Rebel Crowdfunding

| Posted in Under Construction

Rebel Munchies and Libations (instagram) owner Peter Murphy has launched a $45k crowdfunding campaign to support the launch of his new restaurant on Congress Street. Eighteen people have already contributed $2,600 towards the campaign.

We’re growing up, opening a new restaurant, and it turns out that growth is really really hard. Like a teenager desperate to get their braces off we come to you, the community, desperate and riddled with acne. Bills and rent have eaten away at our cash while we dwindled away all summer hoping, waiting, and wishing for a building permit. Now that we finally have the permit, we realize that more bills and costs are heading our way like B.O. after gym class.

Murphy leased the former Dos Naciones space in March. He has been operating his mobile food business Rebel Cheesesteaks for the last four years.

Room’s Cosmo in Punch

| Posted in Distilling & Cocktails

Punch has published an article featuring the Room for Improvement Cosmopolitan created.

The intention was to appeal not only to the customer who orders Cosmos at every bar, but also to “nerdy cocktail friends who might never ordinarily call for a Cosmo,” says [Arvid] Brown. That meant rethinking each ingredient. “We looked at what it is that people like about it: It’s pink, it’s served up, it’s citrusy, it’s refreshing and it’s got a little tartness,” Brown says. “We tried to reengineer those flavors with more craft ingredients.”

Upcoming Events & Thanksgiving List

| Posted in Events

Wednesday – South Portland restaurants Judy Gibson and Lambs will be collaborating on a Burger Night.

Wednesday-Saturday – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place. See their website for tickets to events that celebrate Maine’s distilleries, cheese makers, chocolate makers and oyster farms and for tickets to the Maine Lobster Chef of the Year event.

Thursday – Bar Futo is hosting Roundtable, an event and dinner that “brings together chefs, organizers and neighbors for actionable discussion about social justice, mutual aid and sustainability.” Hardshore Distilling is holding a launch party for their Shorebird bourbon. Apres in East Bayside is holding an heirloom apple tasting.

Saturday – Chefs Tracy Chang from Pagu, Ilma Lopez from the Ugly Duckling and Matt Ginn from Evo are collaboration on a dinner at the Ugly Ducking–sign-up for a Farmers’ Market Tour with the chefs and return in the evening for the dinner. The 18th Annual Veg Fest is taking place. The Maine Tasting Center in Wiscasset is holding an insect dinner with ants, mealworms and crickets on the menu. Liu Bian Tan is holding a lunch pop-up at Norimoto Baking. Roma Cafe is holding a launch party (12:30 at 767 Congress Street) for Roma Sauce, their new line of fresh pasta, sauces, Italian delicacies and pasta kits.

Sunday – The Cheese Shop is kicking off their cheese classroom series with a Cheese 101 class.

October 30 – Ore Nell’s North in Biddeford is holding a 5-course beer dinner.

Halloween – check with your favorite websites and bars for details on what Halloween events they may have on Halloween or the prior weekend.

November 5 – Chaval is holding a late harvest dinner at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport.

November 9 – Judy Gibson is serving a 4-course wine dinner featuring wines from Lauren Bonnois.

November 15 – A whiskey and chocolate tasting featuring Liquid Riot and Dean’s Sweets is taking place at Ballast.

Thanksgiving – Restaurants, market and other food purveyors are just starting to share details on the Thanksgiving options. We will be adding them to this list as the information is made public. Drop us a line if you know of a Thanksgiving-themed offering not yet on the list.

  • Five Fifty-Five North (Brusnwick) – is serving a 3-course Thanksgiving dinner (menu) for $85 per person; online reservations.
  • Hanks (Scarborough) – is taking preorders for turkey, sides and desserts; order deadline on November 12th for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • Harraseeket Inn (Freeport) – will have three seatings for their Thanksgiving Day grand buffet (menu); $165 per person, $65 per for kids 6 to 12, call for reservations (207) 865-9377.
  • Lake & Co. (Yarmouth) – has a variety of turkeys, sides and desserts as well as a full dinner for two available for preorder. The order deadline is November 14th for pick-up on November 22nd or 23rd.
  • MK Kitchen (Gorham) – will be serving a 3-course Thanksgiving Dinner (menu); reservations can be made on OpenTable.
  • Nina June (Rockport) – is taking preorders for their Everything but the Bird takeout menu of appetizers, sides, salads, desserts and drinks for pick-up on November 22nd.
  • Orchard Ridge Farm (Gorham) – is taking preorders for turkeys, ducks and ham.
  • Pat’s Meat Market – has a selection of meats available including turkeys, prime rib, duck, pork crown roast.
  • Rosemont Market – is taking preorders for turkeys, baked goods, prepared dishes and more; place your order by the 17th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • Saltwater Grille (south Portland) – will be serving a Thanksgiving buffet with seatings at 11:30, 1:30, 3:30, and 5:30; $75/ per adult, $35 per kids 6-12, free of children 5 and under.
  • Sea Glass (Cape Elizabeth) – the restaurant at the Inn by the Sea is serving a Thanksgiving dinner ($85/adult, $32/children 4-12yo), and also has a Thanksgiving dinner to go sized to serve 6-8 people for $275 plus tax & 18% gratuity (order deadline November 16th).
  • Two Fat Cats – has pies, cakes and other baked goods available to preorder for Thanksgiving; orders musts be in 48 hours before pick-up. Available from both their Portland and South Portland locations.
  • Union – is taking preorders for a Thanksgiving dinner for two; order deadline on the 18th for pick-up on the 21st or 22nd.
  • Wayside Tavern – is serving a 4-course family-style Thanksgiving Feast for $90/person with optional wine pairings for $55; ticketed reservations available online.
  • The Good Shepherd Food Bank plays an integral role in distributing food during Thanksgiving and all year round in Maine. See their website for information where to find food through their partner agencies in Maine or to make a donation.

