Today’s Sunday Telegram includes an article on the growing popularity of Bánh mì sandwiches.
In Portland, it used to be just the foodie crowd who knew what a banh mi was, and that you could get one at Kim’s Sandwich on St. John Street, before it closed in 2016. Today these Vietnamese sandwiches seem to be everywhere, showing up in both traditional and experimental forms.
Mainer has reviewed Baristas and Bites, and
We were so wrong. Baristas + Bites’ Hummus + Veggie Wrap rockets beyond bland with an incredibly fresh (like, made that morning), house-made hummus. This is a colorful wrap with perfectly ripe, crisp vegetables: spicy arugula, pickled onion, shredded carrots, sliced red peppers, bright red tomatoes, and cucumbers. There is a perfect balance of flavors, with a bit of acid, spice and salt. The hummus itself is expertly seasoned and has the added texture of red onion, pumpkin seeds and whole chickpeas.
The Press Herald has reviewed the Quality Shop.
When I got there my order was ready. The two burgers were very warm, wrapped in foil. They were much bigger than I expected for a two-fer deal. Both were thick, with white American cheese, on buns that had been buttered and grilled. They came with a white-and-red box of crinkle-cut fries, also hot.
Black Dinah Chocolatiers has leased space in the Westin Hotel where they plan to open a retail shop by early July.
Black Dinah Chocolatiers at the Westin Portland Harborview will offer boxed assortments of our handmade chocolate confections, and will be a touch point for visitors and Portlanders alike to learn about our use of carefully sourced direct trade chocolates, and our partnerships with Maine dairy and cheese producers, and Maine farmers and foragers.
The Blueberry Files has published a fist look at Flood’s.
Our mains were the chicken schnitzel ($22) and the cheeseburger ($18), plus sides of creamed spinach ($8) and charred broccolini ($7). The schnitzel was crispy and moist inside, livened up with some hot sauce, salt, and lemon. The creamed spinach was my personal favorite, as it has been since childhood…And the burger was amazing…
The Forecaster has published a report on the change of ownership of City Deli.
After 38 years in business, the family-owned City Deli on the first floor of One City Center has a new owner.
The new owner, Dalia Esposito, said she has known the former owners, the DeSalle family, for many years and has worked on and off at the business since childhood, making the transition a natural one.
The Press Herald has published an article on Chicago Michelin star chef Ryan McCaskey and his project to open Acadia House Provisions, a restaurant in Stonington Maine.
Acadia House Provisions will be the more casual little sister of Acadia in Chicago, with a more accessible menu and a price point designed to lure locals. While a tasting menu at Acadia costs $185 – plus another $125 per person for wine pairings – McCaskey expects diners at Acadia House Provisions will be able to eat a burger-and-a-beer lunch for about $20 and enjoy a dinner that includes lobster for around $30. Acadia House Provisions will have no “tweezered food,” McCaskey said.
“This small town in Maine should be on every food lover’s bucket list” declares Travel & Leisure. No, they’re not writing about Portland, but about Biddeford.
Our favorite stops were Elements, a bookstore/coffee shop/beer bar, which is perfect for an afternoon of browsing and sousing; and the town’s first real claim to chef-driven cuisine, Elda (entrées $26–$30), the brainchild of Bowman Brown, previously of Salt Lake City’s widely admired Forage. Everything about Elda—from the open kitchen to the seafood-centered menu—is impeccable and warm.
Eighteen Twenty is releasing a new wine in honor of Portland Wine Week. Fête, a 11.5% ABV “off-dry wine with balanced acidity” was produced using rhubarb grown by Spiller Farm in Wells and Doles Orchard in Limington.
The label image is based on the gaff-rigged topsail cutter, The Frances, which operates in Casco Bay with rhubarb leave sails.
You can try Fête at the Eighteen Twenty tasting room on Anderson Street starting this weekend, and it was also be on the menu for the Women Winemakers Luncheon on June 17th, as well as the Rose Wine Sail taking place on June 21st.
Boston.com has published an article on Wednesday’s opening of Luke’s Lobster.
The seafood spot, which will soft open for dinner on Wednesday, is a major milestone for the lobster company that first launched in Manhattan in 2009. Started by Cape Elizabeth native Luke Holden, Luke’s Lobster debuted in New York City’s East Village, and went on to make its mark in 10 cities across the U.S. — including three locations in Boston — plus Japan and Taiwan.
A new food truck called Twist (instagram) is under development. Twist is a collaboration between Melissa Lombardi a former manager at Woodford F&B, and Dan Zarin, the longtime writer of the Breakfast Serial column in The Bollard/Mainer.
Twist will be serving custom-blended ice cream and shakes made to order, “mixing in everything from Maine blueberries to fruity pebbles to wasabi peas”.
Lombardi and Zarin hope to launch early this summer. You can contact them at info@portlandtwist.com about catering options for weddings, corporate parties, or other private events.