This Week’s Events: Pocket Cruise, Summer Session

| Posted in Events

summersessionTuesday — the Local Foods Networking Breakfast is taking place at Local Sprouts, and the Pocket Brunch team is hosting a Pocket Cruise on the Frances.

Wednesday — the Monument Square Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Saturday — More than 50 brewers will be at Thompson’s Point for the Summer Session Beer Festival, and the Deering Oaks Farmers’ Market is taking place.

Indonesian Dinner — The Honey Paw will be serving an Indonesian dinner on August 4 in collaboration with Kaki Lima from Boston. Tickets are available online and are $65 per person.

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.

Under Construction: Tomaso’s Canteen

| Posted in Under Construction

Sam Minervino, owner of Samuel’s Bar & Grill, has applied for a liquor license for Tomaso’s Canteen, the new neighborhood pub he has under construction in the former Sangillo’s. Here’s an excerpt from Minervino’s cover letter,

The decor will pay  homage to the history of the neighborhood. My goal is create a comfortable neighborhood gathering place, where those who live and work nearby can come frequently for a drink and a reasonably priced bit to eat.

The draft menu (page 75) includes the Wings that Samuel’s is known for as well as Italian Subs, Burgers and Fried Stuffed Olives. Tomaso’s is named for Minervino’s great grandfather.

Under Construction: Roustabout

| Posted in Under Construction

Roustabout(twitter, instagram) has applied for a liquor license. The draft menu (page 40) included in the application includes items such as Smoked Baby Back Rigatoni, Roasted Char and Roasted and Dressed Mushrooms.

The restaurant, which includes a private dining room, will seat a total of 75. Owners Kit Paschal and Anders Tallberg hope to open the restaurant this Fall. Roustabout will be open 7 days a week, 11 am to midnight.

roustabout_map

Under Construction: Woodford F&B (updated)

| Posted in Under Construction

A new restaurant called Woodford F&B(facebook, twitter, instagram) is now under construction at 660 Forest Ave. Owner Birch Shambaugh is planning an 85-seat restaurant with a full bar,

Woodford F&B will be a neighborhood restaurant and bar serving dependably delicious Food & Beverage. We’re inspired by classic neighborhood eateries where you can count on having a reasonable, simple meal or, when you feel like it, something a bit more special. Our goal is to make Woodford F&B the kind of welcoming, local spot you’ll want to visit regularly.

The draft menu submitted with the Woodford liquor license application includes items like Radicchio Salad, Fisherman’s Stew and Fried Chicken. Shambaugh hopes to open Woodford F&B this Fall.

woodford_map

660 Forest Ave has a claim to local restaurant fame as the location of the original Valle’s Steakhouse.

Under Construction: Fore River Brewing

| Posted in Under Construction, Beer

The Forecaster has published an article about Fore River Brewing(twitter, facebook, instagram) and the new brewery they’re building in South Portland.

Anastasoff, the former landscape contractor, owns the property and used to store up to 1,600 tons of salt during the winter. After selling his business and repurposing the space, the garage will eventually serve as the brewing area, which will be fronted by a large sliding barn door, in keeping with the “rustic, industrial look,” he said. 

According to the article, Fore River hopes to open in October.

Italian Ramen & Restaurant Vegan Options

| Posted in General News

The Food & Dining section in today’s Press Herald includes an article about Papa’s Juicy Noodles, a packaged noodle dish prepared by the family that opened the first Italian restaurant in Portland,

Enter Papa’s Juicy Noodles, which may never be able to compete with those high-end restaurant selections but will satisfy a nostalgic craving for instant ramen without all the sodium and other bad stuff. Papa’s, produced right here in Maine, can’t be called ramen, actually. Think of it as an Italian version of ramen noodles.

and advice on dining out and eating a plant-based diet.

Yet savvy diners like Woodman know this doesn’t mean a vegan meal is out of the question. As Woodman said, you should always call, “because in my experience they want to bring you in and please you, especially if you are coming with several other people. Chefs can really showcase their skills when preparing a superb vegan dish. It’s one thing to make an excellent meat or seafood dish, but quite another to prepare an excellent vegan entrée.”