Hot Suppa, Micucci’s, Novare Res, The Lobster Shack, Silly’s, Homegrown Herb & Tea, Saltwater Grille, Two Fat Cats and Miyake were all on the agenda when the the Re:Discover series visited Portland. Sarah Richards from Homegrown and Tolef Olson from Ocean Approved were two of the four local hosts for the show.
Strong Blueberry Crop
Today’s Press Herald reports on this year’s blueberry harvest.
Maine’s wild blueberry growers are expecting their biggest crop in more than a decade.
This year’s crop is projected to come in between 90 million to 95 million pounds, with the monthlong harvest kicking into gear the first week of August. If the yield reaches 90 million pounds, it would be the largest harvest since 2000, when production reached a record 110 million pounds.
Review of Walter’s
Life on Food has published a review of Walter’s.
I had the twin filets of beef. Everything about this meal was good. The steak was nice and tender. The taquitos were filled with cheesy, hot peppery greatness. It melted in your mouth.
Review of Minami
The Maine Sunday Telegram has published a review of Minami Japanese Grill.
Sushi purists, stop reading. Japanese cuisine experts too. In fact, any person who self-identifies as a foodie might consider avoiding this essay entirely. My words will be upsetting, and I prefer to get ahead of the criticism. Minami is not for you. For the more flexible palate, read on.
For another point of view read the Chubby Werewolf review of Minami.
Top Hat Coffee Co.
On my way to Grace for a Whole Beast Feast tasting dinner (watch the local food press for more details) I spotted the Top Hat Coffee Company cart in Monument Square. As it turns out Friday was their first day in operation. They serve cold brew iced coffee, pour overs using beans from Bard and Others, Thai Ice Tea, and more.
VIA Campaign for All-American Toast
According to a recent press release VIA, the Portland-based marketing agency, has kicked-off a Facebook campaign to identify an all-American toast.
Realizing that there is no country-specific toast option for U.S. revelers – in the manner of Proust, Salud, Cheers (British), Slainte, Le Chaim and others – VIA decided to do something about this problem just in time for the summer Olympics, where there will hopefully be numerous opportunities for both cheering and ‘cheers’-ing. To accomplish this goal, VIA has selected 10 options to be the new ‘Toast of America’ and created a Facebook app to allow people to vote for their favorite, or make a suggestion for another one.
Drought’s Impact on Food Prices
There’s a front page article in today’s Press Herald exploring how the drought in the rest of the country will be impacting food prices at restaurants and markets here in Maine.
But Tom Barr, one of the owners of Nosh Kitchen Bar and Taco Escobarr in Portland, noted that food prices have already been fluctuating a lot over the past couple of years, for a variety of reasons. He and his partners monitor rising prices, and just charge what they need to in order for the restaurants to survive.
“Basically the philosophy we take is you have to achieve certain margins to keep working,” Barr said, “and as long as we keep putting out quality (food), people keep coming.”
And in the Op/Ed section is a funny (and fictional) piece about the creative economy,
“Do you know that Portland has a higher chefs-to-accountants ratio than any other U.S. city with a population under 160,000? Do you know that 42 percent of the lobstermen who tie up at the docks are also taking Web design classes at SMCC? Do you know –” she started to tremble — “do you know that the Kokomo Tribune said our food carts were second only to Singapore’s and Berlin’s? No, you don’t, do you?!”
Reviews of Becky’s and Duckfat
The author of Bitches Who Brunch was recently in town for a wedding but found time to also sample the food (and milkshakes) at Becky’s,
But it was that blessed milkshake, served in an ice-cold metal tumbler, that was the crème de la crème of Becky’s. Topped with a hefty dollop of whipped cream, my chocolate shake was thick and creamy and absolute perfection.
and Duckfat.
But, the milkshakes. Oh, the milkshakes! They were amazing and available in all sorts of ingenious flavors that you would never think to be delicious in a shake. Like honey and cardamon. Or grapefruit and ginger. Or Tahitian vanilla bean crème anglaise and gelato. The shakes and sodas are made in house at Duckfat.
Flores Restaurant
Flores Restaurant is now operating out of the space adjacent to La Bodega Latina on Congress Street. They serve Salvadoran food. I first noticed them this week but I’m not sure exactly when they opened.
Delicious Musings Visits Eventide
Maine-based blog Delicious Musings has posted some details from her recent visit to Eventide.