Portland Food Map

July 9 pm
The Merry Table was reviewed in this week's Portland Phoenix. "But it is a good sign if a creperie tempts you to sit down, try some appetizers and a glass of wine, and take your time with a food that is usually wolfed down on the go. These crepes reward the attention."

The South Portlander reports that Amato's will be bringing its traditional Maine Italian to the Maine Mall food court, filling in the gap left by Au Bon Pan.

This week's edition of The Maine Switch takes a look at the traditional Maine clambake.

July 9 am
Portland Harbor Hotel, home to Eve's at the Garden, has hired Lisa Smith from Standard Baking to be their pastry chef. According to a press release, "The focus of the new in-house baking program will be on Classical European baked goods including croissants, brioche, and other baked goods. Smith is thinking ahead to eventually expand into North African and Middle Eastern flatbreads; for now she is in the research and development phase."

Today's Press Herald reports on some upcoming cooking competitions being held at the Moxie Festival, Yarmouth Clam Festival, etc.

Last week's edition of The Maine Switch included a profile of Prost! and a review of The Good Table in Cape Elizabeth. "I left wishing I hadn't waited so long to try this Cape favorite, which immediately soared to the top of my list of dining choices."

July 8
Freaky Bean has opened up a new location in South Portland. According to The South Portlander, "Freaky Bean shops are popular with the green crowd, though there has been some protests over the drive-through in South Portland, a first for Freaky Bean."

July 7 - This Week's Events
The Kitchen & Cork is holding cooking classes Tuesday and Thursday nights this week. Tuesday night the owner and brewers of Dogfish Head will be on hand at Novare Res, 6 Dogfish products will be on tap that night. There are wine tastings taking place this week on Wednesday at RSVP, Thursday at the Public Market House and on Friday at Rosemont's Brighton Ave location. On Saturday, Mark Kurlansky, award winning author of Cod and Salt will be at Rabelais to sign copies of his latest book, The Last Fish Tale, and Maine author Kate Gooding will be at the LeRoux Kitchen to sign copies of her newest cookbook, Black Fly Stew. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

July 6
Burrito, received an enthusiatic 4 stars from this week's Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram. "Excellent if not perfectly authentic burritos, enchiladas, rellenos and more create an exciting opportunity for anyone with an appetite."

Type A Diversions has put together a handy list of places to enjoy lobster rolls in the Portland area.

The South Portlander asked Bob Johnson, owner of Scratch Bakery, for some recommendations on summer wines.

July 4
The new print edition of The Bollard has hit the streets. This month's edition includes a review of Medeo and a new installment from The Land of the Forgotten Cocktail series by award-winning bartender John Myers. Copies can be found just about anywhere free newspapers are distributed. I picked up my copy at Maple's Gelataria.

Port City Studios has posted an article extolling the virtues of the North Street Community Garden. "I am going to put it out there that the North Street Community Garden in Portland is the most scenic community garden in the country."

Accidental Vegetables has reviewed Bresca. "Our meal at Bresca was, overall, quite delicious. If you detect a tone of disappointment in this entry, it's because it didn't quite live up to its reputation, I thought."

July 3
The Eat & Run column in today's Press Herald reviewed The Merry Table. "The Merry Table offers a nice alternative to grabbing a sandwich for lunch in downtown Portland. The savory crepes are a touch more expensive than an Old Port sandwich, but well worth it for both the quality and the change of pace."

Also in today's paper was a Community Voices commentary by Rabbi Akiva Herzfeld on living to eat vs eating to live, and an article about Roger Doiron's organization Kitchen Gardeners International. Due to technical problems at MaineToday.com it hasn't appeared on the newspaper's website yet.

July 2
Type A Diversions has reviewed the Conundrum Wine Bistro. "Conundrum does not serve overly creative fare, but rather simple dishes done well. This is one my favorite spots in Southern Maine for drinks and appetizers - they make a mean martini, have a diverse wine list and an excellent selection of appetizers and cheeses."

If you're headed to the Eastern Promenade to watch the fireworks Friday night there are a couple alternatives to the fried dough and other street fare that you might want to check out. Bar Lola is selling box dinners to go, pulled pork sandwich, potato salad, mexican brownie and ice tea or lemonade. Rosemont's location on Munjoy Hill is planning to up the number of pizza and sandwiches for sale as well.

PORTopera, Portland summer opera company, is producing a cookbook this year, Cucina de Bel Canto. According to the Press Herald, the "cookbook contains more than 500 recipes from area chefs, foodies, singers and board members, as well as images from past productions."

There's a late addition to this week's event calendar. Luke Livingston from BlogAboutBeer.com and Jason Burks from BeerBloggers.com will be giving a talk tonight from 6-7 pm at Prost!. The talk "will cover some of the basics, such as selecting proper glassware, pouring properly, beer temperature and how it effects taste, etc."

Local Foodie is begining the second year that she and her husband are eating a locavore diet.

Food historian Sandy Oliver has written a follow-up article on the Crowne Pilot cracker situation for The Working Water.

July 1
The 10 restaurants and bars viewed most often on Portland Food Map during the month of June were:

June 30 pm
Samantha Hoyt Lindgren of Rabelais appeared on the radio as part of the Sunrise Bookshelf show on WUML in Lowell, MA.

Masala Mahal, an Indian market in South Portland, has been added to the site.

Commune Tested, City Approved has posted a review of Novare Res. "For the past month, Novare Res has been serving up more than 200 bottled beers and an ever changing selection of 25 beers on tap. And the food is amazing."

June 30 - This Week's Events
Tuesday night the owner and brewers of Allagash will be on hand at Novare Res, the beer bar will have 10 Allagash products on tap that night. The next training run for the Wine Flight 5k is taking place on Tuesday; Walter's is the destination. There are wine tastings taking place this week on Friday at the West End Grocery and on Saturday at Leroux. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

June 29
Nakornping Thai, received 3 stars from this week's Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram. " . . . Nakornping's appetizers, like the sate and the 'shrimp in a blanket,' are excellent, and some of the entrees I tried rate just as highly. Only a few overcooked main ingredients detracted from the meals' good quality."

The Thai restaurants in Portland will have some additional competion when the new Thai buffet that's now under construction on Congress St opens. The new restaurant will be located at the former location of D'Angelo's.

Today's edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram has an interesting article on the resurgence of grain farming and milling in Maine and an article on the red tide outbreak affecting the shellfish industry.

June 28
In her debut as the new blogger for 1:00 a.m. Curfew, Amy Martin has reviewed Prost! International Tap House.

You can tell it's strawberry season by the number of strawberry festivals taking place. New Gloucester had theirs on Thursday and today there are ones in South Freeport and North Yarmouth. If you don't have time for either of those options then go to this morning's farmers' market in Deering Oaks where there's sure to be plenty of fresh strawberries for sale.

June 27
There's a new article on Chow Maine about Tropa Wine Co., a new wine shop located in the West End.

June 26
Today's Press Herald reviewed North Star Music Cafe. "The North Star's niche is comfort. The cafe is spacious."

New England Couture Cakes was profiled in this week's edition of The Maine Switch.

June 25
This week's edition of the Portland Phoenix includes an interview with Blake Smithson, former owner of Chickey's Fine Diner, about the regional variations of barbeque in the US.

There's a late addition to this week's event calendar. Bibo's Madd Apple Cafe is holding a wine dinner on Friday featuring wines from South Africa.

June 23 - This Week's Events
The Greek Heritage Festival is taking place this week Thursday through Saturday. On Thursday, The Cheese Iron is holding a class on goat cheeses. Kitchen & Cork is holding a course on kitchen knife skills Wednesday. On Saturday they are offering a cooking class that will take students shopping at the Portland farmers' market and to other shops, and then return to the store's kitchen to prepare a meal with their purchases. Browne Trading is holding a Wine tasting on Thursday. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

Club Onyx opened for business last week.

A Taste of New York has been added to the list of food carts.

June 22
Tu Casa, received 3 stars from this week's Taste & Tell review in the Maine Sunday Telegram. "Well-made, inexpensive Salvadoran standards fit the bill for a great casual dinner out."

June 20
This week's edition of The Forecaster has a write up about Mark's Hot Dogs 25th anniversary, and an article about The Icehouse ending the legal battles over their liquor license.

The Great Lost Bear won the Best Beer Bar category in Cheers magazine's annual Benchmark Awards.

Francisco's Culinary Journey has reviewed Bayou Kitchen. " . . . we've been back every week. That says a lot about a place! I'm now hooked on the Bayou Scramble . . . "

Bresca's menu is now online at their MySpace page.

June 19
John Everett has written a farewell article for his bar blog, 1:00 a.m. Curfew packed with parting advice on things like "pregaming", Homerunners and his favorite bars in Portland. Amy Martin, a writer from The Maine Switch, will be taking over for John.

