The program for the Maine Garden Show’s Meet the Chefs program indicates that new Mexican restaurant slated for York Street is going to be called Taco Land. It was originally thought that Taco Land was going to be located at the old spot for the Icehouse but it now looks like it will be just down the street where Harbor View Pizza used to be.
Asmara
Cornucopasetic has reviewed Asmara.
There aren’t that many places in Portland where one may find an entirely whole food vegetarian meal, but Asmara is certainly one of them. I knew about this place a few years ago, but never found the time to go. What a mistake.
Maine Food and Drink Certificate
Kris Horton and Margo Mallar will be teaching a course on cheese this Winter. The first class, Three Milks: Cow, Goat and Sheep, takes place February 10. This is intended to be “the first module in the Maine Food and Drink Certificate program, designed to create a cadre of Maine Food and Drink ambassadors, who can serve as knowledgeable volunteers at various events throughout the state.”
January's Stats
The 10 restaurants looked up most often during the month of January were:
- Loco Pollo (1)
- Paciarino (-)
- Bresca (4)
- Emilitsa (2)
- Evangeline (3)
- Five Fifty-Five (7)
- Miyake (10)
- Caiola’s (6)
- Local 188 (23)
- Olive Cafe (76)
The numbers in parentheses indicates their rank last month.
Super Bowl
If you’re looking for a place to watch the Super Bowl, 1:00 a.m. Curfew has a list of local bars planning to air the big game. And if you’re looking for eats to pick-up for home viewing, Rosemont Market on Brighton will be grilling up wings to go on the front porch and promises “all the other party supplies you may want (except for foam finger-pointer thingies and beer helmets).”
Fisherman Trades in Boat for Business Degree
There’s an article in today’s paper about a fisherman, Craig Pendleton a 3rd generation fisherman, and his decision to get out of fishing entirely.
Pendleton, 48, is trying to sell his boat, and last month started taking classes toward a business degree at Husson University in South Portland. For the third-generation fisherman, it is more than a career change. It’s the end of a way of life and a family heritage.
“I’m the last Pendleton to fish out of Camp Ellis,” he said. “I held out for as long as I could.”
Miss Portland Diner
The Miss Portland Diner received 3½ stars from this week’s Taste & Tell column in today’s Maine Sunday Telegram.
Simple, and straightforward, Miss Portland Diner’s classic informal meals show off fresh ingredients and a light touch, especially appetizing with their low prices.
New Ideas for Lobstermen
Lobstermen hit hard by low prices are looking for new business models to help make themselves profitable, according to an article in this week’s edition of The Forecaster.
Chebeague Island, a handful of men in thick flannel shirts joked: “How many lobstermen does it take to change a light bulb? … Change?” But that’s exactly what they were setting out to do.
Loco Pollo
The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Loco Pollo.
Loco Pollo gets the tamale right in many ways. They respect tradition without becoming mired in it. They use enough lard to impart some richness without making the dough heavy. They steam them long enough to keep them moist but not wet. They use several wrappings, cornhusk in the Mexican style and banana leaf like the Central Americans, which impart different subtle flavors to the meal. And they fill them with meats, cheeses, and chilis fresh and ample enough that the soggy aroma fills your head.
Community Supported Fisheries
CSFs are front and center in this article in the Food & Health section of today’s Press Herald. According to the article, a number of community supported fisheries will be on hand at the CSA Fairs taking place across the state on February 8.
As of last week, organizers were expecting lobster and mussel shares to be offered in Portland, lobster and shrimp in Brunswick, and mussels in Newcastle. Seafood shares were also expected to be available in Belfast, Orono and maybe Saco and Ellsworth.