Month: March 2017

Open for Dinner? (Updated)

| Posted in General News

Since I eat out most meals, my kitchen is less prepared than most to throw together a dinner with ingredients on-hand. Social media is awash today in early closure announcements from bakeries, coffee shops and other eateries. However, the more important question for me is who plans to stay open?

So you and I know what our choices are tonight I’ve started putting together this list of restaurants that plan to be open for dinner.

Shout out other ones you know about and I’ll add them. Restaurants may decide to change their plans so I’d recommend calling to confirm before heading out for dinner:

Under Construction: Noble Barbecue

| Posted in Under Construction

Fire & Co (website, facebook, instagram) has leased the former Taco Trio space a 1706 Forest Ave where they plan to open Noble Barbecue.

The 25-seat barbecue shop will serve smoked meats, sandwiches and will have an 8 tap draft list featuring local beers. Their menu will be available either at the shop or for take-out.

Owners Richard and Ryan Carey hope to open Noble Barbecue in early June.

Fire & Company will join fellow mobile food vendors Bite Into Maine, Mami, Small Axe/East Ender, Love Kupcakes/Baristas+Bites, Hella Good Tacos, Mainely Burgers, Urban Sugar and CN Shawarma/Baharat in converting to or adding a brick and mortar capacity.

Drink Here Now: Hunt & Alpine Club

| Posted in Reviews

Liquor.com has included the Portland Hunt and Alpine Club in their list of the 263 best cocktail bars around the world.

Portland’s first craft-cocktail bar continues to shine with a deep drinks list that spans from approachable to geeky. There’s the Norseman, a Scandinavian twist on the Old Fashioned that gets a kick from brown-butter-washed aquavit, and the simple Green Eyes, a gin sour sharpened to a keen edge with a healthy splash of Green Chartreuse.

Brewers Pursue Legal Changes to Support Growth

| Posted in Beer

The Press Herald reports Maine brewers testified at the Maine State House yesterday in support of legal changes to help Maine breweries continue to expand.

Among other law changes, brewers want to be able to transfer their own ales and lagers between multiple breweries and tasting rooms without fear of violating state law. Other bills before the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee would allow more specialty food stores to hold occasional taste-testings and sample offerings and double the amount of beer, wine or hard alcohol a producer or distributor can provide to a retailer for samples.

This Week’s Events: BRGR Bar, PSO Wine Dinner, Baharat

| Posted in Events

Monday – BRGR Bar (facebook) is scheduled to open at 5 pm at their new location, 11 Brown Street.

Wednesday – the 16th Annual Portland Symphony Orchestra wine dinner is taking place with featured chefs Krista Kern Desjarlais from The Purple House, Brian Hill from Francine Bistro, Sam Hayward from Fore Street, Cara Stadler from Tao Yuan/Bao Bao/Lio and Troy Mains from the Harraseeket Inn. Grace is holding a Titanic-themed dinner, and Terlingua is hosting a Bissell Brothers beer dinner.

Thursday – Baharat (facebook) is scheduled to open at 5 pm at their new restaurant in East Bayside on the corner of Anderson and Fox Streets, and Fore River Brewing will be at Bao Bao for a tap takeover.

Friday – it’s Saint Patrick’s Day. Consult the website of your favorite Irish bar for plenty of green beer festivities.

Saturday – the Winter Farmers’ Market is taking place, as is the spring market at Fork Food Lab.

Sunday – the 2nd Annual Cream of the Crop dinner is taking place.

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.

Reviews: Isa, Liquid Riot, DiPietro’s

| Posted in Reviews

The Bollard has reviewed Isa,

My croque madame ($11), an open-faced sandwich of prosciutto, Swiss cheese and a sunny-side-up egg, was positively otherworldly, with a balance of flavor and texture that was damn near perfect. Even the lightly dressed salad greens on the side were outstanding.

the Press Herald has reviewed DiPietro’s,

The chicken Parmesan sandwich at DiPietro’s is one of my favorites, and I’ve tried many. The chicken is tender with a crisp breading. It comes with a lot of sauce and cheese, melted well, but it’s wrapped in foil so you don’t have to mess up your hands too much.

and Peter Peter Portland Eater has reviewed Liquid Riot.

Liquid Riot was really good. The only concern I had was that the burger was 16 bucks and I think for that price, it has to be a little more spectacular. It was a solid offering, but even with the fries and awesome mustard, I didn’t quite have the feeling I got what I paid for. Either way, I’ll be back to try some of their other food. It was excellent overall and I found it a fun place to hang for a while.