Todos Street Tacos has been added to the site's list of food carts

June 18 pm
The Clown has decided to close its shop on Market Street in the Old Port. June 21 will be their last day in operation. Their two locations in Stonington and York will remain open.

There have been a couple late additions to this week's list of food events. Tomorrow afternoon, the Public Market House is holding a wine and cheese tasting. From a post on New2Maine.com I learned that Cinque Terre and Eve's are colaborating on a wine dinner tomorrow night showcasing the wines of Wente Vineyards. The dinner will be held at Eve's. For more information on both these events visit the Event Calendar

This week's edition of the Portland Phoenix reviewed the brunch offerings at Five Fifty-Five, Caiola's and Local 188. "Five Fifty-Five successfully dresses itself down for brunch. Local 188, already dressed down, seems to handle brunch more smoothly than its dinner service. Finally Caiola's, efficient and effortlessly elegant at night, is precisely the same in the morning."

June 18 am
Portland 207 has posted Part 3 in his ongoing series listing all the restaurants and bars in the city with outdoor seating on decks, patios, sidewalks, etc. To get the full picture see also Part 1 and Part 2.

Commune Tested, City Approved has an article about harvesting wild ginger and other plants for a homemade wild-sourced salad.

June 17 pm
Binga's Wingas in conjunction with Harpoon Beer is running a benefit tonight for Climb for Cancer Care. $1 will be donated for every Harpoon you order, $2 for orders of wings, fries or onion rings ordered.

The Bollard has the scoop on last night's City Council dileberations on the Porthole/Comedy Connection's outdoor deck. "City legal staff had recommended that councilors severely limit food and alcohol service – and prohibit entertainment – on the businesses' adjoining outdoor decks, due to waterfront zoning restrictions."

June 17 am
Tropa Wine Co. is now open for business. The small wine store is located on Congress across the street from Local 188 and just around the corner from Evangeline.

If you need any reminder about how wonderful and remarkable to Portland restaurant scene is just take a look at this post on Chowhound.com. Chowhounder Anastasia came to Portland specifically for a "7 day foodie excursion". In a single week, she and her husband managed to pack in visits to Bar Lola, Five Fifty-Five, Miyake, Yosaku, Fuji, Mims, The Lobster Shack, Portland Lobster Co., Street & Co., Duckfat, Standard Baking and Shipyard. I can't think of any other city the size of Portland that people visit exclusively for the food.

A post by Portland Psst! tipped me off to this article about Maine wineries appearing in a recent edition of Mainebiz. Maine's weekly buisness magazine also has a story about Roger Doiron's nonprofit Kitchen Gardens International.

The Maine Beer Writer's Guild had their June meeting at Novare Res and several of the members have posted their thoughts about the meeting and the bar to their blogs: Blog About Beer, Beer, Maine & Me, BeerBloggers.com. Here are some more Novare Res-related posts from other blogs that have surfaced as well: Beer Locavore, The Sound Inside My Mind. The new beer bar has certainly generated a lot of buzz in the short time it's been open.

June 16 - This Week's Events
Peakfest is being held this week Friday through Saturday. Bayside World Market & Fair is taking place on Saturday as is the Vegetarian Food Festival. An all star cast of local chefs is headed to Cow Island on Sunday to cook for the 3rd Annual Taste of the Nation dinner (tickets are still available). The second training run for the Wine Flight 5k is taking place on Tuesday. Wine tasting are taking place at Old Port Wine Merchants on Wednesday and Leavitt and Sons on Thursday. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

June 15
Today's Press Herald reports that maple syrup production fell in Maine during 2008.

June 14
The new issue of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine is out. It includes stories about the use of romanesco (a fractalish Italian broccoli) at Caiola's and the farm to table philosophy of Lee Skawinski from Cinque Terre. There's also an interesting piece by Sandy Oliver debunking the legend that felons in Maine's past refused to eat lobster more than twice a week.

Enjoy Your Meal has posted the menu for next weekend's Taste of the Nation dinner on Cow Island.

The Bollard has innagurated it's new The Maine Beer Guy column with a rundown of locally made summer brews. The Beer Guy is authored by Russ PHillips who writes a beer blog called Beer, Maine & Me.

June 13
Prost! International Tap House has opened for business. Joe's New York Pizza has been added to the Under Construction list. Joe's is going into the spot on Fore Street formerly occupied by Granny's.

June 12 pm
Rosie's has been reviewed in the weekly bar blog 1:00 a.m. Curfew. "Spectacular? No. But Rosie's is solid and consistent, and that's the mark of someone who has gotten this whole bar thang right."

Chow Maine has a report on the "silky finnan haddie chowder" prepared by Sam Hayward for last week's James Beard Foundation Awards Ceremony dinner at Lincoln Center (recipe included).

This week's edition of The Maine Switch is a veritable food article feast. In addition to the profile of Novare Res cited yesterday, there's an aritcle about ethical eating, a focus on French cuisine, a cooking interview with the Talya Corsetti of Corsetti's Variety, and a set of summer grilling recommendations from the Gadget Guru.

June 12 am
The weekly Eat & Run column in the Portland Press Herald reviewed the new South Portland location of Vaughan Street.

June 11
Chris2fer has published a 5 star review of Duckfat. "After we ate what was one of the best meals I have ever had we all got up and made out with the wait staff to show our appreciation. Ok, not really. But it was that good."

This week's edition of the Portland Phoenix includes a review of Chef et al., and The Maine Switch offered up a profile of Novare Res, Portland's new European style beer cafe.

The Food & Health section in today's Press Herald has an article about the collaboration between chef Sam Hayward of Fore Street and violinist Lewis Kaplan. The pair will be co-hosting a benefit dinner for the Bowdoin International Music Festival.

June 10 pm
Type A Diversions reviewed Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster. "I'll certainly return to Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster. I think a perfect summer evening would consist of drinks and appetizers at Conundrum in Freeport, followed by a lobster roll, onion rings and slice of coconut cream pie sitting at the picnic tables at Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster."

Rabelais was profiled by The Ethicurean. "If you love food or books, you'll be pleased with what you find at Rabelais. If you happen to love both food and books, you'll be over the moon."

Details on this weekend's Bizarre Foods Deathmatch have surfaced on the eGullet forums.

June 10 am
Today's Press Herald includes articles on how Mainers are becoming more frugal with their food budgets and on the formation and activity of the Maine Clammer's Association.

June 9 - This Week's Events
Wine tasting are taking place at RSVP on Wednesday and Black Cherry Provisions on Thursday. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. Rabelais is holding a book signing and cookie swap Saturday with the author of Cookies, Brownies and Bars. Also on Saturday, Maine members of BeerAdvocate.com are hosting a gathering at Novare Res. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

Rabelais has posted more info about the visit of the Bizarre Foods film crew to Portland to their blog. They hope to publish a small video clip from the segment at Hugo's plus photos of the Bizarre Food Deathmatch soon.

June 6
Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel show Bizarre Foods, is in town. In their email newsletter Rabelais is reporting that Zimmern is filming segments with Rob Evans, Sam Hayward, Rick Tibbets, Masa Miyake, the Deathmatch crew, Rabelais, and others. According to the newsletter, the "projected air date is sometime in August".

June 5
The weekly Eat & Run column in the Portland Press Herald reviewed the lunch options at Novare Res "When I visited recently, I ordered the 'spring sandwich,' made with rosemary ham, cotswold cheese with lettuce and garlic onion jam and served on thick, crusty bread. The sandwich had a nice balance of flavors, and was pleasantly filling."

Also in today's Press Herald, the Business section has an interview with Ben Sawyer, the owner of Benny's.

The Chebeague Island Inn restaurant opens for business tonight.

June 4 pm
The Maine Switch reviewed Chef et al. "Their dinners, at $18-$30 an entree, seem a little pricey for the neighborhood – but with a deliciously inexpensive lunch menu, a bar that's open all day, wireless internet and a nice, laid-back environment, Chef et al may still pull in the student and young professional crowd."

This week's Switch also includes a profile of Harding Lee Smith's new restaurant The Grill Room.

Novare Res has been reviewed in the weekly bar blog 1:00 a.m. Curfew. "Novare Res is a great idea. The deck is beautiful and the location is tucked away . . . The beer selection is astounding, and truly encapsulates every different type of brew you can think of. But Novare Res still has some kinks to work out."

June 4 am
The Food & Health section in today's Press Herald offers up this primer on caviar with help from Browne Trading Company.

