Owners Jake and Raquel Stevens have filed a liquor license application for the 50+ seat Italian restaurant named Leeward that they have under development at 85 Free Street. Here’s a look at the draft menu.
Salmon Lawsuit
The Press Herald reports that the owners of the Hunt and Alpine Club have brought a lawsuit alleging price fixing in the market for Atlantic Salmon.
The lawsuit by Portland Hunt + Alpine Club alleges that salmon prices have risen over the last four years when they should have been falling. According to the filing in federal court in Maine, the costs associated with raising Atlantic salmon have been mostly stable since 2015, production has increased and the market has shrunk because Russia banned salmon imports in retaliation for the U.S. and some European countries imposing economic sanctions following Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Crimea.
Jefe Juan’s on Wharf Street
Portland Mash Tun owner Ricky Binet has leased 1160 sq ft of space at 47 Wharf Street where he plans to open a 24-seat Mexican restaurant called Jefe Juan’s. The restaurant is named after Portland Mash Tun chef Juan Cordero and will serve a menu of “a few of Juan’s favorite recipes”.
As part of the liquor license application Binet has provided a draft menu (page 104) that includes burritos (pork, beef or chicken), a cheese plate, chips and salsa, salads, a lobster roll, and a “Mexican Lobster Cocktail”.
Apples on the Radio
Wednesday’s edition of Maine Calling talked with several Maine apple experts and orchard owners about the “science, business and joy of apple growing in Maine“.
Italian Restaurants in Flux
This seems to be the year when the landscape of Italian restaurants seem to be in flux. For those of you trying to keep track, here’s what’s happened so far:
- Vignola/Cinque Terre closed on May 12th
- Espo’s is closing in mid-October
- Maria’s has sold their Cumberland Ave building and will be reopening in Espo’s building on Congress Street with a target opening date in December
- Ada’s Kitchen from Rockland is opening a Portland outpost near Longfellow Square
- Jake and Raquel Stevens have leased space on Free Street where they are opening an Italian restaurant called Leeward.
- Osteria Radici (website, facebook, instagram) owners Randy and Ally Forrester are moving their restaurant from Allentown to Portland, Maine.
- JP’s Bistro is closing their restaurant on Woodford Street on October 12th and reopening in Falmouth later this year.
There are still 3 months left in the year so who knows what other news may emerge.
JP’s Bistro Moving to Falmouth
The Press Herald reports that JP’s Bistro is moving to Falmouth.
Chef/owner John Paul Gagnon says he’ll be closing his namesake Portland restaurant on Oct. 12 and hopes to re-open the first week of November at 204 U.S. Route 1 in Falmouth. That’s the former location of Hugs Italian Restaurant. (The Hugs restaurant at Sugarloaf remains open.) Gagnon says the new space will have more room, more and better equipment, and — he hopes — more customers.
Noodle Love to Replace Poke Pop
Poke Pop closed earlier this summer. Now a new sign in the window promises the opening of a new establishment at 658 Congress Street called Noodle Love. Details on menu and timing are still forthcoming.
Thanks to Eating Portland Alive for the tip.
Kitchen to Cannabis
The Bangor Daily News reports that some Maine restaurant workers are making the transition to working in the new cannabis industry lured by better pay and hours.
As it turns out, he’s not. As restaurant owners in Portland and beyond struggle with a back-of-house labor shortage that they say threatens their business model, Bishop and a wave of other cooks responsible for elevating the Maine food scene over the last decade are finding better wages, less stressful work environments and greater opportunities for advancement in cannabis. Equipped with years of training, cooks are becoming caregivers, bartenders are now “budtenders” and pastry chefs make better livings as specialized cannabis chocolatiers and candymakers.
This Week’s Events: Cocktails by the Trail, Piccolo Farm Dinner, Apple Preservation Workshop
Wednesday – the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Saturday – UFF is continuing their Cocktails by the Trail series which gives local bartenders the tasting room stage to feature a cocktail that makes use of the UFF greenhouse and product line, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Sunday – Piccolo will be cooking a farm dinner in the Mallet Barn at the Wolfe’s Neck Oceanfront Campground.
Apple Preservation Workshop – My good friends Kate McCarty (The Blueberry Files) and Sean Turley (The Righteous Russet) are teaming up to teach an apple preservation workshop at Fork Food Lab. The event takes place on October 22nd. Kate will teach how to preserve apples by canning, freezing, and drying, and Sean will talk about the heritage varieties of apples in Maine and what the best uses are for them. Apples for the event are being provided by MOFGA’s orchards, and participants will get to take some of what is made in the class. Tickets are on sale now.
For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.
If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.
Review of Maiz
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Maiz.
On the whole, the food impresses. Kitchen manager/co-owner Niky Watler’s staff has been able to exploit the extra square footage, allowing for an expanded (completely gluten-free) menu, including appetizers like crusty, cheesy pan de bono and simple, deep-fried corn empanadas filled with sweet threads of pulled pork. Maiz’s arepas – especially the Basico with chicken and the pork-and-chicken Upgrade – are also a good bet, although if you’re not a fan of eating all your fillings in sequence, you’ll want to do a little manipulation of the griddled corn pocket before you eat.