Food Trucks on the Prom (or Not)

| Posted in General News

The Press Herald has published a report on the re-evaluation of the Eastern Prom food truck pilot program. You’ll recall it required food trucks on the road and into a lot halfway down the hill. Food trucks have reported a significant drop in sales at the new location.

Portland will gather feedback on its food truck pilot program on the Eastern Promenade this fall as some food truck operators say it hasn’t been working and they’re looking for changes ahead of next season.

Interim City Manager Danielle West said Monday the city is aiming to launch a survey Oct. 3 to gather feedback from the public. The program, which launched this spring, moved food trucks from the promenade road to a parking lot on Cutter Street to better manage concerns about trash, pedestrian safety and traffic around the trucks.

Katahdin, Alto Terrace

| Posted in Under Construction

Katahdin (website, facebook) owners Becky Simmons and Winnie Moody have announced they’ll be shutting down their longtime Forest Ave restaurant after service this Saturday. The closure is a result of a building renovation plan by their landlords Portland Stage. Moody and Simmons plan to relocate Katahdin. Details on the new location are TBD.

A new restaurant called Alto Terrace + Kitchen (website, facebook, instagram) is planned for the new Cambria Hotel under construction at 25 Hancock Street. The hotel and restaurant are expected to open this fall.

Maine Dayboat Sea Scallops

| Posted in Fisheries

Eater has published an article about Togue Brawn and her work developing the Maine dayboat sea scallop market.

Brawn slices each plump, ivory-colored cylinder into thinner disks she lays on a platter. “The texture is what you should really notice, and the flavor is good and not fishy,” she says, then a confession: “I am obsessed with scallops.” She wants everyone else to be obsessed with scallops, too. And since the pandemic caused a swell of enthusiasm for mail-ordered foodstuffs — including Brawn’s scallops — that time may well be nigh.

NYT 2022 List: Leeward & Twelve

| Posted in Reviews

The New York Times has included Leeward and Twelve on their newly released 2022 list of the “50 places in America we’re most excited about right now.”

We traveled widely and ate avidly as we built the annual list of our favorite restaurants in America. From Oklahoma City to Juncos, Puerto Rico, to Orcas Island off the coast of Washington State, our food reporters, editors and critics found revelatory Ethiopian barbecue, innovative Haitian cooking and possibly the most delicious fried pork sandwich in the United States.

Upcoming Events: Lobster Week, Whiskey Tasting, Délicieux, Common Ground

| Posted in Events

Monday – Sunday – Maine Lobster Week is taking place.

Thursday – Man & Oak is holding a free whiskey tasting featuring the “Jack Daniels Single Barrel series, Gentleman Jack, and the Woodford Reserve Family of Brands”.

Friday – there will be a screening of Délicieux (watch the subtitled trailer) directed by Eric Besnard at Talbot Hall on the USM campus. The movie is part of the Champlain Film Festival.

Saturday – Cantillon Zwanze Day is taking place at Novare Res.

Friday – Sunday – the Common Ground Fair is taking place in Unity. While you’re there be sure to stop by the Hayloft Tent where heirloom apple experts John Bunker (from Super Chilly Farm and Out on a Limb CSA) and Sean Turley (aka The Righteous Russet) are holding apple tastings (Fri/Sat 4-5, Sun 3-4) and a cider apple tasting on Sunday 2-3.

October 1 – the Uncork Me wine festival is taking place at the Portland Expo.

October 8 – Oxbow is holding their annual Goods from the Woods event in Newcastle.

October 9 – Dandelion Spring Farm is holding a Harvest Feast. The meal will be a “Contemporary American style dinner influenced by Kristie Rudolph’s Korean American heritage. This multi-course dinner will be celebrating the best of seasonal produce along with local proteins.”

October 9 – the Maine Cheese Guild is holding Maine Open Creamery Day.

October 12 – the chefs from Oberlin (from Providence, Rhode Island) and Regards will be serving a collaboration dinner.

