The new Rosemont location of the Crooked Mile Cafe (website, facebook) opened this weekend at 428 Brighton Ave in the space formerly occupied by Udder Cafe.
This Week’s Events: Wine Tastings, Wine Events, Wine Dinners, Latte Art Competition, and More Wine
Monday — Good Wine for a Good Cause IV is taking place a Port City Music Hall, there will be 100+ wines to try, the event is a benefit the Cancer Community Center.
Tuesday — Bar Lola is holding a wine dinner.
Thursday — there will be a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House, Grace is holding a wine tasting event, the Museum of African Culture is hosting an Edible Exhibition, the monthly Latte Art Competition is taking place at Bard Coffee, and the Great Lost Bear will be holding their annual Stout Bout.
Friday — Cellardoor Winery is hosting a wine dinner in Portland.
Saturday — Wine Wise is teaching a class on Tuscan Reds, Rosemont is having a wine tasting, and the Winter 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.
Pocket Brunch: Marchtoberfest
The March edition of Pocket Brunch took place today at Novare Res. Tandem Coffee and the Bearded Lady provided libations to go with a meal of German food prepared by guest chefs Brad Messier and Nolan Stewart.
- Premeal – apple and pear strudel with bauchspeck and Han’s End blue cheese
- Soup – 2010 Rodenbach smoky meat broth, Orval chive pancake, calf’s liver and foie gras dumpling
- Salad – white asparagus, beef tongue, fried onions with a pairing of Freigeist Abraxas
- Egg – boar sausage, egg yolk, “tea” egg, rye toast paired with a pairing of Oxbow Freestyle 30
- Meat – Caldwell Farm beef saurbraten, potato, celeriac, bacon with a pairing of Oxbow Oxtoberfest
- Dessert – Black Forest chocolate sausage, chocolate kirsch cherry terrine, Riesling gelee, cherry glazed bacon
Review of The Merry Table
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of The Merry Table.
I suggest this warm, friendly space when Quebec is too far to drive. Crepe enthusiasts should love the area’s only dedicated creperie, and the Merry Table also delivers excellent French classics in a cozy and rustic space. Seasonal outdoor seating is especially inviting when the weather is good.
Cia Now Open
Cia quietly opened earlier this week on Wednesday. They’re located on Ocean Street in South Portland just a block or so down the road from Smaha’s.
Here are some details from the Forecaster,
Cia offers an eclectic blend of local products: coffee from Wicked Joe’s in Brunswick, ice cream by Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, and baked goods from Two Fat Cats and Bagel Guy in Portland. The Knight family, owners of Smiling Hill Farm, have even blended a special “White Knight” ice cream for the shop – a mix of French Vanilla, salted caramel, and chocolate chunk served over a chocolate brownie with hot fudge.
For those of you keeping score, this makes for 5 openings (Enio’s, In’finiti, Little Tap House, Blue Rooster and Cia) in the last 8 days. Last year Roost, Zen, Tandem and Kushiya Benkay all open during the same week in August.
Blue Rooster Food Company Opening at 9 (Updated)
Blue Rooster Food Company (website, Facebook, Twitter) is opening tonight at 9 pm. Blue Rooster is located in the space that had the home of Big Mama’s Diner at 5 Dana Street.
Blue Rooster is a collaboration between four partners including chef Damian Sansonetti and Tom Barr, the owner of Taco Escobarr.
The menu is a mix of sandwiches ($6-7.50), specialty hot dogs ($2.75-5.00), baked goods. There’s even a tater-tot poutine. I’d recommend the Porchetta: sausage stuffed pork belly, pickled tomato, arugula, citrus mayo on a house-made focaccia.
First Review of In’finiti
The Golden Dish has published a review of In’finiti.
Next to swoon over were the desserts. Pastry chef Patrick Tubbs, who’s been with some of Portland’s best restaurants, has a beautifully conceived dessert menu. My friend ordered the coconut panna cotta, richly textured and accompanied by sweet potato mousse, candied orange peel and ginger syrup.
Review of Taco Escobarr
The Blueberry Files has posted a review based on a revisit to Taco Escobarr to try the newly updated menu.
But we struggled to find any distinct flavor in the tacos. I tasted a lot of corn – corn tortillas, corn meal coating on my fish. Salt, lime, and their house bottled hot sauce never saved the dish. It’s too bad, because I thought the fish tacos were one thing that they previously had done well.
Food Coma Show: Nosh
Joe Ricchio has posted the second episode of the Food Coma Show. The episode was filmed at Nosh and features Joel Beauchamp, comedian Ray Harrington, restaurateur/chef Barbara Lynch, and musician Sonya Tomlinson.
Interview with Bite into Maine
Heritage Park Radio has aired an interview with Sarah and Karl Sutton, owner of Bite into Maine about their food truck business, their love of Maine and their upcoming competition in the Lobster Roll Rumble.