June 3 pm
The Maine Mouth has a post about PETA's proposal to build a Lobster Empathy Center in the Somerset County Jail. According to PETA's press release, "Visitors to the center could voluntarily have their fingers rubber-banded together, and then they could walk into a dirty tank where they would be pressed up against other visitors to simulate conditions for lobsters in supermarket tanks."

June 3 am
Tastes Like the Future raves about the Apricot Cornmeal Sage cookies at North Star.

Demolition of The Village Cafe's building began yesterday.

June 2 - This Week's Events
The Wine Flight 5k training run series starts this week with a trip to Local 188. Wine tasting are taking place at The Clown on Thursday, West End Grocery on Friday and Leroux on Saturday. The First Friday Art Walk is this week. Farmers' Markets are being held in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

The new print edition of The Bollard has hit the streets. This month's edition includes a review of breakfast at Mims and a new installment from The Land of the Forgotten Cocktail series by award-winning bartender John Myers. Copies can be found just about anywhere free newspapers are distributed. I picked up my copy at Longfellow Books.

June 1
Passage to India, received 3 stars in this week's Taste & Tell column in the Maine Sunday Telegram. ". . . you can relax and tuck in with confidence at Passage to India, Portland's newest Indian restaurant."

The West End will have another source for wine when Tropa Wine Co. opens its doors at 688 Congress Street in Longfellow Square. For more information on the new establishments under development in Portland see the Under Construction list.

Beer, Maine & Me has published his list of 10 Great Places to Get a Beer in Portland.

Chow Maine has a report on Saturday's farmers' market in Dering Oaks.

The 10 venues viewed most often on Portland Food Map during the month of May were:

May 31
The Maine Switch conducted a blind taste testing of local Summer brews with Casco Bay Summer Ale rated best of a very tight field. This week's edition of The Switch also profiled the expanded and revised market at Free Range Fish and Lobster.

John Golden reviewed Bresca on his blog Food for Thought last week. "What a relief to report that Bresca is a superb addition to Portland's dining roster. I say relief because there had been heaps of braise initially, and I was afraid it wouldn't deliver."

Type A Diversions has a report on the debut of the duck press at Evangeline.

May 29 PM
Cream & Sugar has been added to the site. Cream & Sugar is a bakery that sells its traditional home-style products in Monument Square twice a week on Wednesdays and Fridays.

New2Maine.com has reviewed Bull Feeney's. The post is entitled "Bull Feeney's - Go for the Food, Stay for the Music".

Do you exercise to eat? If so, then the Wine Flight 5K might be a good fit for you. All throughout the Summer and early Fall they'll be a series of "training" runs that consist of a light jog to a restaurant or bar and then enjoying "a nibble and a drink".

May 29 AM
According to Commune Tested, City Approved, Green Elephant now serves brunch on Sundays.

This week's Portland Phoenix includes an article on how to cook Maine's Spring time foragable, the fiddlehead.

There's a guest editorial in today's Press Herald by Kerem Durdag on Capt. Hanson Gregory and the origin of the doughnut hole. Durdag is married to Gregory's great-great-granddaughter.

Portland 207 has expanded its list of venues with outdoor seating: part 1, part 2. The new list adds Empire, Flatbread, Novare Res, Portland Lobster Co., White Heart and Yosaku.

May 28 PM
Accidental Vegetables has reviewed the Sunday brunch at Caiola's. "Caiola's food is always creative and fun, and the Sunday brunch we enjoyed with friends Jenn, Matt, Trent and Rebecca was no exception."

The Stadium has been reviewed in the weekly bar blog 1:00 a.m. Curfew. "It's like a place you would see on a Coors Light commercial depicting a night out with your boys."

This week's edition of The Maine Switch has an article about Local Sprouts. Local Sprouts is starting up a community supported kitchen that will produce prepared food for its members.

May 28 AM
An article about how the downturn in the economy is impacting Maine restaurants appeared on the front page of today's Press Herald.

May 26 - This Week's Events
Bibo's Madd Apple Cafe will be hosting a wine dinner on Friday. Rabelais is having an opening for a photography exhibit on Friday entitled "Spices of Life, Scenes of Sustenance from India's Himalayas". Farmers' Markets are taking place in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, the 35th Annual Old Port Festival is taking place and Slow Food Portland is holding their annual Fiddlefest. Also on Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

The Boston Globe has reviewed Evangeline. "Evangeline the restaurant faces the street with tall windows and a gold leaf stencil of a pig. Here chicken is the other white meat. Inside the style nods to French bistros and brasseries but doesn't exactly re-create their glamorous shabbiness."

Novare Res has started publishing an up to date list of their 25 draft beer options on their website.

May 25
The Organization for Transformative Farming has been added to the site.

Five Fifty-Five's chef Steve Corry was interviewed for an article in the May issue of Continental Airlines' magazine.

May 24
Type A Diversions has reviewed opening night at The Grill Room. "If I hadn't been following the progress towards opening night at The Grill Room, I would have thought the restaurant had been open for years. There was none of the normal opening night nervous energy, the waitstaff appeared well-trained and confident, and the kitchen was appropriately staffed and had their timing down."

Buy Local held the ceremonies for their Indie Biz Awards on Friday night. Big Sky, Coffee by Design, Micucci's, North Star, Rosemont and Silly's were among the winners. For a complete list of winners visit the Buy Local website.

May 23 PM
Harding Lee Smith's new restaurant, The Grill Room, opened tonight to a full house.

A new cafe is going into the space on Monument Square formerly occupied by Foley's Bakery. For more information on the new establishments under development in Portland see the Under Construction list.

May 23 AM
Nabisco has once again cancelled production of the Crown Pilot cracker, according to an article in today's Press Herald. In 1996 when Nabisco dropped the cracker from its product line up, Donna Damon on Chebeague Island lead a letter writing campaign that eventually brought the cracker back.

May 22 PM
Beer, Maine & Me has posted a list of the 25 beers on tap at Novare Res. I'd recommend you try out the Old Rasputin Imperial Stout.

The Portland Phoenix has reviewed Gauchos Churrascaria. "What would you pay to have a handsome young man wearing a sash around his hips anticipate your every need for about an hour? At Gauchos Churrascaria it goes for $30, and it comes with meat. Drinks are extra. A lot extra, actually. And drinks help."

Dogfish Bar & Grill was reviewed by 1:00 a.m. Curfew. "The Dogfish Bar & Grille on Free Street is a place that strives to accommodate diners and drinkers, and they do a fine job of it."

May 22 AM
Novare Res opened last night to a large and enthusiastic crowd.

The Maine Switch has reviewed Granny's Burritos. This week's edition of The Switch also includes a profile of The Merry Table.

May 21
The Grill Room, Chef Harding Lee Smith's new place on Exchange St, will be opening for business on Friday at 5 pm according to the restaurant's website. The site includes dinner, lunch and bar menus as well as the wine list. The restaurant plans on starting to take reservations Friday at noon.

The Food & Health section in today's Press Herald has an article about a machine that uses high pressure to extract the meat from lobsters without cooking them. Also in today's paper, is a look at how the rising price of gas is leading to the theft of restaurant grease used in biodiesel production.

May 20
Both Blog About Beer and Beer, Maine & Me are reporting that Novare Res will be having a soft opening on Wednesday at 4 with their grand opening planned for this Friday.

Beer Lcavore has posted a lament for the seasonal passing of winter beers and offers some advice to local bartenders on how to handle the transition to summer.

May 19 - This Week's Events
The Cheese Iron is holding a class on American artisan cheeses Thursday night. There will be wine tastings at Browne Trading on Thursday and at Old Port Wine Merchants on Wednesday. Farmers' Markets are taking place in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

May 18
Portland's newest Greek restaurant, Emilitsa, received 4 stars in this week's Taste & Tell column on MaineToday.com. "Lively and pungent garlic and lemon flit in and out of many dishes, while oregano evokes a dry, fragrant hillside overlooking a sea far different from the northern Atlantic. In fact, everything on these plates at Emilitsa seem infused with another world."

The Merry Table was reviewed by New2Maine.com "Amber and I both highly recommend this for a nice break from the typical seafood and pub fare available for lunch."

Chow Maine is reporting that the Chebeague Island Inn will be reopening on June 1. For more information on the new restaurants and bars under development in Portland see the Under Construction list.

May 17 PM
The May issue of All About Beer magazine includes two Portland bars in their list of the 125 Places to Have a Beer Before You Die. Great Lost Bear came in at #46, and Gritty McDuff's at #117.

Kitchen and Cork, a new kitchen supply store in Scarborough, opened for business this week.

May 17 AM
1 a.m. Curfew has reviewed Blue, a small bar and music venue on Congress St. "The food is in its own class too. Much of it is made up of light fare such as hummus or vegetable plates, and the menu changes frequently enough that it is on a chalkboard next to the featured wines."