October 16 – MOFGA is holding Great Maine Apple Day at Unity.

October 27 – 29 – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.

Portland HS Customers

| Posted in People

The Press Herald reports on the relationship between downtown restaurants and their Portland HS customers.

“I feel every student should be able to eat,” said Trinh Le-Tran, owner of the Vietnamese kiosk Pho Huong and mother of a 2-year-old daughter. “If someone comes and they don’t have enough money, I’ll still go ahead and make them the meal. It feels better to know they’ve had something to eat during the day.”

Pho Huong’s entrees run between $8 and $14.50. But for the start of the school year, Le-Tran also offers a dozen $6 student specials, including banh mi sandwiches, burritos and pho. She said pad Thai and fried rice are usually the big specials sellers, and bubble tea with its chewy balls of tapioca is a must for the student set.

Upcoming Events: Me Lon Togo Dinner, Farms for Food Equity, Pasilla

| Posted in Events

Monday – Me Lon Togo in Rockland will be hosting winemaker Tinashe Nyamudoka from  Kumusha Wines in South Africa for a wine dinner.

Tuesday – The Well at Jordan Farm is holding a benefit dinner for Farms for Food Equity (website).

Friday – Sunday – the Roux Institute is holding a start-up weekend focusing on Blue Tech business ideas.

Sunday – Pasilla is holding a pop-up at Apres in East Bayside.

September 19 – 25 – Maine Lobster Week is taking place.

September 23 – 25 – the Common Ground Fair is taking place in Unity. While you’re there be sure to stop by the Hayloft Tent where heirloom apple experts John Bunker (from Super Chilly Farm and Out on a Limb CSA) and Sean Turley (aka The Righteous Russet) are holding apple tastings (Fri/Sat 4-5, Sun 3-4) and a cider apple tasting on Sunday 2-3.

October 1 – the Uncork Me wine festival is taking place at the Portland Expo.

October 8 – Oxbow is holding their annual Goods from the Woods event in Newcastle.

October 9 – Dandelion Spring Farm is holding a Harvest Feast. The meal will be a “Contemporary American style dinner influenced by Kristie Rudolph’s Korean American heritage. This multi-course dinner will be celebrating the best of seasonal produce along with local proteins.”

October 9 – the Maine Cheese Guild is holding Maine Open Creamery Day.

October 27 – 29 – Harvest on the Harbor is taking place.

Review of Jing Yan, Ice Cream Trucks, Foodtopia

| Posted in General News, Reviews, Profiles

Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram includes a review of Jing Yan,

You won’t find menu categories for countries or cuisines; instead you’ll find inventive twists on techniques and ingredients. Start with a plate of numbing Sichuan chicken wings with prickly, tingly spice: some of the best wings anywhere in town. Then go for a bowl of brothless Korean “spaghetti” (really a gochujang-seasoned mazemen ramen) and a clay pot of Eslami’s lush, confit Persian-Peking duck fesenjoon. Thanks to Eslami’s breadth of experience, Jing Yan isn’t a haphazard pan-Asian joint. It’s a tightly conceived restaurant that unites comforting flavors and rock-solid technique.

as well as article about the Deering Ice Cream truck and an article about the book Foodtopia.

Layalina Opens Friday

| Posted in Openings

A new Middle Eastern restaurant called Layalina (instagram) is scheduled to open today at 10 am. Layalina is located at 275 Main Street in Biddeford a few doors down from Elements Coffee Shop.

Layalina will specialize in Middle Eastern food Arabian Gulf region. Owner Talal Alzefiri will be serving a menu that includes lentil soup, fatoush salad, falafel sandwich, chicken or beef shwarma sandwiches, grilled lamb sandwich, a mixed grill plate, stuffed grape leaves and hummus. You can pre-order takeout online. Alzefiri is also the owner of Alhadidi Market in Biddeford.

Layalina will be open Wednesday through Monday, 10 am to 9 pm.