New Owners at Yosaku

| Posted in People

Yosaku (instagram) has changed hands and is now owned and operated by Rattanak Tray and Hope MacVane-Tray. Rattanak Tray has been a sushi chef at Yosaku since it opened for business 19 years ago.

The couple are happy to have the opportunity to build on the legacy established by retiring owners Takahiro and Susan Sato who founded Yosaku in 2003.

The Trays plan to make some changes including adding 20 new sakes and 6 Japanese whiskeys, a Japanese gin and a Japanese vodka to the bar menu—Yosaku now offer daily special $10 sake flights. They are planning on bringing back some old favorites to the menu and some changes to the interior design including a larger bar for both indoor dining and to better support take out order pick-up.

Casita El Corazon

| Posted in Under Construction

El Corazon has leased the former 158 Pickett Street Cafe building where they plan to open a South Portland outpost of their Longfellow Square restaurant. Renovations are underway. When it opens the South Portland location is expected to be open Tuesday through Saturday.

El Corazon initially launched as a food truck in 2013 before taking over the former Petite Jacqueline space in Longfellow Square in 2017. The 158 Pickett Street Cafe closed last August after 20 years in business.

Brewing Up Opportunity Internship-Scholarship Fund

| Posted in General News, Beer

Maine Beer Company has made a $100,000 gift to the University of Southern Maine to establish the Brewing Up Opportunity Internship-Scholarship Fund. The fund will “provide access to education, on-the-job training, and mentoring to help develop a new generation of beer industry professionals.⁣”

Maine Beer Company co-founder and USM Alum Daniel Kleban noted, “Our hope is that this collaboration with USM creates an access point into craft beer and expands the understanding of what a career in this industry can be, while at the same time cultivating the industry’s next generation and changing the narrative of who makes up that community.”⁣
⁣
The fund will support USM students across multiple disciplines, who wish to pursue careers within and connected to the craft beverage industry, with internship-scholarships awarded to individuals from traditionally underrepresented populations, first-generation college students, or students coming to Maine from an international location.

For additional information see this article in Mainebiz and information on the USM website.

Moonday Coffee on Washington Ave

| Posted in Under Construction

David Kessel from Moonday (instagram) and his partner Rebecca Perea-Kane who is the founder of Thicket (instagram) have leased the former Ishi Ishi space on Washington Ave where they plan to jointly operate their coffee bar and jewelry businesses.

Kessel launched Moonday this past summer as a food cart serving espresso-based coffee drinks prepared with beans from Speckled Ax. Moonday will be expanding their menu with a selection of teas at the new shop.

Renovations are well underway and they expect to open within a few weeks. Hours for the business are still TBD.

Slide Street Co.

| Posted in Under Construction

A new food cart called Slide Street Co. (instagram) is under development and expected to launch in spring 2022.

Chef/owner Adam Heath is planning a menu of “Slider sized burgers and sandwiches with a colorful twist”. The flagship burger will be The Acadia which is a Maine beef burger prepared with bacon rillette, IPA jalapeño pickle, Pineland Farms cheddar, and a blueberry mustarda. Heath also expects to have a rotating list of specials. Other items on the menu will be the Lil’ Squeeler (confit Pork belly, rose harissa, miso pineapple relish, green jade matcha bun) and the Hibiscus Biscuit (Hot fried chicken patty, basil honey, pickled cabbage, hibiscus biscuit). As a special twist that makes Slide Street sandwiches colorful and distinctive Heath will be creating house-made buns that use natural food colors to create brightly colored sandwich buns.

Heath moved to Portland in 2008 and has worked for a number of local restaurants including as part of the kitchen team that initially launched Tiqa, summers working at The Inn on Peaks Island and at Union at The Press Hotel for the last 4-5 years. He’s excited to be launching his own business and the opportunity to “showcase my own dishes and flavor profiles that I know the all patrons will enjoy everyday”.

Heath is planning to launch a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter next week to raise funds to support this new business.

Tim Cebula Joins Press Herald

| Posted in People

The Press Herald has hired Tim Cebula (linkedin, instagram) as their new food and dining reporter. Cebula will be backfilling the position long held by Meredith Goad who retired late last year.

Cebula grew up in Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and a master’s in magazine journalism from Boston University. After college he worked as a reporter for the Berkshire Eagle, a food editor for Berkshire magazine and wrote freelance food and feature articles for The Boston Globe.

Cebula has also worked in the restaurant industry, and was the sous chef for The Old Inn on the Green in New Marlboro.

From the mid-2000s until 2018 he was on staff at Cooking Light as a writer and senior editor. He now lives in Old Orchard Beach where he’s pursued a consulting and freelance writing career while working on a novel.

Stonewall Kitchen Moving

| Posted in Under Construction

The Portland Stonewall Kitchen store on Middle Street is expected to close by the end of March. Stonewall is still searching for a new space in Portland to move to. Stay tuned for details on the location and timing as they become available.

The current store is located at 182 Middle Street across from Bard Coffee and Tommy’s Park. There’s no word yet on anyone moving into that spot.

Beer With(out) Beards

| Posted in Events

Mainebiz has a report on the Beer With(out) Beards festival taking place in Portland this April.

The craft beer industry is heavily hirsute, but a female-focused festival coming to Portland in April is looking to change that.