Novare Res, a new "bier cafe" located at 4 Canal Plaza/188 Middle St, plans to open this coming week. According to a sign in front of the entrance, the opening may be as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

May 16
Type A Diversions has reviewed Joe's Boathouse. "If you want to dine on the water, but avoid the typical tourist traps, Joe's is a fine choice . . . Joe's won't win any awards for culinary excellence, but you're guaranteed friendly service and a view that can't be beat."

May 15 PM
Epicurious has named Cinque Terre to their list of the Top 10 Farm-to-Table Restaurants in the country. Chef Skawinski is quoted saying, "Everyone at the restaurants pitches in with planting and harvesting at the farm. It's wonderful that we can plan in advance specific ingredients and menu items, and have the freedom to experiment with new varietals and seasonal offerings"

Commune Tested, City Approved is reporting that Peak Organic is working on a Pomegranate Wheat Ale with Acai for this summer.

The Bollard has a short article about the ongoing legal battle between The Icehouse and the city over its food license.

May 15 AM
Today's Press Herald has an interesting interview with a buyer and co-owner of Market Fresh Produce. Market Fresh supplies fruits and vegetables to several local restaurants and stores including Rosemont, Hugo's and 555. Also in today's paper is an article on the resurgence of home vegetable gardens brought on by the rising price of food.

May 14 PM
Rabelais appears in the pages of the June issue of Food & Wine magazine.

Mims Brasserie was reviewed in this week's Portland Phoenix "The important question raised by Mim's, especially dinner there, is whether there is an overlap between the set of Commercial Street spots that appeal to tourists and the set of restaurants locals might choose for a nice meal. Though Mim's was a bit underwhelming, it has enough strengths that on a nice night in the summer, I think there is."

Event Calendar updates: this Saturday's book signing with Steven Gdula at Rabelais has been postponed and the grand opening of Kitchen and Cork in Scarborough has been delayed.

May 14 AM
Homegrown Herb & Tea was profiled in today's Press Herald. The Munjoy Hill establishment was also the subject of an article in The Maine Switch earlier this year and made the cut in Down East's survey of great places to eat in Maine.

May 12 PM
Type A Diversions has reviewed The Merry Table. "Appreciate The Merry Table for what it is - a cheap eat, not fine dining . . . if you want to experience a bit of France in the Old Port – or are simply seeking an alternative to the typical lunchtime sandwich spots, The Merry Table Crêperie fits the bill."

Tastes Like the Future has a post about the homemade energy bars at North Star called Star Chasers. "they're made with honesty and love and have this 'melt in your mouth' quality that makes them completely additive . . . all this on top of only costing you $1".

Fiddleheads are in season and have started appearing on local menus and blogs. Here are a couple recipes from The Maine Mouth and Commune Tested, City Approved.

May 12 - This Week's Events
Neil Rosenthal, author of Reflections of a Wine Merchant, will be at Rabelais on Tuesday for a book signing. The signing will be followed by a dinner with Rosenthal at Fore Street. Also on Tuesday, Bar Lola will be hosting a wine dinner featuring Oregon and Washington wine. There will be wine tastings at RSVP and Leavitt & Sons as well as a wine and cheese tasting at the Public Market House this week. Kitchen & Cork, will be opening for business this week. On Wednesday, the Slow Food Portland book group is meeting to discuss The Warmest Room in the House and on Saturday the author of that book, Steven Gdula, will be at Rabelais to speak and sign books. Farmers' Markets are taking place in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. On Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

Portland Psst! reports that the current issue of Yankee Magazine profiles of some of Portland's top chefs: Sam Hayward of Fore Street, Rob Evans of Hugo's, Lee Skawinski of Cinque Terre & Vignola, Steve Corry of 555 and Krista Kern of Bresca. "It's not unusual to talk with people who vacation in Portland just to dine – the scene is that varied. That good."

May 10
Type A Diversions returned to Hugo's to review the refurbished interior and new menu. "The improvements made in decor and cuisine with the reopening of Hugo's reaffirms its position as one of the best restaurants in Portland, Maine."

May 9 PM
The Merry Table opened for business on Thursday night. The Wharf St establishment sells crepes and other light fare.

Bar Lola was reviewed in the latest issue of Portland Magazine. "Seated at the crest of Munjoy Hill as Congress Street plunges toward the Eastern Prom, Bar Lola, the newest of the new up here, is delighting crowds of excited diners."

Benny's has opened for the season. The clam shack is located along a lonely stretch of Commercial St past the old ferry terminal.

Lady Ball's Victorian Boutique & Tea Room, Captain Mowatt's and The Pepper Guys have all been added to the site. The Pepper Guys is a specialty store that sells hundreds of different brands of hot sauce.

May 9 AM
The Maine Switch is reporting that Portland-based Captain Mowatt's won the People's Choice award at the Cajun Hot Sauce Festival. Captain Mowatt's sells a number of different hot sauces and it was their Canceaux Sauce that won the award.

May 8
Westbrook's The Baker's Bench earned 4 stars in a review published today on MaineToday.com. "The work-of-art type of sandwiches are what I sampled recently at the Baker's Bench in Westbrook."

The Westbrook Diarist provides a glimpse inside Lady Ball's Victorian Boutique and Tea Room.

The Business section in the Press Herald has an interview with John Amato, great grandson of the founder of Amato's and the general manager at Amato's Bakery in Westbrook. The bakery provides breads for the Amato's stores as well as for other local restaurants.

John Everett has reviewed Brian Boru in his weekly bar guide 1 a.m. Curfew. "Brian Boru is a departure from the Fore Street, Commercial Street and Wharf Street areas, if only because of the great layout and different crowd."

May 7 PM
Chris2fer has reviewed the Blue Spoon and rates the East End restaurant 4 out of a possible 5 stars. "I would definitely go back to Blue Spoon. The food is well presented and well prepared, the wait staff is attentive and professional, and the restaurant is classic."

BeerBloggers.com is reporting that in April Allagash Brewing Co. won three awards at the World Beer Cup held in San Diego. Allagash's Dubbel, Tripel and Curieux won gold, silver and bronze, respectively, in their categories.

Portland207 has the rundown on Portland restaurants and bars with good outdoor drinking spots with brief reviews of what each has to offer. Last week's edition of The Maine Switch had an article on the same topic that included a list of the more popular spots in Portland and beyond.

May 7 AM
The ice cream truck issue made it on to the front page of the Press Herald.

Also in today's paper is an article about a TV show called "The Chef's Kitchen" which is recorded at the New England Culinary Arts Forum in Edgecomb. Several Maine chefs, including Steve Corry from Five Fifty Five, have appeared on the show.

May 6
City Councilor Donoghue is asking the question "Are ice cream trucks sacred like fresh apple pie and high school football or are they unwelcome nuisances we tolerate?" I think Summer just wouldn't be the same without occassionally hearing an ice cream truck go through the neighborhood.

Enjoy Your Meal is reporting that Vaughan Street Variety is opening a new location in South Portland.

May 5 - This Week's Events
Hugo's is reopening with a new menu Thursday night. On Saturday Barbara Damrosch, author of The Garden Primer, will be at Rabelais to speak and sign copies of her book. Also on Saturday, Whole Food is holding their Taste of Maine Food Festival. Wine tasting are taking place at Black Cherry Provisions and The Corner General Store. Farmers' Markets are taking place in Monument Square on Wednesday and at Deering Oaks Park on Saturday. Caiola's is starting a new brunch service on Mother's Day this Sunday. Also on Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

May 3 PM
La Bodega "El Caribe" has been rechristened Los Amigos International Market.

Type A Diversions has reviewed Tu Casa on Washington Ave. She wrote, "Tu Casa has many loyal patrons who rave about the price point and authenticity of the cuisine. If you're seeking Salvadoran fare, Tu Casa is likely your only choice in Portland. If you're simply seeking a 'cheap eat' there are better choices within walking distance of Tu Casa that are in the same price range."

New2Maine.com has reviewed Emilitsa, the new Greek restaurant on Congress Street. " . . . we were thoroughly delighted with our meal and our waitress. As most of the other reviewers have concluded, eating at Emilitsa is highly recommended."

May 3 AM
John Myers, bartender at Local 188, has won the B&B 70th Anniversary Master Mixologist Showcase for a drink he invented called The Touchable.

May 2
Evangeline is the topic of a new article on Chow Maine. It covers the gamut from sourcing of frog legs to plans for a regular Monday night pre fixe meal to screaming babies. "A chef without rules and standards and opinions might not present us with so much good stuff to eat – food that is devoted to taste and flavor."

