New Food Carts: BP’s Shuck Shack, Brûlée Bike, LemonCycle

BpsshuckshackA new food cart called BP’s Shuck Shack(facebook, instagram, twitter) has launched. BP’s serves fresh shucked oysters, singly or by the half dozen. Yesterday they were serving Wiley Points and were located down on Commercial Street in front of the Custom House.

A second new food cart, the Brûlée Bike(faccebook, instagram, twitter), will be launching tonight at Flea Bites in West Bayside. Owner Charlie Compton successfully completed a kickstarter campaign earlier this year, exceeding his goal of $1,500 goal to fund the cart.

A third new food cart, LemonCycle(facebook, twitter), which had its own successful Kickstarter, is in the final stages of development and should launch later in July.

Reviews: Ten Ten Pié, Back Bay Grill, Tempo Dulu

The Press Herald has published a bar review of The Back Bay Grill,

A Portland dining institution for 27 years, Back Bay Grill is one of the finest restaurant experiences in the state. Known for exceptional guest services, top-notch American cuisine, and a comfortable, white linen atmosphere with an open kitchen, sitting at the bar is a great way to get to know the long-standing servers and bartenders. You’ll be planning your next visit in no time.

and has reviewed Ten Ten Pié.

The pickled radish pieces were a little sweet, and crunchy. The chicken was a little savory, and still warm, and the egg strips were fluffy. The combination of flavors, and of crunchy, chewy and soft textures was an amazing treat. There were so many ingredients in the dish I would never have ordered. But in this preparation, I loved them all.

The Golden Dish has reviewed Tempo Dulu.

The melding of courses offered stunning contrast as in the crispy duck leg enriched with curried foie gras, pickled ramps for contrast, fried garlic and fried shallots. As in the preceding dish we could have stopped there fully sated. But why when lobster meat is served with a fried egg on top, pickled vegetables and crab rice relish? My favorite two dishes were the Thai smoked sausage and the tempura of shrimp with mango lime relish. 

Peak IPA?

The Beer Babe, aka Carla Jean Lauter, has penned an article for The Bollard that asks “Are we reaching peak IPA?

For those new to craft beer, IPAs can be hard to swallow. It takes awhile to warm your taste buds to their bitterness, and I often run into folks who need help finding beers on a tap list that “aren’t really hoppy.” As the IPA revolution rages, that’s becoming harder to do. Giving consumers a variety of entry points, whether that be through fruit beers, lighter beers, or other styles, is the smart way to convert and retain new craft-beer patrons.

Review of Taj

The Bollard has published a  review of Taj in South Portland.

Taj is not flamboyant, and the dishes are not perfectly executed (some were too salty). It’s a modest Indian joint out by the mall. It has funny blue movie-theater carpeting and placemats depicting the 44 Presidents of the United States (which is also funny, and fun). But my parents weren’t wrong: for what it is, Taj is a good restaurant serving modestly priced food. If you’re in the mood for Indian comfort food, give Taj a shot.

This Week’s Events: Dogfish Dinner, Cuvée d’Industrial, Flea Bites, Fourth of July

pliny_terlinguaMonday — Allagash is holding the bottle release for Cuvée d’Industrial, and La Petite Boucher is leading a pig butchering workshop.

Wednesday — Sam Calaglione will be at Terlingua for a Dogfish Head beer dinner, Sur Lie is holding a Banded Horn beer dinner, Allagash and the Maine Medical Center are holding a beer tasting event at Hadlock Field to raise money to fight childhood cancer, Black Tie is teaching a cooking class, and the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Thursday — there will be a beer and cheese tasting at the Public Market House.

Friday — a group of food trucks is gathering at the Portland Flea-for-All for this summer’s first Flea Bites, there will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli, and don’t forget it’s also First Friday Art Walk.

Saturday —the Portland Symphony Orchestra will be performing a Fourth of July concert as of the fireworks display on the Eastern Promenade, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

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 Terlingua

The Golden Dish has posted a first look review of Terlingua.

I did.  And this included the cold smoked fish dip alive with pungent flavors of sour orange, Vidalia onion and sweet peppers. It was served with commercial taco chips, which were good, but they need to replace those with homemade, something that’s in the works, according to management.  Another good preparation was, as mentioned,  the grilled shell-on shrimp ( fresh from the Gulf coast or previously frozen?), though the otherwise winey, sweet flavors of the guajillo chili sauce in which it was bathed could have been more prominent.  I liked the smoked brisket—meltingly tender–and the honey coated flat breads served with it were delicious.

You can take a look at Terlingua’s menu on their website (www.terlingua.me) and follow them online on instagram and facebook.

Review of East Ender

The Maine Sunday Telegram has reviewed the East Ender and given it 4 stars.

East Ender may look simple and casual, but the food at this two-story restaurant in the shadow of Munjoy Hill is creative, sophisticated and super flavorful…start with the lobster tostada, a novel riff on Maine’s favorite shellfish that pairs cool chunks of lobster with crispy vegetables and Latin-inspired sauces; or try the outstanding grilled octopus with crunchy fennel and golden fingerling potatoes. All entrees here are good (and generous), but the smoky roasted lamb shoulder is exceptional, as is whole grilled trout with seasonal vegetables and béarnaise. Leavy and Deuben have worked in some of Portland’s finest restaurant kitchens and it shows.

First Review of Evo

The Golden Dish has reviewed Evo.

Some 10 dishes later, I relished every bit of Evo’s fusion fare that spans the region from Mediterranean to Middle Eastern cuisines in stunning clarity. And the space—all 1,500 square feet that can accommodate about 50 diners—is fashioned like a modernist temple, its two-story atelier evoking playtime in a cathedral.