The Forecaster has published an article on Mark Gatti, the longtime owner of Mark’s Hot Dogs, which as of next month will have been in business for 36 years.
His menu has been constant, including the red hot dogs Maine is known for, topped with chili, cheese or sauerkraut. As business picks up in the spring, he adds Italian sausage and kielbasa.
Gatti tried serving lobster rolls; that lasted one season. Thai spring rolls did a little better – he sold them for about three years.
The Bangor Daily News, Fox 23 and the Press Herald have all published reports on a pilot program that will let restaurants rent an adjacent on street parking space for outdoor dining.
Portland has approved a pilot program for “parklets,” which are raised dining areas in on-street parking spots adjacent to restaurants that don’t have enough sidewalk space or a nearby public park for outdoor dining. Just five parklets will be allowed in the city during the first year of the program.
Monday – Quiero Cafe (website, facebook, instagram) is opening in Bramhall Square (10 am – 9 pm), and the PSO’s Symphony & Spirits is taking place.
Wednesday – Knack Factory is hosting an iPhone photography workshop led by photographer Kari Herer, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Thursday – local baristas are gathering at Tandem Bakery for a latte art competition.
Friday – Oxbow is releasing three new beers (Principesca, Abrico, Cherry Jackpot), there will be a wine tasting at the Munjoy Hill Rosemont, and the Bier Cellar is holding a Sasanoa Brewing tasting.
Saturday – there will be a beer tasting at RSVP, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.
Sunday – Bow Street is holding their monthly wine seminar, and chefs Sam Hayward, Melissa Kelly, Rob Evans, Mark Gaier, Clark Frasier, Ilma Lopez, and baker Alison Pray will be preparing a fundraising dinner for Full Plates, Full Potential at Flanigan’s Table.
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.
The Maine Sunday Telegram has publisned an article about the less well known chefs de cuisine that lead daily operations in Portland’s kitchens.
Kristen Cote’s job begins at 11:30 a.m. each day, when she arrives to help with lunch service. Cote, the chef de cuisine at the Grill Room and Bar in Portland, makes all the restaurant’s sauces, from the chimichurri to the bacon-peppercorn-cream, and butchers ducks at her station in the open kitchen. She writes menus, changing them with the seasons. She sets the specials and makes staff meals, and she orders all the food. She hires and fires. She sauces and she salts. She’s the last person to eyeball your plate before it arrives at your table.
Have you ever heard of her?
The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed the Gross Confection Bar, and
By and large, Dadaleares’ sweet dishes are superb, each one a tiny experiment that explores balance among sweet, tart and savory flavors, as well as tender, yielding textures and boisterous crunch. Bar manager Jaren Rivas’s beverage program offers its own host of surprisingly savory cocktails alongside local draft beers and mostly dry wines — ideal for pairing with even the sweetest dessert on Gross’ engaging and adventurous menu.
the Press Herald has reviewed the Royale Lunch Bar.
Well, what can I say? The Bifteck sandwich was a glorious feast, a tantalizing symphony for my taste buds and a sublime moment of sandwich perfection. And here’s where I’m going to shock you, so be ready: I couldn’t eat the whole thing. And I ALWAYS eat the whole thing. But this thing was substantial and paired with those hand-cut fries, I couldn’t slay the beast, try as I did. But I ate most of it and savored every morsel. My only regret is that I wish I had a George Constanza-esque napping area beneath my desk to hide away in for a post-meal siesta.
The Boston Globe has published an eating and drinking guide to Portland.
Portland is like Disney for diners. The charming city on Casco Bay is chock-full of excellent little restaurants, clustered together and worth lining up for. From sparkling seafood to the best baked goods, food here is a tourist attraction unto itself. Don’t spend your time roaming the Old Port in search of overpriced lobster rolls. Instead, head to the places where delicious food meets a distinctive point of view. Here’s where to start when you visit this little city with a big-time food scene, as well as a couple of don’t-miss spots less than 20 miles away.
Featured restaurants: Central Provisions, Cong Tu Bot, Drifters Wife, Duckfat, Elda, Eventide, Fore Street, Mr. Tuna, Palace Diner, Portland Hunt + Alpine Club, Rose Foods, Standard Baking, Tandem, The Honey Paw.
Owners of Quiero Cafe (website, facebook, instagram) have announced plans to open their new Bramhall Square location on Monday. Quiero will be located at 3 Deering Ave in the space most recently occupied by Trattoria Fanny.
Quiero serves a menu of “Latin American cuisine” featuring “Empanadas, Burritos, and Tamales. We also serve several kinds of coffee, smoothies, and Tropical juices”.
Hop Culture has posted an eating and drinking guide to Portland.
Portland’s excellent food and drink scene has never been a secret, but whatever gems may have been hidden were unearthed when Bon Appetit named Portland its restaurant city of 2018 — a very well-deserved distinction. The beauty of a city like Portland, Maine, though, is that it never stops growing. Sure, your favorite little Portland joint may have blown up overnight, but there’s going to be a new crop of hotspots just around the corner.
The Hop Culture team spent a short weekend exploring the best food and drink in Portland, attempting to come up with our own beer-focused guide to the city. Many of our choices are “easy” (Tandem, Drifter’s Wife, Rose Foods Austin Street, etc.) but we hope you discover a few new favorites as we did.
Vignola | Cinque Terre owners, Dan and Michelle Kary, have announced plans to close the restaurants. Their last day in operation will be May 12th.
Vignola | Cinque Terre Owners Dan and Michelle Kary stated, “We have relished and enjoyed being a part of the restaurant community in Portland for over 18 years. For us, the time was right to move to our next chapter. We’ve been especially thankful for our wonderful employees, suppliers and patrons over the years. To our loyal customers, “grazie mille.” 10 Dana Street is a special place in Portland and we are excited and pleased to have the Miranda Restaurant Group purchase the property to give it a rebirth in the community.”
The building is currently under contract for purchase by Josh Miranda, owner of Blyth & Burrows.
Miranda commented, “This building on Dana Street is a beautiful piece of the Old Port, with ivy crawling up the brick exterior and the palpable sense of place between waterfront and downtown Fore Street. I am excited to bring something new to the space and am grateful to Michelle and Dan for the care they put into the property over the years. There will be more announcements on our new restaurant coming soon.”