Food Cart Space Competition & Orange Lobster

| Posted in General News, Fisheries

The Portland Daily Sun published a report on the competition for prime locations among Portland food  cart vendors.

Most pushcart food vendors will tell you there’s an unspoken agreement among the 23 licensed sidewalk restaurateurs currently operating in Portland: Once you get a spot, stick with it, and no one will mess with you.

But this agreement can at times clash with the official stance of the city, which doesn’t recognize street cart vendors’ seniority. And some vendors say that competition, especially on Commerical Street, can get fierce.

The newspaper also includes an article on a rare orange lobster that’s on display at Harbor Fish Market.

Ben Alfiero, owner of Harbor Fish Market on Custom House Wharf, has seen a lot of lobsters over his 35 years in the business, but this is only the second orange one to have graced his tanks.

Amedeo Reali

| Posted in People

Today’s Press Herald observes the passing of Amedeo J. Reali, the long time owner of the old Village Cafe.

Mr. Reali took his father’s business, the Village Cafe, from a small, 20-seat cafe established in 1936 to a 500-seat Italian family restaurant. Even when the popular restaurant closed in December 2007, he still had his hand in the works.

“He wanted to work two days a week, which was Tuesday and Thursday lunch,” said his son, who had taken over the restaurant. “He still watched things closely, especially the sauce. That was one recipe he wanted to protect.”

For more information see the official obituary notice.

Red's Dairy Freeze Demolition

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report in The Forecaster the Red’s Dairy Freeze building is going to be demolished and owner hopes to eventually rebuild. Red’s was seriously damaged by fire earlier this year.

Code Enforcement Officer Patricia Doucette said the owner of Red’s has obtained a city permit to demolish the popular, soft-serve ice cream shop that was scorched by an early morning electrical fire on May 16.

Doucette said owner Chris Bolling indicated he would raze all but two ground layers of concrete and rebuild on the existing foundation. The permit, issued last week, is good for six months, she said.

For more information see the Portland Press Herald article published 7/24/2010.

Red’s Dairy Freeze Demolition

| Posted in Under Construction

According to a report in The Forecaster the Red’s Dairy Freeze building is going to be demolished and owner hopes to eventually rebuild. Red’s was seriously damaged by fire earlier this year.

Code Enforcement Officer Patricia Doucette said the owner of Red’s has obtained a city permit to demolish the popular, soft-serve ice cream shop that was scorched by an early morning electrical fire on May 16.

Doucette said owner Chris Bolling indicated he would raze all but two ground layers of concrete and rebuild on the existing foundation. The permit, issued last week, is good for six months, she said.

For more information see the Portland Press Herald article published 7/24/2010.

August in Maine: John Naylor & Lobster Rolls

| Posted in People, Profiles

The August issue of Maine magazine includes a Joe Ricchio A List column on Lobster Rolls (hint: his favorite is at Old Port Sea Grill) and a profile of John Naylor who together with co-owner Scott Anderson founded Rosemont Market and Bakery.

If you walk into any of the Rosemont stores, they feel more like a chef’s ideal pantry than a business. Each item has been hand-selected, and while the stores are small, they somehow contain everything you need. In addition to offering some of the best vegetables and locally raised meats in the state, they also sell freshly baked bread, have a discerning selection of inexpensive and higher-priced wines, and serve a selection of gourmet foods [made] from the same local vegetables and meats they carry.

The articles aren’t online (yet) but you can usually pick up a free copy of the magazine at Bard Coffee.

August in Maine: John Naylor & Lobster Rolls

| Posted in People, Profiles

The August issue of Maine magazine includes a Joe Ricchio A List column on Lobster Rolls (hint: his favorite is at Old Port Sea Grill) and a profile of John Naylor who together with co-owner Scott Anderson founded Rosemont Market and Bakery.

If you walk into any of the Rosemont stores, they feel more like a chef’s ideal pantry than a business. Each item has been hand-selected, and while the stores are small, they somehow contain everything you need. In addition to offering some of the best vegetables and locally raised meats in the state, they also sell freshly baked bread, have a discerning selection of inexpensive and higher-priced wines, and serve a selection of gourmet foods [made] from the same local vegetables and meats they carry.

The articles aren’t online (yet) but you can usually pick up a free copy of the magazine at Bard Coffee.

Tips on Opening Your Own Restaurant

| Posted in General News

Portland Daily Sun columnist Natalie Ladd has provided some guidance for people who are considering opening their own restaurant.

The debatable statistic is that nine out of ten restaurants fail within the first year, but just about everyone is enamored with the thought of flitting from table to table greeting guests and chatting about the freshest local ingredients, or hiding in the kitchen to create a favorite recipe for the masses. Many of the dreamers who have romanticized these visions don’t know the first thing about the financial Restaurant Big 3 (food, beverage, payroll costs), or if they do, are unsure how to manage them.

Ice Cream, Hip Chicks and Red Wine

| Posted in People, Profiles, Wine

Today’s Press Herald reports on a new gelato shop that’s due in September, interviews MDI Ice Cream about their new business in Portland and reports on the “Obama Bump” they’ve received since the First Family ate there.

Even President Obama couldn’t resist a coconut cone from Mount Desert Island Ice Cream in Bar Harbor during his visit to Maine last weekend. The sight of the leader of the free world enjoying his afternoon treat sent sales of coconut ice cream soaring at MDI’s Bar Harbor and Portland stores, according to owner Linda Parker. More wholesale orders came rolling in as well.

An interview with macrobiotic author and former Maine resident Jessica Porter,

A former Mainer, Porter lived in Portland when she wrote “The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics.” The fun book — which mixes humorous advice and explanations with recipes — was published in 2004 and reigns as Amazon’s top seller in the macrobiotic category.

Porter returns to Portland next week to conduct a macrobiotic cooking class a week from today, followed by a lecture the following Friday, “Is the Macrobiotic Diet Vegan?” Both will take place at the Five Seasons Cooking School on Munjoy Hill.

and Joe Appel recommends a trio of red wines that are right for Summer.