The Breakfast Club has revisited Bintliff's American Cafe and graded them a B overall. That's an improvement over the C given in last February's TBC review. " . . . it wasn't all that much better. i'll probably still go back there again — after i save up about 3 months worth of allowance. what can i say? i'm a sucker for patios that are like tree houses and it's still a cozy place to enjoy a leisurely sunday meal with good people. and i also have a slight crush on our server."

May 1 PM
Veranda Thai had their grand opening this week. The new eatery is located just off the Washington Ave exit in the space formerly occupied by Espans Quck Lunch.

In coffee news, Freaky Bean has been named the official coffee sponsor of the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Additionally, Freaky Bean is opening 2 new locations in South Portland and Scarborough. Coffee by Design is also opening up a new location in Freeport that will be located in the LL Bean store.

Commune Tested, City Approved has some advice for those of you seeking hummus sandwiches in Portland.

New2Maine.com has published a review of The Front Room advising "If you get a chance to stop in, I definitely recommend the experience."

Readers of The Forecaster learned this week that Free Range Fish and Lobster has now expanded to sell meats in addition to their usual seafood business. "'You always get that one person in the family that doesn't eat seafood,' [owner Joe] Ray said. 'People kept saying it would be so much easier if we had meat.'"

Also in The Forecaster is an article about John and Brendan Ready winning a U.S. Small Business Administration's National Young Entrepreneurs of the Year award for their business Ready Seafood.

May 1 AM
The 10 restaurants viewed most often on Portland Food Map during the month of April were:

April 30 PM
John Golden has broken a 6 and half month silence on his blog Food for Thought to write a review of Evangeline. Golden writes, "This is probably one of the most appealing Portland restaurants to open in some time. It seamlessly joins the ranks of other highly regarded establishments in town. Evangeline continues the trend flawlessly."

G & R DiMillo's Bayside was the subject of a review in John Everett's Bar Guide and a profile by Avery Yale Kamilla in The Maine Switch. Everett writes, "I'm excited by the possibilities of G&R DiMillo's Bayside, but also realize the place needs to find its niche in the coming months."

The new issue of The Maine Switch also has a review of Bogusha's Polish Restaurant and Deli. "You can't help but notice the mannequin dressed in Polish garb the minute you walk in the door. She welcomes you with pale, stone-faced Polish pride. To her left is the grocery store part of the venue where you'll find everything from fruit juice to salami sticks to what might be a compilation of erotic stories written in Polish."

The Portland Phoenix's Todd Richard visits The Cheese Iron as part of his Twenty $pot series spending $28.02 on fruit, wine, bread, sausage and cheese.

April 30 AM
Production staff at the Travel Channel have told me they're working on an episode of Bizzare Foods with Andrew Zimmern set in Maine. There's no word yet on what Maine foods will make the cut. The New York Times says of Zimmern, "Less dangerous than Anthony Bourdain, less annoying than Rachael Ray and less cloying than Paula Deen, Mr. Zimmern is a delight."

Chris2fer has written a review of Pizza Villa. "Long story fairly short, if you are at Pizza Villa in the attached bar drinking and you get a hankering for some pizzas, then this is the place for you! If you want some tasty excellent pizza then go to Flatbread or Bonobo."

April 29
The Press Herald has an article today on how the high cost of gas is impacting the food delivery services in town. They are also reporting that the new tax on beer will give Maine brewers a pass due to their relatively small size.

April 28 - This Week's Events
The 7th Annual Potato Planting Party is taking place on Saturday at Turkey Hill Farm in Cape Elizabeth. There are wine tastings taking place at The Clown, Rosemont Market and Bakery and the West End Grocery. The later two coincide with the First Friday Art Walk. As usual, on Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

The Under Construction List has been updated to include O'Brien's Bar & Grill, Port City Music Hall and Thanh Thanh Bida. All three are going up for their liquor licenses at tonight's City Council meeting.

April 27 PM
Type A Diversions has reviewed Mims Brasserie It sounds like she wasn't all that impressed with either her lunch or dinner. "Mims shines at breakfast, serves an adequate lunch, and is a disappointment for dinner . . . If you simply seek an after work spot to share cocktails and a great view, then Mims fills the niche."

April 27 AM
Gauchos Churrascaria received 3 stars from MaineToday.com in this week's Taste & Tell column. "The fascination of meat herds many of us toward that as a main course. It also explains the substantial appeal of the meals served at Gauchos Churrascaria in Portland, where handsome men bring skewers of grilled beef, pork and chicken to the table, serving as much or as little as you like."

April 25 PM
John Everett reviewed White Heart in the latest installment of the Bar Guide. "Visiting this locale is more intense than the usual pub experience. The music is loud, there is no TV to save your pathetic conversation attempts and much of the clientele is dressed in their best."

Accidental Vegetables has published a new review of Evangeline. "Overall, our meal at Evangeline was outstanding. With our drinks (which, again ahem, we had quite a few of) the bill came to $112, including tip, per couple. It's not the kind of money we can drop on dinner every week, but for a special occasion . . . Evangeline will definitely be at the top of our list."

Chow Maine has the rundown on changes afoot at Hugo's. The new menu will reportedly have a items ranging in price from $5 to $130 and a TV over the bar that will show "chefs' hands at work in the kitchen, images shot that afternoon of fish cleaning and agnolotti pasta making, and the plating of every dish".

Portland Psst! is reporting that Bresca made Conde Nast Traveler's 2008 Hot List. The CNT team scoured the restaurants in 32 countries to pick the 105 finalists.

April 25 AM
There's been a last minute addition to the event calendar for tonight. A lecture is taking place on UNE's Portland campus entitled The Natural Cook: What Diet Does to Make us Human. Harvard anthropologist Richard Wrangham will address "when did our ancestors learn to cook and what impact did this have on our evolution" and "whether cooking might be a crucial component of what it is that makes human beings what they are."

April 24 PM
The latest post on The Maine Mouth asks the question "What is good Maine food?", and author Kathleen Fleury confesses to liking the fried clams at Susan's Fish and Chips better than those at the Lobster Shack in Cape Elizabeth.

The Farmer's Market season in Portland doesn't officially begin until early May but Commune Tested, City Approved is reporting that the Wednesday market in Monument Square was up and running this week. There's no word on whether the Saturday market is also starting up early.

Fat Baxter's has been bought by Rosemont Market and Bakery.

April 24 AM
Happy Teriyaki was reviewed in the Go section of today's Press Herald. "Happy Teriyaki opened just this week, and although I seriously doubt it really is 'Seattle's best teriyaki,' as advertised, it is a good place to get relatively inexpensive teriyaki, yakisoba, tempura and other Japanaese-style fast food."

April 23 PM
This week's Portland Phoenix has a double review of two of Portland's Greek restaurants, Emilitsa and Acropolis. It also includes an interview with several of the participants from this weekend's Food + Farm event being held at the SPACE gallery.

The Maine Switch has reviewed Mesa Verde. "Every bite screamed simply prepared and fresh. It was exactly what we needed. The food here is not heavy on spice, so if you like a little more kick (as we do), just sprinkle on some hot sauce."

Fans of the now departed Francisco's Blue House Cafe may be interested in checking out a new blog, Francisco's Culinary Journeys, which is written by the former chef of Francisco's, David Mallari. Mallari is now running a catering company that organizes pig roasts called The Pig Kahuna.

April 23 AM
Type A Diversions has published a review of Granny's Burritos. She writes that "Granny's new location is worth the walk from the Old Port if you're craving the best Burritos in Greater Portland."

Today's edition of the Press Herald has an article about the movie King Corn which is showing Friday night at the SPACE gallery.

April 22 PM
Happy Teriyaki, located at 630 Congress St, has opened for business.

April 22 AM
The number of places on the Unreviewed List keeps on shrinking. During the last 3 months local food writers have published first-time reviews for more than a dozen restaurants, diners and bars. Here's another dozen that it would be great to see reviews for in the next few months:

April 21 - This Week's Events
Browne Trading, Black Cherry Provisions and Rosemont Bakery are having wine tasting this week. Slow Food is holding a wine tasting (at Aurora Provisions) and Italian dinner (at Caiola's) on Tuesday. Food + Farm, a co-production of SPACE and MOFGA, is taking place Friday through Sunday at SPACE. The 4th International Food Festival is taking place at SMCC on Saturday and on Friday Rabelais is hosting the co-creators of an article in the current issue of Gastronomica entitled "Milk Haul". As always, on Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

The Breakfast Club has reviewed Steve and Renee's Diner. They called it a "very comfortable place to eat a no frills, yet totally solid, quality diner breakfast. no pretensions here."

April 20
Granny's Burritos has reopened on Congress Street in the space formerly occupied by Uncle Billy's Resto-Bar. The new Granny's is a collaboration between Chris Godin of Granny's and Jonathan St. Laurent, proprieter of Uncle Billy's. The new restaurant will carry over some of the more popular items from Uncle Billy's menu.

