D Ajan’s Supermarket (website, facebook) at 170 Brighton Ave opened on September 22nd. D Ajan’s occupies the former 7-11 building at the intersection with Saint John Street. The market specializes in “American, Pakistani, Indian and Middle Eastern Products”.
Maine Restaurant Relief Fund
To promote and raise funds for the Maine Restaurant Relief Fund, a growing number of Maine’s talented chefs are collaborating to produce a biweekly cooking show called Sunday Supper. The first three shows are all available online:
Episode 1 – Summer Classics features chefs David Turin, David’s Restaurants; Paolo Laboa, Solo Italiano in Portland; Charlie Zorich and Kirk Linder, The Hichborn in Stockton Springs; Ilma Lopez, Chaval in Portland.
Episode 2 – Comfort Food features chefs Daron Goldstein, Provender Kitchen + Bar in Ellsworth; Carter Light of Coda in Southwest Harbor; Casey Harmon of Havana in Bar Harbor; Cameron Prescott of Copita in Northwest Harbor; & Sara Jenkins of Nina June in Rockport.
Episode 3 – Backyard Barbecue features chefs Justin Walker of Walker’s Maine; David Vargas of Ore Nell’s Barbecue; Ben Hasty & Jen Fecteau of Engrain; Becca Poirier of DaVinci’s.
Watch the shows and consider making a donation to the fund.
Episode 4 is slated to air on October 4th.
Review of Leeward
The Blueberry Files has published a first look review of Leeward.
The chicken liver mousse with a crab apple mostarda and crackers. So good, with its salty, sweet, richness. We also enjoyed the summery burrata and roasted apples, with radishes, pecans, sourdough crisp and balsamic vinegar.
Liu Bian Tan Launched
Portland’s newest food truck, Liu Bian Tan (instagram) launched on Tuesday at the Western Promenade.
Owner Chung Heng Liu is dishing up a menu of “old school” Taiwanese street food which on Tuesday included Yo Mein, Lo Ba Bung, Gua Bao, and Scallion “Bomb” Bing.
LBT will be back on the Western Prom on Thursday, and is scheduled to hold a pop-up takeout dinner in conjunction with Cong Tu Bot on September 29th.
Sunday Food Reading
Grab a cup of coffee and get caught up on some recent food writing about the Portland/Maine food scene:
- Bloomberg interviewed Little Woodfords owner Andrew Zarro about the relocation of his coffee shop and his advice on running a small business.
- WMTW aired a segment on the impact cooler weather will have on restaurant seating capacity during the pandemic.
- The West End News has taken a look at food truck/trailer/cart options in Portland.
- Yesterday’s Press Herald reported on the long delayed re-opening of bars in Maine.
- Today’s Maine Sunday Telegram muses on the long term effects the pandemic will have on the restaurant industry, and takes a look at The Well as an example of a restaurant set up well to operate under the current situation.
Backyard Cider Project
Anoche (website, instagram) has launched an exciting new initiative called the Backyard Cider Project. The Washington Ave cider bar will be gathering apple donations from the public, and work with Cornish Cider Company (website, facebook, instagram) to press, ferment and bottle a “unique cider that showcases the terroir of Maine”.
The finished product is expected to be bottled and available this coming spring along with a map that shows where in Maine the fruit for the community cider project was sourced from.
All across our state apple trees abound on public and private property alike. A large portion of these apples go to waste, and we want your help turning those apples into a unique cider that showcases the terroir of Maine.
With the apple harvest being upon us, we are asking any and all who have access to apple trees to bring us your fruit! [B]ring whatever you can: blemished apples, small apples, crabapples, etc. from now through the end of October. Because good cider apples don’t typically taste good to eat—the more bitter and sour, the better! Drop them off at Anoche any day of the week between 2 pm and 8 pm. Leave them by the front door and come to the window to let us know they are there…we will bring them in!
Happy picking!
Anoche owner Erika Colby shared, “We thought this project could be a fun way to bring people together at a time when the pandemic is keeping us apart. Pressing and fermenting juice into cider is an expression of hope in a better future—one where we can come together again to taste the fruits of the work we did to make this cider possible.”
Everyone who donate a bushel (40 lbs) or more to the Backyard Cider Project will be entered into a drawing to win an apple tree from a local nursery so “we can keep the tradition going for more years to come.”
Anoche opened late last year on Washington Ave serving a menu of draft and bottled cider and Basque food. During the pandemic Anoche has launched an outdoor seating area and cider takeout window serving draft and bottled cider as well as a cider growler service.
Holy Donut in Auburn
Mainebiz reports that The Holy Donut will be opening a new donut shop in Auburn.
Eight years after opening for business with a single shop in Portland, the popular donut maker and retailer is expanding to Auburn, in a former Tim Horton’s coffee shop that’s been vacant for five years. The new store, at 848 Minot Ave., will be Holy Donut’s first location outside greater Portland.
The new location is expected to open before the end of the year.
Salt Pine Social Permanently Closing
The owners of Salt Pine Social in Bath have announced plans to permanently close the restaurant after service on September 26th.
To our Dear friends and loyal followers . We want to thank you for your amazing support during these difficult times and for the love and friendship you have shown us over the years at El Camino and Salt Pine Social. It is with a heavy heart we are reaching out to let you know that Saturday September 26th will be our final day . After over 40 years in this industry we feel it’s time for us to go . The pandemic it seems is the final nail in the coffin for our industry. We find ourselves financially and emotionally unable to continue. We feel truly honored to have been a part of this community and we will miss you .For now we’ll take a deep breath (behind our masks of course) and step boldly into the future and whatever comes next for us we will keep you posted Love and peace to you all . Eloise Daphne and Paul
D Ajans Supermarket
D Ajans Supermarket is under construction at 170 Brighton Ave. D Ajans will occupy the 2,173 sq ft former 7-11 building at the intersection with Saint John Street.
Owner Maaz Ullah is also the founder of the Crown Fried Chicken on Forest Ave.
2020 Agents of Change: Vertical Harvest
Vertical Harvest and co-founder Nona Yehia have been named by CNN as one of their 10 Champions for Change in 2020. A one hour show will featuring Vertical Harvest will air this Saturday September 19th.
Vertical Harvest announced plans earlier this year to build a 70,000 square foot greenhouse in Westbrook which is expected to open in 2022.