November 30 – deadline for the public and industry professionals to submit recommendations to the James Beard Foundation to consideration for the 2024 Awards program.

December 7 – Secret Supper is holding a (sold out) holiday dinner in the Portland area.

June 26 – Secret Supper (instagram) is holding a dinner in the Portland area.

Porttown Now Open

| Posted in Openings

The Porttown Public House & Coffee Bar (facebook, instagram) opened on Friday. The coffee shop and pub is located at 123 Commercial Street next to Olive Cafe. Porttown serves baked goods, breakfast sandwiches and coffee in the morning, and transitions to a bar with pizza and paninis for the rest of the day.

Review of Little Pig & Maine Oysters

| Posted in Reviews, Fisheries

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a four star review of Little Pig.

Outside, on the tree-covered patio, there are café tables to park yourself while you devour superlative Lao sausage and fiery jao sauce, fried hake banh mi sandwiches slathered with choo chee curry, and basil-flecked Thai-style street corn. Once winter hits, you’ll want to consider this stellar newcomer as takeout-only. It shouldn’t matter. Cooking this confident, spicing with such self-assured swagger, is a rarity. Don’t let the lack of a chair put you off.

The paper also includes an article about the Maine oyster industry.

We’re into the “R months,” the stretch from September to April when oysters are at their culinary peak. In Maine, half-shell fans and lovers of local seafood have more cause for excitement each year as oyster farms continue to proliferate along the state’s coast.

When Pigs Fly Breads

| Posted in Openings

York-based bakery When Pigs Fly (website, facebook, instagram) opened their Portland retail shop this week. They’re open 10 am – 6 pm daily.

The shop is located at 65 Hanover Street in West Bayside. It carries the full range of the breads they produce at their central bakery as well as other baked goods like cookies, muffins, and scones, and oils, jams, butter, and other pantry items that pair well with their breads.

The bakery was founded by Ron Siegel in 1993. When Pigs Fly has retail shops in Kittery as well as Somerville, Jamaica Plain, Lexington and Brookline in Massachusetts.

Maine Food & Dining News

| Posted in Maine

Here are some updates from around the state:

  • Ancho Honey owner Malcolm Bedell has announced he’s leased a space in Thomaston where he plans to open Honey’s. The menu at Honey’s (website, instagram) will feature the fried chicken sandwiches that Ancho Honey has become a destination for. It will be located at 153 New County Road in the space formerly occupied by China Fortune. Bedell has listed Honey’s on MainVest where people can support the launch of the restaurant. Ancho Honey is located in Tenants Harbor. Bedell formerly operated the ‘Wich, Please food truck in Rockland.
  • Mainebiz has published a report on Main Street Provisions which recently opened in Waterville.
  • A new market called Poland Provisions (website, facebook, instagram) opened in late September. Owners Charles and Sheila Foley and their staff operate a cafe and general store Tuesday through Saturday. The business is located at 120 Maine Street.
  • Chef Jimmy Leftis began a chef residency program at Table Bar in Gardiner back in May. His Friday and Saturday night dinners have been so well received that the summer experiment will now be a permanent element at Table Bar. Starting in November you’ll find Leftis at the now 31-seat Table Bar Wednesday through Saturday nights.
  • A new wine bar called Good Wine Bar is under construction in Saco.
  • The Prentice Hospitality Group is taking over operation of The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth.

Good Wine Bar in Saco

| Posted in Under Construction


A new business called Good Wine Bar (instagram) is under construction at 172 Main Street in Saco in the space that was formerly the home of Unwind Cocktail Lounge.

Owners Sunny Chung and Kim Lully are hoping to launch the wine bar in November. In addition to wine, Good Wine Bar will also serve classic cocktails, local beers, and a menu of cheese, charcuterie, small plates, and desserts. Lully and Chung anticipate having biodynamic and organic wines on the list which will lean towards Old World wines.

Chung and Lully formerly ran the Korean restaurant Yobo, and were partners with Sarah Gabrielson and chef Tony Pastor in the launch of Main Street Steak & Oyster in Brunswick.

The owners of Unwind Lounge announced back in July that they had sold the business to new owners.