November 2007 Blog Posts

The process of converting all the past blog posts into the new system will take some time. I will chip away at it as time allows. In the meantime you can read the posts from November 2007 here.

November 30
This week’s issue of The Forecaster has an article on the imminent closing of the Village Cafe, a mainstay of the Portland restaurant industry for 71 years. Natasha’s closed up shop for the last time earlier this week. As mentioned in last week’s issue of The Forecaster, this will now provide owner Natasha Durham the freedom to focus exclusively on her Commercial St restaurant Mims Brasserie.
November 29
This week’s issue of The Maine Switch features reviews of the Flask Lounge and Terra Cotta Pasta. MaineToday.com has another review of Uncle Billy’s Resto-Bar; they must really like Uncle Billy’s because that’s the second review they’ve done this year on the Congress St barbeque restaurant.
November 28
Brian Duff from The Portland Phoenix has done a round-up review of the newest pizzerias in town—Bonobo, Siano’s, and Leonardo’s. The article also reports that Haggarty’s has been experimentin with making Indian pizzas which they plan on adding to their menu in 2008.
Portland Food Search
There’s now another way to use this site to find the information you want. In addition to the Map View, List View and street maps, there’s now Portland Food Search. Portland Food Search is a customized search engine that simultaneously searches more than 200 local food orriented websites. You can access this new search service by clicking on the new Food Search tab at the top of the page.
November 25
Food Factory Miyake picked up another positive review today. Nancy English gave the Spring St sushi restaurant 4 fours stars in her review published today on MaineToday.com. Eric Desjarlais has written on his blog about the progress he’s making in opening Evangeline, his new State St restaurant. Portland Pie Company has completed their move from Fore St to 51 York St.
November 24
The new Forest Ave location for Mexico Lindo is now open for business.
November 23
Erin from Type A Diversions has published a new review of Street & Co., the Wharf St seafood restaurant.
November 22
This week’s The Maine Switch includes a review of Bruno’s Tavern, as well as articles on the Good Eats Boutique, and Maine Brewing Supply. The review of Bruno’s takes another place off list of restaurants without a review.
November 20 PM
Lindsay Sterling from the Portland Phoenix has written a reivew on Bogusha’s Polish Restaurant and Deli.
November 20 AM
The Bollard has published a review of Al-Amin Halaal Market which is located on Saint John St. “The food is worth the effort”, writes Zachary Barowitz, author of the review. Izzy’s Cheesecakes has been added to the site. The Portland Press Herald has an article today about the Maine shrimp season which will run this year from December 1 through the end of April.
November 19
The front page of today’s Portland Press Herald features an interview with Makara Meng, the owner of Mitpheap Asian Market on Washington Ave. The article tells the story of Meng’s surviving the Khmer Rouge regime and her imigration to America in 1984. Also in today’s paper is an article about Backyard Farms, a commercial tomato growing operation in Madison, ME. Backyard Farm’s tomatoes are called the Backyard Beauties and are available at Hannaford.
November 18
Thanks to a review by Erin at Type A Diversions, Sala Thai is off the list of restaurants without a review.
November 15 PM
Today, The Forecaster published a rundown of recent and upcoming changes in the Portland restaurant line up. The article includes a note that Crab Louie will be undergoing a name and menu change, and that sadly Natasha’s will be closing down for good.
November 15 AM
Karen Beaudoin from The Maine Switch has written a reivew of La Familia. With Thanksgiving just a week away there have been a trio of articles published recently by Chow Maine, The Maine Switch and Maine Today with advice for shopping and/or cooking for the holiday.
November 13
Flask, a sports bar located on Spring St next to Katahdin, has opened for business. A new food delivery service called 2 Dine In has been added to the site. To use their service it looks like you just place an order with them online and they’ll pick up the meal and bring it to your door. Passage to India, a new Indian restaurant that will be located on Wharf St, has been added to the Under Contruction list.
November 10
The Good Eats Boutique, a bakery/candy store on Stevens Ave, had their grand opening today. Additionally, blogger Type A Diversions published a review of Ribollita. In her words, “I highly recommend putting Ribollita on your “must try” list. Romantic, cozy and intimate, they serve excellent Tuscan comfort food at a fair price.”
November 8
Avery Yale Kamila from The Maine Switch has reviewed Siano’s. It’s the the first review published on the new Stevens Ave pizzeria. That leaves just 82 places in Portland without a review. There’s also a new review of The Frog and Turtle by Brian Duff at the Portland Phoenix.
November 5
Benny Girl and the rest of the Breakfast Club crew have published a new review—this week they visited Francisco’s Blue House Cafe. Vivian’s Drive-In and Maine Brewing Supply have been added to the site.
November 4
Local 188 has been written up in the November issue of Portland Magazine. Blogger From Way Away has weighed in on Bonobo. Nancy English has written a review of Brian Boru that appeared in today’s newspaper. The review of Brian Boru takes the list of restaurants and bars without a review down to 83.
November 3
Blogger Type A Diversions has written up a review of the North Star Music Cafe.
November 1
Avery Yale Kamila from The Maine Switch has reviewed the Green Elephant. It’s the the first review published of Portland’s newest vegetarian restaurant. That leaves just 84 places in Portland without a review. There’s also a new review of La Familia by Brian Duff at the Portland Phoenix. In today’s Press Herald there’s an interesting interview with Peter Haggarty. Peter is the owner of Haggarty’s, a “Brit-Indi” takeout restaurant on Forest Ave.