retail spaces are available in a new building planned for Fore Street. 1,141 and 1,914 sq ft respectively, $27 – 30/sq ft (NNN).

Forest Ave

1190 Forest Ave – located right in the center of Morrill’s Corner. 3,000 – 5,082 sq ft at $12 – 20/sq ft (NNN).

Other

559 Brighton Ave – 1,920 sq ft of the original Rosemont Market building is for lease for $12/sq ft (NNN).

1041 Brighton Ave – 1,200 -7,000 sq ft of space available in the strip mall that’s the longtime location of Panda Garden. The space is available for $10-13/sq ft (NNN).

441 Congress St – The 2,400 sq ft former home of Guitar Grave across the street from 1 Monument Square is available for $20/sq ft.

139 Riverside St – a 5,020 sq ft restaurant space available for $15/sq ft (MG).

23 Lincoln St, Biddeford – a 12,600 sq ft space divided equally on two floors, each floor has a kitchen with hoods is available for $11/sq ft (NNN). Contact Tony Delois for more information at anthony@uncommongroups.com.

117 Route 1, Freeport – the former Conundrum building in Freeport is for sale for $1.2M.

111 Main St, Westbrook – the former Ruby Tuesday’s in Westbrook Crossing shopping plaza off of Brighton is for lease. Contact nick.margitza@wsdevelopment.com.

Other Spaces – some vacated restaurant spaces haven’t yet been formerly listed for by the owner (e.g. Piccolo). Check the closing announcements for the latest information.

Glossary

MG – Modified Gross which indicates that the operating expenses (taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.) for the property are included in the lease rate. The tenant would pay its own utilities, which sometimes includes heat.

NNN – Triple Net which indicates that operating expenses are not included in the lease rate, and the tenant will pay them separately. They are often referred to as CAM (Common Area Maintenance) charges and taxes, which are expressed as $/sf. The tenant is also responsible for utilities.

Gross – Gross indicates all expenses including utilities are included in the lease rate. The tenant would be responsible for phone and internet access, as well as interior janitorial.

Best Bagels in America

| Posted in Reviews

Food & Wine has included Forage, Rover and Scratch Baking on their list of the Best Bagels in America.

A funny thing happened, while New York began settling for mediocrity: a new generation of American bakers figured out just how easy it was to get into the game. Best of all, most of them have their own ideas about what a modern American bagel should look like. My first glimpse of this exciting future came almost a decade ago, thousands of miles from New York, on a sunny winter morning in Northern California. Here, two East Coast transplants had started making meticulous, wood-fired, Montreal-style bagels, opening up the most charming little deli. After years of accepting second best from my neighborhood bagel slinger in Midtown Manhattan, I took this as a serious wake-up call.

Maine Updates Covid Rules

| Posted in General News

The Governor’s office announced a set of changes to regulations governing the operating of food and dining establishments during the pandemic.

The Moving Maine Forward plan maintains critical health and safety protocols that have protected Maine people over the past year, establishes a clear timeframe to increase capacity limits to support economic activity, and standardizes these limits across sectors by transitioning to a simple model based on percentage of capacity. The plan also revises Maine’s travel policies established last summer under the Keep Maine Healthy Program and sets a target reopening date of March 26 for indoor service at bars.

See the official announcement for all the details.

MJ’s Wine Bar Closing

| Posted in Closings

MJ’s Wine Bar owner Mark Ohlson has announced that he’ll be closing down MJ’s Wine Bar, and that he’s working on launching a new business.

Thank you for all the laughter, memories, music and conversation. MJ’s was a huge success. We fell in love, dressed up, danced and drank some truly incredible wines. Thank you Portland for attending countless wine talks and crazy themed parties. We conga-lined barrels of wine at the bar and sabered bottles of celebration on the patio. It was the dream I had always wanted and we made it come true. Voted Best Wine List in Portland all seven years we were open (humbling). Named Top 20 Wine Bars in the USA by Wine Enthusiast (super humbling), and most importantly, I got to meet you and spend time with you. Thank you. I am so thankful for everything. And now, it is time to move on. Not because MJ’s wasn’t a success, but because I have a new idea in my head and it won’t leave me alone unless I bring it to life.
See you in May, I hope you like to dance…