Chef Christian Gordon from the The Inn on Peaks Island has been named 2009 Chef of the Year by the Maine Restaurant Association.
Price Fixing?
An article in the latest issue of Working Waterfront reports on the belief by some that the recent fluctuations in lobster price are the result of price fixing.
Some fishermen think dealers and poundkeepers cheat them and have “since time immemorial,” to quote one, as a matter of course, and nothing will disabuse them of this notion. But fishermen and dealers from both sides of the border, this time, were sure someone-and by that they meant one of the big dealers or perhaps one of the big Canadian processors-must have been manipulating the price. There could be no other reason for the price to jump so high so fast.
Over Grow Organic Cafe
Portland Psst! is reporting on a new cafe and “juice joint” called Over Grow Organic Cafe going in at 437 Congress St.
Freaky Beans Closes 2 Locations (updated)
According to the Westbrook Diarist, two of Freaky Bean’s locations have closed. Both the store in the Cabela’s mall, and the store on Main Street in Westbrook (which houses their roasting operation) were closed “due to ‘unforeseen circumstances'”. This comes just a few months after Maine Roasters Coffee demerged from Freaky Bean and resumed operation as a separate business.
The Bollard has also published a report on the closings at Freaky Bean and confirms that the location in South Portland and Scarborough are still open.
The Grill Room Review
The Portsmouth Herald has reviewed The Grill Room.
The Grill Room is comfort writ large. Great steaks and specialty dishes, inventive sauces, sides like grandma used to make but you know, your hip grandma, and all in a warm, inviting space that soothes.
Walter's Review
Down East has reviewed Walter’s.
Walter’s seafood-heavy menu hopscotches across cuisines, sometimes within one dish. The grilled fish tacos, for example, consist of haddock over shredded greens, with cheddar and pico de gallo — as well as a sriracha mango tartar sauce and a Fuji apple and jicama slaw. That’s a lot of flavor for one dish.
Coffee Shop Burglaries
According to a report from the Portland Daily Sun, “A Portland man is charged with burglarizing one Coffee by Design store and attempting to break into another one early Wednesday”.
Pizza Villa Interview
Co-owner of Pizza Villa, Tony Regios, was interviewed for the ShopTalk column in today’s Press Herald. Regios along with his brothers Andy and Phil run the business that was started by their father.
Jan Mee Review
Jan Mee received 3 stars from this week’s Eat & Run column in today’s Press Herald.
If done right, a buffet lunch should be both quick and filling. The buffet lunch at Jan Mee Chinese Restaurant in Portland fits that bill. And at $6.75, it’s relatively inexpensive.
Ri-Ra Review
The Portland Bar Guide has reviewed Ri-Ra.
Unless you’ve visited the Ri Ra website you probably didn’t know the bar is a chain with others in Arlington VA, Charlotte NC, Atlantic City, NJ, Evansville, IN, Bethesda, MD, Burlington, VT, Providence, RI and Louisville, KY. Usually, I’m turned off by chain establishments, but Ri Ra has got a killer Happy Hour and I’ve had nothing less than a memorable time when I’ve visited.