The Beer With(out) Beards Festival will celebrate the achievements of women in craft beer, and will showcase over 35 breweries nationwide that are owned or led by women and femme-identifying people, organizers recently announced.

Tickets are now on sale, for more information see this page on www.hopculture.com.

Upcoming Events: Dempsey Dinner, GF Tasting, Cooing Classes, Valentine’s Day

| Posted in Events

February – Visit Freeport is holding their annual Flavors of Freeport this month including their Freeport Foodie Lotto challenge.

Thursday – The Maker’s Galley is teaching a mushroom-focused cooking class, The Yard is hold a pre-Valentine’s Day Dueling Pianos event, Evo is holding a dinner in support of the Dempsey Center with seatings at 5:30 or 7:45, and there will be a gluten-free tasting event at Apres.

Sunday – Great Wave Sushi is teaching a sushi cooking class.

Valentine’s Day – this list continues to grow as restaurants announce their plans.

  • Apres – raw bar operated by the Lady Shuckers and live music.
  • Black Tie – a Valentine’s take-out menu for two; order by February 8th.
  • BlueFin – is serving a menu of “featured Valentine’s Day cocktails”.
  • Blue Spoon – will have some Valentine’s Day specials along with their regular menu.
  • Bravo Maine – is holding a French Bistro cooking class.
  • Brickyard Hollow – 4-couse menu with complimentary prosecco toast during dessert.
  • Broken Arrow – a 4-course tasting menu with optional pairings.
  • Butter and Kale – 4-course meals for 2; both vegan ($185) and omnivore ($195) options are available.
  • Cellardoor Winery – “Valentine’s Flight features six wines for $25 a person; every two flights purchased includes a sharable charcuterie board.”
  • Chaval – will be serving a special Valentine’s Day menu, details are still TBD.
  • Elda – Valentine’s Day tasting menu; $125 per person.
  • Evo Kitchen + Bar – a 6-course dinner for $120 per person, also available for takeout.
  • Fork Food Lab – a Valentine’s Day collaboration between Lady Shuckers and Galatic Hobo Sauce featuring Maine-grown oysters from two women-owned farms.
  • Gelato Fiasco – take-home sundae kits for Valentine’s Day which include two hand-packed pints, two brownies and the choice of Valentine-themed toppings and Valentine’s sprinkles.
  • Isa Bistro – 3-course dinner for $75 per person.
  • Knotted Apron – 4-course prix fixe dinner; $79 per person.
  • Lake & Co – “romantic ready to reheat dinner and dessert for pick up or delivery” on Saturday the 12th; order deadline on the 8th.
  • Maria’s – pre-order takeout dinner for pick-up on the 12th or 13th, and open on the 14th.
  • Rosemont – has a Valentine’s Day pre-order menu.
  • Ruby’s West End – 3-course dinner with vegan and non-vegan options, and optional wine pairings; available February 11 – 14.
  • Stroudwater Distilling – 3-course meal and “comedy line up features Mike Gray, with Ray Harrington headlining, and Ian MacDonald hosting”.
  • The Maker’s Galley – 4-course prix fixe dinner.
  • Tiny Feats Confections – Chocolate Raspberry Tortes available for pre-order.
  • Top of the East – a 3-course take-out dinner; order by February 11th.
  • Vena’s Fizz House – a Valentine’s Day mixology class.
  • Verbena’s – will be serving a Valentine’s weekend menu featuring the flavors of Southeast Asia.
  • Wine Wise – a Black Truffle Wine Dinner for two in collaboration with Chaval; $250, delivery included.
  • Yardie Ting – will be serving a surf and turf dinner for two at the Public Market House; $80 for a couple.
  • Other Restaurants – some restaurants may also be open serving their usual menu, check in with your favorite spots to find out if they are open Monday the 14th.
  • Chocolate shops and bakeries – check in with your favorite chocolate shops and bakeries to find what Valentine’s Day special candies and baked goods they may have available.

February 17 – The Porthole is holding a wine dinner.

February 24 – Judy Gibson is holding a Portuguese wine dinner.

March 1 – 12 – Maine Restaurant Week.

March 5 – the launch party for Absolem Cider from Winthrop Maine is taking place at Anoche on Washington Ave.

March 29 – Maine’s newest cidery the Absolem Cider Company and Oxbow Brewing will collaborating on a beer/cider dinner at the Oxbow Beer Garden in Oxford.

April 9 – the Beard With(out) Bears festival will be taking place.

June 13 – 19 – the 5th Annual Portland Wine Week will be taking place.

Indy’s Sandwich

| Posted in Under Construction

Indy’s Sandwich (website, facebook, instagram) is under construction at 744 Maine Street in South Portland.

The new business is a collaboration between Darit Chandpen and Aujima Pitafai from Mi Sen, Pattira Tedford from Mitr, Inorn Ongkeo from Lots of Eats in North Andover, Massachusetts, and Nattasak Wongsaichua and Danai Sriprasert from Boda and Green Elephant.

Indy’s will serve breakfast and lunch with an American-Asian fusion menu of sandwiches as well as some appetizers and hot soup and specialty entrees. Indy’s will have a beer and wine license. The restaurant will be set-up for quick take-out but will also have some indoor seating.

The owners are all friends who have long wanted to collaborate on a sandwich shop and are excited to bring this concept to South Portland.