Green Elephant received 3 stars from MaineToday.com in this week's Taste & Tell column.

April 18
Type A Diversions has published a review of Evangeline. Having been on-hand for the opening night at the restaurant she wrote, "After witnessing many less graceful grand openings, I was impressed at the staff orchestration." Her overall opinion of Evangeline is that "Chef Erik Dejarlais has combined the elegance of distinctively prepared cuisine, with a lively urban setting. An instant classic, Evangeline is a 'must try' restaurant for foodies living in, or visiting Portland."

April 17 PM
This week's edition of The Forecaster has an article about the new venues (Prost, Onyx, Cobblestones) that are under construction on Fore and Wharf Streets.

Erik Desjarlais' new restaurant, Evangeline, had its grand opening tonight.

April 17 AM
The Phoenix released the results of their 2008 reader's poll this week. The web pages listing the results don't seem to be working at the moment so if you want the full scoop you'll need to pick up a paper copy. Here's a taste: best local beer - Allagash, best Latino restaurant - Tu Casa, best Indian - Tandoor, best wings - Binga's Wingas, etc.

John Everett reviewed Local 188 in the latest installment of the Bar Guide. "Local 188 is poised to become a popular nightspot . . . and for good reason. A one-of-a-kind drink selection paired with $6 Tapas and attention to detail make Local 188 incomparable to other bars and taverns in the boozy ocean of Portland."

Artemisia Cafe received 4 stars in a review published on MaineToday.com. "In Portland, few things say spring better than a raspberry lime cooler from Artemisia Cafe."

This week's edition of The Maine Switch includes a review of Siano's and a profile of Chef et al, a new restaurant on Forest Ave.

BeerBloggers.com is reporting that "Sea Dog and Shipyard Brewing Companies each took home a medal at the 2008 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA) in Melbourne, Australia."

April 16 PM
This week's edition of The Phoenix has a review of Empire Dine and Dance. "The food is not remarkable but is better than corporate versions of casual fare . . . The best thing we tried was the $5 half-size burger. This is bar food as it should be."

April 16 AM
The Bollard has published a review of Flask Lounge, a sports bar located in between Miyake and Katahdin on Spring Street. Editor Chris Busby writes, "Flask is a decent little eatery. They've got burgers and steak bombs and all manner of panini, plus Cincinnati Chili and Italian sausage pizza pockets that are better than you think . . . The Buffalo wings are not as good as you think – that is, not baptized in a deep-fat fryer – so beware."

Today's Press Herald has an editorial on the return of the Miss Portland Diner and an article in the Food & Health section on the growing variety of gourmet salts now available and growing in popularity.

April 15
A new sports bar, G & R DiMillo's, opened last night. G & R is located at 118 Preble St in the old location of Bleachers and is owned by a member of the same family that runs the DiMillo's restaurant on Commercial St.

The Breakfast Club has reviewed The Frog and Turtle and graded them an A- overall. They had some interesting interactions with their waiter and got to try a "chocolate-filled, bacon-wrapped doughnut".

The Portland Culinary Scribbler has a new wine & cheese essay by Nicole Chaison. Nicole has written in response to Carmela Benegas Rose and Boucheron cheese.

April 14 - This Week's Events
Bar Lola is having a wine dinner on Tuesday night and there are wine tastings taking place this week at the Old Port Wine Merchants and Leavitt & Sons (Falmouth). On Thursday, Frog and Turtle is hosting a renaissance themed dinner at their restaurant in Westbrook. Mark Winne, author of Closing The Food Gap, Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty will bet at Rabelais on Monday for a book signing. As always, on Sunday, there will be a Jazz Breakfast at the Portland Museum of Art. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the Portland Food Map event calendar.

April 13
Siano's Pizzeria was reviewed in this week's Taste & Tell column on MaineToday.com. Siano's was given 2½ stars. Nancy English, author of the review, wrote "We loved the good pizza and enjoyed the fried calamari, but if I return, I won't order the boring onion rings and awful five-cheese ravioli. Salads served to a neighboring table looked great."

Harbor Fish Market will be closed Tuesday to honor the memory of Benjamin Louis Alfiero who along with his brother John started the market in the early 1970s.

The Rogers Collection, a local importer and e-tailer of rare foods, has been aded to the site. Chef et al and Whole Foods have been added to the Sunday Brunch List.

Today's edition of the Maine Sunday Telegram had an article about Mountville's ordinance banning the planting of "genetically engineered crops".

An article by Sam Hayward on island raised sheep in Maine is in the latest issue of The Art of Eating. You can pick up a copy of the cult foodie journal locally at Rabelais Books.

April 11
The Press Herald has a report on the clamming crisis in the Midcoast region, and hidden in the Dispatches is a short piece on the visit of a film crew from Oprah Winfrey's show to Hugo's yesterday where they taped a segment with chef Rob Evans on his tuna melt sandwich.

Type A Diversions revisited Blue Spoon for a casual lunch on Munjoy Hill. She wrote that it offers an "excellent value to its patrons" and while not a "destination restaurant" is someplace that "would surely be a favorite if I lived nearby."

April 9 PM
John Everett reviewed the Three Dollar Deweys in the latest installment of the Bar Guide. "An old-fashioned pub. A place to meet new people, relax with friends, try a few new beers . . . and eat free popcorn."

This week's edition of The Maine Switch includes a review of Ribollita. "I've heard Ribollita described as having the best Italian food in town. Frankly, it could have been $1 burgers and I'd still be raving about it, with its fantastic service and friendly atmosphere."

April 9 AM
Chris2fer has given Bonobo 4 stars in his new review of the West End pizzeria. Chris2fer writes, "I think that I have found my new favorite pizza place in Portland. The prices were reasonable, the service was quiet but efficient (and mellow) and the restaurant itself was very nicely appointed and comfortable. We will definitely be going back."

April 8
Saeng Thai House opened up a second location at 921 Congress St yesterday. A neighborhood variety store, Spring Street Variety, has opened at 237 Spring St.

April 7 - This Week's Events
Mims Brasserie is reopening today under the direction of Scott Olsen, its new Executive Chef. Downeast Beverage and RSVP are both hosting wine tastings this week. Slow Food Portland has a potluck dinner on Wednesday and their book club is getting together on Tuesday to discuss Cod by Mark Kurlansky. Save Our Seafood, a seafood tasting and auction, is taking place on Monday; John Williamson of the Ocean Conservancy will be the guest speaker. On Saturday, Whole Foods is attempting to break a Guinness Book record for the Most Parmigiano Reggiano Wheels Ever Cracked simultaneously. For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the Portland Food Map event calendar.

April 6
Type A Diversions published the first review of Chef et al just a day after the Forest Ave bistro opened its doors. While she cautions that like most new restaurants they have "a few kinks to work out", she states that the "refined and creative culinary skills showcased in our simple lunch at Chef et al will ensure my repeat patronage."

The Breakfast Club has reviewed 158 Picket Street Cafe and graded them an A- overall. They loved the bagels but not the "white and wide-mouthed with tiny handles" coffee cups.

Empire Dine and Dance was the subject of this week's Taste & Tell column on MaineToday.com. Empire captured 3 out of a possible 5 stars for their "bar food made with panache".

Evangeline, Erik Desjarlais' new restaurant in Longfellow Square, will be having its opening night on April 11.

April 5
The new issue of Down East includes a guide to eating in Maine. Editor Kathleen Fleury polled "chefs, market owners, specialty food purveyors, food writers, and other culinary icons" about where they are eating now. Portland had a very strong showing in the results with entries as diverse as Homegrown Herb & Tea and Back Bay Grill.

The Bollard is reporting that Granny's Burritos will soon be reopening in the location currently occupied by Uncle Billy's Resto-Bar. The new incarnation of Granny's is a joint venture by Chris Godin of Granny's and Jonathan St. Laurent of Uncle Billy's.

Chef et al. opened for business yesterday. Chef et al. is billing itself as a "casual New England bistro". They are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week and plan on starting a Sunday brunch service soon.

John Everett reviewed the Asylum for this week's installment of the Bar Guide. "Young people want a place that has good music, cheap drinks and a dance floor. Asylum meets that criteria, and has a fun-loving and professional staff to boot".

Hilltop Coffee Shop was profiled in this week's edition of The Maine Switch.

April 3
Kim's Sandwich & Cafe received 4½ stars in a review published on MaineToday.com. "Simply put, Kim's Sandwich and Cafe on Portland's St. John Street is a great find. It would be pretty darn hard to find a better value for a really tasty lunch."

BeerBloggers.com has written a review of Gritty's Scottish Style Ale. "The taste is a good bit more exciting than the smell. The malts are bready and have a caramel flavor to them. The initial sweetness gives way to the smokey accents, which adds a pleasant complexity to the taste."

