The Velveteen Habit is scheduled to serve a dinner at the James Beard House this spring on April 25th.
Under Construction: Portland Meatball Co.
Planning is underway to convert 104 Exchange Street, currently the home of Pierre’s of Exchange Street, to a restaurant. The 2,300 square foot space is slated to be the home of the Portland Meatball Company.
According to PMC’s trademark application, “all of our products/food/menu items are produced and sourced from local Maine farms and local Maine Businesses.”
Pizzaiolo Controversy Explored
BDN columnist Chris Busby has examined in more depth the Facebook posts published by Pat Scally, owner of a new pizzeria under construction on Cumberland Ave.
I believe that, but I don’t believe Scally posted those memes by mistake. I think Scally is ignorant about politics (he admits as much) and insensitive to racist rhetoric (which he also concedes), but is not a hateful person or someone I would consider a racist.
That said, I believe James was right to bring those memes to the community’s attention, and people certainly have the right to criticize Scally for the posts and refuse to eat his pizza. But had this matter ended there on Facebook, Portland would be a more divided and dangerous place as a result. There’d be more hatred, less understanding, and no opportunity for an apology or forgiveness. If we’re going to keep the real racists at bay (and out of the White House), we’ll need to do more reaching out than flipping out.
7 Reviews: Tomaso’s, Bayou Kitchen, Bao Bao, Samuel’s, Terlingua, Slab, Oxbow
The Bollard has reviewed Terlingua and Slab.
Slab successfully transforms traditional brunch ingredients into imaginative new dishes with bold flavors. There are at least a half dozen other menu items I want to try. The next time I’m torn between craving the familiar and the unexpected, I know exactly where I’m going.
The Press Herald has published a review of Tomaso’s and a bar review of Oxbow.
Tomaso’s Canteen is a short walk from just about anywhere in downtown Portland and I encourage people to color outside their pre-established lunch lines and give it a whirl. Don’t be in a huge hurry so you can sit back and relax.
The Golden Dish has reviewed both Bayou Kitchen and Bao Bao.
The homies were perfectly delicious red-skinned potatoes given a nice crisping on the flat top. Two poached eggs were just right, with firm whites and runny yolks. I chose Bayou’s cornbread as my toast selection. It was so light that the bread nearly crumbled in my hand.
Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Samuel’s.
We finished eating and paid our bill which I believe was somewhere around $40 buck before tip. It wasn’t pricey, but the food didn’t distinguish itself in selection or quality. Nonetheless, it wasn’t bad and was pretty much what one would expect from a neighborhood location outside of Portland.
Zoning Blocks Brewery Snack Sales
The Press Herald reports that Portland zoning on Industrial Way currently blocks breweries from selling pretzels and other packaged snacks with their beer.
A city zoning administrator has denied the Allagash Brewing Co.’s request to sell prepackaged snacks – such as chips, popcorn and trail mix – to beer tasters at the company’s brewery on Industrial Way, an area that has become a hotbed for beer enthusiasts who flock to its cluster of breweries to sample and buy fresh beer and ale. An Allagash representative will appear Thursday before the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals to try to have the ruling overturned.
“We’re not trying to expand our business,” said Jill Perry, Allagash’s retail manager. “We’re just trying to be responsible purveyors of alcohol.”
Under Construction: Ziggy’s Food Truck
(Un)Dress Code
This week’s Portland Phoenix explores the absence of dress codes at Portland restaurants.
While big cities like New York or Chicago still maintain a few restaurants with dress codes, even Portland’s finest establishments take a relaxed attitude toward customer appearance. Is the dining scene here too casual?
Under Construction: Sip of Europe (Updated)
Sip of Europe (website, facebook, instagram, twitter) has leased a 600 square foot space at 229 Congress Street. For the past year Sip of Europe owner Yulia Aleksandrovna has run a seasonal open air coffee shop on the pier in Old Orchard Beach.
Aleksandrovna found success in Old Orchard Beach and decided to open a shop in Portland to “share goodness with other Mainers” on a year round basis. Sip of Europe will serve Lavazza Coffee from Italy, as well as sweet and savory crepes.
Sip of Europe is moving into the space next to Ramen Suzukiya formerly occupied by Goddy G’s clothing store. Aleksandrovna hopes to open as soon as possible but understands that permitting and build-out can sometimes take longer than expected.
Mockingfish Bottle Release
Rising Tide is holding a bottle release on January 15th for Mockingfish, their tequila barrel-aged Gose.
Draft magazine included Mockingfish in their list of the Top 25 Beers of 2015.
The release begins at noon and there will be a 12-bottle limit.
Under Construction: Bissell Brothers Moving
After months of speculation, Bissell Brothers has confirmed that they’ll be moving the brewery to Thompson’s Point in 2016.
We are excited to announce that in the second quarter of 2016 we will be moving our entire operation to the Brick North building at Thompson’s Point in Portland. The move will include a significant increase in production capacity, tap room size, & retail efficiency, while allowing us to keep the Bissell Brothers spirit, experience, and commitment to providing fresh beer for Maine intact.
The announcement from Noah and Peter Bissell shares that the “need to consider relocation came far earlier than any of us expected” and they are “pumped to be able to use the flexibility of the larger space to deliver you more of the beers you love, as well as new offerings, and take customer service and the on-premise experience to the next level”.
Bissell Brothers plan to send out regular updates as the build out for the new brewery gets under way.
Plans submitted to the planning board for Thompson’s Point show a 10,000 square foot designated for a brewery. In addition to Bissell Brothers, the point will also be home to a 5,000 square foot tasting room for Cellardoor Winery, Stroudwater Spirits distillery, and Jason Loring’s seafood restaurant called The Point.