Portland Beer Week

| Posted in Events, Beer

Today’s edition of the Press Herald includes an article about Portland Beer Week and a comprehensive calendar of all 75 PBW events.

Portland Beer Week begins Friday and runs through Nov. 10. It’s only the event’s second year, but last year’s Beer Week was so successful there was never really any question that it would have an encore. Allison Stevens, owner of the Thirsty Pig on Exchange Street, owns the event and began meeting last January with about 10 other organizers to evaluate the best and the worst from last year and plan activities for this year.

For more information check out the Portland Beer Week website.

Little Bigs

| Posted in Profiles

The Bangor Daily News has published a profile on Little Bigs bakery.

Set up like an open kitchen, Pamela makes dough in one area while her husband prepares fillings in another. Little Bigs takes customers off guard. Is it a shop or a commercial bakery?

It’s neither.

“We call it a food studio. A place where we come to work and it just so happens that we sell the stuff that we do,” James said. “We are both very happy to do what we do.”

Review of Miyake and Pai Men Miyake

| Posted in Reviews

Booze, Fish & Coffee have published a review of Miyake and Pai Men Miyake.

This week Bo and Brian deliver a double dose of Masa Miyake, to give you the scoop on the new menu items at both Miyake and Pai Men Miyake in Portland. For you home cooks, the boys share secrets of Japanese pantry items and also how to avoid the top three mistakes in cooking pork loin. And as for drinks this week, they sip sake and teach you how to craft a nifty beverage gift.

Under Construction: Slab

| Posted in Under Construction

Today’s Press Herald includes a front page story on Slab, a new bakery/pizzeria headlined by Stephen Lanzalotta.

Slab will operate in the spot once occupied by Scales, a seafood restaurant that anchored the public market. The space has 30-foot-high beam ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows. If approved by the city, the layout will include an outdoor beer garden with 20 taps and 160 seats.

This Week’s Events: Maine Food Means Business, The Holy Donut, Halloween, Portland Beer Week

| Posted in Events

Tuesday — the Maine Food Means Business Conference kick’s off in Freeport.

Wednesday — The Holy Donut’s new location on Exchange Street will be opening at 7am, it’s the second day of the Maine Food Means Business Conference, and the Monument Square Farmers Market is taking place in the morning.

Thursday — It’s Halloween there will be a Hallowine tasting at Aurora Provisions, Taste Tours will be leading a trick or treat tour of the Old Port, and Hugo’s will be serving a Halloween Curiosities Dinner.

Friday — it’s the start of Portland Beer Week, see portlandbeerweek.org for a full calendar of the all PBW activities taking place November 1-10. There will be a wine tasting at the West End Deli and it’s the November edition of First Friday Art Walk.

Saturday — the Maine Brewers Festival will be held at the Expo, LeRoux Kitchen and Browne Trading are holding wine tastings, and the Deering Oaks Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Petite Jacqueline kicks off their fall movie night series with a screening of Entre Les Bras.

Winter Farmers Market — the Winter Farmers Market will be starting up on December 7. This year they’ll be located at the Urban Farm Fermentory on Anderson Street in East Bayside.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.

Changes on Exchange Street: Steak House, Mornings in Paris, Holy Donut #2

| Posted in Under Construction, Openings, Closings

There are a number of changes taking place on Exchange Street:

  • The Mornings in Paris coffee shop at 13 Exchange Street is closing down sometime next month. From what I’ve heard the owners are closing their Portland location in order to focus their energies on the MiP in Kennebunk.
  • The new Holy Donut location at 7 Exchange Street is scheduled to open this coming Wednesday at 7 am.
  • North Point owner Daniel Talmatch is launching a steakhouse. He’s hasn’t signed a lease yet but hopes to locate the new restaurant at 106 Exchange, the longtime home of Oriental Table.