April 2 PM
This week's edition of The Maine Switch has an article on one woman's search for the best New England clam chowder in the city, and an introduction to the 22nd Annual Chocolate Lovers' Fling that's taking place on Sunday.

April 2 AM
From Way Away has put together a list of 20 "great foodie things in our broken city of Portland".

Chow Maine has published a calendar of April wine tastings at over 20 stores from Ogonquit to Gardiner.

April 1
The 10 restaurants viewed most often on Portland Food Map during the month of March were:

Emilitsa holds the top honors for the second month in a row.

March 31
Benny Girl confesses to a guilty pleasure in Mrs. Butterworth's syrup in the new review of Kathy and Dave's Cafe by The Breakfast Club. Overall TBC gave Kathy and Dave's a B+.

A Blog About Beer has a review of Peak Organic's new Maple Oat Ale. ABAB interviewed Peak Organic's founder, John Cadoux, back in September.

March 30
Erik Desjarlais has a progress update on Evangeline with some details on the menu and pricing on his blog.

If you're looking for locally raised meat, CSA'd or otherwise, then read this article on Chow Maine. The article also reports that a Monday Farmers' Market is in the works for 2008.

March 28
Today's Press Herald has an update on the return of the Miss Portland Diner to Marginal Way. The diner's owner, Thomas Manning, plans to reopen the diner by this fall.

March 27
The Go Section on MaineToday.com has a review of StarEast Cafe which they say is "definitely worth a try".

ILAP, the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, is hosting CeleSoiree 4 tomorrow at 58 Fore Street. There will be a silent art auction, African drumming and ethnic food from about 20 restaurants including Acropolis, Bogusha's Polish Restaurant & Deli, Food Factory Miyake, Hamdi Restaurant & Grocery, Hi Bombay!, La Bodega Latina, Miccuci's Grocery Co., Oriental Table, Sengchai Thai, Tandoor, Vientiane, Yosaku.

March 26 PM
Blog About Beer is announcing the formation of the Maine Beer Writers' Guild to "to promote better beer writing and celebrate Maine's craft brew culture".

The Portland Phoenix has a review of the noodle soup options at Huong Vietnamese Restaurant and Pom's Thai Taste. "The downtown Arts District has recently become a hot spot for Asian noodle soup. It offers a chance to try both a classic pho at Huong's Vietnamese, and a transcendent contemporary take at Pom's."

The Maine Switch has a review of David's on Monument Square. "Let me just say right off that I'm olive oil obsessed. I love to drizzle it over mashed potatoes, whip it up into a vinaigrette and lather it on pancakes. (Yes, pancakes.) And when I sit down at a restaurant and see a bottle of the golden goodness in front of me, I know I'm in the right spot."

TMS restaurant reviewer, Avery Yale Kamila, started up a blog this month called Commune Tested, City Approved where she writes about vegetarian food and sustainable living.

Kaysone Thai, 21 Forest Ave, turned into Chaba Thai Cuisine II and now Chaba Thai Cuisine II has changed hands and is named Nakornping Thai Restaurant.

March 26 AM
John Everett reviewed the Gritty McDuff's for this week's installment of the Bar Guide. "We all love that Gritty's brews its own (delicious) beer, serves good food and is a comfortable, sociable place with nice patrons and relaible staff. However, on weekends and busy summer nights, the place is often mobbed and it takes WAY too long to get a drink. These nights recall a famous Yogi Berra quip, 'No one goes there anymore, it's too crowded.'"

March 25
Chef Rob Evans of Hugo's has been nominated for an award from the James Beard Foundation in the Best Chef: Northeast category. This is the second nomination for Evans. Also nominated were Clark Fraiser and Mark Gaier of Arrows in Ogunquit.

Type A Diversions has posted a review of Green Elephant. "Green Elephant fills a void in the Greater Portland restaurant scene; for vegetarians, vegans and those seeking an alternative to traditional Asian cuisine it is a fine choice for an affordable lunch or quick bite before a movie."

March 24 PM
The Breakfast Club has resurfaced with a pair of new reviews. The first is of Easter breakfast at Bibo's Madd Apple Cafe, "with a great intown location but an off-the-beaten-path feel, bibo's is the perfect alternative to many of portland's better-known establishments. don't miss it." And the second of the St Patrick's Day breakfast served at Brian Boru, "we wish there had been lucky charms cereal on the menu. they probably would have made a killing with that."

Not to be out done, The Bollard has a published a breakfast review of The Frog and Turtle in Westbrook. "Chef James and co-owner/wife Heidi have completely transformed the former home of Chicky's Fine Diner, creating a comfortable, casual space where good food takes center stage. The creative menu at The Frog & Turtle is flawlessly prepared, and Chef James doesn't compromise on the quality of his ingredients. The wait staff, many of whom are holdovers from Cafe Uffa, are energetic, knowledgeable, and friendly to a fault."

A blog called From Off has posted a short review of 2 Dine In, a service that delivers food from about 20 local restaurants. "I finally tried 2DineIn, and forget my doubts and worries - it was excellent."

Portland Psst! is reporting that Awful Annie's Irish Saloon has reopened on Congress Street.

Blog About Beer is publishing a six article how-to on drinking beer. He's posted the first four articles so far: Find the Best Pubs, Getting the Most Out of the Glass, Fresh Beer is Better Beer, Stemware.

March 24 AM
Rabelais Books is appearing in an article about foodie bookstores in Saveur. They are also featured in an article in the latest edition of Port City Life.

The new edition of Maine Food & Lifestyle magazine is on the newstands. There's a trio of articles about Maine bakers, a profile of Cold River Vodka, an examination of the history of finnan haddie by food historian Sandy Oliver and much much more. Go to the MF&L website to see a full table of contents.

March 23
Pom's Thai Taste received 3 stars in a review from MaineToday.com. "Opened last December, Pom's Thai Taste Restaurant & Noodle House serves creamy curries and good noodle soups in a modern room. Oversweet dipping sauces and a few bland dishes were the only detractions during a meal on the bustling evening of Portland's First Friday Art Walk, when I was impressed by the spicy, crispy duck and house special curry."

Chow Maine has an article about restaurants that are making an effort to composte their waste.

The Portland Culinary Scribbler has posted another two pieces in their ongoing series of "various writers' subjective reactions to a wine and cheese pairing". Kate Beltz wrote "Disconnecting" in response to a 2006 Gouguenheim Merlot paired with Artisan Cabrales. Jesse W. Lane wrote "Red Wine Convert" in response to a Gougenheim Malbec paired with Chistou.

March 22
John Everett reviewed the Downtown Lounge in this week's installment of the Bar Guide. "When I walk down Congress Street late at night, I often peek inside this tiny fun factory. Doesn't matter if it's 8 p.m. on a Friday or midnight on a Sunday, there are always people crowded in the diminutive Downtown Lounge. On a Thursday afternoon, my curiosity got the better of me."

Beer, Maine & Me bemoans the lack of a Maine beer that can satisfy his desire for hoppiness. "We have a ton of great breweries, brewing lots of great beers, representing all different styles, but no IPAs that we can really brag about in the arena of holier-than-though hoppiness."

Erik Desjarlais has provided readers of his blog advice and step by step instructions on how to stun, skin and butcher rabbits. Earlier in the week Desjarlais reported that there have been delays in getting his new restaurant, Evangeline, finished and so it will not be opening April 4 as originally expected.

New2Maine.com has published a report on the 1st Annual Eco Appetito that was held last weekend at Cinque Terre.

March 21
Today's Press Herald has an article about Peak Organic's newest beer, a maple oat ale which Peak brewed from locally sourced oats and maple syrup. A launching party for the new beer was held this week at Slainte on Preble St.

March 20 PM
Rabelais Books is holding a reception Friday from 5 to 7 pm for an exhibit entitled Food + Table. Rabelais describes the show this way, "Food + Table is a collaboration by students at the Maine College of Art in the Metalsmithing, Jewelry and Graphic Design departments . . . We are very excited about our first three dimensional show, the art will be interspersed throughout the store, making for all sorts of discoveries."

March 20 AM
Portland 207 has a report on the newly re-opened Little Lad's Bakery & Cafe. "A quick glance at the board was all that was afforded to me, as my host had already selected my meal. The first hand burger. This is no a typo. Their vegan menu is awash in choices that are slightly tweaked to do away with any traces of meat and dairy. Items such as pizza and grilled cheese on the sandwich board out front do not indicate the restaurant's vegan intentions to those passing by."

Passage to India was reviewed a second time this week, this time by the Go staff at MaineToday.com. The review gives the Wharf Street restaurant 4½ stars. "If you love Indian food, walk down to Wharf Street and grab a booth at Passage to India, the latest addition to Indian cuisine here in Portland. You can order one of their $6.95 lunch specials and even add a cup of soup for the same price as a sandwich-centered lunch in the Old Port."

March 19 PM
This weeks edition of The Maine Switch includes a review of Binga's Wingas. "You know you'd rather be watching March Madness with a pitcher of draft beer and a basket of hot wings than with that Diet Coke and bag of potato chips you happen to have at home."

There's a review of Passage to India in this week's Portland Phoenix. "Passage to India is considered to be one of the best restaurants in the New England area, and is consistently rated among the top Indian restaurants in America and worldwide. At least that is what the restaurant's Web site says – verbatim. And all this accomplished in just a few months! Having visited, I think it is an overstatement." Reviewer Brian Duff goes on to say "Passage to India's bombastic self-description is typical of the oddball charms that allow it to enliven what was once my least favorite restaurant space in the city".

Fore Street Chef, Sam Hayward, is cooking a five-course dinner with wine pairings at the Poplar Stream hut as a benefit for Maine Huts and Trails. Diners will need to hike in, and for a $250 donation will "be treated to a fine dinner, an overnight stay at the hut, and breakfast on Saturday morning."

March 19 AM
The Food section in today's Press Herald has a profile of the Good Eats Boutique. Good Eats is somewhat unusual in that, rather than baking all the goodies themselves, they employ "eight Maine bakers who specialize in just one or two treats, which is DeWitt's [the owner] way of tapping into their passion for baking and maintaining the quality and consistency of her products."

There's also a very interesting article in the Business section on the growth in number and influence of food blogs. My favorite line from the article is "Blogs . . .usually spring from personal obsessions." I'm sure I don't know what they're talking about. :-)

March 18 PM
The foodie blogosphere has expanded yet again. Kathleen Fleury is writing The Maine Mouth, a blog for Down East magazine, and the staff at Maine Food & Lifestyle are collectively writing a blog called Plating Up. There are now 25 food and drink blogs listed on this site.

March 18 AM
Maine Maple Sunday is traditionally the 4th Sunday in March which this year falls on March 23—Easter Sunday for most Christians. As a result, some sugar houses will be open Saturday instead of Sunday. To find a location near you that's open, regardless of the day, check the State of Maine's Maple Sunday directory.

March 17
Chaba Thai Cuisine II on Forest Ave has been bought by a new owner. Chaba II will be renamed Nakornping Thai Restaurant. Both Nakornping and Veranda Thai Cusisine were issued liquor licenses at tonight's City Council meeting.

Local Foodie has made it through a Winter with some "potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, apples and squash" still stored away. Her experiments in growing spinach indoors with natural light (no grow lights) haven't taken off but sprouts and kombucha have.

March 16
Chow Maine has an interview with Scott Olsen, the new Executive Chef at Mim's Brasserie. Olsen is quoted in article saying "I am moving to Portland because . . . it has the most amazing restaurant scene I've been in. Even more happening than San Francisco". Speaking on his approach to cooking he said, "I am not a big fluffy garnisher . . . and just want to give people AMAZINGLY FREAKIN' GOOD FOOD."

The Press Herald released the results of their 22nd annual Audience Readers' Poll today. In some instances the food and drink portion seems to be more of a reflection of brand awareness than what is truly the best in each category. Here are a few examples: Olive Garden was #2 in the category for Best Restaurant, McDonalds was #1 in Best Cheap Eats and Dunkin Donuts was #1 in the Best Coffee category. The Portland Phoenix will be releasing the results of their readership poll soon. It will be interesting to see how the two sets of results compare.

March 14
John Everett reviewed The Snug in his Bar Guide this week. According to Everett, "I could have closed my eyes and imagined I was in Dublin, surrounded by Guinness-swilling Irishmen. Instead I was at the foot of Munjoy Hill boozing with Mainahs. The Irish vibe at The Snug is strong, and pretty authentic."

Psst! has the news that Foley's Cafe & Bakery on Monument Square has closed and that Happy Teriyaki is going to open a location at 630 Congress St. Saeng Thai House on St John St is opening a second location around the corner at 921 Congress sometime in late March or early April. The new Thai place going into the old location of Espans Quick Lunch on Veranda will be called Veranda Thai Cuisine. The Merry Table is the name of a new restaurant that is going to be located at 43 Wharf St. It looks like Awful Annie's Irish Saloon will be re-opening at their former location, 189 Congress St. For information on these and all 19 new restaurants and bars under development in Portland see the Under Construction list.

March 13
The Press Herald has an entertaining interview with Rick Fournier from Tony's Donut Shop. When asked if one of his new products has a nutritional label, Fournier answered "No. If you break it first, all the calories leak out. So calories aren't an issue. And our doughnuts have non-fattening centers."

March 12 PM
This week's edition of The Maine Switch has a review of Vignola. The Switch offered this comment in the Diner's Tip section of the review, "Skip dinner. Come for wine and dessert." Type A Diversions had somewhat similar sentiments in her recent review that said, "I would return for drinks and appetizers, but likely not for dinner."

Mainebiz has a story on Borealis Breads' return to Portland.

March 12 AM
News of this past weekend's Japanese Deathmatch dinner is starting to come out. The Deathmatch is a periodic event run by a group of local chefs and foodies that get together to cook for each other on a specific theme. See these posts on Accidental Vegetables and eGullet for more information.

The Enjoy Your Meal blog has the lowdown on which local restaurants have added Bushmills-based items to their menu in support of Portland's bid to win the Twin City of Bushmills competition.

March 11
Market Street Eats has completed the move into new digs at 36 Market Street. Fans of Little Lad's will be happy to hear that they will be re-opening on April 17.

Chow Maine has an article about the ongoing Winter farmer's market operating in Portland. You can seee a full menu of items available at the market on eGullet.

March 10
A new blog, John Everett's Bar Guide, has been added to OUR list of local food and drink bloggers. Everett writes a weekly blog entry reviewing one of Portland's many bar and lounges. His reviews are chock full of information and are really fun to read. Each week's post includes a readership survey which are usually quite whimsical. So far this year John has reviewed Andy's Old Port Pub, CJ's Place, Dock Fore, Empire Dine and Dance, Flask Lounge, Old Port Tavern, Rivalries, Slainte and Una.

March 9 PM
Type A Diversions has published a review of Vignola, an Italian restaurant on Dana Street. To quote Type A, "Vignola is a fun and lively gathering spot with an excellent Italian and French wine selection, as well as an extensive European and Belgian Beer assortment. There are several stand-out dishes, though the execution is not consistent across the menu."

March 9 AM
Mexico Lindo received 1½ stars in a review from MaineToday.com. Food critic Nancy English wrote that the "dishes tasted during two recent visits to Mexico Lindo suffered from a lack of flavor, dubious freshness and overcooked chicken."

Lava Lounge has been replaced by Cactus Club at 416 Fore St, and Oktoberfest International Taphouse, the beer bar that's opening in the old location of Digger's, has changed their name to Prost! International Taphouse.

Erik Desjarlais has a cryptic post on his blog that just reads "Mark April 4th on your calendars!" I think that's Erik's way of saying that April 4th will be the opening day of Evangeline, his new restaurant in Longfellow Square.

March 7 PM
The Hilltop Coffee Shop has moved across the street to the same building that's home to Fat Baxter's. Hilltop is having an open house tonight 5:30 - 7:30 to celebrate their new location.

City Deli has opened a second location at 18 Veranda St. Across the street from them a Thai restaurant is going into the building formerly occupied by Espans Quick Lunch. See the Under Construction page to see a full list of up and coming establishments.

The Spring edition of The Bollard is now out. It includes a review of Kim's Sandwich Cafe, and another segment in their series on cocktails written by John Myers, the highly regarded bartender at Local 188. You can usually find copies of The Bollard at most local coffee shops.

March 7 AM
The Press Herald is reporting that Mayor Suslovic will be welcoming a master distiller from Bushmills Irish Whiskey to town today. Portland's competing with Boston and Louisville to be selected the twin city of Bushmills.

According to Portland 207, Bull Feeny's, Gritty's, Ri-Ra and Brian Boru are sponsoring a "drunken parade" with a bagpiper to "lead the band of jubilant drinkers from bar to bar." See Portland 207 for the schedule.

March 6
Begining in May, Caiola's plans to start serving brunch on Sunday.

March 5
Food Search, Portland Food Map's food-focused search engine, now indexes more that 300 websites including ones for all the local business listed on the site as well as a growing number of producers in Maine that sell in Portland such as oyster farms, cheese makers and breweries.

March 4
Today's Portland Press Herald has an article about how bakeries are being impacted by the recent